A new study identifies the ecological conditions necessary for biodiversity offsetting to achieve conservation goals. The research highlights the importance of large-scale restoration areas and protected landscapes in achieving long-term biodiversity outcomes. Successful compensation requires policies aligned with ecological reality, p...
A research team found that tropical forest plants increase root carbon exudation to stimulate phosphatase activity, mineralize organic P, and release organic acids to dissolve mineral-bound P. This adaptation helps alleviate P limitation under long-term N enrichment, sustaining productivity.
A research team found that tropical forest plants increase root carbon exudation to stimulate phosphatase activity and release organic acids to dissolve mineral-bound P. The organic acid pathway drove twice as much P release as the phosphatase pathway.
A new study reveals that declining floating-leaf plants release harmful nutrients, but also trigger a microbial process that converts simple organic matter into resilient, long-term carbon storage. This process enhances the lake's ability to sequester carbon through a microbial carbon pump.
Nanobiochar is an engineered carbon material derived from biomass with increased surface area, reactivity, and environmental functionality. It enhances soil quality, binds pollutants, retains nutrients, and supports beneficial microbial communities.
Florida Atlantic University's College of Engineering has received a $600,379 grant to advance technology targeting harmful algal blooms in Florida's waterways. The project aims to develop novel 3D-printed adsorbent materials for efficient phosphate removal.
Researchers analyzed sediment cores to find a recurring 60-year cycle in carbon and silicon burial, showing human intervention led to changes in estuary ecosystems. Human activities like dam construction reduced organic matter delivery, while increased water clarity promoted algal growth.
Prochlorococcus, a cyanobacteria and photosynthesizing organism, is threatened by ocean warming. The microbe's optimal temperature range is between 66 and 86 degrees, but rising temperatures may lead to reduced productivity and impact the marine food web.
Researchers have found new organisms that can capture carbon dioxide and clean pollutants from the environment. By exploring extremophiles in homes, scientists can gain insights into their unique characteristics and develop sustainable solutions.
Researchers discovered that tiny algae on glacier ice can grow rapidly despite limited nutrients, darkening the surface and accelerating melting. This finding has significant implications for predicting climate change, as it highlights a potential positive feedback loop between warming and ice melt.
Elephant seals provide a unique opportunity to measure fish abundance in the Pacific Ocean's mesopelagic zone, where sunlight penetration is minimal. By tracking foraging success and demographic changes in these marine mammals, researchers can assess impacts of new fisheries and environmental change.
Researchers gather seven years of data on sucker spawning migrations using observations from trained volunteers. The data reveals that temperature is the primary trigger for sucker spawning migration, which can help inform conservation strategies in light of a changing climate.
A KAUST-led study reveals that plant trait diversity increases above an aridity threshold of 0.7, challenging the view that harsh environments reduce biodiversity. The research found that chemical and morphological traits respond similarly to changes in aridity and grazing pressure.
A new study published by US Forest Service researchers explores the impact of leaf-eating insects on forest ecosystems worldwide. The findings suggest that warmer climates affect plant-herbivore interactions, leading to changes in carbon and nutrient cycling in broadleaved forests globally.
Researchers found that weaker ocean currents during the Younger Dryas period led to a decline in nutrient availability, resulting in decreased biological productivity in the North Atlantic. This study supports predictions about the impact of climate change on ocean circulation and life.
Researchers found that 89% of Dominica's trees sustained damage from Hurricane Maria, but only 10% were immediately killed. The study suggests that forests in hurricane-prone regions can resist extreme weather events due to their adapted structure and composition.
Estuaries along the Atlantic coast and eastern Gulf of Mexico are expected to experience significant increases in nutrient loading, posing risks for harmful algal blooms and ecosystem health. The study identified regions with high adaptive capacity as having more resources to mitigate these effects.
A University of Rhode Island professor's study has developed a macromolecular model of phytoplankton, which could have significant implications for climate research. The model predicts the variation in C:N:P ratios throughout the ocean, providing new insights into how phytoplankton respond to changing environmental conditions.
Researchers created a map of ancient ocean 'dead zones' to predict future locations and impacts of low oxygen zones in a warmer Earth's oceans. The map showed that during the Pliocene epoch, low-oxygen waters were widespread in the Atlantic Ocean, particularly in the North Atlantic.
A team of researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has discovered that certain microorganisms, such as Halteria, can eat high numbers of chloroviruses, which are known to infect green algae. This finding suggests that virovory, a virus-only diet, can support physiological growth and even population growth in an organism.
Researchers at Nagoya University have developed a new method to study the life cycle of tree roots, shedding light on the decomposition process. They found that fine roots, which control nutrient uptake by trees, are discarded and decompose differently than leaf litter.
The study found that freshwater pearl mussels significantly affected biofilm bacterial dynamics, particularly with increased Bacteroidales and Clostridiales abundance. The presence of mussels also alleviated nitrogen deficiencies by recycling nutrients.
A new framework will help conservation agencies forecast climate change impacts and identify target areas for protection. The project aims to create adaptable portfolios of target sites for biodiversity conservation over time.
A study by Kyoto University found that migratory shrimp significantly enriched streams with nutrients, outperforming aquatic insects. The research highlights the crucial role of these small crustaceans in maintaining ecosystem balance and suggests integrating landscape management to support nutrient cycling.
Scientists have found age rings in Marimo, indicating their growth rate and annual growth of up to 9mm. The study also shows how the algae balls recycle nutrients through a small-scale nutrient cycle, with exchanges occurring every 105 hours.
Phytoplankton are critical to life in ocean waters, and their seasonal availability is shifting due to climate change. Researchers found that carbon produced by phytoplankton is sinking into the deep ocean, impacting global nutrient availability and ocean ecosystems.
Researchers used mathematical models to reconstruct evolutionary history of photosymbiosis in Scleractinia, identifying groups where association is stable and others that may be more flexible. The study found that certain lineages are more likely to retain the reef-building trait in a changing climate.
New research reveals that blue, fin and humpback whales consume an average of three times more food each year than scientists previously estimated. This increased consumption plays a crucial role in maintaining ocean health and productivity by recycling key nutrients.
The Deep Soil Ecotron will enable scientists to conduct experiments on columns of soil up to three meters deep, improving understanding of how deep soil organisms react to unprecedented conditions and sequester carbon. The facility will also be used to develop sensors to monitor deep soils in the field.
The study found that invertebrate numbers decreased by 45% over a 35-year period, with habitat loss and climate disruption being major contributors. This decline compromises nature's ability to provide essential services such as pollination, pest control, nutrient cycling, and water filtration.
Researchers discovered that sponges are the most important inhabitants of underwater caves on coral reefs, filling over 60% of cavities. They filter massive quantities of planktonic particles, facilitating growth and conversion of organic to inorganic nutrients.