Appalachian Coal Mining
By Greg Ross
Southern Appalachian forests are a global biodiversity hotspot. But they’re also rich with coal.
December 20, 2011
From The Staff Environment Ecology
Duke University ecologist Emily Bernhardt led a recent study that documents the long-term, widespread effects of surface coal mining on the region’s waterways.
Photo from Bernhardt, E.S. and M.A. Palmer. 2011. The environmental costs of mountaintop mining valley fill operations for aquatic ecosystems of the Central Appalachians. The Year in Ecology and Conservation Biology. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1223 (2011) 39–57. Taken by Vivian Stockman with the help of SouthWings.org.
In this podcast, Bernhardt speaks with associate editor Cathy Clabby about Appalachian ecosystems, and how they’re changing.
Listen to the podcast:
Download the MP3 audio file for this podcast by right clicking the player and selecting "Save Audio As...".
Bernhardt spoke at Sigma Xi headquarters in November, 2011.
Podcast music is “Spot,” by Ardent Octopus, courtesy of Mevio’s Music Alley. Funding for Pizza Lunches is provided by the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.
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