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Categories: Ecology: Sea Life, Geoscience: Earth Science
Published Researchers use GPS-tracked icebergs in novel study to improve climate models



Research unearthed new information to help scientists better understand circulation patterns of ocean water around glaciers. In the summers of 2014 and 2019, a group of pioneers in glacial research attached GPS devices to 13 icebergs and tracked hourly changes in their positions as they passed through Greenland's Ilulissat Icefjord toward the ocean. Study results showed circulation in the primary fjord is greatly affected by freshwater flow from connecting tributary fjords, which is critically important to consider in circulation models.
Published Convergent evolution of algal CO2-fixing organelles



Researchers identified the proteins of a CO2-fixing organelle, namely, 'pyrenoid,' in the marine algal group Chlorarachniophyta and revealed various pyrenoid-associated proteins among algal groups, suggesting the independent evolution of pyrenoids in different algal groups.
Published Glacier shrinkage is causing a 'green transition'



Glacier-fed streams are undergoing a process of profound change, according to scientists. This conclusion is based on the expeditions to the world's major mountain ranges by members of the Vanishing Glaciers project.
Published Mercury rising: Study sheds new light on ancient volcanoes' environmental impact



Massive volcanic events in Earth's history that released large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere frequently correlate with periods of severe environmental change and mass extinctions. A new method to estimate how much and how rapidly carbon was released by the volcanoes could improve our understanding of the climate response, according to an international team.
Published Microbial viruses act as secret drivers of climate change



Scientists have discovered that viruses that infect microbes contribute to climate change by playing a key role in cycling methane, a potent greenhouse gas, through the environment.
Published Building bionic jellyfish for ocean exploration



Researchers show how biohybrid robots based on jellyfish could be used to gather climate science data from deep in the Earth's oceans.
Published Slimming down a colossal fossil whale



A 30 million year-old fossil whale may not be the heaviest animal of all time after all, according to a new analysis by paleontologists. The new analysis puts Perucetus colossus back in the same weight range as modern whales and smaller than the largest blue whales ever recorded.
Published Surprising methane discovery in Yukon glaciers: 'Much more widespread than we thought'



Global melting is prying the lid off methane stocks, the extent of which we do not know. A researcher has now discovered high concentrations of the powerful greenhouse gas in meltwater from three Canadian mountain glaciers, where it was not thought to exist -- adding new unknowns to the understanding of methane emissions from Earth's glaciated regions.
Published The Golgi organelle's ribbon structure is not exclusive to vertebrates, contrary to previous consensus



Researchers report that the Golgi ribbon, an organelle structure previously thought to be exclusive to vertebrates, is also present in animal taxa, including mollusks, earthworms, and sea urchins. The function of the Golgi ribbon is still enigmatic, but its presence in diverse animal lineages indicates that its function is not vertebrate specific, as previously thought. The team also showed Golgi ribbons form at a specific timepoint during embryogenesis, which suggests that they might play a role in cell differentiation.
Published How first cells could have formed on Earth



New phospholipid discovery brings researchers closer to understanding how primordial cells emerged during origin of life.
Published Emergency atmospheric geoengineering wouldn't save the oceans



Climate change is heating the oceans, altering currents and circulation patterns responsible for regulating climate on a global scale. If temperatures dropped, some of that damage could theoretically be undone. But employing 'emergency' atmospheric geoengineering later this century in the face of continuous high carbon emissions would not be able to reverse changes to ocean currents, a new study finds. This would critically curtail the intervention's potential effectiveness on human-relevant timescales.
Published 80 mph speed record for glacier fracture helps reveal the physics of ice sheet collapse



New research documents the fastest-known large-scale breakage along an Antarctic ice shelf. A 6.5-mile crack formed in 2012 over 5-and-a-half minutes, showing that ice shelves can effectively shatter -- though the speed is limited by seawater rushing in. The results help inform large-scale ice sheet models and projections of future sea level rise.
Published Study reveals accelerated soil priming under climate warming



A new study highlights a crucial biosphere feedback mechanism and its effects on releasing soil carbon into the atmosphere.
Published Avian influenza virus is adapting to spread to marine mammals



Avian influenza virus H5N1 has adapted to spread between birds and marine mammals, finds a new study.
Published Climate change shrinking fish



Fish weight in the western North Pacific Ocean dipped in the 2010s due to warmer water limiting food supplies, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed the individual weight and overall biomass of 13 species of fish. In the 1980s and 2010s, the fish were lighter. They attributed the first period of weight loss to greater numbers of Japanese sardine, which increased competition with other species for food. During the 2010s, while the number of Japanese sardine and chub mackerel moderately increased, the effect of climate change warming the ocean appears to have resulted in more competition for food, as cooler, nutrient-dense water could not easily rise to the surface. These results have implications for fisheries and policymakers trying to manage ocean resources under future climate change scenarios.
Published Researchers are first to see at-risk bat flying over open ocean



On a research cruise focused on marine mammals and seabirds, scientists earned an unexpected bonus: The first-ever documented sighting of a hoary bat flying over the open ocean.
Published Walleye struggle with changes to timing of spring thaw



Walleye are one of the most sought-after species in freshwater sportfishing, a delicacy on Midwestern menus and a critically important part of the culture of many Indigenous communities. They are also struggling to survive in the warming waters of the Midwestern United States and Canada. According to a new study, part of the problem is that walleye are creatures of habit, and the seasons -- especially winter -- are changing so fast that this iconic species of freshwater fish can't keep up.
Published Extinctions could result as fish change foraging behavior in response to rising temperatures



Fish species respond to temperature increases by going after more readily available prey. Models suggest this behavior could lead to more extinctions.
Published Scientists propose new method for tracking elusive origins of CO2 emissions from streams



A team of researchers that specializes in accounting for the carbon dioxide release by streams, rivers and lakes recently demonstrated that the chemical process known as 'carbonate buffering' can account for the majority of emissions in highly alkaline waters. Furthermore, carbonate buffering distorts the most commonly used method of tracking the origins of CO2 in streams. The research proposes a better method for tracking the origin of riverine CO2 emissions.
Published 'Janitors' of the Sea: Overharvested sea cucumbers play crucial role in protecting coral



Researchers discovered that sea cucumbers -- sediment-eating organisms that function like autonomous vacuum cleaners of the ocean floor -- play an enormous role in protecting coral from disease.