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Wednesday, April 16, 2025

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https://nordictimes.com/environment/the-baltic-sea-is-getting-better-and-worse/

Environment

The Baltic Sea is getting better – and worse

Published 11 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Oxygen levels in some parts of the Baltic Sea have improved, particularly in the Gulf of Finland. However, in other areas, such as the Baltic Sea’s main basin and the Bothnian Sea, oxygen conditions remain poor.

The annual research cruise of the marine research vessel Aranda passed through the Gulf of Finland, the northern Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia. The voyage is carried out within the framework of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the monitoring program developed by the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission. Data collected during the expedition included oxygen, salinity and temperature stratification of the sea, and nutrient levels.

The results show that oxygen levels in the Gulf of Finland, from bottom to surface, are the best in five years. Conditions were good from the eastern part of the Gulf all the way to the Hanko headland. Oxygen-free water with hydrogen sulphide was only detected on the north-western coast of Estonia.

Oxygen levels were also high in the Archipelago Sea. Storm Jari and unusually high temperatures helped to mix the water from the surface to the bottom.

Worse in some places

Scientists generally believe that the improvement was not due to human intervention, but to the weather. The winters of 2020 and 2025 had similar weather patterns, with prolonged westerly winds pushing new water into the Gulf of Finland.

The latest data is not entirely positive either, with a deterioration in oxygen levels in the deep areas of the Bothnian Sea.

At the same time, the situation in the main basin of the Baltic Sea remains unchanged. Oxygen-free water is found from 80-90 meters depth, and the oxygen-poor area extends all the way from the Bornholm Deep to the northern parts of the main basin.

– The oxygen-free area in the main basin now measures nearly 50,000 square kilometers,, said researcher Pekka Kotilainen in a press release.

 

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/environment/lynx-thrive-in-finland/

Environment

Lynx thrive in Finland

Published 12 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

In the last twenty years, the number of lynx has more than doubled in Finnish forests, it is estimated according to the latest census.

In the 1960s, the lynx became a protected species in the country, but today it has increased to the point where it is considered viable. In the last twenty years, the number of lynx in Finland has more than doubled and this year the count was 2300 individuals.

Lynx are found throughout Finland, except for the reindeer herding area in the north and some parts of Ostrobothnia. According to Annika Herrero, a researcher at the Natural Resources Institute Finland, lynx are most abundant in Uusimaa, Southwest Finland, Häme and South Savo.

A major reason for the increase is abundant food. Lynx like to eat hares and small cervids, such as white-tailed deer and roe deer, which have been abundant in Finland. Reproduction is also progressing.

– Lynx are reproducing efficiently, Herrero told the Finnish state broadcaster Yle.

The lynx was close to extinction about 100 years ago, but even in Sweden today there are about 1300 lynx. The population has been relatively stable in recent years, increasing in some counties and decreasing in others.

In both Sweden and Finland, a form of licensed hunting of lynx is carried out, with the aim of regulating the populations in the countries. In Sweden, the hunt is mainly motivated by a desire to reduce the risk of serious damage to domestic animals, while the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) emphasizes that lynx also have an important function in the ecosystem and calls for other preventive measures rather than hunting. During this year’s Swedish license hunt, a total of 87 lynx were shot, the previous year the figure was significantly higher when every tenth lynx was shot in the country.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/light-pollution-affects-coral-reefs/

Environment

Light pollution affects coral reefs

Published 5 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff
When artificial light illuminates coral reefs at night, it makes it harder for fish to hide from nocturnal predators
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Artificial light is making coral reefs more dangerous for prey fish, according to a new study. Among other things, it can wake sleeping fish and attract predators, drastically altering the nightlife of coral reefs.

Light pollution, i.e. man-made light, has doubled approximately every eight years, according to a study from 2023. Artificial light has a significant impact on the environment and has been increasingly identified as a contributing factor to, among other things, the deterioration of pollination, mass death of insects and negative effects on birds.

It has also been shown to affect marine life, especially fish. Artificial light affects 22% of the world’s coastlines, equivalent to 1.6 million square kilometers.

More dangerous coral reefs

Light pollution also affects about 15% of the world’s coral reefs, creating a very different environment compared to that provided by natural darkness. A new study from the University of Bristol, together with researchers from French Polynesia and Chile, shows that coral reefs are becoming particularly difficult for prey fish to live in.

–When the sun sets, coral reefs undergo a dramatic transformation. The vibrant fish we see in the day retreat to sleep among the corals and elusive nocturnal species emerge from caves and cervices in pursuit of prey, said lead author Dr. Emma Weschke in a press release.

The researchers used custom-built underwater infrared night vision cameras to film the reef at night without disturbing the behavior of the fish, since fish cannot see infrared light.

When artificial light illuminates coral reefs at night, it makes it harder for fish to hide from nocturnal predators. The light also attracts predators, and fish that normally sleep stay awake.

– Many of the species detected on artificially lit reefs were not nocturnal fish, but those that are only usually active during the day. Finding that light pollution can cause fish to stay awake later than usual is concerning because sleep – like for us – is likely essential for regenerating energy and maintaining fitness, says Dr. Weschke.

There is hope

It took an average of 25 days of exposure to artificial light for these changes to occur. Only a few days were not enough, which the researchers welcome because, conversely, reducing light pollution can have a relatively immediate effect.

– Unlike greenhouse gasses and plastics, artificial light is a pollutant that doesn’t leave a residue when switched off. Limiting artificial light in both its intensity and duration, prioritizing it for essential needs and reducing aesthetic use, will help reestablish naturally dark nights that marine ecosystems evolved with, says Emma Weschke.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/florida-governor-supports-ban-on-weather-manipulation/

Environment

Florida governor supports ban on weather manipulation

The exaggerated climate crisis

Published 4 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Ronald Dion "Ron" DeSantis, Florida's governor since 2019, is a strong critic of spraying aluminum, sulfates and other compounds into the air. The image on the right is illustrative.
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expresses strong support for a bill to ban geoengineering and weather manipulation in the state, but criticizes the House of Representatives for watering it down.

The statement comes amid an ongoing debate on the health risks associated with these practices, in which the state’s health secretary Joseph Ladapo has also raised his voice.

Ron DeSantis has commented in an appearance on X on a bill by Senator Ileana Garcia that seeks to ban geoengineering, also called aerosol spraying, and weather manipulation in Florida.

The bill has passed the Senate Rules Committee by a vote of 20-4, but faced opposition in the House of Representatives, where amendments have been made that would allow these practices instead.

DeSantis is clear in his support for Senator Garcia’s initiative.

– Senator Ileana Garcia has a bill in the Florida Senate to ban geoengineering and weather manipulation in the state of Florida. I support the bill, he says.

He strongly criticizes the House of Representatives for their handling of the bill.

– The Florida House of Representatives has gutted Senator Garcia’s legislation, DeSantis adds, warning that a watered-down law could set the practice of geoengineering and weather manipulation.

Criticism of “kooky ideas” on climate solutions

The governor rejects ideas about manipulating the atmosphere to counter climate change.

– People got a lot of kooky ideas that they can get in and put things in the atmosphere to block the sun and save us from climate change. We’re not playing that game in Florida, he says.

DeSantis is now urging the public to put pressure on the House of Representatives.

– I hope people will tell the House of Representatives in Florida: do not gut this bill, he concludes.

Surgeon general warns of risks

Florida’s surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, has also spoken out on the issue and supports Senator Garcia’s work. In a post on X the same day, he writes: “These planes release aluminum, sulfates, and other compounds with unknown and harmful effects on human health”.

Ladapo emphasizes the importance of protecting Florida’s environment and residents. “We have to keep fighting to clean up the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat”, he adds.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Background geoengineering: Environmental and health concerns

The debate over geoengineering, also called aerosol spraying, has intensified in Florida following reports of potential health risks. According to data from US health advocate Mike Adams, samples from Florida's skies have indicated high levels of toxic metals such as aluminum, which is being linked to weather manipulation.

Four senators – Shevrin Jones, Lori Berman, Tracie Davis and Rosalind Osgood – voted against the bill in the Senate Rules Committee, which has drawn criticism from groups like Florida Sky Watchers, which accuses them of prioritizing partisan politics over environmental protection.

The House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a supermajority with 87 out of 120 seats, has, according to critics such as Christina Pushaw, chosen to support practices such as carbon storage instead of banning weather manipulation, which was seen as a controversial move.

In Sweden, the aerosol spraying debate has been completely dismissed by mainstream media as "conspiracy theories" despite the fact that spraying has also occurred in Sweden via the Esrange space base in Kiruna.

https://nordictimes.com/environment/record-low-wolf-numbers-in-sweden-raises-suspicions-of-illegal-hunting/

Environment

Record-low wolf numbers in Sweden raises suspicions of illegal hunting

Biodiversity

Published 3 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Proving illegal hunting is very difficult - and basically requires catching the culprits red-handed.
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

This year’s census reported record low numbers of wolves in Sweden, especially in Värmland and Dalarna. The decrease raises suspicions of widespread illegal hunting.

In Dalarna, the number of wolf territories has decreased by 72% in ten years – from eleven territories in the winter of 2012-2013 to only 3.08 this year. In Värmland, there were 14 territories with pups during the winter of 2021-2022, but this year only four have been found.

Although licensed wolf hunting takes place annually, new territories are usually formed, but why the number has now fallen so sharply is still unclear.

– We can’t find a good explanation for why it has become what it has become. License hunting alone cannot account for this decrease, says David Höök at the county administrative board in Värmland, to Jaktjournalen.

According to Artdatabanken, the wolf’s biggest threat in Sweden – as in Norway – is a lack of acceptance among parts of the population. Illegal hunting is also identified as a serious threat to the survival of the species.

“Difficult to prove anything”

Magnus Orrebrant, chairman of the Swedish Predators’ Association, believes that there is a widespread culture of silence among hunters and also among authorities. He highlights, among other things, an incident when a county administrative board published a film calling for help to combat illegal hunting, where the film clip was withdrawn after strong reactions from hunting associations.

– The county council is very careful about making statements. They no longer say outright that it is about illegal hunting, but note that the wolves disappear, he says to Natursidan.

– I don’t understand why it’s so difficult to call a spade a spade. Why don’t authorities and politicians dare to speak plainly about illegal hunting?

According to Orrebrant, wolves have also disappeared in Dalsland and Småland, but proving illegal hunting is difficult and hunters basically need to be caught red-handed.

– I get calls from members who tip me off about incidents, but it’s difficult to prove anything, he says.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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