Early Earth conditions and the chemistry that led to life were inextricably interwoven. Earth scientists and prebiotic chemists are working together in new ways to understand how life first emerged.
Biogeosciences
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Does the Priming Effect Happen Underwater? It’s Complicated
A new meta-analysis finds evidence that adding fresh organic material can increase decomposition rates, but when and why that happens remain unclear.
Posted inFeatures
¿Cómo afectará el cambio climático a los Estados Unidos en las próximas décadas?
Un nuevo informe del gobierno de EE. UU. muestra que el clima está cambiando y que las actividades humanas conducirán a muchos más cambios. Estos cambios afectarán el nivel del mar, la frecuencia de las sequías, las precipitaciones severas y más.
Posted inScience Updates
NEON Lights a Path for Sustained Ecological Observations
Resources and data offered by the National Ecological Observatory Network are supporting researchers investigating critical ecosystem changes across the country.
Posted inNews
Experimentos Revelan Cómo el Carbono del Permafrost se Convierte en Dióxido de Carbono
Muestras de campo provenientes de Alaska muestran cómo la luz solar y el hierro convierten el carbono del permafrost en dióxido de carbono. Los modelos climáticos ignoran este proceso.
Posted inNews
Sinking Fish May Fast-Track Mercury Pollution to the Deep Sea
Isotopic analysis indicates that mercury found in deep-sea organisms may have an origin in carrion from near the surface.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Acidifying Oceans Could Get Help from Kelp
Forests of fast-growing kelp influence the chemistry of the water in which they live. A new study evaluates their potential to ameliorate ocean acidification in sensitive coastal ecosystems.
Posted inScience Updates
Reaching Consensus on Assessments of Ocean Acidification Trends
Scientists are working to establish a common methodology for evaluating rates of change in—and the various mechanisms that affect—acidification across ocean environments.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Ideal Temperatures for Carbon Uptake by Subtropical Plants
Air temperatures in coastal ecosystems of Australia routinely exceed the optimum range for photosynthesis, hindering plants’ ability to take up atmospheric carbon.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Lake Ice—and Ecosystems—in a Warming World
Extending ice records and standardizing sampling protocols are among recommendations to help researchers better predict how changing ice cover will affect aquatic ecosystems.