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Pollution, Global Warming and Ocean Acidification Threaten Coral Ecosystem

An expedition from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Carnegie Institute of Science has measured a roughly 40% reduction in the rate of calcium carbonate deposited in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in the last 35 years — a scenario that could damage the reef framework and endanger the entire coral ecosystem.

30 Sep 2014

Conversion of Forests to Cropland Changes Carbon Cycle of Terrestrial Ecosystem

The conversion of forests, grasslands, shrublands and wetlands to cropland over the course of three centuries profoundly changed the surface of the Earth and the carbon cycle of the terrestrial ecosystem in Northeast China.

30 Sep 2014

Wood Frogs Breed Earlier and Produce Fewer Eggs Due to Climate Change

Scientists have found amphibians worldwide are breeding earlier due to climate change, but how that affects species is just now being answered.

29 Sep 2014

Precipitation Found to be an Important Climate Factor in the Carbon Cycle

Plants play a crucial role in the global climate system, removing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the air and converting it into carbohydrates. Carbon can be stored for several years or even many decades in the ecosystem before it is converted back into CO2 and returned to the atmosphere.

26 Sep 2014

Oil Discharges Related to Recreational Activity Threatens Marine Ecosystems in the Pacific Ocean

From recreational boats and fishing vessels to commercial cruise ships and private marinas, a newly published study shows that oil discharges related to human maritime activity on the Canadian coast is posing a major threat to marine ecosystems in the Pacific Ocean.

26 Sep 2014

Climate Warming Does Not Accelerate Soil Organic Carbon Decomposition Despite Increases in Ecosystem Productivity

The Earth’s soils store four times more carbon than the atmosphere and small changes in soil carbon storage can have a big effect on atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. A new paper in the journal Nature Climate Change concludes that climate warming does not accelerate soil organic carbon decomposition or affect soil carbon storage, despite increases in ecosystem productivity.

25 Sep 2014