Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geography
Published

Humans converted at least 250,000 acres of estuaries to cities, farms in last 35 years      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Worldwide over the past 35 years, dams and land reclamation activities converted 250,000 acres of estuary -- an area roughly 17 times the size of Manhattan -- to urban land or agricultural fields, with most land conversion and estuary loss in rapidly developing countries, a new study finds. The findings could help developing countries avoid problems faced by countries that have already lost or degraded their estuaries.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Environmental: Water
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A smarter city skyline for flood safety      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

With climate change and rising urbanization, the likelihood and severity of urban flooding are increasing. But not all city blocks are created equal. Researchers investigated how urban layout and building structures contribute to pedestrian safety during flooding. Based on their simulated results, the team recommends modifying building corners and protective block layouts to reduce pedestrian risk.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather Mathematics: Statistics
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How climate change will impact food production and financial institutions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a new method to predict the financial impacts climate change will have on agriculture, which can help support food security and financial stability for countries increasingly prone to climate catastrophes.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Deep parts of Great Barrier Reef 'insulated' from global warming -- for now      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Some deeper areas of the Great Barrier Reef are insulated from harmful heatwaves -- but that protection will be lost if global warming continues, according to new research.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
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PFAS 'forever chemicals' above drinking water guidelines in global source water      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

PFAS (aka 'forever chemicals') are notoriously difficult to destroy. They've been linked to environmental and health issues, including some cancers, but a lot remains unknown about the true scale and potential impacts of the problem -- including how much is in our water supply. A new study assessed the levels of PFAS contamination in surface and ground water around the globe -- and found that much of our global source water exceeds PFAS safe drinking limits.

Biology: General Ecology: General Ecology: Research Environmental: General Environmental: Water
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Common loons threatened by declining water clarity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The Common Loon, an icon of the northern wilderness, is under threat from climate change due to reduced water clarity, according to a new study. The study followed up an earlier paper that showed substantial reproductive decline in the author's study area in northern Wisconsin.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Severe Weather
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.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Ecology: Animals Ecology: Nature Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
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Heat stress from ocean warming harms octopus vision      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

While climate change has led to an increase in the abundance of octopuses, heat stress from projected ocean warming could impair their vision and impact the survivability of the species.

Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: General Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Oceanography
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.

Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General
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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.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water
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Shy sea anemones are more likely to survive heatwaves      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study shows that sea anemones that react more slowly to change can survive a heatwave better than individuals that change their behavior quickly.

Biology: Cell Biology Ecology: Trees Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Tracing the largest solar storm in modern times from tree rings in Lapland      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research group was able to measure a spike in radiocarbon concentration of trees in Lapland that occurred after the Carrington flare. This discovery helps to prepare for dangerous solar storms.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Fans are not a magic bullet for beating the heat!      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study throws cold water on the idea that fans can effectively cool you down during extremely hot weather events.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Climate change impacts terrorist activity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Changing weather patterns induced by climate change are contributing to shifts in the location of terrorist activity, according to new research.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geology
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'Tug of war' tactic enhances chemical separations for critical materials      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Lanthanide elements are important for clean energy and other applications. To use them, industry must separate mixed lanthanide sources into individual elements using costly, time-consuming, and waste-generating procedures. An efficient new method can be tailored to select specific lanthanides. The technique combines two substances that do not mix and that prefer different types of lanthanides. The process would allow for smaller equipment, less use of chemicals, and less waste production.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
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For mining in arid regions to be responsible, we must change how we think about water      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In an unprecedented study of the South American 'Lithium Triangle,' hydrologists discover that not all water responds the same way to environmental change and human use.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Fossil Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
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Magnetic fields boost clean energy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers show that using magnetic fields can boost electrocatalysis for sustainable fuel production by enhancing the movement of the reactants, which improves the efficiency of energy-related reactions.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
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Testing environmental water to monitor COVID-19 spread in unsheltered encampments      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

To better understand COVID-19's spread during the pandemic, public health officials expanded wastewater surveillance. These efforts track SARS-CoV-2 levels and health risks among most people, but they miss people who live without shelter, a population particularly vulnerable to severe infection. To fill this information gap, researchers tested flood-control waterways near unsheltered encampments, finding similar transmission patterns as in the broader community and identifying previously unseen viral mutations.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
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Water-based paints: Less stinky, but some still contain potentially hazardous chemicals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Choosing paint for your home brings a lot of options: What kind of paint, what type of finish and what color? Water-based paints have emerged as 'greener' and less smelly than solvent-based options. And they are often advertised as containing little-to-no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). But, according to new research, some of these paints do contain compounds that are considered VOCs, along with other chemicals of emerging concern.

Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Groundbreaking research in groundwater's role in ecosystem sustainability      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Until now, groundwater -- a critical water resource around the globe, especially in dry regions -- has been largely unstudied in its importance and role in sustaining ecosystems. New groundbreaking research examines the relationship between groundwater and ecosystems across California.