A new book examines flow of the elements in the biosphere from biological drivers to human influences, and explores the analytical and computational methods used to access biogeochemical cycles.
Biogeochemistry
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Tropical Cyclone Induced Increase in Ocean Primary Production
A positive trend in tropical cyclone induced ocean mixing and primary production is compensating the overall decline in global primary production due to anthropogenic climate change.
Posted inNews
Cloud-to-Ground Lightning May Have Struck a Key Ingredient for Life
On early Earth, rock created by lightning strikes to the ground likely held a form of phosphorus necessary for prebiotic chemistry.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Exploring the Engine and Drivers of Soil Formation
A new book presents a multidisciplinary perspective on soil, exploring it as a nexus for water flow, near surface (bio)geochemistry, erosion and deposition, and biologically coupled nutrient cycling.
Posted inNews
Fragrances in an Ice Core Tell a Story of Human Activity
An ice core from Europe’s highest peak contains scent-imparting molecules whose trends mirror the Soviet Union’s economic ups and downs.
Posted inNews
The Give and Take of Mercury in Glacial Landscapes
As glacial ice melts, toxic mercury is released into the environment. But a new study shows vegetation may be an effective cleanup crew.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
A 192,000-Year Record of Northwest African Fire History
Biomarker analyses from an offshore sediment core suggest that increased fire occurrence around 55,000 years ago coincided with increased fuel loads and human settlement in this region.
Posted inOpinions
Human Activities Create Corridors of Change in Aquatic Zones
Canals, dammed reservoirs, irrigation ditches, and pollution are changing species diversity, microbial communities, and nutrient levels in aquatic zones across the planet.
Posted inScience Updates
Piecing Together the Big Picture on Water and Climate
A new database brings together water isotope data from many sources, providing an integrated resource for studying changes in Earth’s hydroclimate over the past 2,000 years.
Posted inScience Updates
U.S. and China Assess Ecosystem Effects of a Fading Cryosphere
Impacts of a Changing Cryosphere on Lakes and Streams in Mountain Regions: US-China Collaborative Workshop at Qinghai Lake; Qinghai, China, 21–27 August 2017