Latest News
News and analysis on fundamental and applied environmental science
News RSS feedInsight: reindeer grazing shifts tundra plant communities
Feb 10, 2012
How tundra ecosystems respond to changing climate in north-western Siberia, home to the Arctic's largest reindeer herds, is critical for the local Nenets population
Glaciers losing ice less fast than believed
Feb 9, 2012
GRACE estimates reveal 30% lower contribution to sea-level rise for 2003–2010
How supercontinents are born
Feb 9, 2012
Geological model predicts merging of North America and Asia
First land plants may have plunged the Earth into a series of ice ages
Feb 8, 2012
The spread of early terrestrial plants would have reduced atmospheric carbon and cooled the planet, say scientists (from the Guardian)
Amazon comes under fire
Feb 7, 2012
Forest clearance, changing climate and water stress could boost fire incidence
Wind turbulence plays important role in power generation
Feb 6, 2012
Measuring atmospheric stability and turbulence could make wind-farm power assessments more accurate
Insight: can afforestation mitigate climate change?
Feb 3, 2012 1 comment
Establishing new forests could benefit drought-threatened regions
Location key to calculating biofuel carbon footprint
Feb 2, 2012
Perennial grass emissions depend on where crop is grown and how it's processed
World's giant trees are dying off rapidly, studies show
Feb 1, 2012
Ecological 'kings of the jungle' being toppled by forest fragmentation, severe drought and new pests and diseases (from the Guardian)
Insight: Siberian agriculture could benefit from climate change
Jan 31, 2012
At least half central Siberia could become suitable for farming as climate warms
Are China's greens set to turn to brown?
Jan 30, 2012
Boom in northern vegetation growth since 1980s may be slowing as climate dries
Insight: grassland invasion in California transfers carbon to atmosphere
Jan 27, 2012
Invasive species contribute to climate change by reducing carbon accumulation in soil and increasing microbial respiration
Conserving biodiversity hotspots 'could bring world's poor $500 bn a year'
Jan 27, 2012
Study puts economic value on the indirect ecosystem services provided by the world's poorest people (from the Guardian)
Soil conservation 'flicks the dust switch'
Jan 26, 2012
Measures to prevent erosion in the Canadian Prairies appear to be working
'Bicycle pump' to turn wave power into clean energy
Jan 25, 2012
Searaser device that pumps saltwater to an onshore generator has been tested in prototype and praised by ministers (from the Guardian)
Climate change not linked to violent conflict
Jan 24, 2012
Study failed to find direct causal relationship
Insight: tree-ring maximum density offers promise as Alaskan climate record
Jan 23, 2012
Tree-ring density data can track summer temperature fluctuations and avoid the "divergence problem"
Insight: rise in Arctic shrubs likely to increase vulnerability of permafrost
Jan 23, 2012
Shading effect likely to be over-ruled by decrease in surface reflectivity
GM microbe breakthrough paves way for large-scale seaweed farming for biofuels
Jan 20, 2012 1 comment
Scientists have created a genetically engineered microbe that turns the algae into low-carbon biofuel, but must make the technique commercially viable (from the Guardian)
Migration can boost social resilience to environmental change
Jan 19, 2012
Effects on soil and water conservation practices as yet unclear