ecosystemscenes

[ecosystemscenes]

This might be your last chance to remove garlic mustard before the thin seed pods burst and release hundreds of seeds. Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is native to Eurasia. An invasive plant in North America, garlic mustard was intentionally planted by early settlers for its culinary and medicinal benefits. 

Garlic mustard leaves emerge early spring, outcompeting native vegetation. Garlic mustard crowds out native species in eastern North American forests. Removing garlic mustard from forests should be combined with a strategy to plant native species. There are other invasive plants that thrive once garlic mustard is removed. 

[ecosystemscenes]

Signs of spring - fog. Spring - heavy May rains, saturated soils and moist air. Add cool nighttime temperatures - we reach dew point.

At the dew point water droplets form leaving the mysterious beauty of fog. Get up early to witness the beauty of fog - only visible until the morning sunshine warms up the air temperature. Warm air holds more water vapor.

[ecosystemscenes]

Happy Earth Day! A song I wrote in support of Earth.

Shout-out to the composers of "Bella Ciao" which is the song rhythm.

[ecosystemscenes]

Heavy spring rain physically breaks down exposed soil leading to soil erosion. Year-round ground cover protects the soil surface and enhances infiltration. Supplemental tile drainage increases infiltration and flow of water to reduce ponding. Drainage from this field with perennial grasses runs clear after days of saturating rains. 

[ecosystemscenes]

Signs of Spring - bulb flowers. 

Snowdrops (Galanthus sp.) are common early spring flowers in the northern U.S. However, snowdrops are native to Europe and the Middle East. Snowdrops are naturalized in North American climates that experience a cold period that is above -40°F (USDA Hardiness Zones 3-7). Snowdrops emerge after a period of stratification - cold temperatures that signal a dormant phase. Early warm periods trigger snowdrop blooms, which are capable of surviving early spring snow. 

[ecosystemscenes]

From 0(°C) to 60( °F) and back to 0(°C)…. Hello spring in NY!

The northeast US experienced high weather variability in early 2024. Warm temperatures in February and March, followed by blizzard conditions on the first day of Spring 2024. 

The location of the jet stream determines where cold weather lands in the Northern Hemisphere. 

Climate scientists hypothesize that Arctic warming weakens the Jet Stream causing more variability in winter weather.