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Categories: Biology: Marine, Environmental: Water
Published Aerosols: When scents influence our climate
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tiny particles that form from molecules in the air play an important role for climate change. But until now, the have been poorly understood. Scientists have now analyzed how these particles form.
Published Endangered turtle population under threat as pollution may lead to excess of females being born
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers find exposure to heavy metals cadmium and antimony and certain organic contaminants, accumulated by the mother and transferred to her eggs, may cause embryos to be feminized in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), a species already at risk of extinction from a current lack of male hatchlings.
Published Forming ice: There's a fungal protein for that
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research explores how proteins produced by a common fungus trigger ice nucleation at warm temperatures. The study holds potential implications for improving our understanding of how life affects precipitation and climate.
Published Solar-powered device produces clean water and clean fuel at the same time
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A floating, solar-powered device that can turn contaminated water or seawater into clean hydrogen fuel and purified water, anywhere in the world, has been developed by researchers.
Published Yucatán's underwater caves host diverse microbial communities
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With help from an experienced underwater cave-diving team, researchers have constructed the most complete map to date of the microbial communities living in the submerged labyrinths beneath Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. Researchers found the cave system's microbiome is distinct from the nearby sea, and microbial communities vary between cave systems forming distinct 'neighborhoods.'
Published How mega-floods can be predicted
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Extreme flood events are extraordinary outliers that were not considered possible on the basis of local data. However, if one considers the entire European continent, these local surprises are no longer surprising at all. If data from other regions with similar hydrological conditions is taken into account, the extent of these 'mega-floods' suddenly becomes predictable.
Published Barnacle bends shape to fend off warm-water sea snails on the move
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Some barnacles are 'morphing' to protect themselves from predatory warm-water sea snails, which are expanding into their territory due to climate change.
Published Greenland's glacier retreat rate has doubled over past two decades
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study documents how Greenland's peripheral glaciers have changed from 1890 to 2022. Using satellite images and a unique archive of historical aerial photos, researchers documented changes in the lengths of more than 1,000 of the country's glaciers over the past 130 years. Although glaciers in Greenland have experienced retreat throughout the last century, the rate of their retreat has rapidly accelerated over the last two decades.
Published Zooplankton in ocean and freshwater are rapidly escalating the global environmental threat of plastics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A collaborative research team has recently revealed that rotifers, a kind of microscopic zooplankton common in both fresh and ocean water around the world, are able to chew apart microplastics, breaking them down into even smaller, and potentially more dangerous, nanoplastics -- or particles smaller than one micron. Each rotifer can create between 348,000 -- 366,000 per day, leading to uncountable swarms of nanoparticles in our environment.
Published Feral horses and peatland carbon emissions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A ground-breaking new study has found carbon emissions from Australian alpine peatlands to be much higher in areas disturbed by feral horses.
Published A different take on phosphorus: Bacteria use organic phosphorus and release methane in the process
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Some bacteria are able to tap into unusual sources of nutrients in the surface water of the oceans. This enables them to increase their primary production and extract more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In doing so, however, they release the potent greenhouse gas methane.
Published Device 'smells' seawater to discover, detect novel molecules
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Under the ocean's surface, marine organisms are constantly releasing invisible molecules. Some of the chemical clues reveal which creatures are nearby, while others could be used someday as medications. Now, researchers report a proof-of-concept device that 'sniffs' seawater, trapping dissolved compounds for analyses. The team showed that the system could easily concentrate molecules that are present in underwater caves and holds promise for drug discovery in fragile ecosystems, including coral reefs.
Published Why a surprising discovery, warming seas and the demise of the 'Meg' may spell trouble for more and more sharks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Some unexpected shark strandings and subsequent surprises following autopsies have, ironically, taken marine biologists millions of years back in time as they look to the future with concern. Adding chapters to an evolutionary tale involving the infamous megalodon shark (the 'Meg'), they think their work suggests there are more warm-blooded sharks out there than previously believed, and -- based on the Meg's demise -- these species may be at great risk from warming seas.
Published 'Biodiversity time machine' provides insights into a century of loss
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source AI analysis shows pollution levels, extreme weather events and increasing temperatures devastates biodiversity in freshwater lakes.
Published 450-million-year-old organism finds new life in Softbotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have used fossil evidence to engineer a soft robotic replica of pleurocystitids, a marine organism that existed nearly 450 million years ago and is believed to be one of the first echinoderms capable of movement using a muscular stem.
Published Experiment shows biological interactions of microplastics in watery environment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have learned over the years that when aquatic organisms such as zooplankton become exposed to microplastics, they eat poorly. Research now shows that their plastic-induced eating difficulties also limit the ability of zooplankton to control algal proliferation. When algae bloom out of control, this presents a problem because some species produce toxins. Also, algal blooms can be associated with pea-soupy, unattractive bodies of water and contribute to hypoxia, a low-oxygen condition that may lead to fish kills.
Published New algae species rewrites understanding of reef systems
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team of marine scientists has identified and officially named four species of algae new to science, challenging previous taxonomical assumptions within the Porolithon genus. The discovery has far-reaching implications for our understanding of the ecological role of these algae in the coral reef ecosystem.
Published Two fins are better than one: Fish synchronize tail fins to save energy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source They say two heads are better than one. But in the world of fish, it appears two fins are better than one. Researchers have produced a theoretical model that demonstrates the underlying mechanisms behind how fish will synchronize their fin movements to ride each other's vortices, thereby saving energy.
Published We can save lives and millions with less nitrate in drinking water
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Denmark could save lives and more than $300 million a year by reducing the amount of nitrate in its drinking water. An ever-growing body of research concludes that the amount of nitrate in some Danish boreholes increases the risk of colorectal cancer.
Published Food waste prevention in Europe can generate major footprint savings
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New calculations show that the European countries have great potential for reducing the demand for global food resources and the associated GHG footprint. Researchers have estimated the climate footprint savings that may be obtained from reducing food loss and waste along Europe's food supply chain by 50 % by 2030.