Chemicals and the Environment

From U.S. Geological Survey (USGS):

When there’s an underground oil spill, the primary focus is, naturally, on the spread of the oil and its related contaminants. However, as the oil and other contaminants break down, the chemicals they break down into can spread even more easily than they did.

With that in mind, it’s important to keep those second-level chemicals in mind. We recently completed a survey of two sites where we’ve been tracking underground oil spills for some time.

In some areas, the concentration of the chemicals that the oil and other contaminants broke down into exceeded the original chemicals by one to two orders of magnitude. Since these second-level chemicals aren’t covered under regulatory monitoring and reporting requirements, this is important information for future spill monitoring considerations.

Read more about the study and other research like it in our Geohealth Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2ayBYsA

Image shows scientists collecting a groundwater sample from a well at the USGS Bemidji Crude-Oil Spill Research Site, Minnesota. Photo Credit: Jared Trost, USGS. #USGS #Science #OilSpill#Toxicology #Chemistry 

Silly Animal Photo

From USFWS Alaska:

A few silly animal photos that might just make you smile: http://bit.ly/2bfYiKv 
#WildlifeWednesday and #HalfWayThere to the weekend!!
Photo: Lisa Hupp/ Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge

Sage-grouse Hen Watching Her Chicks from atop an Ant Hill

From U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mountain-Prairie Region:

Sometimes, gaining a little altitude helps with the view. This sage-grouse hen use an ant hill to watch her chicks.

Monarch Butterflies

From USFWS Pacific Southwest Region:

"On warm fall days on the California coast, it’s not uncommon to see the iconic monarch butterfly flitting through the sky. In some places, so many butterflies are present that it makes an impressive display. “The air is filled with orange,” says Samantha Marcum, the monarch butterfly coordinator for the Pacific Southwest region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife." Here's the story→http://buff.ly/2bJEGdY

Loggerhead Turtle

From USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System:

The seven species of sea turtles found on Earth today have been around since the time of the dinosaurs. Read about the national wildlife refuges that work to ensure that sea turtles will survive hundreds more years. http://bit.ly/2cewUM3

Photo of loggerhead turtle by Brian Gratwick/Creative Commons

Mother and Fawns

From Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge:

This trio have been frequent visitors around the refuge recently, and our summer intern captured this photo of them on the trail camera the other week. We get calls each summer asking us whom to contact regarding "abandoned" fawns- fawns who, in reality, aren't abandoned at all! Deer fawns have white spots that help them blend in with their environment, and does will leave their young alone for long periods of time as to not attract predators to them. If you find a young fawn that is all by itself, the best thing to do is to leave it alone- the mother is probably somewhere close by. 

Photo: Hans Socha/USFWS

Lagniappe Crawfish

From USFWS Endangered Species:

Fun fact: Alabama may harbor more species of crayfish than any other state in the country, with 93 different types reported! Learn more:http://bit.ly/2c7ZY4L (Photo: Lagniappe crawfish, Susan Adams, USFS)