About Lori Balster

Lori Balster is a writer, consultant, and nature enthusiast based in Dayton, OH. Lori has also worked as a research chemist at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Articles By Lori Balster

A student examines Phaeocystsis globosa under a microscope

Oceans

Dimethyl Sulfide: A Key to Marine Sulfur Biogeochemistry

The essential role of dimethyl sulfide in the functioning of marine life is gradually being elucidated by recent research in marine sulfur biogeochemistry.

  • Posted October 24, 2022
The CMC team conducting benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring at a small stream near Berkeley Springs, WV

Wetlands

Caring for the Chesapeake: Supporting the Iconic Bay Starts with Good Monitoring Data

Many types of data are gathered on the Chesapeake Bay and organized to reflect various Bay aspects, including the tidal and nontidal Bay watershed.

  • Posted September 26, 2022
Buoy in western Lake Erie for harmful algal bloom monitoring and research, July 29, 2015

Earth

Treating Harmful Algal Blooms: A Natural Progression

Researchers continue to perfect approaches to forecasting, assessing the impact, and preventing Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB).

  • Posted September 19, 2022
Dr. Andréa Grottoli snorkeling

Earth

Coral Resilience: Determining the Fate of Coral in a Changing Climate

Recent research suggests that some coral may be able to survive and thrive despite climate change, especially with some human assistance.

  • Posted September 5, 2022
group of graduate students learning about remote sensing technology

Earth

So Far Yet So Close: Remote Sensing at Everett

Integration of remote sensing technology into undergraduate education can help society solve environmental problems faster.

  • Posted August 22, 2022
Researchers installing tree sensors

Earth

Green Guidance: Forests Point the Way to Better Stormwater Management

Inspired by nature, recent research shows how stormwater management could be improved by using green infrastructure techniques.

  • Posted August 15, 2022
Light during the polar night in Svalbard, including light from the sun below the horizon, moonlight, aurora borealis, and artificial light

Earth

Not So Quiet Polar Night: Arctic Creatures Found to be Active During Dark Part of the Year

Assumed to be largely dormant during the polar night, marine creatures were found to regulate their biological clocks and maintain activity in low light.

  • Posted August 1, 2022
Jen Bowman, Ohio University, measures discharge in Hewett Fork an acid mine drainage impacted stream in the Raccoon Creek Watershed. The water is brown and orange due to acid mine drainage

Earth

Orange Stream Dreams: Monitoring Acid Mine Drainage and Watershed Health

Monitoring data shows the progress made by scientists in repairing damage caused by acid mine drainage in Ohio’s Raccoon Creek.

  • Posted July 27, 2022
biodiversity in a eucalyptus forest

Earth

Balancing Forest Biodiversity and Land Use Benefits

New meta-analysis paper pulls together data from 264 studies to explore ways of balancing forest biodiversity and wood production interests.

  • Posted June 27, 2022
Coral the has been bleached due to pollution and global climate change (marine cold spells)

Earth

Marine Cold Spells: The Flip Side of Global Warming

While not receiving as much attention as warming trends, marine cold spells can strongly impact marine life too, in complex ways.

  • Posted June 7, 2022
Picture of the Amazon rainforest from space. The discolored areas are agricultural areas or the result of deforestation and wildfire damages

Earth

Anguish of the Amazon: Climate Tipping Points and the Loss of Rainforest Resilience

“Our goal is to quantify the movement towards a tipping point, measured as a loss of resilience in the system. Resilience is essentially how quickly a system recovers from perturbations, in this case droughts for example.”

  • Posted June 2, 2022
carbon budget

Earth

Staying Within Budget: Carbon Planning

Until the recent Yale study, the contribution of rivers and streams to the carbon dioxide budget were not appropriately considered.

  • Posted May 3, 2022
poás volcano

Earth

Poás Volcano Gives a Glimpse of Life on Mars

Poás Volcano is similar to Mars in its chemical reactions and its harsh environment. Researchers are studying Poás to see what Martian life might be like.

  • Posted April 4, 2022
buoy camera

Lakes

Buoy Camera Research: Key for Regional Science Consortium

Lake Erie buoy camera data has turned out to be critical for researchers and the public alike. Camera images help give a more complete picture of waves.

  • Posted March 28, 2022
shifting rivers

Rivers

Shapeshifting Rivers: The First Global River Delta Migration Database Offers Future Glimpse of the Planet’s Major Coastal Waterways

The first global river delta migration database can help coastal populations adapt as rivers change due to climate and anthropogenic effects.

  • Posted February 8, 2022

Oceans

The Frozen Frontier: Chasing Data in Antarctica

There’s more involved in a successful Antarctic voyage than meets the eye, including diverse technical know-how and diverse data gathering.

  • Posted January 18, 2022
microplastics and corals

Oceans

The Tiniest Cars: Understanding the Effects of Microplastics on Coral

A first of its kind study is unfolding on the effects of ubiquitous microplastics on coral in Hawaii.

  • Posted December 20, 2021
snow survey

Earth

SNOTEL: A Network For Monitoring Snow

SNOTEL is an extensive network of 889 sites involved in gathering and transmitting snow data electronically, and snow data is also collected manually at over 1,000 sites.

  • Posted December 7, 2021

Lakes

Engaging People, Engaging Lakes: How The Public Can Help Aquatic Systems

Lake appreciation and engagement of the public is critical in establishing and maintaining healthy lakes, streams, and other aquatic systems.

  • Posted November 17, 2021
aquatic connectivity

Rivers

Aquatic Systems Connectivity: Finding Relationships Between Waters

The emerging field of aquatic systems connectivity examines waters, their existence spatially and temporally, and their connections to each other.

  • Posted November 12, 2021