Submerged seaweed can store carbon at the bottom of the ocean, but how effective the strategy will be—and how it will affect ocean health—remains unclear.
biogeosciences
Modern Microbial Mats Offer Glimpses of Other Times and Places
Comprising diverse groups of microbes, isolated but globally scattered mat ecosystems like those in Lake Huron may be analogues of life on early Earth and in other exotic environs.
Oceanic Cacophony
The ocean is a pretty loud place, and anthropogenic noise is adding another layer to the soundscape.
Microplastics Are the Not-So-Secret Ingredient in Marine Snow
Particles of tiny, degraded plastics coated with biofilms sink to the seafloor, carrying carbon with them.
When Forests on Land Burn, Forests Underwater Feel the Impact
Kelp is a habitat, a carbon sink, and a binding agent in your ice cream. But new research shows that California’s kelp forests are affected by the fate of their counterparts on land.
Even Treated Sewage Harms Freshwater Ecosystems
In a controlled experiment, researchers diverted wastewater from an advanced treatment facility into a healthy stream and monitored the unfolding ecological effects.
How Llama Poop Is Helping an Andean Community Adapt to Melting Glaciers
Reintroducing these animals can enrich barren soils and potentially reduce water contamination, a study shows.
Arctic Warming Triggers Abrupt Ecosystem Shift in North America’s Deepest Lake
Great Slave Lake’s huge cold water mass shielded it from impacts of the rapidly warming climate—until now.
South American Rainforests Are on the Brink of Becoming Carbon Sources
Plants’ ability to stock carbon ceased during the 2015–2016 El Niño, as temperatures skyrocketed and trees died.
Arctic Ice Loss Could Shorten Winter Feeding Time for Zooplankton
The Arctic’s thinning sea ice allows more light to penetrate deeper into the ocean, holding zooplankton far beneath the surface.