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Parts of Arctic Ocean to Experience More Days of Open Water by 2050s

By the 2050s, parts of the Arctic Ocean once covered by sea ice much of the year will see at least 60 days a year of open water, according to a new modeling study led by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder.

3 Nov 2015

Extreme Temperature-Based Events Key to Understanding Climate of Chesapeake Bay

For the millions of people who live in its expansive coastal areas, Chesapeake Bay provides an important source of income and recreational enjoyment. To protect the ecosystem and the livelihood of area residents, it is important to assess how climate variability and change will affect Chesapeake Bay's shallow water ecosystems and water quality.

2 Nov 2015

Researchers Explore Expanded Land Use for Renewable Energies Versus Biodiversity Protection

Deployment of renewable energy is expanding all over the world. There is high competition between alternative land uses, and conflicts over limited land are likely to emerge between biodiversity conservation and expanded deployment of renewable energy.

30 Oct 2015

Ancient Permafrost Thawed by Changing Climate Could Release Massive Amounts of Carbon Dioxide

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey and key academic partners including the University of Colorado Boulder have quantified how rapidly ancient permafrost decomposes upon thawing and how much carbon dioxide is produced in the process.

27 Oct 2015

UPM Engineers Improve Environmental Impact Assessment Technique for Mining Exploitation

Two engineers at the School of Mining and Energy Engineering at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) have improved the technique known as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the specific case of mining exploitation.

22 Oct 2015

Biodiversity Could Help Protect Ecosystems from Extreme Climate

Can biodiversity help protect ecosystems from extreme conditions? That question is much on the minds of scientists and policy makers as a changing climate brings more wildly swinging conditions at the same time human activities reduce the number of species available to produce food and oxygen and help keep our planet in balance.

16 Oct 2015

Study Reveals Mercury Methylation Genes are Abundant in Nearly Every Oxygen-Free Environment

Thawing permafrost and contaminated sediment in marine coastal areas pose some of the greatest risks for the production of highly toxic methylmercury, according to findings published in the journal Science Advances.

12 Oct 2015

Scientists Quantify Direct Influence of Climate on Growth of Ecosystems

An international research team led by UCLA life scientists has, for the first time, quantified the direct influence of climate on the growth of ecosystems around the globe.

9 Oct 2015

Managing Environment for Predictable Outcomes Could Backfire

When it comes to using our natural resources, human beings want to know what we're going to get. We expect clean water every time we turn on the tap; beaches free of algae and bacteria; and robust harvests of crops, fish and fuel year after year. As a result, we try to manage the use of our resources in a way that minimizes their variability.

8 Oct 2015

Chile to Design Network of Marine Protected Areas

The Government of Chile announced today at the Our Oceans Summit in Valparaiso its plan to design a network of Marine Protected Areas for the purpose of safeguarding Patagonia’s whales, dolphins, sea lions, sea birds and other coastal biodiversity, an initiative that would expand the country’s protected waters by 100,000 square kilometers (more than 38,000 square miles).

8 Oct 2015