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January jobs report: Unemployment rate falls to 4%, wages rise more than forecast; Trump signs order imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel; Ten Commandments in public schools debate reaches South Dakota; Virginia ranks among worst states for wage theft; Mexican long-nosed bat makes appearance in Arizona.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

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During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

New research says wildfire smoke may harm trees, food crops

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Friday, August 2, 2024   

New research suggests humans aren't the only ones experiencing negative effects from wildfire smoke.

Researchers are studying Ponderosa pines, which inhabit much of the western United States, and they're finding that smoke may be affecting trees and many more kinds of plants - including food crops.

Research co-author Delphine Farmer, a chemistry professor at Colorado State University, said they don't yet know the full extent of the effects of wildfire smoke on plant life, but they do know it can impact the economy in some surprising ways.

"Oregon has some amazing wine, and in the wine that's grown there, there are a lot of concerns about smoke taint," she said. "And that's when the gases and particles of smoke actually get into the grapes and impact the taste and flavor of the wine."

She said they've found that smoke can cause plants to close their pores and even pause photosynthesis. This may mean shorter and slower growing periods, with unpredictable consequences for crop growth and output. Farmer added that the best solution is to work to manage the effects of climate change.

While forest fires have been part of a healthy forest's life cycle for centuries, the rate and intensity of recent fires has ramped up. As Oregon faces yearly major wildfire seasons, Farmer said it's important to find ways to mitigate the smoke exposure.

"As we move to stronger effects of climate change, and global change induced by human activity, we know we are going to be seeing more of these wildfire events," she said. "And so, the best way to reduce smoke exposure - whether it's to humans or to plants - is really to reduce the number of wildfire events."

She added that human behavior led to this increase in wildfire smoke - and emphasized the smoke will, in turn, affect human behavior. She recommended that people advocate for better firefighting techniques for at-risk areas and promote better climate policies.


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