Showing 20 articles starting at article 1861
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Categories: Biology: Botany, Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published Extreme weather events linked to increased child marriage
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Among the negative impacts of extreme weather events around the world is one that most people may not think of: an increase in child marriages.
Published Saving species from extinction -- high-quality kakapo population sequencing provides breakthrough in understanding key conservation genetics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source High-quality sequencing of nearly the entire kakapo population is helping New Zealand to manage the health of this critically endangered species.
Published Curious and cryptic: New leaf insects discovered
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international research team has described seven previously unknown species of leaf insects, also known as walking leaves. The insects belong to the stick and leaf insect order, which are known for their unusual appearance: they look confusingly similar to parts of plants such as twigs, bark or -- in the case of leaf insects -- leaves. This sophisticated camouflage provides excellent protection from predators as well as presenting a challenge to researchers. Genetic analysis enabled the researchers to discover 'cryptic species', which cannot be distinguished by their external appearance alone. The findings are not only important for the systematic study of leaf insects, but also for the protection of their diversity.
Published Past abrupt changes in North Atlantic Overturning have impacted the climate system across the globe
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Abrupt climate changes have affected rainfall patterns worldwide in the past, especially in the tropical monsoon region, a new study shows. An international team of scientists used dripstones from globally distributed caves together with model simulations to analyze the global impacts of rapid Northern-Hemisphere temperature increases, the widely studied Dansgaard-Oeschger events, that repeatedly occurred during the last ice age. The comparison of stalagmite and model data shows in unprecedented detail how these abrupt changes and the associated modifications of the Atlantic overturning circulation, AMOC for short, have affected global atmospheric circulation.
Published Due to sea-ice retreat, zooplankton could remain in the deep longer
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Due to intensifying sea-ice melting in the Arctic, sunlight is now penetrating deeper and deeper into the ocean. Since marine zooplankton respond to the available light, this is also changing their behavior -- especially how the tiny organisms rise and fall within the water column. As an international team of researchers has now shown, in the future this could lead to more frequent food shortages for the zooplankton, and to negative effects for larger species including seals and whales.
Published Researcher finds inspiration from spider webs and beetles to harvest fresh water from thin air
(via sciencedaily.com) A team of researchers is designing novel systems to capture water vapor in the air and turn it into liquid. They have developed sponges or membranes with a large surface area that continually capture moisture from their surrounding environment.
Published Paper drinking straws may be harmful and may not be better for the environment than plastic versions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source 'Eco-friendly' paper drinking straws contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals, a new study has concluded.
Published Paper cups are just as toxic as plastic cups
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Replacing single use plastic cups with paper ones is problematic. Researchers show that a paper cup that ends up in nature can also cause damage as they also contain toxic chemicals.
Published Starch discovery reaps benefits for brewing, baking and milling industries
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research has brought clarity to the longstanding question of how starch granules form in the seeds of Triticeae crops -- wheat, barley, and rye -- unlocking diverse potential benefits for numerous industries and for human health.
Published Soils forming on the branches of trees are an overlooked forest habitat
(via sciencedaily.com) A study on 'canopy soils' on old trees in Costa Rica shows they are important habitats and carbon stores that cannot easily be replaced.
Published Millions of carbon credits are generated by overestimating forest preservation, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Study analyses 18 major carbon offset projects, and compares their conservation claims with matched sites that offer a real-world benchmark for deforestation levels. Over 60 million carbon credits came from projects that barely reduced deforestation, if at all. Of a potential 89 million credits from these offset schemes, only 5.4 million (6%) were linked to additional carbon reductions through preserved forest.
Published New study examines historical drought and flooding on the Amazon River
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Despite the rapid increase in severe flooding, a new article indicates recent floods and droughts in the Amazon River Basin may have not yet exceeded the range of natural hydroclimatic variability.
Published Sweet corn yield at the mercy of the environment, except for one key factor
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new analysis has identified the top factors accounting for yield variability in processing sweet corn (used for canned and frozen products), including one within the control of processors.
Published Towards better batteries and fuel cells with dispersibility estimation for carbon electrode slurries
(via sciencedaily.com) Carbon slurries, which consist of a suspension of carbon particles in a solvent, are used to mass-produce battery electrodes. However, there are no adequate methods to evaluate whether the particles are uniformly dispersed in the slurry during the manufacturing process. In a recent study, researchers used an innovative approach, combining viscosity and electrochemical impedance measurements, to accurately assess the dispersibility of slurries, opening doors to enhanced electric vehicles and fuel cell batteries.
Published Fungi-eating plants and flies team up for reproduction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fungi-eating orchids were found for the first time to offer their flowers to fungi-eating fruit flies in exchange for pollination, which is the first evidence for nursery pollination in orchids. This unique new plant-animal relationship hints at an evolutionary transition towards mutualistic symbiosis.
Published Loss of Antarctic sea ice causes catastrophic breeding failure for emperor penguins
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Emperor penguin colonies experienced unprecedented breeding failure in a region of Antarctica where there was total sea ice loss in 2022. The discovery supports predictions that over 90% of emperor penguin colonies will be quasi-extinct by the end of the century, based on current global warming trends.
Published Blink and you'll miss these plants shooting their seeds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When witch hazel plants are ready to disperse their seeds, the woody seed capsules split open, pressure builds up, and eventually the seeds shoot out like a bullet fired from a rifle, hitting 30 feet per second in less than five milliseconds. In a new study, researchers looked into how witch hazels manage to fling heavier seeds just as fast as lighter ones. The secret lies in their spring-loaded fruits.
Published Could microplastics in soil introduce drug-resistant superbugs to the food supply?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new review argues ever-present microplastics could promote gene transfer among microbes, potentially resulting in greater antibiotic resistance. The review calls for more research on microplastic-microbe interactions where our food is grown.
Published Ice-free preservation method holds promise to protect reefs
(via sciencedaily.com) An interdisciplinary team of researchers demonstrated that coral can be preserved through a new technique called isochoric vitrification. This process takes the selected coral fragments through the stages of cryopreservation and subsequent revival.
Published Solar powered irrigation: A game-changer for small-scale farms in sub-Saharan Africa
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study finds that standalone solar photovoltaic irrigation systems have the potential to meet more than a third of the water needs for crops in small-scale farms across sub-Saharan Africa.