Hurricanes devastated Florida’s East Coast – then seagrass made an unexpected comeback

nature & planetanalysisThe Conversation2020s · Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, USA

Hurricanes devastated Florida’s East Coast – then seagrass made an unexpected comeback

the gist

Seagrass in Florida's Mosquito Lagoon collapsed to nearly zero by the early 2020s after years of nutrient pollution and algal blooms, then rebounded quickly after Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022. Satellite images classified with machine learning showed that seagrass reappeared in March 2023, and by July 2023 it covered more than 20% of the lagoon, a level not seen in more than a decade. Regrowth was strongest in the central and southern parts of the lagoon, where dense meadows had historically been. The researchers think Ian's freshwater may have suppressed salt-tolerant algae that compete with seagrass for light, while Nicole's new inlets changed salinity and circulation. Hurricanes may also have spread seagrass fragments and woken dormant seeds. The team says it cannot prove the storms caused the recovery.

how it works

Seagrass needs clear water and light. Nutrient pollution fuels algae that shade the seagrass, and once cover drops, sediment is less stable and water clears even less. Hurricanes can flush in fresh water, open new channels to the ocean, and move fragments and seeds, changing the conditions seagrass needs to regrow.

so what

Seagrass stabilizes sediment, clears water and feeds manatees and sea turtles, so its loss had consequences for the whole lagoon. The case shows that degraded ecosystems can recover quickly when conditions shift, although that resilience is not guaranteed.

Illustrative photo · Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

source: The Conversation ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗