The Hanjiang River in China is facing a hidden problem: tiny plastic particles. These small bits, called microplastics, are less than 500 micrometers in size. They are everywhere in the river and can harm aquatic life. A recent study used advanced technology to find out more about these microplastic
Managing rivers and lakes is tricky. There are lots of living things and environmental factors to consider. Most models focus on just a few species or simplify how they interact. This makes it hard to see the big picture. A new approach uses something called Hierarchical Bayesian networks (HBNs). Th
Climate change is shaking things up for our forests. In the northeastern US, forests are like nature's carbon vacuum cleaners, soaking up CO2 from the air. But with temperatures on the rise and snowpack shrinking, these forests might not be able to do their job as well as they used to. Warmer tempe
In some places, the soil is not very healthy. It has something called Cadmium (Cd) in it. This is not good for plants. But, some plants are better at dealing with this than others. These are called invasive plants. They are not from around here. They come from other places and take over. Earthworms
Microbial life is everywhere. It's in the soil, in the air, and even inside us. These tiny organisms are super important for keeping the planet healthy and balanced. But humans are messing things up. We're losing these microbes fast. This is a big problem because it affects everything from the envir
In the UK, ash trees are putting up a tough fight against a harmful fungus known as ash dieback. This fungus, which first showed up in 2012, initially caused a lot of concern. Experts feared it could wipe out a huge number of the country's ash trees, which make up a significant part of the nation's
Plants in places like Australia, the Amazon, and China face a tough challenge: soils lacking phosphorus. This essential nutrient is like food for plants, but it's often in short supply. Some plants, like those in the Proteaceae and Cyperaceae families, have a clever trick. They release special chemi
Khaliajuri Haor, a shallow wetland in Northeast Bangladesh, is facing serious issues. Climate change and human activities are taking a toll on this bowl-shaped wetland. To understand what's going on, a study was conducted to look at fish populations and the threats they face. The study collected da
Grasslands face big challenges from drought. These dry spells mess with how plants grow and change over time. This is especially true in semi-arid areas. Yet, scientists are still figuring out exactly how drought affects these plant cycles and when things get really bad. Researchers looked at Stipa
Mangroves are not just pretty trees by the water. They play a big role in fighting climate change. They soak up carbon from the air and store it in their roots and soil. This is what scientists call "blue carbon. " But here is the problem. Human activities like industry, farming, and city growth are
