To pair with the rest of our educational content in each Earth to Florida newsletter, we bring you monthly updates on statewide environmental news. Read on below to see what we found for the month of January:
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10 Florida Stories to Watch
- A 21-foot long, 5,000-pound orca whale was found stranded near Palm Coast on January 11. Orcas usually live in colder waters, but there are also pods of these whales in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. It is uncommon to see a whale in Florida, although sightings do occur from time to time. This is the first time in nearly 70 years an orca has been stranded in the southeastern U.S. A necropsy performed at SeaWorld found that the cause of death was disease, though the exact disease is still unknown. This whale stranding was just one of three in a short period of time in Florida.
- The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee has agreed to back a proposed bill that would allocate $20 million a year from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to environmental projects in the Florida Keys. The funds would go toward restoring Florida Bay and the area’s coral reefs. The proposal was recently amended to remove a section that would have prohibited using the funds for wastewater projects, raising some concerns among certain environmental groups.
- With federal funds, Hillsborough County will soon begin the process of designating Little Manatee River as a scenic waterway. Having the ‘scenic’ status will safeguard the river from any future development while still allowing recreational activities. The river must go through a formal study by the National Park Service before it can achieve its scenic designation. The study can take as long as three years to complete.
- The Florida Cabinet recently approved $17.8 million in land conservation deals that advocates say will bring the Florida Wildlife Corridor a step closer to completion. The Florida Wildlife Corridor consists of different green spaces such as national parks, state forests, rivers and streams that aim to better connect Florida’s natural lands, prevent habitat fragmentation, and protect Florida’s drinking water sources. These deals will help preserve several thousand acres of ranch land and buffer areas from development and secure their place as part of the Corridor. In 2021, the Florida House and Senate unanimously passed the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, securing $400 million in funding to protect interconnected natural areas in the state.
- Florida’s iconic manatee has had a rough go in recent years. About 800 manatees died in 2022, the second deadliest year on record. The species is undergoing widespread famine due to the loss of seagrass, their main dietary staple. But not all is lost for our precious sea cows. Manatees were largely spared from red tide in 2022 and wildlife officials have confirmed that long-term care facilities for malnourished manatees are equipped to take in new rescues. In an extremely rare occurrence, a female manatee named Estel has given birth to twins. And in the recent cold fronts, manatees have managed to stay warm long enough to avoid major casualties.
- On January 10, Governor Ron DeSantis announced an executive order pledging $3.5 billion for Everglades and water protection. The funds, which are subject to legislative approval, will be spread over four years and focus on restoration in the Everglades and Indian River Lagoon, coastal resiliency, coral reef protection, and land conservation. This is a $1 billion increase from DeSantis’ first executive order in 2019, which also focused on Everglades and water quality improvement.
- Florida biologists have long pointed to cold snaps as the only realistic hope for controlling South Florida’s invasive iguanas. But researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have found that the region’s most common lizard species can withstand lower temperatures than they were able to four years ago. This means that rates of falling iguanas during South Florida winters may decrease as the species develops a cold hardiness and global temperatures rise. Scientists say a combination of acclimation and evolution is allowing these iguanas to better survive the winters.
- Earlier this month, experts urged boaters to keep their distance as a critically endangered right whale and her calf made their way south along Florida’s east coast. With only 70 breeding females left in the world, every single female North Atlantic right whale and calf is vital to the species’ continuation and recovery. Researchers are tracking the whales through social media posts and sighting reports. Nine calves have been born so far this calving season, but one was recently found dead in North Carolina. Researchers say calving seasons typically need 50 calves or more to stabilize the population.
- Recently, there has been an increase in crocodile sightings across the state. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimated that the number of Florida crocodiles has increased from 300 in 1975 to as many as 2,000 today. As a result, Florida is experiencing increasing complaints about nuisance crocodiles.
- Last year, the Miami-Dade County Commission moved the urban development boundary that protects wetlands and farms in South Dade to make way for a warehouse complex. If the project comes to fruition, the warehouse will be built over a slough, a shallow and slow-moving channel that is important for restoring water flow from the Everglades to Biscayne Bay. The decision is being challenged by a nearby resident and a hearing before an administrative law judge is scheduled for May.
The Good News
- A new United Nations report says Earth’s ozone layer is healing at a pace that would mend the hole by 2066. Chlorine and bromine, the two chemicals that eat away at the ozone layer, are in lower concentrations in the atmosphere compared to their respective peak levels in 1993 and 1999. Keeping the ozone layer intact helps shield the planet from harmful radiation linked to things like skin cancer, cataracts, and crop damage.
Florida Research News
- The U.S. Department of Defense is planning to build “hybrid reefs” to protect coastal military bases from waves. These reefs will combine concrete structures with oyster beds and living coral to break up waves that may cause damage. Natural coral reefs already protect our coastlines from erosion by breaking up the big waves via friction. But warming ocean temperatures, ocean acidification and disease are causing reefs to die, leaving coastlines more vulnerable. The living coral used in these hybrid reefs will include species that have already adapted to warmer parts of the ocean.
- A new study by researchers at the University of Florida and Florida Polytechnic University shows that although not perfect, recycling systems are worth keeping. The study found that when recycling programs are scrapped entirely, households only save between $1 and $12 a year, while greenhouse gas emissions increased up to 20 times the current average. Instead of cutting these programs, researchers recommend that cities focus on more targeted recycling programs that focus on high-demand materials.
- A population of non-native, aggressive, air-breathing fish known as the goldline snakehead was documented for the first time in the Gulf Coast region, according to a recent study by Florida researchers. The fish were discovered in a freshwater pond in Manatee County about 250-km from the only other known population of this species in the U.S., which has existed in Broward County since about 2000. Native to Asia, snakeheads have been introduced to the wild worldwide due to their popularity in the live-food and ornamental fish trades and even sport fishing. However, the predatory fish are able to withstand diverse environmental conditions, including drought, and pose a risk to native ecosystems.
- The night fragrant epidendrum, a rare orchid that blooms in Florida only at night, is at risk of extinction. But with the help of common Florida fruits, a team at Florida International University has developed a low-cost method to propagate the flower. FIU scientists are also researching methods to save Florida’s population of the endangered mule ear orchid, the only U.S. population of the orchid, after discovering an invasive insect is responsible for much of the flower’s demise.
- Researchers at Florida Atlantic University recently conducted two experiments showing that urban noise pollution can affect the color of songbirds’ beaks. The greatest effects were seen in female birds, which developed a brighter orange beak coloration, while changes to male beak coloration were more subtle. Further research is being done to study how beak color changes may impact mating, social interaction, and social hierarchies.
Things You Can Do
- Looking for a spectacular place to birdwatch? Florida’s own Everglades National Park has been named by Travel Lens as the best birding park in the nation. Here are five species you can see there.
National News
- Scientists associated with the ExxonMobil corporation have been measuring the amount of carbon dioxide in the air and the ocean and using it to accurately predict global warming since the 1970s, a new study shows. These projections correctly rejected the idea of an upcoming ice age, predicted when human-caused global warming would be observed, and estimated the threshold for how much carbon dioxide could be added to the atmosphere before Earth reached a tipping point. Most of these predictions were found to be as accurate, and sometimes more accurate, than projections from the government and other institutions.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is looking to reduce the limit on industrial fine soot particles. Soot is a deadly air pollutant, and fine particles can be inhaled and enter the bloodstream, causing a variety of health problems. The agency is proposing to reduce the amount of soot particles from a yearly average of 12 micrograms to somewhere between 8 and 11 micrograms. While some see this as a major win for public health, others feel the agency should restrict it further.
- A new study concluded that policies barring a state government’s ability to do business with sustainability-minded companies have the potential to be a costly endeavor. Florida is one of six states that either proposed or passed legislation that prevents government entities from doing business with financial firms that limit investment in fossil fuel companies. The study concluded that states with anti-ESG laws (environment, societal, and corporate governance) could have higher interest costs due to decreased competition for the state’s business. In Florida, the researchers project that the higher interest rates could cost taxpayers between $97 million and $361 million.
- On January 9, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that climate change is indisputably making extreme weather events worse. This past year (2022) set several records for drought, flooding, and extreme weather across the U.S. Many states set their own records for warmest year, lowest precipitation, and drought coverage, with Florida seeing its fifth warmest year on record. Last year was also the third in line for the greatest number of disasters, each one costing at least $1 billion. Hurricane Ian was the third costliest weather disaster in the last 40 years causing $112.9 billion in damages. USA Today released a county-by-county breakdown of natural disasters.
- A new study by researchers at Duke University found that eating wild-caught freshwater fish can increase the amount of forever chemicals in our blood. The study hasn’t found similar levels of the chemicals in store-bought fish, which are often farm raised. The researchers examined PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances) levels in the blood serum of locally caught freshwater fish and found that fifty samples nationwide had more than five times the typical amounts. The main compound the researchers found in fish was PFOA, a chemical used to make coatings and products that resist water, heat, oil, stains, and grease. The chemicals can remain in the body for decades.
The More You Know
- Princeton University researchers have found a cheap way to use egg whites to remove microplastics and salt from ocean water by turning the egg whites into an aerogel. This lightweight and porous material can be used to filter water, store energy, and as insulation.
- Two-thirds of sharks and rays are facing extinction, primarily due to overfishing, according to a study by researchers at Australia’s James Cook University. The loss of these important species has the capacity to cause irreversible cascading effects on coral reef systems which are fundamentally important to the ocean’s productivity.
- Recently, Floridians have become more aware of some of the health risks associated with climate change, such as mosquito-borne diseases and heat stress. But now, health experts have discovered that worsening climate conditions can even impact those suffering from diabetes. Rising temperatures can increase dehydration, causing an increase of glucose that can lead to the risk of kidney damage. There are also concerns that extreme heat could trigger power outages that can damage insulin, which must be refrigerated.