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Categories: Ecology: Extinction, Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published Retreating glaciers: Fungi enhance carbon storage in young Arctic soils



Melting Arctic glaciers are in rapid recession, and microscopic pioneers colonize the new exposed landscapes. Researchers revealed that yeasts play an important role in soil formation in the Arctic.
Published Climate change drives tree species towards colder, wetter regions



Climate change is likely to drive tree species towards colder and wetter regions.
Published Early-onset El NiƱo means warmer winters in East Asia, and vice versa



Researchers have found that the early onset of El Nino around June leads to warm winter climates in Japan, while the late onset of El Nino is associated with colder winters. By analyzing 100-ensemble member climate simulations over the past 61 years, the team found that the warming of the tropical Indian Ocean was a player in warmer Japanese winters.
Published Exploring the chemical space of the exposome: How far have we gone?



Scientists have taken on the daunting challenge of mapping all the chemicals around us. They take inventory of the available science and conclude that currently a real pro-active chemical management is not feasible. To really get a grip on the vast and expanding chemical universe, they advocate the use of machine learning and AI, complementing existing strategies for detecting and identifying all molecules we are exposed to.
Published Crucial gaps in climate risk assessment methods



Researchers have uncovered significant flaws in current climate risk assessment techniques that could lead to a severe underestimation of climate-related financial losses for businesses and investors.
Published True scale of carbon impact from long-distance travel revealed



The reality of the climate impact of long-distance passenger travel has been revealed in new research.
Published Near chromosome-level genome of the Mojave poppy bee



Scientists have developed a near chromosome-level genome for the Mojave poppy bee, a specialist pollinator of conservation concern.
Published Melting of Alaskan glaciers accelerating faster than previously thought



Melting of glaciers in a major Alaskan icefield has accelerated and could reach an irreversible tipping point earlier than previously thought. The research found that glacier loss on Juneau Icefield, which straddles the boundary between Alaska and British Columbia, Canada, has increased dramatically since 2010. The team looked at records going back to 1770 and identified three distinct periods in how icefield volume changed. In particular, they found that icefield-wide, rates of glacier area shrinkage were five times faster from 2015-2019 relative to 1948-1979. The research team say that current published projections for the Juneau icefield may need to be updated to reflect the processes detailed in this latest study.
Published Organic material from Mars reveals the likely origin of life's building blocks



Two samples from Mars together deliver clear evidence of the origin of Martian organic material. The study presents solid evidence for a prediction made over a decade ago that could be key to understanding how organic molecules, the foundation of life, were first formed here on Earth.
Published Ocean acidification turns fish off coral reefs



A new study of coral reefs in Papua New Guinea shows ocean acidification simplifies coral structure, making crucial habitat less appealing to certain fish species.
Published Dampening the 'seeds' of hurricanes



Increased atmospheric moisture may alter critical weather patterns over Africa, making it more difficult for the predecessors of many Atlantic hurricanes to form, according to a new study.
Published Shrinking glaciers: Microscopic fungi enhance soil carbon storage in new landscapes created by shrinking Arctic glaciers



Shrinking glaciers expose new land in the Arctic, creating unique ecosystems. Researchers studied how microbes colonize these barren landscapes. The study reveals a crucial role for specific fungal species in capturing and storing carbon in the newly formed soil. These findings suggest fungi are essential for future carbon storage in the Arctic as glaciers continue to recede.
Published Researchers identify unique survival strategies adopted by fish in the world's warmest waters



A team of researchers have identified unexpected ways coral reef fish living in the warmest waters on earth, in the Arabian Gulf, have adapted to survive extreme temperatures.
Published The evidence is mounting: humans were responsible for the extinction of large mammals



Human hunting, not climate change, played a decisive role in the extinction of large mammals over the last 50,000 years. This conclusion comes from researchers who reviewed over 300 scientific articles from many different fields of research.
Published Novel spectroscopy technique sheds light on NOx reduction



The process that can convert pollution into benign by-products is called selective catalytic reduction, or SCR. Until now, it has been unclear how this reaction actually occurs, and contradictions have long existed between reaction models within the literature. Catalysis researchers used a technology called modulation excitation spectroscopy, or MES, to finally identify the correct pathway.
Published Choose where to plant energy crops wisely to minimise loss of biodiversity



In the fight to protect biodiversity and limit climate change, the world will reap what it sows.
Published How researchers are using digital city-building games to shape the future



Researchers have come up with exciting and sophisticated new mapping technology enabling future generations to get involved in creating their own future built landscape. They say that planners are missing a real trick when it comes to encouraging and involving the public to help shape their own towns, cities and counties for the future. They also say that games platforms can be used to plan future cities and also help the public immerse themselves in these future worlds.
Published Sixty-million-year-old grape seeds reveal how the death of the dinosaurs may have paved the way for grapes to spread



Scientists discovered the oldest fossil grapes in the Western Hemisphere, which help show how after the death of the dinosaurs, grapes spread across the world.
Published Melanin from cuttlefish ink as a sustainable biomass resource



Melanin is a ubiquitous compound in nature, produced by many organisms. However, its potential as a biomass resource to produce value-added chemicals and materials remains relatively unexplored. In a recent study, researchers investigated the chemical decomposition of melanin derived from cuttlefish ink and showcased its application in the synthesis of biopolymer films and particles. Their efforts will hopefully pave the way to the adoption of melanin upcycling.
Published Ecologists reconstruct the history of biodiversity in the Indo-Australian archipelago and its rise as a hotspot



The Coral Triangle, also known as the Indo-Australian Archipelago, is renowned for having the greatest marine biodiversity on our planet. Despite its importance, the detailed evolutionary history of this biodiversity hotspot has remained largely a mystery. An international research team has now shed light on this history, reconstructing how biodiversity in the region has developed over the past 40 million years.