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Categories: Computer Science: Encryption, Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published Why are fish getting smaller as waters warm? It's not their gills
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A collaborative team of scientists recently found that there is no physiological evidence supporting a leading theory -- which involves the surface area of fish gills -- as to why many fish species are 'shrinking' as waters grow warmer due to climate change. Known as the Gill Oxygen Limitation (GOL) theory, it has been proposed as the universal mechanism explaining fish size and has been used in some predictions of future global fisheries yields. However, the researchers conducted a series of long-term experiments on brook trout and found that, though increased temperatures do lead to significantly decreased body size, gill surface area did not explain the change.
Published Converting rainforest to plantation impacts food webs and biodiversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Every day, new areas of rainforests are converted into plantations, drastically changing tropical biodiversity and the way the ecosystem functions. Yet, the current understanding of the consequences is fragmentary: previous studies tended to examine either biodiversity or the ecosystem. An international research team brings these threads together in this study. They analyzed organisms ranging from microscopic mites and earthworms in the soil, to beetles and birds in tree canopies, comparing tropical rainforest with rubber and oil palm plantations in Sumatra, Indonesia.
Published Highways through historically redlined areas likely cause air pollution disparities today
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As part of the New Deal, several governmental programs were created to expand homeownership through mortgages and loans. However, neighborhoods with primarily Black or immigrant communities often were rated 'hazardous' for repayment under the discriminatory, 'redlining' practice that restricted lending. Today, those same areas are exposed to more air pollution than other urban neighborhoods, and the cause could relate to nearby highways or industrial parks.
Published Mercury levels in tuna remain nearly unchanged since 1971
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tuna is one of the most popular seafoods worldwide. But this protein-rich fish can build up high levels of methylmercury from feeding on contaminated prey, like smaller fish or crustaceans. Despite efforts to reduce mercury emissions into the environment, researchers report that levels in tuna appear to be unchanged since 1971. They warn that more aggressive emission reduction targets are needed to start nudging down tuna mercury levels.
Published An environmentally friendly way to turn seafood waste into value-added products
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose: These are all ways we can live more sustainably. One tricky aspect of recycling, though, is that sometimes the recycling process is chemically intensive, and this is the case for recycling one of the world's most abundant materials -- chitin. Researchers have tackled this problem and found a way to sustainably recover chitin from seafood waste.
Published Toxic elements found in stranded whales, dolphins over 15 years
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers evaluated the prevalence, concentration and tissue distribution of essential and non-essential trace elements, including heavy metal toxicants in tissue (blubber, kidney, liver, skeletal muscle, skin) and fecal samples collected from 90 whales and dolphins stranded in Georgia and Florida from 2007 to 2021.
Published Low oxygen in lakes may breathe new life into conservation efforts for water quality
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team analyzed 656 lakes across five continents to provide empirical evidence supporting a long-held theory regarding low deep-water oxygen concentrations, or anoxia.
Published Gulf corals still suffering more than a decade after Deepwater Horizon oil spill, scientists report
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Deep-water corals in the Gulf of Mexico are still struggling to recover from the devastating Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, scientists report at the Ocean Science Meeting in New Orleans. Comparing images of more than 300 corals over 13 years -- the longest time series of deep-sea corals to date -- reveals that in some areas, coral health continues to decline to this day.
Published Giant new snake species identified in the Amazon
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of scientists on location with a film crew in the remote Amazon has uncovered a previously undocumented species of giant anaconda.
Published Photosynthetic mechanism of purple sulfur bacterium adapted to low-calcium environments
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Purple sulfur bacteria (PSB) convert light energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis. Interestingly, certain species can photosynthesize even in environments with low-calcium levels. Using cryo-electron microscopy, researchers unveiled the structure of light-harvesting complexes and elucidated the mechanism that facilitates photosynthesis under low-calcium conditions.
Published The cultural evolution of collective property rights
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Common pool resources comprise around 65 percent of Earth's surface and vast tracts of the ocean. While examples of successful governance of these resources exist, the circumstances and mechanisms behind their development have remained unclear. Researchers have developed a simulation model to examine the emergence, stability and temporal dynamics of collective property rights.
Published Road to better performing batteries using less critical raw materials
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are developing batteries that can charge faster, offer more stable storage and are made of sustainable materials that are widely available. In doing so, they offer a cheaper alternative to lithium-ion batteries that consist of rare materials and have a high CO2 -footprint.
Published Plastic recycling with a protein anchor
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Polystyrene is a widespread plastic that is essentially not recyclable when mixed with other materials and is not biodegradable. A research team has now introduced a biohybrid catalyst that oxidizes polystyrene microparticles to facilitate their subsequent degradation. The catalyst consists of a specially constructed 'anchor peptide' that adheres to polystyrene surfaces and a cobalt complex that oxidizes polystyrene.
Published Wildfires linked to surge in mental health-related emergency department visits
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new studyshows wildfires lead to an increase of anxiety-related emergency department visits in the western United States, amplifying the concerning parallel trajectory of two escalating public health crises -- mental health and climate change.
Published Decline in microbial genetic richness in the western Arctic Ocean
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers analyzed archival samples of bacteria and archaea populations taken from the Beaufort Sea, bordering northwest Canada and Alaska. The samples were collected between 2004 and 2012, a period that included two years -- 2007 and 2012 -- in which the sea ice coverage was historically low. The researchers looked at samples taken from three levels of water: the summer mixed layer, the upper Arctic water below it and the Pacific-origin water at the deepest level. The study examined the microbes' genetic composition using bioinformatics and statistical analysis across the nine-year time span. Using this data, the researchers were able to see how changing environmental conditions were influencing the organisms' structure and function.
Published Potassium depletion in soil threatens global crop yields
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Potassium deficiency in agricultural soils is a largely unrecognized but potentially significant threat to global food security if left unaddressed, finds new research.
Published Giant Antarctic sea spiders reproductive mystery solved
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Instead of carrying the babies until they hatched, as in most species of sea spiders, one parent (likely the father) spent two days attaching the eggs to the rocky bottom where they developed for several months before hatching as tiny larvae.
Published Anoxic marine basins are among the best candidates for deep-sea carbon sequestration
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Anoxic marine basins may be among the most viable places to conduct large-scale carbon sequestration in the deep ocean, while minimizing negative impacts to marine life. As we explore ways to actively draw down the levels of carbon in the atmosphere, sending plant biomass to these barren, oxygen-free zones on the seafloor becomes an option worth considering.
Published Electrification or hydrogen? Both have distinct roles in the European energy transition
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A key step to achieving climate neutrality in the European Union is to rapidly shift from fossil fuels to electric technologies powered by renewable energies, a new study shows. At the same time, hydrogen produced from electricity will also be indispensable in hard-to-electrify sectors such as aviation, shipping and chemicals. By 2050, electrification and hydrogen are the key strategies to reach climate neutrality based on renewable power.
Published New study finds chemical composition of US air pollution changed over time
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study analyzed space and time trends for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the continental United States to track the progress of regulatory actions by federal, state and local authorities aimed at curbing air pollution. The team found that while the annual average concentration for PM2.5 had been significantly reduced, its chemical composition had changed during the study period of 2006 to 2020. Their analysis suggests targeted strategies to reduce specific pollutants for different regions of the U.S. may be more effective in further reducing total air pollution and PM2.5 -related adverse health effects. PM2.5, an airborne pollutant, is a mix of multiple chemical species and includes fine particles less than 2.5 microns in size. PM2.5 has been linked to many adverse human health effects including premature death. It also can reduce visibility by creating haze in the air.