Measuring soil carbon flux, also known as soil respiration, can be expensive or time-consuming. A set of affordable robots that gather these data autonomously could especially benefit the Global South.
ecology
Diverse Forests Store More Carbon Than Monocultures
Adding even just one more tree species can increase forest productivity, a new meta-analysis shows.
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.
Passing Planetary Boundaries Requires Synergistic Solutions
Considering Earth’s interacting systems could pull the planet back into a stable operating space.
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.
Landfast Sea Ice: The Most Important Ice You’ve Never Heard Of
Landfast sea ice, sea ice that is held stationary against the Antarctic continent, links firmly with many key climate processes, but its importance is only being fully realized as its extent dwindles.
Herbivore Diversity Helps Maintain Arctic Tundra Diversity
A long-term experiment in southwestern Greenland reveals that the presence of musk oxen and caribou helps stave off declines in Arctic tundra diversity brought on by climate change.
Understanding an Extreme Weather Event with Science and Local Knowledge
Researchers in Mexico integrate science and community knowledge to assess the ecological and social impact of an extreme frost.
An Open and Inexpensive ‘Fluxbot’ for Measuring Soil Respiration
An inexpensive system of automated gas sensors and open-source software, tested in a Kenyan savanna, will help democratize and expand science research on soil respiration.