Explore
Image of butterfly on a flower.

Butterfly Pollinator

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Harvey
Butterflies act as pollinators for many plants and flowers in Iowa. 
Image of buds on tree branch.

Backyard Diversity

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Bussey
A variety of life can be seen in just one backyard.
Image of newly built field terrace.

Field Tiling and Terraces

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Bussey
Some Iowa fields have been altered with tiling and terraces.
Image of fallen tree chewed by animals.

Animals as Loggers

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Monroe County
Trees can be cut down or stripped of their bark by animals.
Image of mist on a lake surface.

Lake Mist

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Council Bluffs
Mist is visible over an Iowa lake.
Image of exposed tree roots.

Tree Roots and Erosion

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Council Bluffs
Tree roots that would normally be underground have been exposed due to erosion.
Image of tree with metal tags attached to it.

Emerald Ash Borer Tagged Trees

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Council Bluffs
These ash trees have been tagged to show they were treated to prevent damage from the emerald ash borer.
Image of white growths on goldenrod plants.

Goldenrod Galls

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Bremer County
White growths (galls) on the stems of the plant allow plant growth while the fly eggs develop inside.
Image of paha hills in Iowa field.

Paha Land Formations

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Traer
A "paha" is a unique, but often unknown, Iowa geological feature.
Image of owl pellet next to a leaf.

Owl Pellets Reveal Unique Eating Processes and Behaviors

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Waterloo
When broken apart, owl pellets will reveal the types of creatures eaten by the owl. 
Image of shells with holes punched in them.

Shells with Holes

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Muscatine
These mussel shells were found with holes punched in them.
Image of several dead fish in a lake.

Eutrophication

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Council Bluffs
An excessive amount of nutrients, or eutrophication, can cause water quality issues.
finger with four deer ticks each of various sizes

Dangerous Ticks and Invasive Honeysuckle

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Bettendorf
Since 2010 the number of tick-related illnesses in Iowa have increased.
Image of a prairie being burned.

Prescribed Burning

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Lucas County
A prescribed burning is a land-management practice.
image of a bird flock flying around a commercial wind turbine

Wind Turbines and Bird Migration

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Council Bluffs
Wind energy companies around the world are employing different strategies to protect birds.
Image of man standing next to a large tree.

Trees and Climate Change

Video
Bettendorf
Trees may play multiple roles in combating climate change.
Image of bird sitting right outside a window.

Bird Behavior

Video
Lee County
A bird is repeatedly flying into the glass of a window.
image of a coal mining operation in Iowa

Coal Mining and Land Reclamation

Video
Logan
There are efforts to reclaim the land used for a coal mine in Logan, Iowa. 
Image of a log burning in fire and liquid coming out of it.

Liquid in Burning Tree

Video
Council Bluffs
As a branch heated up in the campfire, a liquid started dripping out of the bark. 
Image of mussel held in hand.

Mussel Reproduction Process

Video
Eagle Grove
The lifecycle and reproduction of mussels are dependent on fish.
Aerial image of Carter Lake, Iowa.

Carter Lake, Iowa, Located in Nebraska

Video
Carter Lake
Carter Lake, Iowa, is unique because it is in Nebraska.
Image of a large flock of geese.

Snow Geese Migration

Video
Harrison County
At the Missouri River flyway near DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge thousands of geese can be seen migrating.
Image of large rocks stacked on each other.

Glacial Erratics

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Tripoli
Glacial erratics are a remnant from the most recent times when glaciers covered much of the surface of Iowa.
Image of an Iowa fen.

Fens

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Fayette County
A fen may appear to be just another wet area, until you walk on it.
Image of maple trees with sap collection pails.

Sugar Maple Sap

Video
Waterloo
Maple sap can be collected from certain trees.
Image of a rainbow over a field.

Rainbows & Sundogs

Video
Baxter
If conditions are right, double rainbows and sundogs can be visible.
Image of Mariposa Lake being drained.

Mariposa Lake Draining

Video
Jasper County
Several factors led to Lake Mariposa being drained and restored.
Image of a flooded field.

Impact of Soil on Flooding

Video
Center Point
Two neighboring fields are shown. One is flooded while the other is not.
Image of mushrooms growing on a log.

Mushrooms as Decomposers

Video
Baxter
Fungi are an important part of ecosystems.
Image of fossil in rocks.

Iowa Marine Fossils

Video
Center Point
Marine fossils can be found in Iowa.
Image of man standing next to flooded Mississippi River.

Record Breaking Precipitation and Floods in Iowa

Video
Davenport
The winter and spring of 2019 set several records in the Quad Cities, which is located in eastern Iowa.
Image of person using light meter on snow.

Snow Cover and Temperature

Video
Center Point
On a snowy day, snow has melted on sidewalks and streets but remained on grassy areas.
Image of a wetland next to a city.

Flood Walls or Wetlands for Flood Mitigation

Video
Davenport
Record flooding in the Quad Cities led many to wonder about the most effective methods to mitigate future floods.
Image of field with broken corn stalks after harvest.

No-Till Agriculture

Video
Center Point
"No-till" is an agricultural land management practice.
Image of orange flower.

Flower Variety: Colors and Shapes

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Council Bluffs
Iowa flowers have many different shapes and colors.
Image of a pillbug.

Bugs and Breathing Methods

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Council Bluffs
There are various ways bugs can breathe.

Funding for Iowa Science Phenomena Provided By

Aliant Energy
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Musco Lighting
Pella
Reserve Endowment and Protection (REAP)