Consensus
A growing body of evidence has sounded the alarm that the biodiversity that supports and sustains life on Earth is at risk. Habitat destruction, resource exploitation, and climate change are among the many stressors that have put 1 million species under threat of extinction and sharply reduced the populations of many plant and animal species. While researchers and global leaders ramp up efforts to address this existential threat, the significance of species loss and the value of preserving biodiversity is not widely recognized by policy makers or the public. This booklet, produced by an international committee of experts, provides a publicly accessible overview of the many dimensions of biodiversity and why it's vital to the health of all life on the planet. The booklet also examines the causes of biodiversity loss and presents actions that can be taken from the individual to the global level to stop this decline.
52 pages
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8.5 x 11
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ISBN Ebook: 0-309-27308-0
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26384
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Biodiversity at Risk: Today's Choices Matter. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Since 1944, the National Research Council (NRC) has published seven editions of the Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle. This reference has guided nutritionists and other professionals in academia and the dairy and feed industries in developing and implementing nutritional and feeding programs for dairy cattle.
The eighth revised edition of the Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle builds on the previous editions. A great deal of new research has been published and there is a large amount of new information for many nutrients. This book represents a comprehensive review of the most recent information available on efficient, profitable, and environmentally conscious dairy cattle nutrition and ingredient composition.
502 pages
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8.5 x 11
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hardcover, paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-71449-4
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25806
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle: Eighth Revised Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Workshop
As a living substrate, soil is critical to the function of Earth's geophysical and chemical properties. Soil also plays a major role in several human activities, including farming, forestry, and environmental remediation. Optimizing those activities requires a clear understanding of different soils, their function, their composition and structure, and how they change over time and from place to place. Although the importance of soil to Earth's biogeochemical cycles and to human activities is recognized, the current systems in place for monitoring soil properties - including physical, chemical, and, biological characteristics - along with measures of soil loss through erosion, do not provide an accurate picture of changes in the soil resource over time. Such an understanding can only be developed by collecting comprehensive data about soils and the various factors that influence them in a way that can be updated regularly and made available to researchers and others who wish to understand soils and make decisions based on those data.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened key stakeholders in a workshop on March 2-4, 2021, to discuss the development of a dynamic soil information system. Workshop discussions explored possiblities to dynamically and accurately monitor soil resources nationally with the mutually supporting goals of (1) achieving a better understanding of causal influences on observed changes in soil and interactions of soil cycling of nutrients and gases with earth processes, and (2) providing accessible, useful, and actionable information to land managers and others. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.
116 pages
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7 x 10
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paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-49167-3
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-49194-0
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26170
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Exploring a Dynamic Soil Information System: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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The world is transforming its energy system from one dominated by fossil fuel combustion to one with net-zero emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary anthropogenic greenhouse gas. This energy transition is critical to mitigating climate change, protecting human health, and revitalizing the U.S. economy. To help policymakers, businesses, communities, and the public better understand what a net-zero transition would mean for the United States, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine convened a committee of experts to investigate how the U.S. could best decarbonize its transportation, electricity, buildings, and industrial sectors.
This report, Accelerating Decarbonization of the United States Energy System, identifies key technological and socio-economic goals that must be achieved to put the United States on the path to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The report presents a policy blueprint outlining critical near-term actions for the first decade (2021-2030) of this 30-year effort, including ways to support communities that will be most impacted by the transition.
268 pages
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7 x 10
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paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-68292-4
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-68293-2
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25932
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Accelerating Decarbonization of the U.S. Energy System. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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During the last century and today, the Tennessee walking horse has been used primarily for pleasure and show competition. Unique and natural to the breed is a smooth four-beat "running walk" gait. In the 1950s the accentuated or exaggerated running walk, known as the "big lick" became popular at high-level competitions. The combination of exaggerated high-action step in front and long stride behind is still considered desirable in today's horse show competitions, and it is often achieved through soring. Soring is the practice of applying a substance or mechanical device to the lower limb of a horse that will create enough pain that the horse will exaggerate its gait to relieve the discomfort. In 1970 Congress put into law the Horse Protection Act (HPA) to specifically address the practice of soring by prohibiting the showing, exhibition, or sale of Tennessee walking horses that are found to be sore. Sadly, soring is still being done even after 50 years of HPA enforcement.
This report reviews the methods for detecting soreness in horses, in hopes of advancing the goal of ultimately eliminating the act of soring in horses and improving the welfare of Tennessee walking horses. A Review of Methods for Detecting Soreness in Horses examines what is known about the quality and consistency of available methods to identify soreness in horses; identifies potential new and emerging methods, approaches, and technologies for detecting hoof and pastern pain and its causes; and identifies research and technology needs to improve the reliability of methods to detect soreness. This independent study will help ensure that HPA inspection protocols are based on sound scientific principles that can be applied with consistency and objectivity.
130 pages
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8.5 x 11
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paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-68374-2
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-68375-0
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25949
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. A Review of Methods for Detecting Soreness in Horses. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Workshop
The production of food and other agricultural goods is a fundamental human endeavor and a cornerstone of the U.S. economy. While careers related to agriculture and natural resources have evolved in response to new knowledge and technology, consumer demands, and environmental changes, these professional fields now face a critical challenge: the ability to recruit and maintain a robust workforce. Companies, government bodies, and research organizations involved in food, agriculture, and natural resources (areas referred to collectively as FANR) are struggling to attract the next generation of workers. This shortage is apparent in employment projections for both trade positions attainable with certificate programs and high-tech positions requiring advanced degrees. Factors such as an increasingly diverse population, shifting work and career views, and lucrative job opportunities in other fields impact the ability to recruit talented individuals into the agricultural workforce.
To provide a forum for discussing how the community might come together to address this challenge, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a workshop on February 10-11, 2016, in Washington, DC. There were approximately 100 participants from land-grant universities, non-land-grant universities, minority-serving universities, community colleges, high schools, professional societies, government bodies, and corporations - reflecting the wide diversity of organizations with a stake in the future FANR workforce. The workshop was designed not only to highlight the significance of the challenges but also to surface concrete, forward-looking opportunities for action. This Proceedings of a Workshop summarizes plenary presentations from the workshop along with insights from 10 working groups that described key challenges, ongoing efforts to address them, and promising approaches for future action.
46 pages
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6 x 9
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ISBN Ebook: 0-309-27258-0
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/26065
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Creating the Future Workforce in Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Brucellosis is a nationally and internationally regulated disease of livestock with significant consequences for animal health, public health, and international trade. In cattle, the primary cause of brucellosis is Brucella abortus, a zoonotic bacterial pathogen that also affects wildlife, including bison and elk. As a result of the Brucellosis Eradication Program that began in 1934, most of the country is now free of bovine brucellosis. The Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA), where brucellosis is endemic in bison and elk, is the last known B. abortus reservoir in the United States. The GYA is home to more than 5,500 bison that are the genetic descendants of the original free-ranging bison herds that survived in the early 1900s, and home to more than 125,000 elk whose habitats are managed through interagency efforts, including the National Elk Refuge and 22 supplemental winter feedgrounds maintained in Wyoming.
In 1998 the National Research Council (NRC) issued a report, Brucellosis in the Greater Yellowstone Area, that reviewed the scientific knowledge regarding B. abortus transmission among wildlife—particularly bison and elk—and cattle in the GYA. Since the release of the 1998 report, brucellosis has re-emerged in domestic cattle and bison herds in that area. Given the scientific and technological advances in two decades since that first report, Revisiting Brucellosis in the Greater Yellowstone Area explores the factors associated with the increased transmission of brucellosis from wildlife to livestock, the recent apparent expansion of brucellosis in non-feedground elk, and the desire to have science inform the course of any future actions in addressing brucellosis in the GYA.
210 pages
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8.5 x 11
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paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-45831-5
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-45832-3
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/24750
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Revisiting Brucellosis in the Greater Yellowstone Area. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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A Research Strategy to Examine the Taxonomy of the Red Wolf provides independent guidance about taxonomic research on the red wolf, Canis rufus. Building from the 2019 report Evaluating the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red Wolf, this report reviews and ranks research applications to determine the taxonomy of wild canid populations in southern Louisiana and other relevant locations. The report then develops a research strategy to examine the evolutionary relationships between ancient red wolves, the extant managed red wolf populations, and the unidentified canid populations.
138 pages
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7 x 10
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paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-68147-2
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-68148-0
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25891
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. A Research Strategy to Examine the Taxonomy of the Red Wolf. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Interim
Across the United States, millions of acres of land have been so disturbed by human activities or severe climate events that significant portions of their native plant communities have been lost and their ecosystems have been seriously compromised. Restoring impaired ecosystems requires a supply of diverse native plant seeds that are well suited to the climates, soils, and other living species of the system. Native seeds are also in demand for applications in urban land management, roadside maintenance, conservation agriculture, and other restorative activities that take into account the connection between native plant communities and the increasingly urgent need for resilient landscapes. Given the varied climatic and environmental niches of the more than 17,000 native plant species of the United States, supplying the desired seed types and species mixes for this wide range of activities is a challenge.
As the first phase of a nationwide analysis of the full scope of needs for native plant seeds, this interim report describes the participants in the native plant seed supply chain, makes preliminary observations, and proposes an information-gathering plan for the second phase of the assessment.
72 pages
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8.5 x 11
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paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-68015-8
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-68016-6
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25859
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. An Assessment of the Need for Native Seeds and the Capacity for Their Supply: Interim Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Research and innovation in the life sciences is driving rapid growth in agriculture, biomedical science, information science and computing, energy, and other sectors of the U.S. economy. This economic activity, conceptually referred to as the bioeconomy, presents many opportunities to create jobs, improve the quality of life, and continue to drive economic growth. While the United States has been a leader in advancements in the biological sciences, other countries are also actively investing in and expanding their capabilities in this area. Maintaining competitiveness in the bioeconomy is key to maintaining the economic health and security of the United States and other nations.
Safeguarding the Bioeconomy evaluates preexisting and potential approaches for assessing the value of the bioeconomy and identifies intangible assets not sufficiently captured or that are missing from U.S. assessments. This study considers strategies for safeguarding and sustaining the economic activity driven by research and innovation in the life sciences. It also presents ideas for horizon scanning mechanisms to identify new technologies, markets, and data sources that have the potential to drive future development of the bioeconomy.
392 pages
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6 x 9
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paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-49567-9
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-49568-7
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25525
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Safeguarding the Bioeconomy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Letter
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service commissioned the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to develop a request for applications, "Research to determine the taxonomy of wild canid populations in regions of the United States where recent evidence suggests the potential presence of red wolves (Canis rufus)," and to conduct an independent evaluation of the submitted applications. This letter report describes the work of the committee and transmits the final evaluation of applications to carry out research.
16 pages
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8.5 x 11
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ISBN Ebook: 0-309-67091-8
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25661
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Evaluation of Applications to Carry Out Research to Determine the Taxonomy of Wild Canids in the Southeastern United States. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Scientists strive to develop clear rules for naming and grouping living organisms. But taxonomy, the scientific study of biological classification and evolution, is often highly debated. Members of a species, the fundamental unit of taxonomy and evolution, share a common evolutionary history and a common evolutionary path to the future. Yet, it can be difficult to determine whether the evolutionary history or future of a population is sufficiently distinct to designate it as a unique species.
A species is not a fixed entity — the relationship among the members of the same species is only a snapshot of a moment in time. Different populations of the same species can be in different stages in the process of species formation or dissolution. In some cases hybridization and introgression can create enormous challenges in interpreting data on genetic distinctions between groups. Hybridization is far more common in the evolutionary history of many species than previously recognized. As a result, the precise taxonomic status of an organism may be highly debated. This is the current case with the Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) and the red wolf (Canis rufus), and this report assesses the taxonomic status for each.
104 pages
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7 x 10
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paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-48824-9
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-48825-7
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25351
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Evaluating the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red Wolf. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Summary
Scientists strive to develop clear rules for naming and grouping living organisms. But taxonomy, the scientific study of biological classification and evolution, is often highly debated. Members of a species, the fundamental unit of taxonomy and evolution, share a common evolutionary history and a common evolutionary path to the future. Yet, it can be difficult to determine whether the evolutionary history or future of a population is sufficiently distinct to designate it as a unique species.
A species is not a fixed entity – the relationship among the members of the same species is only a snapshot of a moment in time. Different populations of the same species can be in different stages in the process of species formation or dissolution. In some cases hybridization and introgression can create enormous challenges in interpreting data on genetic distinctions between groups. Hybridization is far more common in the evolutionary history of many species than previously recognized. As a result, the precise taxonomic status of an organism may be highly debated. This is the current case with the Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) and the red wolf (Canis rufus), and this publication provides a spanish-language summary of the assessment of the taxonomic status for each.
22 pages
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7 x 10
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ISBN Ebook: 0-309-49205-X
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25429
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Evaluating the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red Wolf: Spanish-Language Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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For nearly a century, scientific advances have fueled progress in U.S. agriculture to enable American producers to deliver safe and abundant food domestically and provide a trade surplus in bulk and high-value agricultural commodities and foods. Today, the U.S. food and agricultural enterprise faces formidable challenges that will test its long-term sustainability, competitiveness, and resilience. On its current path, future productivity in the U.S. agricultural system is likely to come with trade-offs. The success of agriculture is tied to natural systems, and these systems are showing signs of stress, even more so with the change in climate.
More than a third of the food produced is unconsumed, an unacceptable loss of food and nutrients at a time of heightened global food demand. Increased food animal production to meet greater demand will generate more greenhouse gas emissions and excess animal waste. The U.S. food supply is generally secure, but is not immune to the costly and deadly shocks of continuing outbreaks of food-borne illness or to the constant threat of pests and pathogens to crops, livestock, and poultry. U.S. farmers and producers are at the front lines and will need more tools to manage the pressures they face.
Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030 identifies innovative, emerging scientific advances for making the U.S. food and agricultural system more efficient, resilient, and sustainable. This report explores the availability of relatively new scientific developments across all disciplines that could accelerate progress toward these goals. It identifies the most promising scientific breakthroughs that could have the greatest positive impact on food and agriculture, and that are possible to achieve in the next decade (by 2030).
242 pages
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6 x 9
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paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-47392-6
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-47393-4
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25059
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Environmental engineers support the well-being of people and the planet in areas where the two intersect. Over the decades the field has improved countless lives through innovative systems for delivering water, treating waste, and preventing and remediating pollution in air, water, and soil. These achievements are a testament to the multidisciplinary, pragmatic, systems-oriented approach that characterizes environmental engineering.
Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century: Addressing Grand Challenges outlines the crucial role for environmental engineers in this period of dramatic growth and change. The report identifies five pressing challenges of the 21st century that environmental engineers are uniquely poised to help advance: sustainably supply food, water, and energy; curb climate change and adapt to its impacts; design a future without pollution and waste; create efficient, healthy, resilient cities; and foster informed decisions and actions.
124 pages
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7.5 x 11
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paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-47652-6
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-47653-4
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25121
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century: Addressing Grand Challenges. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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To achieve goals for climate and economic growth, "negative emissions technologies" (NETs) that remove and sequester carbon dioxide from the air will need to play a significant role in mitigating climate change. Unlike carbon capture and storage technologies that remove carbon dioxide emissions directly from large point sources such as coal power plants, NETs remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere or enhance natural carbon sinks. Storing the carbon dioxide from NETs has the same impact on the atmosphere and climate as simultaneously preventing an equal amount of carbon dioxide from being emitted. Recent analyses found that deploying NETs may be less expensive and less disruptive than reducing some emissions, such as a substantial portion of agricultural and land-use emissions and some transportation emissions.
In 2015, the National Academies published Climate Intervention: Carbon Dioxide Removal and Reliable Sequestration, which described and initially assessed NETs and sequestration technologies. This report acknowledged the relative paucity of research on NETs and recommended development of a research agenda that covers all aspects of NETs from fundamental science to full-scale deployment. To address this need, Negative Emissions Technologies and Reliable Sequestration: A Research Agenda assesses the benefits, risks, and "sustainable scale potential" for NETs and sequestration. This report also defines the essential components of a research and development program, including its estimated costs and potential impact.
510 pages
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7 x 10
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paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-48452-9
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-48453-7
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25259
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Negative Emissions Technologies and Reliable Sequestration: A Research Agenda. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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The American chestnut, whitebark pine, and several species of ash in the eastern United States are just a few of the North American tree species that have been functionally lost or are in jeopardy of being lost due to outbreaks of pathogens and insect pests. New pressures in this century are putting even more trees at risk. Expanded human mobility and global trade are providing pathways for the introduction of nonnative pests for which native tree species may lack resistance. At the same time, climate change is extending the geographic range of both native and nonnative pest species.
Biotechnology has the potential to help mitigate threats to North American forests from insects and pathogens through the introduction of pest-resistant traits to forest trees. However, challenges remain: the genetic mechanisms that underlie trees' resistance to pests are poorly understood; the complexity of tree genomes makes incorporating genetic changes a slow and difficult task; and there is a lack of information on the effects of releasing new genotypes into the environment.
Forest Health and Biotechnology examines the potential use of biotechnology for mitigating threats to forest tree health and identifies the ecological, economic, and social implications of deploying biotechnology in forests. This report also develops a research agenda to address knowledge gaps about the application of the technology.
240 pages
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7 x 10
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paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-48288-7
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-48289-5
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/25221
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Forest Health and Biotechnology: Possibilities and Considerations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Understanding, quantifying, and tracking atmospheric methane and emissions is essential for addressing concerns and informing decisions that affect the climate, economy, and human health and safety. Atmospheric methane is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) that contributes to global warming. While carbon dioxide is by far the dominant cause of the rise in global average temperatures, methane also plays a significant role because it absorbs more energy per unit mass than carbon dioxide does, giving it a disproportionately large effect on global radiative forcing. In addition to contributing to climate change, methane also affects human health as a precursor to ozone pollution in the lower atmosphere.
Improving Characterization of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in the United States summarizes the current state of understanding of methane emissions sources and the measurement approaches and evaluates opportunities for methodological and inventory development improvements. This report will inform future research agendas of various U.S. agencies, including NOAA, the EPA, the DOE, NASA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
250 pages
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7 x 10
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paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-47050-1
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-47054-4
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17226/24987
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Improving Characterization of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in the United States. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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