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Categories: Ecology: Endangered Species, Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published Where have all the right whales gone?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Marine researchers have mapped the density of one of the most endangered large whale species worldwide, the North Atlantic right whale, using new data to help avoid right whales' harmful exposure to commercial fisheries and vessel strikes. The resulting maps, spanning 20 years of whale observations, are publicly available to inform risk assessments, estimations of whale harm/disturbance, marine spatial planning, and industry regulations to mitigate risk to right whales.
Published Nanoscale movies shed light on one barrier to a clean energy future
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research is shedding light on one barrier to a clean energy future: corrosion. Using nanoscale imaging techniques, researchers have captured high-resolution videos of tiny crystals of ruthenium dioxide -- a key ingredient used to produce clean-burning hydrogen -- as they are eaten away by their acidic environment. The research could pave the way to more durable catalysts and dramatically extend the lifetime of devices needed to turn hydrogen green.
Published Biofortified rice to combat deficiencies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Vitamin B1 is an essential micronutrient for human beings. Its deficiency is the cause of numerous diseases of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Researchers have achieved a significant advance in the fight against vitamin B1 deficiency, frequently associated with a rice-based diet. By specifically targeting the nourishing tissues of the rice grain, the scientists have succeeded in considerably increasing its vitamin B1 content, without compromising agronomic yield. These results could help solve a major public health problem in regions where rice is the staple food.
Published Oxidant pollutant ozone removes mating barriers between fly species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers show that ozone levels, such as those found in many places on hot summer days today, destroy the sex pheromones of fruit fly species. As a result, some natural mating boundaries maintained by species-specific pheromones no longer exist. The research team has shown in experiments that flies of different species mate when exposed to ozone and produce hybrid offspring. Since most of these offspring are unable to reproduce, the results could provide another explanation for the global decline of insects.
Published Genetic underpinnings of environmental stress identified in model plant
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified 14 genes that thale cress -- a plant commonly used in genetic investigations since its genome is well documented -- express more when responding to five specific stressors, as well as eight genes that the plant suppresses.
Published Using CO2 and biomass, researchers find path to more environmentally friendly recyclable plastics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have created a potential alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastic that is made from carbon dioxide (CO2) and lignin, a component of wood that is a low-cost byproduct of paper manufacturing and biofuel production.
Published Novel UV broadband spectrometer revolutionizes air pollutant analysis
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has developed a broadband UV dual-comb spectrometer with which air pollutants can be continually measured and their reaction with the environment can be observed in real time.
Published A microbial plastic factory for high-quality green plastic
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineered bacteria can produce a plastic modifier that makes renewably sourced plastic more processable, more fracture resistant and highly biodegradable even in sea water. The development provides a platform for the industrial-scale, tunable production of a material that holds great potential for turning the plastic industry green.
Published New device gathers, stores electricity in remote settings
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Wirelessly connected devices perform an expanding array of applications, such as monitoring the condition of machinery and remote sensing in agricultural settings. These applications hold much potential for improving the efficiency, but how do you power these devices where reliable electrical sources are not available? Research points to a possible solution in the form of a novel type of battery.
Published Scientist helps link climate change to Madagascar's megadrought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team reveals a clear link between human-driven climate change and the years-long drought currently gripping southern Madagascar.
Published Subterranean storage of hydrogen
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists are using computer simulations and laboratory experiments to see if depleted oil and natural gas reservoirs can be used for storing carbon-free hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen is an important clean fuel: It can be made by splitting water using solar or wind power, it can be used to generate electricity and power heavy industry, and it could be used to power fuel-cell-based vehicles. Additionally, hydrogen could be stored for months and used when energy needs outpace the supply delivered by renewable energy sources.
Published Atmospheric and economic drivers of global air pollution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Carbon monoxide emissions from industrial production have serious consequences for human health and are a strong indicator of overall air pollution levels. Many countries aim to reduce their emissions, but they cannot control air flows originating in other regions. A new study looks at global flows of air pollution and how they relate to economic activity in the global supply chain.
Published Using pulp and paper waste to scrub carbon from emissions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have come up with an innovative approach to improve the energy efficiency of carbon conversion, using waste material from pulp and paper production. The technique they've pioneered not only reduces the energy required to convert carbon into useful products, but also reduces overall waste in the environment.
Published How plants adjust their photosynthesis to changing light
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Light supplies the energy plants need to build up biomass. A research team is researching how plants adapt their photosynthesis to changing light. They describe a key molecular mechanism that synchronizes the processes involved.
Published Integrated dataset enables genes-to-ecosystems research
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new dataset bridging molecular information about the poplar tree microbiome to ecosystem-level processes has been released. The project aims to inform research regarding how natural systems function, their vulnerability to a changing climate, and ultimately how plants might be engineered for better performance as sources of bioenergy and natural carbon storage.
Published eDNA methods give a real-time look at coral reef health
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The study underscores the crucial role of microbes in maintaining coral reef health, akin to the human gut microbiome. Hurricanes and disease outbreaks affect coral reef water microbial communities, leading to changes that may support further reef decline. Microbial analysis enables prompt assessment of disturbances' impacts on coral reefs, facilitating timely interventions to support reef ecosystems. Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis offers a noninvasive approach to study coral microbial communities and diagnose reef health.
Published Four in five bird species cannot tolerate intense human pressures
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a recent study, researchers found that 78% of the world's bird species do not thrive in the most modified human-dominated environments. These species are also most likely to have declining populations.
Published What four decades of canned salmon reveal about marine food webs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have shown that levels of anisakid worms -- a common marine parasite -- rose in two salmon species in the Gulf of Alaska and Bristol Bay over a 42-year period. The team discovered this by studying salmon caught, killed and canned from 1979 to 2021. Since anisakid worms have a complex life cycle involving multiple types of hosts, the researchers interpret their rising numbers as a potential sign of ecosystem recovery, possibly driven by rising numbers of marine mammals thanks to the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Published Rusty-patched bumblebee's struggle for survival found in its genes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The rusty-patched bumblebee, once common in the United States, has declined from about 90% of its former range. Researchers conducted the first range-wide genetic study of the endangered species to inform recovery efforts.
Published Researchers envision sci-fi worlds involving changes to atmospheric water cycle
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Human activity is changing the way water flows between the Earth and atmosphere in complex ways and with likely long-lasting consequences that are hard to picture. Researchers enlisted water scientists from around the globe to write story-based scenarios about the possible futures humanity is facing but perhaps can't quite comprehend yet. The results are part of a creative pathway to understand atmospheric water research with an eye towards the potential economic and policy issues that may be just beyond the horizon.