Biology: Botany Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Artificial intelligence could help build pollen jigsaw of present and ancient flora      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An emerging system which combines rapid imaging with artificial intelligence could help scientists build a comprehensive picture of present and historic environmental change -- by swiftly and accurately analyzing pollen.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Beaver activity in the Arctic increases emission of methane greenhouse gas      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The climate-driven advance of beavers into the Arctic tundra is causing the release of more methane -- a greenhouse gas -- into the atmosphere. Beavers, as everyone knows, like to make dams. Those dams cause flooding, which inundates vegetation and turns Arctic streams and creeks into a series of ponds. Those beaver ponds and surrounding inundated vegetation can be devoid of oxygen and rich with organic sediment, which releases methane as the material decays.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Mums exposed to air pollution give birth to smaller babies, but living in a greener area may mitigate the risks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Women exposed to air pollution give birth to smaller babies, according to new research. The research also shows that women living in greener areas give birth to bigger babies and this may help counteract the effects of pollution.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Fossil Fuels Energy: Technology Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

New study reveals the power of railroads to buffer coal plants from a carbon emissions tax      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study suggests that railroads are likely to cut transportation prices to prop up coal-fired plants if U.S. climate policies further disadvantage coal in favor of less carbon-intensive energy sources.

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

Lack of evidence hampers progress on corporate-led ecosystem restoration      (via sciencedaily.com) 

An international team of scientists analysed publicly available sustainability reports released by 100 of the world's largest companies and found that around two-thirds of these global corporations are undertaking ecosystem restoration. However, the results highlight that despite many businesses claiming to actively rebuild damaged ecosystems, we know very little about what is actually being achieved.

Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Nudging food delivery customers to skip the fork drastically cuts plastic waste, study shows      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study examines how a food-delivery platform in China used 'green nudges' to increase the share of no-cutlery orders by 648 percent. Extending the changes to all of China would reduce 3.26 million metric tons of plastic waste and save 5.44 million trees each year.

Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

A finer picture of global migration reveals complex patterns      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research shows that socio-economic factors play a larger role in migration than climate.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Geology Geoscience: Oceanography Paleontology: Climate
Published

Bursting air bubbles may play a key role in how glacier ice melts      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research has uncovered a possible clue as to why glaciers that terminate at the sea are retreating at unprecedented rates: the bursting of tiny, pressurized bubbles in underwater ice.

Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Cattle on low-protein rations may need amino acid supplement to boost milk yield      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When dairy cows are fed diets with reduced protein concentrations -- aimed at decreased environmental nitrogen pollution from their manure such as nitrate leaching, nutrient-laden run-off and ammonia volatilization -- their milk production can suffer. Supplementing the amino acid histidine may help in maintaining, and even increasing, milk and milk-protein yields.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Scientists develop new method to recover high-purity silicon from expired solar panels for upcycling into lithium-ion batteries      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have devised an efficient method of recovering high-purity silicon from expired solar panels to produce lithium-ion batteries that could help meet the increasing global demand to power electric vehicles.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Paleontology: Climate
Published

Stability inspection for West Antarctica shows: marine ice sheet is not destabilized yet, but possibly on a path to tipping      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Antarctica's vast ice masses seem far away, yet they store enough water to raise global sea levels by several meters. A team of experts has now provided the first systematic stability inspection of the ice sheet's current state. Their diagnosis: While they found no indication of irreversible, self-reinforcing retreat of the ice sheet in West Antarctica yet, global warming to date could already be enough to trigger the slow but certain loss of ice over the next hundreds to thousands of years.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Ag tech can cut billions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As the Earth's human population grows, greenhouse gas emissions from the world's food system are on track to expand. A new study demonstrates that state-of-the-art agricultural technology and management can not only reduce that growth, but eliminate it altogether by generating net negative emissions -- reducing more greenhouse gas than food systems add.

Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Wildfires Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

New research highlights opportunities to protect carbon and communities from forest fires      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As the climate and wildfire crises have intensified, so too have concerns regarding the loss of carbon captured and stored in forests from decades to centuries of tree growth. A new study describes where to optimize ongoing wildfire mitigation efforts and reduce carbon loss due to wildfire, benefitting communities and climate at the same time. The study evaluated where living trees and the carbon they store are at risk of burning in the future. They then compared these areas to communities that are vulnerable to wildfire as identified in the Forest Service's Wildfire Crisis Strategy. Areas of overlap highlight 'opportunity hot spots' where action can reduce the risk from wildfire to both carbon and communities.

Biology: Botany Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Switching from harmful to helpful fungi      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Mold and diseases caused by fungi can greatly impact the shelf life of fruit and vegetables. However, some fungi benefit their hosts by aiding plant survival. Colletotrichum tofieldiae (Ct) is a root mold which typically supports continued plant development even when the plant is starved of phosphorus, an important nutrient for photosynthesis and growth. Researchers studied a unique pathogenic strain of the fungi, called Ct3, which conversely inhibits plant growth.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Rubber plumbing seals can leak additives into drinking water      (via sciencedaily.com) 

As drinking water flows through pipes and into a glass, it runs against the rubber seals inside some plumbing devices. These parts contain additives that contribute to their flexibility and durability, but these potentially harmful compounds can leak into drinking water, according to a small-scale study. The authors report that the released compounds, which are typically linked to tire pollution, also transformed into other unwanted byproducts.

Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Water-quality risks linked more to social factors than money      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When we determine which communities are more likely to get their water from contaminated supplies, median household income is not the best measure. That's according to a recent study that found social factors -- such as low population density, high housing vacancy, disability and race -- can have a stronger influence than median household income on whether a community's municipal water supply is more likely to have health-based water-quality violations.