The study reveals that nutrient enrichment has reduced sea grass beds and lowered dissolved oxygen concentrations in the Chesapeake Bay. Revitalizing habitats such as sea grass beds, oyster reefs, and tidal marshes may lead to substantial benefits toward recovery from nutrient enrichment.
Duke University Medical Center researchers discovered that an immature egg's internal nutrient supply is critical to its survival. The study found that adding nutrients prolongs the life of eggs and depleting them triggers apoptosis, offering a new route to understanding and treating infertility due to egg death.
Researchers discovered that pockets of water wedge themselves into the subtropical gyre, preventing deep-ocean nutrients from reaching the surface where plants can thrive. The study found that this phenomenon reduces primary productivity and supports the food chain.
Scientists at MIT and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution found a lag in freshwater and saltwater inflows and outflows related to seasonal water table changes. Seawater intrusion into coastal aquifers may occur several months after precipitation, affecting nutrient and contaminant transport.
A recent study by Stanford University researchers reveals a complex 'biogeochemical patchwork' of high and low nutrient availability in tropical soils. The study predicts that only about 17% of the landscape is nutrient-poor, with slopes and valley bottoms often as fertile as the most verdant forests.
Researchers found that reducing yeast in flies' diet increased life span by over 60%, suggesting protein or fat plays a greater role in longevity than sugar. The study's findings challenge the conventional wisdom that eating less promotes longevity and provide insight into the effects of different nutrients on life span.
Researchers at UQ's IMB have discovered a new pathway for particle and nutrient uptake into cells, which is vitally important for cellular survival. This finding presents unexplored avenues for developing new drugs to fight certain viral infections and opening up possibilities for drug delivery or gene therapy.
Scientists at the Elhuyar Fundazioa Institute have identified a previously unknown mechanism for capturing nutrients in plants. The process, which uses micro-vesicles and internal compartments called vacuola, is independent of specific transporters in plasma membranes and can be triggered by saccharose.
Researchers found that soil quality played a crucial role in shaping Polynesian farming patterns, with farmers adapting their agricultural system to optimal zones for sweet potato cropping. The study suggests that the emergence of warrior classes was linked to surplus agriculture and the ability to produce basic foodstuffs.
The introduction of foxes to Aleutian Islands led to the transformation of vegetation from lush grasslands to tundra, with a significant impact on seabird populations. Soil phosphorus levels increased by three times in fox-free islands compared to fox-infested islands, reflecting the loss of marine-derived nutrients.
A study by Larry Crowder at Duke University suggests that coastal dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico can have significant impacts on target species and commercial fisheries. The research group has found that fish and shrimp can evade death by relocating to the zone's edge, but growth rates of some Gulf fish and shellfish may be lower.
Researchers at VIB have discovered receptor proteins in yeast cells that detect and react to glucose and sucrose, which could be good targets for new medicines. This finding raises the possibility of glucose receptors existing in human beings.
A University of Michigan researcher suggests that obesity in developing nations is a result of the body's attempts to cope with childhood malnourishment. The phenomenon is similar to yo-yo dieting, where dieters who have deprived themselves gain weight at faster rates than non-dieters when they begin eating normally again.
Researchers have found that adding butyrate to an intravenous nutrition solution can cause the intestine to grow back and become more functional. This breakthrough offers hope for preterm infants and patients with Crohn's disease who rely on IV feeding due to surgically removed intestines.
Researchers found a broad range of nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratios possible in phytoplankton, contradicting the long-held Redfield ratio of 16:1. The new model takes into account varying growth conditions and optimal strategies for nutrient uptake, with implications for ocean ecosystem and climate change.
A comprehensive study of plant physiology has found that fast-growing plants (hares) are more susceptible to pollution, while slower-growing plants (tortoises) are better adapted to control energy consumption. The research provides insights into how plants respond to environmental changes.
A research team led by University of Maine scientists has documented that treating a watershed with additional acids accelerates the loss of critical nutrients calcium and magnesium. The experimentally induced nutrient depletion highlights the impact of acid rain on Maine's forests.
Scientists have long debated the causes of coral reef decline, but new research suggests pollution from land-based sources is a major culprit. A study in the Bahamas found that nutrient levels, particularly nitrogen, play a critical role in seaweed spread and destruction of coral reefs.
Scientists linking rainforest canopy and floor layers examine effects of falling materials on soil processes, decomposition rates, and nutrient availability. The study aims to understand the connection between these factors and global climate change.
Researchers found that prehistoric Inuit whalers dramatically altered high Arctic pond ecosystems through their hunting practices over 800 years ago. The team's study revealed a significant increase in moss growth and nutrients in the water, coinciding with deposits of nutrient-rich whalebones and other refuse.
A study found that three-quarters of biological activity in oceans relies on a single nutrient-rich water circulation pattern in the Southern Hemisphere. This discovery helps settle a longstanding question about ocean fertility and raises questions about potential impact of climate change.
A study by University of North Carolina researchers suggests that chemical nutrients washed into the sea can increase the severity of coral diseases, leading to significant declines in Caribbean reef health. The findings support calls for reducing nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage and deforestation.
Field experiments on Mexican reefs show that modest nutrient pollution can increase coral mortality by facilitating disease spread. Further steps should be taken to reduce agricultural runoff, sewage pollution, and deforestation to protect coral reef health.
Purdue University researchers have developed a new field called 'ionomics,' which studies how genes regulate all the ions in a cell. This research holds promise for creating mineral-efficient plants that need little fertilizer, crops with better nutritional value, and plants that can remove contamination from the soil.
The Egyptian Mediterranean Sea fishery has recovered due to increased phosphorus and nitrogen in urban waste water, changing the ecosystem's productive engine. This shift has important consequences for lower food web structure and larval fish.
Researchers at Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have discovered a protein called GβL that helps regulate the mTOR pathway. The study reveals that when GβL is absent or disabled, cells become insensitive to nutrient levels and grow abnormally, which may be a cause of disease.
The Tufts team is developing digital modeling tools to help local communities map out their watersheds, identify trouble spots and take cost-effective steps to manage nutrient entry. The computer models will also be used by the EPA and state governments to improve upon their current systems for managing watershed nutrients.
A study of premature infants found that mild undernutrition in early infancy may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. The findings suggest that slower growth and relative undernutrition associated with colostrum and breastfeeding may have a protective effect on cardiovascular health.
Researchers studied encrustation on fossilized shells to gain insights into ancient sea ecosystems. The analysis found that epibionts preferentially colonize brachiopod shells, providing clues about the evolution of these organisms.
A new study finds that oxygen deficiency can impair fish reproduction by disrupting endocrine function and reducing fertility rates. Long-term exposure to hypoxia can lead to major declines in fish populations, potentially causing extinction for some species.
Invasive seaweed Caulerpa brachypus is smothering coral reefs in Florida, forcing lobsters and fish away. A new study aims to understand the spread of this species and how to control its growth, driven by nutrient pollution from land-based sources.
The study aims to identify disease-fighting fungi and understand their role in nutrient cycling. By analyzing multiple genes and structural characteristics, researchers will create a database to distinguish between beneficial and harmful fungal species.
A team of scientists at the University of Rhode Island tested shallow marine systems' response to increased nutrients, focusing on eelgrass survival. They found that rapid leaf elongation and low root growth can indicate a poor prognosis for bed survival in these ecosystems.
A recent study on Brazilian brachiopods has provided valuable insights into the life and times of ancient creatures. The research, led by David Rodland, sheds light on the encrustation patterns of modern brachiopods and their potential to estimate water depth and plankton productivity in ancient oceans.
Grasshoppers are drawn to plants with mycorrhizal symbiosis due to their increased nutrient content and tolerance to grazing. The study, conducted by Kansas State University researchers, found that grasshoppers avoid plants without this beneficial relationship, suggesting a crucial role for fungi in ecosystem health.
The study found that when blue crabs disappeared from a salt marsh, periwinkle snails flourished, eating all the cordgrass and causing ecosystem collapse. Overgrazing by periwinkles can convert southern salt marshes into barren mudflats within eight months.
New research suggests that acid rain can deplete the nutrient pool available to trees in forests, making them more vulnerable to acid rain's effects. This finding has important implications for industrially influenced forests in the northeastern United States and Europe.
New research suggests that unpolluted forests may exhibit more uniform nitrogen biogeochemistry than previously thought, with complex and idiosyncratic responses to human activities. This challenges long-held assumptions about the ecological function of forests near populated regions.
The article reviews the possible psychopharmacologic effect of several nutrients on mood and behaviour. Key findings include the potential mild antidepressant effects of SAMe, folic acid, and tryptophan, as well as the relation between carbohydrate consumption and sedation.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison propose that anthocyanins in plants like maples and oaks produce vibrant autumn colors. The pigments shield sensitive photosynthetic tissue from excessive light and other stresses as trees reabsorb nutrients, allowing them to store energy.
A new technology, InStreem™, has been successfully demonstrated at the George DeRuyter Dairy in Washington state, reducing odors and solids in waste lagoons. The system converts existing lagoons into extended aeration systems, establishing conditions favorable for both aerobic and anaerobic degradation of wastes.
A study published in Nature found that plant-eating insects have diets so poor in nutrients they impair growth, unlike aquatic animals which thrive on nutrient-rich foods. The researchers analyzed the chemical composition of plants and animals to determine how different environments affect food webs.
A study by Alaskan and Canadian researchers found that climate change and commercial fishing negatively affect sockeye salmon runs in Alaska. The research used nitrogen isotope analysis to track salmon populations over 300 years, revealing a link between climate shifts and changes in salmon abundance.
Scientists at Rutgers University have found that humans have significantly altered the global carbon cycle over the past 200 years, leading to a rapid increase in atmospheric CO2 levels. The study's authors caution that governments must adopt new technologies to mitigate this trend and prevent unforeseen consequences for the Earth system.
The USGS report found complex mixtures of nutrients and pesticides in streams with significant agricultural or urban development. However, concentrations of individual pesticides were often lower than current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards.
A study by Ohio State University researchers reveals that humic acid can trap nitrogen-containing proteins in soil, reducing their availability to plants. The process may be responsible for declining rice yields in Southeast Asia despite increased fertilizer use.
Researchers are exploring ways to control the rush of nitrogen and other chemicals into the Mississippi River watershed. Ecotechnology may hold the answer by restoring or building wetlands and riparian buffer zones along waterways.
A new liquid-manure applicator developed at Purdue University can be integrated into precision farming setups, improving nutrient management and reducing environmental impact. The equipment uses GPS technology and flow measurement systems to accurately apply manure, increasing its value as a sustainable fertilizer source.
Research suggests that dietary levels of nutrients during formative months and years are important determinants of blood pressure. Studies found that children who consumed more calcium and fiber had lower diastolic blood pressure, while eating more fat was linked to higher diastolic pressure.
A new study found that people who regularly eat breakfast cereal tend to consume more fiber and calcium, but less fat, compared to those who eat other foods for breakfast. The study analyzed data from the US Department of Agriculture's survey and found that cereal-eaters were also more likely to consume other nutritious foods.
The Cheseapeake Bay experienced record flows in 1996, with rivers carrying a combined average of 87.5 billion gallons per day, affecting water quality and ecosystem health. Environmental effects could have been worse, but management actions and favorable timing reduced the impact.