A new model predicts that as ocean temperatures rise, carbon-storing sea grass may disappear and even go extinct in some ecosystems.
plants
Tests Indicate Which Edible Plants Could Thrive on Mars
An undergraduate experiment grew vegetables and herbs in simulated Martian soil under Mars-like reduced daylight. The tasty results suggest that Mars colonists could farm their own produce.
Scientists Probe Water Inside Leaves via Satellite
Improving satellite-based studies of vegetation optical depth, a critical ecosystem indicator.
Nonflood Flow May Be Major Driver of Delta Growth
Plants and fluctuating river flow work together to balance vertical sediment buildup with sediment delivery to the delta’s edge.
Coastal Wetlands Effectively Sequester “Blue Carbon”
Mangrove forests, salt marshes, seagrass beds, and the like are carbon storage treasure troves.
Assessing a New Clue to How Much Carbon Plants Take Up
Current climate models disagree on how much carbon dioxide land ecosystems take up for photosynthesis. Tracking the stronger carbonyl sulfide signal could help.
Tracking Nitrogen in Arctic Plants
Prevailing nutrient uptake models do not fit Arctic plants. Scientists test a new option that overcomes older models’ shortcomings.
New Tool for Understanding Landscape Evolution in Drylands
Combining vegetation distribution models and sediment transport models offers a better understanding of how dryland environments change in response to different factors.
Tracking Global Change with a Cloud-Based Living Atlas
With their feet in the cloud, Descartes Labs is pushing the limit of how we study the Earth with satellite images.
Groundwater: A Hidden Influence on River Shape
A new study shows how groundwater influences river dynamics and channel pattern.