Ecology

 Newsweek - The rivers of the U.S. and other countries around the world are becoming more diverse and filling up with a wide range of invasive fish, but that may pose a threat to the "delicate balance" of native species, a study has found.  New research from the University of Sheffield with Illinois State University, the University of Tennessee and University of Washington found that there are more diverse species of fish emerging in rivers. At first, scientists thought this was because of improved water quality and ecosystems. However, the research, published in Nature Ecology Evolution, points to a different explanation—an increase in invasive species. It uncovered a 13 percent increase in fish communities per decade, and a 7 percent rise in species diversity, but a 30 percent decrease in "riverine fish community similarity."  The increase in river fish diversity may not be good news, the authors said. It could be threatening native fish populations and reflect that invasive species often thrive in ecosystems degraded as a result of human behavior.

CNN -Nearly the entire population of California remains under flood alerts. Officials are urging people to try to stay off the roads due to the likelihood of dangerous flooding and significant debris flows. Around 37 million are under severe weather watches today, with up to 5 inches of rain expected through the midweek in Los Angeles and up to 10 inches in isolated areas of the Santa Lucias and Santa Ynez mountain ranges. This comes after a potent storm lashed California earlier this month, bringing record-breaking rainfall and triggering hundreds of mudslides in the southern parts of the state. 

CNN - The Biden administration is considering relaxing stringent vehicle emissions rules it proposed last year in what could be a potential blow to EV growth. Instead of a previously proposed rule that would rapidly increase the number of electric vehicles sold in the US, President Biden's new plan may give automakers until after 2030 to meet certain EV sales requirements. The rule is still not finalized and is expected to be released in the spring, sources told CNN. In the meantime, White House officials are stressing Biden's commitment to reduce emissions and transition away from gas-powered vehicles despite pushback from leading automakers.