Research on lakes and freshwater. Covers waterborne illness, AI algal-bloom technology, freshwater carbon, and cyanobacteria toxin detection.
A recent study found that browning lakes in the northeast US are becoming increasingly light-limited, restricting algal growth and aquatic plant life. This reduction in productivity can affect fish food webs, particularly those relying on visual foraging like brook trout.
A reevaluation of the Edaphodon eyrensis fossil tooth plate has led to a revised classification as Ptyktoptychion eyrensis. The discovery was made possible by Evgeny Popov's study of the fossil in various Australian locations.
Recent warming leads to a weakening of global dust storm activity, according to researchers from Tianjin University. The study found that changes in wind patterns and atmospheric stability are responsible for the decrease in dust storm frequency and intensity.
A diverse microbial community has adapted to an extremely salty environment deep in the Red Sea, with microbial cell densities more than double those found in normal deep Red Sea water and the brine below. The team sequenced the genome of a new microbe that suggests this transition zone is critical for nitrogen cycling.
A large-scale research project assessed Earth's 92,033 debris-covered glaciers and found that debris substantially reduces glacier mass loss. This discovery will improve risk assessment for communities near these glaciers, which can lead to glacial lake formation and potential flood hazards.
A new study using high-resolution CT scanning reveals key relationships between cichlid morphology and behavior, enabling scientists to infer life history and characteristics of rare or extinct fishes. This technology will aid conservation efforts by characterizing the remaining fish species in Lake Malawi.
Researchers analyzed 12,000-year-old fish bones from three-spine sticklebacks to study the evolutionary process. They found that genetic variants enabling adaptation to freshwater existed in ocean populations thousands of years ago.
The LTER Network's 40 years of careful science reveals the connections between ecosystems, allowing researchers to anticipate and adapt to changes. The network's team-oriented approach and collaborative research facilitate solving complex environmental problems.
A new paper found that cleaning local lakes and waterbodies can slow climate change and save trillions of dollars by reducing methane emissions. The study estimated the costs of global climate change due to eutrophication from 2015 to 2050 to be as much as $81 trillion.
Research reveals that just three amino acid changes can dramatically alter an enzyme's function, allowing microbes to thrive in diverse ecosystems. This discovery has significant implications for understanding disease-causing bacteria and developing remedies.
A recent study published in Nature Climate Change warns that flash flood risk may triple across the Third Pole due to global warming. The study found that one in six glacial lakes pose a high to very high risk to downstream communities, with potential transboundary natural disasters expected to increase.
Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have discovered the crucial importance of redox-active substances in aquatic ecosystems. They are able to degrade pollutants and influence large-scale reactions, making them a crux between hydrological fluctuations and ecosystem functions.
The study reveals that glacial lake outburst floods in the Himalayan region and Tibetan plateau could triple in the coming decades, posing a significant threat to communities and infrastructure. The risk of transboundary disasters will also increase, with new hotspots emerging in regions like the Western Himalaya and Pamir.
A Yale-led study reveals that early humans were ecosystem engineers, using fire to prevent forest regrowth and create open woodlands. This finding suggests that humans were learning to use fire in novel ways by the Late Pleistocene period.
Researchers analyzed Lake Victoria cichlid genomes to identify genes contributing to adaptive radiation and species-specific adaptations. The study found evidence of selective sweep events and preexisting genetic variation underlying these processes.
Scientists from US and Iran are collaborating on restoring Lake Urmia, which has lost 95% of its volume over two decades. The team's findings show that setting a target water level may not solve the lake's problems, highlighting the need for ecosystem-based restoration efforts.
Researchers identified eight California faults with higher rates of magnitude 4 earthquakes before a magnitude 6.7 quake, predicting their likelihood for future large earthquakes. So far, only one such event has occurred since the forecast was made in 2017.
Researchers found a naturally occurring 'earthquake gate' on New Zealand's Alpine Fault that decides which earthquakes grow into magnitude 8 or greater. The study suggests this gate could change the stress and break larger earthquake chains.
The Himalayan region is prone to devastating glacial lake outburst floods due to rising temperatures and extreme precipitation. A network of satellite-based monitoring stations could provide in situ and real-time data on GLOF risk, helping to mitigate future events.
A new method introduces faster and more reliable measurement of water pollution by detecting oxygen consumption in wastewater samples. This approach distinguishes between pollutants from sewage and naturally occurring organic matter.
Research finds a significant decrease in greenhouse gas emissions from Chinese inland waters over the past three decades, primarily driven by environmental alterations. The study suggests that ignoring these emissions will result in overestimating China's terrestrial carbon sink capability.
Researchers identify a single nocturnal species of Lake Malawi cichlid that exhibits dramatic differences in body clocks, suggesting an acute response to light. The study reveals that nocturnal behavior is associated with increased eye size, providing insights into the molecular and neural basis underlying variation in nighttime activity.
Research reveals lakes promote latent heat mixing but suppress carbon dioxide exchange compared to other land surfaces. The findings published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences highlight the need for future field experiments to investigate energy and carbon dioxide exchange at different scales.
Researchers detected anatoxin-a, a deadly cyanotoxin, in air and water near a Massachusetts pond with algal blooms. The toxin can cause respiratory paralysis, muscular twitching, and loss of coordination at high concentrations.
Researchers used local citizen photos and data to reconstruct the first documented meteotsunami in the Great Lakes, caused by an atmospheric inertia-gravity wave. Existing NOAA models may enable scientists to predict these meteotsunamis minutes to hours in advance.
Lakes store huge amounts of methane, which has a global warming potential 80-100 times greater than CO2. Researchers at the University of Basel suggest extracting and using this methane for sustainable energy production, potentially meeting world's energy needs.
Researchers from Brown University have discovered a previously unknown type of ancient crater lake on Mars that differs from other Martian crater lakes. The crater was likely fed by runoff from a long-lost Martian glacier, which suggests the planet's early climate may have been warmer and wetter than previously thought.
A national research team is calling for a more comprehensive understanding of freshwater cyanobacteria blooms by studying the organisms that live at the bottom of lakes. This could help predict how climate change affects bloom frequency, intensity, and duration.
An international investigation has confirmed that a lethal cyanobacteria toxin is killing bald eagles and other wildlife in Arkansas lakes. The toxin, known as aetokthonotoxin, is produced by the invasive aquatic plant Hydrilla verticillata and causes neurological disease in affected animals.
Researchers have successfully monitored a subglacial discharge plume for the first time, providing new insights into the dynamics of glaciers and their role in climate change. The study reveals that plumes are intermittent and influenced by various factors, including tides and wind.
A new study suggests that floating solar farms could help protect lakes and reservoirs from some of the harms of climate change, such as blooms of toxic blue green algae. However, further research is needed to understand the likelihood of both positive and negative impacts on water temperature and stratification.
A study co-developed with local stakeholders explores regional water scenarios to facilitate rational water resource planning in the extended Lake Victoria Basin. The analysis suggests that water use and withdrawal will increase significantly due to population and GDP growth, coupled with climate change.
Scientists analyzed ancient lake sediment in the Arctic Ocean and found evidence of a shrub native to northern Canadian ecosystems that was once widespread. The findings may provide insight into the potential future of the Arctic's vegetation as it warms due to climate change, with implications for thawing permafrost and sea level rise.
Researchers found that counter-point bars can form in meandering rivers due to short, high curvature bends. These bends often occur when the river's course is abruptly changed, such as through the formation of an oxbow lake or reconnecting with a downstream portion.
A researcher is studying the connection between CO2 and dissolved oxygen in lakes to better understand lake carbon cycling and its impact on global carbon cycle. The study aims to develop a more accurate understanding of the relationship, which could lead to improved estimates of CO2 emissions from inland waters.
Researchers studied CO2 fluxes at East Lake in Newberry Volcano, Oregon, and found that the lake's ecosystem is driven by its volcanic inputs. The study suggests that variations in CO2 flux can be used for volcano monitoring, and that East Lake is unlikely to experience catastrophic gas releases.
Scientists used ICESat-2 to track water level fluctuations in Earth's lakes and ponds over 22 months, finding natural lakes and ponds change by 8.6 inches seasonally, while reservoirs fluctuate nearly quadruple that amount. The study also revealed regional patterns of variability in reservoirs.
A new study reveals that humans are responsible for a majority of the seasonal surface water storage variability on Earth, accounting for 57% of total changes. Human-managed reservoirs have a significant impact, especially in arid regions where human control surges to 90% and above.
Researchers have discovered a unique endosymbiotic relationship where a bacterium provides energy to its unicellular host by breathing nitrate, complementing or replacing mitochondrial functions. This finding opens the possibility of simple eukaryotes hosting energy-providing endosymbionts.
Research finds that water clarity affects how growth rates of walleyes change as lakes start to warm; growth rates increased in some lakes and decreased in others
A University of Colorado Boulder-led study found record melting on Antarctica's northern George VI Ice Shelf during the 2019-2020 summer season. The extreme melt coincided with record-setting stretches when local surface air temperatures were at or above freezing point, posing a threat to ice-shelf break-up and sea-level rise.
A new study reveals that Lake Erie sediments release nearly as much phosphorus into the surrounding waters as enters the lake each year, exacerbating the annual 'dead zone'. This self-fertilization process contributes up to 11,000 metric tons of phosphorus to the lake water each summer.
Researchers have found that subglacial lakes in Antarctica may be more hospitable to life than thought, thanks to geothermal heat. This heat can stimulate convection currents, allowing for dynamic flow and potentially supporting microbial life. The discovery opens up new avenues for exploring similar environments on icy moons and planets.
A UNF biology professor has been awarded an NSF grant to continue researching Lake Huron's algal mats, which are thought to hold secrets of life's origins. The research will explore bacterial communication and microbial community structures.
Researchers found strong seismic shaking deformed sediments and triggered mud avalanches, indicating extreme earthquakes preceded rockslide clusters. The study proposes seismic shaking can degrade rock slopes towards critical tipping point.
A team of researchers from Flinders University and the South Australian Museum discovered a new species of skink, Proegernia mikebulli, in the Namba Formation deposits. The fossil, named after Professor Mike Bull, is Australia's oldest known lizard, dating back to 25 million years ago.
A 270,000-year-old core from a Tasmanian lake provides the first Australian record of a geomagnetic excursion, where the Earth's magnetic field 'switched' and spectacular auroras were observed. This discovery has significant implications for understanding past climate change and developing new paleomagnetic dating tools.
Researchers at Umeå University have quantified carbon emissions from rivers and lakes in Western Siberia, finding that emission rates are high and exceed carbon export to the Arctic Ocean. The study highlights the importance of inland waters in the global carbon cycle and climate system.
The collapse of Aru glaciers has sent at least 7.1 million cubic meters of ice into downstream lakes, disrupting regional ecosystems. The volume increase of Memar Co Lake is 30% faster than the previous rate, and it may merge with Aru Co Lake within 7-11 years.
A new study finds human-induced climate change responsible for the retreat of Palcaraju Glacier, leading to a significant increase in glacial lake outburst flooding. The research provides critical evidence for an ongoing case in German courts, highlighting the need for protective measures and reimbursement.
Scientists use low-noise magnetic measurements to detect giant magnetofossils in bulk sediment samples, shedding light on ancient environments and organisms' physiology. The high-coercivity signature identified is consistent with needle-shaped fossils found in sediments, providing new insights into the geological record.
Researchers found that quagga mussels regulate phosphorus supply to the ecosystem, transforming nutrient cycling and affecting productivity. The study's findings highlight dramatic ecological changes caused by a single invasive species and call for a new paradigm in managing aquatic ecosystems.
A single invasive species, quagga mussel, regulates phosphorus cycling in four Great Lakes by ingesting particulate phosphorus and redistributing it through physiological processes. This shift alters the ecosystem's sensitivity to external nutrient load management.
New research on a Great Lakes fish species, kiyis, found that they have regained a genetic trait allowing them to see in dim blue-shifted waters, similar to their ancient ocean-dwelling ancestors. This adaptation is likely helping the fish thrive in the deeper regions of Lake Superior.
Scientists at Michigan Tech Research Institute studied 11 large freshwater lakes, revealing significant changes in primary productivity and carbon fixation rates over the past 16 years. Climate change, increasing nutrients, and invasive species contribute to these changes.
In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have found electric eels working together to herd small fish into tightly packed balls. The eels then launch simultaneous electric attacks, stunning the prey into submission.
Researchers predict up to 5,700 Northern Hemisphere lakes may permanently lose ice cover by 2055, affecting drinking water quality and quantity. Climate change projections indicate increased winter air temperatures will cause this loss, with shallow lakes more susceptible.
A new technique using environmental DNA analysis reveals nuanced information about invasive round goby fish populations, allowing for population estimates and origin prediction. The method has the potential to overcome logistical challenges in studying elusive species, improving conservation outcomes.
A recent study published in Science Advances analyzed genomic data from archaeological remains in northeastern Asia, revealing complex migration patterns and disease-related bacteria. The research provides new insights into the demographic history of the region and its connection to the Paleo-Inuit groups.
The Caspian Sea is shrinking due to climate change, with water levels falling by 9-18 meters in the coming century. This has significant consequences for biodiversity, species habitats, and bordering countries' economies.