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Categories: Environmental: Ecosystems, Geoscience: Earth Science
Published Increased temperature difference between day and night can affect all life on earth



Researchers have discovered a change in what scientists already knew about global warming dynamics. It had been widely accepted since the 1950s that global temperature rises were not consistent throughout the day and night, with greater nighttime warming being observed. However, the recent study reveals a shift in dynamics: with greater daytime warming taking place since the 1990s. This shift means that the temperature difference between day and night is widening, potentially affecting all life on Earth.
Published Microbial research unravels a global nitrogen mystery



A research findings show that different AOM lineages employ different regulatory strategies for ammonia or urea utilization, thereby minimizing direct competition with one another and allowing for coexistence.
Published Engineers unmask nanoplastics in oceans for the first time, revealing their true shapes and chemistry



Millions of tons of plastic waste enter the oceans each year. The sun's ultraviolet light and ocean turbulence break down these plastics into invisible nanoparticles that threaten marine ecosystems. In a new study, engineers have presented clear images of nanoplastics in ocean water off the coasts of China, South Korea and the United States, and in the Gulf of Mexico. These tiny plastic particles, which originated from such consumer products as water bottles, food packaging and clothing, were found to have surprising diversity in shape and chemical composition.
Published Source rocks of the first real continents



Geoscientists have uncovered a missing link in the enigmatic story of how the continents developed- - a revised origin story that doesn't require the start of plate tectonics or any external factor to explain their formation. Instead, the findings rely solely on internal geological forces that occurred within oceanic plateaus that formed during the first few hundred million years of Earth's history.
Published Discovery of a third RNA virus linage in extreme environments Jan 17, 2024



A research group has discovered a novel RNA viral genome from microbes inhabiting a high-temperature acidic hot spring. Their study shows that RNA viruses can live in high-temperature environments (70-80 degrees Celsius), where no RNA viruses have been observed before. In addition to the two known RNA virus kingdoms, a third kingdom may exist.
Published Unprecedented ocean heating shows risks of a world 3°C warmer



New research examines the causes of the record-breaking ocean temperatures witnessed in 2023.
Published Greenland is a methane sink rather than a source



Researchers have concluded that the methane uptake in dry landscapes exceeds methane emissions from wet areas across the ice-free part of Greenland. The results of the new study contribute with important knowledge for climate models. The researchers are now investigating whether the same finding applies to other polar regions.
Published As sea otters recolonize California estuary, they restore its degraded geology



As sea otters recolonize a California estuary, they are restoring its degraded geology by keeping populations of overgrazing marsh crabs in check, a new study shows. The crabs' appetite for plant roots, and their tunneling behavior had caused many of the estuary's marshes and creekbanks to erode and collapse in the otters' absence. Today, erosion has slowed by up to 90% in areas with large otter populations and marshes and streambeds are restabilizing.
Published Geoengineering may slow Greenland ice sheet loss



Modeling shows that stratospheric aerosol injection has the potential to reduce ice sheet loss due to climate change.
Published New research shows how pollutants from aerosols and river run-off are changing the marine phosphorus cycle in coastal seas



New research sheds light on how pollutants from aerosols and river run-off are impacting coastal seas. The research identified an 'Anthropogenic Nitrogen Pump' which changes the phosphorus cycle and therefore likely coastal biodiversity and associated ecosystem services.
Published Rising sea levels could lead to more methane emitted from wetlands



A Bay Area wetlands ecosystem that was expected to serve as a carbon sink is emitting surprisingly high levels of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The study suggests factors governing carbon cycles in these habitats are even more complex than we thought.
Published Scientists develop novel method to estimate biodiversity loss in Singapore over the past two centuries



Scientists have employed novel statistical methods to reveal the extent of biodiversity loss in Singapore over the past two centuries. The study paints the most accurate picture to date of the ecological impact of deforestation and urban development in the tropical city-state. From a comprehensive dataset, the study estimated that Singapore has lost 37 per cent of its species.
Published How waves and mixing drive coastal upwelling systems



Large coastal upwelling systems along the eastern margins of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are among the most biologically productive and biodiverse regions of the world's oceans. Typically, the strength and timing of upwelling in such systems are linked to the prevailing winds. Interestingly, in some tropical regions, high levels of productivity occur even when the upwelling favorable winds are weak.
Published Use it or lose it: How seagrasses conquered the sea



Seagrasses provide the foundation of one of the most highly biodiverse, yet vulnerable, coastal marine ecosystems globally. They arose in three independent lineages from their freshwater ancestors some 100 million years ago and are the only fully submerged, marine flowering plants. Moving to such a radically different environment is a rare evolutionary event and definitely not easy. How did they do it? New reference quality genomes provide important clues with relevance to their conservation and biotechnological application.
Published Achieving sustainable urban growth on a global scale



An international group of leading scientists call for an urgent change in the governance of urban expansion as the world's cities continue to grow at unprecedented rates.
Published Diverse forests are best at standing up to storms



European forests with a greater diversity of tree species are more resilient to storms, according to new research.
Published Microplastics may be accumulating rapidly in endangered Galápagos penguins' food web



Model predictions showed a rapid increase in microplastic accumulation and contamination across the penguins' prey organisms resulting in Galapagos penguin showing the highest level of microplastics per biomass, followed by barracuda, anchovy, sardine, herring, and predatory zooplankton.
Published Global warming has a bigger effect on compact, fast-moving typhoons



A group has found that larger, slow-moving typhoons are more likely to be resilient to the effects of global warming. However, more compact, fast-moving storms are more likely to be sensitive. These findings suggest an improved method for projecting the strength of typhoons under global warming conditions.
Published Researchers advocate for sustainable logging to safeguard against global flood risks



It's time to recognize the power of healthy forests in managing global growing flood risk, and to shift towards more sustainable forestry practices and policy.
Published A new design improves water decontamination via plasma jet



Two research groups design a plasma (an ionized gas) reactor maintained by microwaves that makes it possible to decontaminate waters with high concentrations of dye.