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Categories: Environmental: General, Geoscience: Severe Weather

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Ecology: General Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

To bend the curve of biodiversity loss, nature recovery must be integrated across all sectors      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The alarming rates of biodiversity loss worldwide have made clear that the classical way of governing biodiversity recovery based on protected areas and programs for the protection of endangered species is not enough. To tackle this, almost 200 countries committed to the active 'mainstreaming' or integration of biodiversity targets into policies and plans across relevant sectors. However, research suggests that this has until now been largely ineffective due to non-binding commitments, vaguely formulated targets, 'add-on' biodiversity initiatives, and too few resources. 'Top down regulation is also needed,' say the authors.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General
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Artificial intelligence enhances monitoring of threatened marbled murrelet      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Artificial intelligence analysis of data gathered by acoustic recording devices is a promising new tool for monitoring the marbled murrelet and other secretive, hard-to-study species.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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EPA underestimates methane emissions from landfills, urban areas      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is underestimating methane emissions from landfills, urban areas and U.S. states, according to a new study. The researchers combined 2019 satellite observations with an atmospheric transport model to generate a high-resolution map of methane emissions, which was then compared to EPA estimates from the same year. The researchers found: Methane emissions from landfills are 51% higher compared to EPA estimates Methane emissions from 95 urban areas are 39% higher than EPA estimates Methane emissions from the 10 states with the highest methane emissions are 27% higher than EPA estimates.

Computer Science: General Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling Paleontology: Climate
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New computer algorithm supercharges climate models and could lead to better predictions of future climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study describes a new computer algorithm which can be applied to Earth System Models to drastically reduce the time needed to prepare these in order to make accurate predictions of future climate change. During tests on models used in IPCC simulations, the algorithm was on average 10 times faster at spinning up the model than currently-used approaches, reducing the time taken to achieve equilibrium from many months to under a week.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Roadmap to close the carbon cycle      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Reaching net-zero carbon emissions goals requires finding transformative paths to manage carbon in difficult-to-electrify economic sectors.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Every breath you take: Study models the journey of inhaled plastic particle pollution      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

With recent studies having established the presence of nano and microplastic particles in the respiratory systems of both human and bird populations, new research has modeled what happens when people breathe in different kinds of plastic particles and where they end up.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Engineering: Robotics Research Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
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Activity in a room stirs up nanoparticles left over from consumer sprays      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Common household products containing nanoparticles -- grains of engineered material so miniscule they are invisible to the eye -- could be contributing to a new form of indoor air pollution, according to a new study.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
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Astronomers share climate-friendly meeting solutions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Carbon emissions associated with air travel to professional conferences make up a sizable fraction of the emissions produced by researchers in academia.

Chemistry: General Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
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Researchers develop an AI model to reduce uncertainty in evapotranspiration prediction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Evapotranspiration (ET) includes evaporation from soil and open water pools such as lakes, rivers, and ponds, as well as transpiration from plant leaves. The difference between precipitation and ET indicates the water balance available for societal needs, including agricultural and industrial production. However, measuring ET is challenging. A new study presents a computer model that uses artificial intelligence (AI) for ET prediction based on remote sensing estimates.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Paleontology: Climate
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Climate change and mercury pollution stressed plants for millions of years      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The link between massive flood basalt volcanism and the end-Triassic (201 million years ago) mass-extinction is commonly accepted. However, exactly how volcanism led to the collapse of ecosystems and the extinction of entire families of organisms is difficult to establish. Extreme climate change from the release of carbon dioxide, degradation of the ozone layer due to the injection of damaging chemicals, and the emissions of toxic pollutants, are all seen as contributing factors. One toxic element stands out: mercury.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Energy: Fossil Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Methane emissions from landfill could be turned into sustainable jet fuel in plasma chemistry leap      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a chemical process using plasma that could create sustainable jet fuel from methane gas emitted from landfills, potentially creating a low-carbon aviation industry.

Ecology: General Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
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Big data reveals true climate impact of worldwide air travel      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study that looked at nearly 40 million flights in 2019 calculated the greenhouse gas emissions from air travel for essentially every country on the planet. At 911 million tons, the total emissions from aviation are 50 per cent higher than the 604 million tons reported to the United Nations for that year.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Biodegradable 'living plastic' houses bacterial spores that help it break down      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new type of bioplastic could help reduce the plastic industry's environmental footprint. Researchers have developed a biodegradable form of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filled with bacterial spores that, when exposed to nutrients present in compost, germinate and break down the material at the end of its life cycle.

Chemistry: General Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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A virus could help save billions of gallons of wastewater produced by fracking      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An estimated 168 billion gallons of wastewater -- or produced water -- is generated annually by the Permian Basin fracking industry, according to a 2022 report. The major waste stream has proved both difficult and costly to treat because of the chemical complexity of the water.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Discovery of mechanism plants use to change seed oil could impact industrial, food oils      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered a new mechanism of oil biosynthesis and found a way to genetically engineer a type of test plant to more efficiently produce different kinds of seed oil that it otherwise wouldn't make. While the engineering is proof-of-concept, this discovery could lead to improved production of valuable oils used in food and by a range of industries. The modified plant overcame metabolic bottlenecks and produced significant amounts of an oil similar to castor oil that it doesn't naturally produce.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
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E-bike incentives prove to be worth the investment      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Electric bicycle rebates have exploded in popularity in North America as transportation planners try to get people out of their cars and into healthier, more climate-friendly alternatives. However, questions remain: Are new cycling habits sustainable? Who benefits most from these incentives? And are they worth the cost? Researchers now have some answers.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
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Fading lights: Multiple threats to North America's firefly populations      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have applied a data-driven approach to understanding firefly population dynamics on a continental scale. Key findings from this new study indicate that fireflies, part of the beetle order, are sensitive to various environmental factors, from short-term weather conditions to longer climatic trends, including the number of growing-degree days related to temperature accumulations.

Ecology: General Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
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How can forests be reforested in a climate-friendly way?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Europe's forests have already been severely affected by climate change. Thousands of hectares of trees have already died due to drought and bark beetles. Scientists have now investigated which trees can be used for reforestation. Their findings: only a few tree species are fit for the future, such as English oak in the UK. However, mixed forests are important for the survival of forests, otherwise the forest ecosystem as a whole could be weakened.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Severe Weather
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Details of hurricane Ian's aftermath captured with new remote sensing method      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using aerial imagery data and LiDAR, a study remotely identified the hardest-hit areas of Southwest Florida's Estero Island in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Researchers estimated the extent of structural damage and compared pre- and post-storm beach structural changes. They identified 2,427 structures that were impacted. The value of the heavily damaged structures was estimated at more than $200 million. The study has applied an advanced multi-faceted approach that links damage assessment to post-storm change in the structure of barrier islands.