Pathogens hitch a ride on plastic
Microplastics are a pathway for pathogens on land to reach the ocean, with likely consequences for human and wildlife health, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.
A quick handle on plant health
The chiral signature of a fragrance can reveal whether a perfume is genuine or fake. Similarly, the chiral signature of the emissions of a plant can provide information on whether it is healthy or damaged. Researchers have developed a new approach they say can identify such chiral signatures.
Repairing nature will require genomics, argues paper
The monumental global task of restoring degraded ecosystems will need to include sophisticated technologies such as environmental DNA monitoring to understand and support the...
A global observatory is needed to understand how global change is transforming forests
Leading forest researchers from around the world call for a global forest observatory to provide much-needed data on the current and future ability...
Project sets out to create compostable crop sensors
An international research collaboration is setting out to find new ways of monitoring crop growth with biodegradable sensors which can be composted at the...
Global biodiversity framework falls short on chemicals
Environmental scientists, ecologists, and policy experts argue in a letter published on 16 June in Science that the proposed Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework –...
Plastic pollution in the ocean may harbour novel antiobiotics
Plastic pollution in the ocean may serve as a source for novel antibiotics, according to a new student-led study conducted in collaboration with the...
Government U-turn on promise to reform farming post-Brexit
New farming policy stripped of ambition to aid nature recovery, says conservation group
The Government has broken its promise to reform farming post-Brexit. In its...
LDIR microplastic analysis used in the Indian Ocean
Methods for the analysis of microplastic particles in a sample (of water) are beset by challenges such as high error rates and a high...
New EU nutrient directive essential to halt ecosystem breakdown
The ongoing nitrogen crisis in the Netherlands and Flanders illustrates how ineffective management of nutrients can lead to both serious ecological damage and political...
£1.25m award for using space and AI technology to restore Surrey’s wildlife habitats
The Dream Fund’s £1.25m award invites 1,500 volunteers to help use space and AI technology to restore Surrey’s wildlife habitats
A Surrey-based project to...
AI learns coral reef ‘song’
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can track the health of coral reefs by learning the "song of the reef", new research seems to show.
Coral reefs have...
Addressing the need for responsible salmon farming
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council discusses an accreditation scheme that aims to ensure this activity is undertaken responsibly, with minimal environmental impacts. The group also...
Organic farming or flower strips – which is better for bees?
How effective environmental measures in agriculture are for biodiversity and wild bee populations depends on various factors and your perspective, according to agroecologists from...
Academic wins international award for urban ecology work
A researcher at Northumbria University is part of a group of academics to win a prestigious international award for their work on sustainable science.
Dr...
Mapping project aims to boost biodiversity on England’s motorways and major A-roads network
Manchester Metropolitan University has been commissioned to develop a new mapping system which will make it easier for National Highways to keep track of...
Creators of underwater, eco-friendly concrete are finalists in the European Inventor Award
The inventors of an innovative building material for sea walls are finalists in the European Inventor Award 2022.
ECOncrete® founder and CEO, Ido Sella, has...
Appraising stressors on rivers’ ability to perform ecological functions
An essential ecosystem service of streams and rivers is their natural self-purification service. This can be assessed based on ecological functions such as nutrient...
A new leaf for remediation?
Some plant species could help to remove toxic heavy metals and metalloids from contaminated soil, as a recent study from researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore appears to demonstrate.
EU project is a census of pollinators
The EU Pollinators Initiative has committed to developing an EU-wide pollinator monitoring scheme to ensure the provision of good quality data for assessing the status and trends with these species.
