A season of change across the tallgrass prairie — one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America — photographed by iLCP Emerging Leaguer Ethan Freese. 📷: 1. Pasque flower, Iowa 2. Marsh marigold, Illinois 3. Prescribed burn, Nebraska 4. Prairie smoke, Illinois 5. Field sparrow, Illinois 6. Showy evening primrose, Kansas 7. Bison, Illinois 8. Shooting star, Illinois 9. Cattle and clouds, Kansas 10. Lupine and prairie dropseed, Illinois (fb)

"As a polar science photographer, I am constantly fascinated by the scientists who dedicate their lives to advancing our understanding of the planet and raising awareness of change. Through my lens, I document their work, following polar scientists as they study long-term changes in the Earth’s climate and environment, providing critical knowledge for humanity." - iLCP Associate Fellow Esther Horvath Esther has been documenting IceBird science expeditions since 2016, and has participated in six campaigns. Here are some images selected by Esther from these six expeditions. "Since 2001, the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, has been the only institute conducting airborne ice thickness measurements, providing accurate data on Arctic sea ice and its changing conditions," explains Esther. "The results are stark. Sea ice in the central Arctic Ocean has decreased by about 25% since measurements began. This year’s winter growth period has ended, and the results are also sobering: sea ice extent on 21 March 2025 was the lowest since satellite observations began in 1979 - just 14.45 million square kilometres, more than a million square kilometres below the long-term average." 📷: Esther Horvath (fb)