Ecology: General Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

How can forests be reforested in a climate-friendly way?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Europe's forests have already been severely affected by climate change. Thousands of hectares of trees have already died due to drought and bark beetles. Scientists have now investigated which trees can be used for reforestation. Their findings: only a few tree species are fit for the future, such as English oak in the UK. However, mixed forests are important for the survival of forests, otherwise the forest ecosystem as a whole could be weakened.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Sea Life Geoscience: Environmental Issues Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
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Fixin' to be flexitarian: Scrap fish and invasive species can liven up vegetables      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Greening the way we eat needn't mean going vegetarian. A healthy, more realistic solution is to adopt a flexitarian diet where seafoods add umami to 'boring' vegetables. A gastrophysicist puts mathematical equations to work in calculating the umami potential of everything from seaweed and shrimp paste to mussels and mackerel.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Mobile device location data is already used by private companies, so why not for studying human-wildlife interactions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When did you last go anywhere without your cell phone? From maps and weather apps to social media platforms, we give consent for our phones to trace our footsteps and behavior. These curated mobility data are often used for personalized advertisements. Scientists now argue mobility data can offer so much more -- it is key to understanding human-wildlife interactions for guiding policy decisions on sustainability-related issues and should be free and accessible for research.

Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Energy trades could help resolve Nile conflict      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have shed light on a new, transformative approach that could help resolve a dispute over the Nile river's water resources.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

How geography acts as a structural determinant of health      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In unincorporated communities in the United States-Mexico borderlands, historically and socially marginalized populations become invisible to the healthcare system, showing that geography acts as a structural determinant of health for low-income populations.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Biology: Biochemistry Ecology: Endangered Species Geoscience: Environmental Issues Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Ancient Maya blessed their ballcourts      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using environmental DNA analysis, an international team of researchers identified a collection of plants used in ceremonial rituals in the ancient Maya city of Yaxnohcah in Mexico. The plants, known for their religious associations and medicinal properties, were discovered beneath a plaza floor where a ballcourt was built.

Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Scientists capture X-rays from upward positive lightning      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have for the first time recorded X-rays being produced at the beginning of upward positive lightning flashes; an observation that gives important insight into the origins of this rare -- and particularly dangerous -- form of lightning.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Genetic hope in fight against devastating wheat disease      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Fungal disease Fusarium head blight (FHB) is on the rise due to increasingly humid conditions induced by climate change during the wheat growing season, but a fundamental discovery could help reduce its economic harm.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Recovering phosphorus from sewage sludge ash      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Chemical and heat treatment of sewage sludge can recover phosphorus in a process that could help address the problem of diminishing supplies of phosphorus ores.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

New offshore wind turbines can take away energy from existing ones      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Interactions between wind turbines could reduce power output by 30% in proposed offshore wind farm areas along the East Coast, new research has found. In all, the farms could still meet 60% of the electricity demand of New England.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Climate change could become the main driver of biodiversity decline by mid-century      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Global biodiversity has declined between 2% and 11% during the 20th century due to land-use change alone, according to a large multi-model study. Projections show climate change could become the main driver of biodiversity decline by the mid-21st century.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Voluntary corporate emissions targets not enough to create real climate action      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Companies' emissions reduction targets should not be the sole measure of corporate climate ambition, according to a new perspective paper.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Estimating emissions potential of decommissioned gas wells from shale samples      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Extracting natural gas from shale formations can provide an abundant, lower-carbon footprint fossil fuel, but also creates concerns over increased methane emissions. Researchers have now developed a new tool that can estimate the emission potential of shale wells after they are no longer active.

Biology: Botany Chemistry: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Scientists released long-term data of ground solar-induced fluorescence to improve understanding of canopy-level photosynthesis      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A recent study utilized ground-based instruments to measure solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) that reflect plant health and photosynthesis.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
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The longer spilled oil lingers in freshwater, the more persistent compounds it produces      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Oil is an important natural resource for many industries, but it can lead to serious environmental damage when accidentally spilled. While large oil spills are highly publicized, every year there are many smaller-scale spills into lakes, rivers and oceans. The longer that oil remains in freshwater, the more chemical changes it undergoes, creating products that can persist in the environment.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Warming Arctic reduces dust levels in parts of the planet      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Dust can have a huge impact on local air quality, food security, energy supply and public health. Previous studies have found that dust levels are decreasing across India, particularly northern India, the Persian Gulf Coast and much of the Middle East, but the reason has remained unclear. Researchers found that the decrease in dust can be attributed to the Arctic warming much faster than the rest of the planet, a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification. This process destabilizes the jet stream and changes storm tracks and wind patterns over the major sources of dust in West and South Asia.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Scientists replace fishmeal in aquaculture with microbial protein derived from soybean processing wastewater      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have successfully replaced half of the fishmeal protein in the diets of farmed Asian seabass with a 'single cell protein' cultivated from microbes in soybean processing wastewater, paving the way for more sustainable fish farming practices.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Graphene Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

'Like a nanoscopic Moon lander': Scientists unlock secret of how pyramidal molecules move across surfaces      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have watched a molecule move across a graphite surface in unprecedented detail. It turns out this particular molecule moves like a Moon lander -- and the insights hold potential for future nanotechnologies.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Zoology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

How do birds flock? Researchers do the math to reveal previously unknown aerodynamic phenomenon      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

How do birds fly in a coordinated and seemingly effortless fashion? Part of the answer lies in precise, and previously unknown, aerodynamic interactions, reports a team of mathematicians. Its breakthrough broadens our understanding of wildlife, including fish, who move in schools, and could have applications in transportation and energy.