The Venice Lagoon takes up as much carbon as 130,000 trees each year. But the carbon sink is threatened by Venice’s anti-flooding regulations, a new Earth’s Future study finds. Credit: Unsplash/Martin Bennie
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Featured Research
Venice’s salt marshes absorb huge amounts of carbon
The Venice Lagoon is a highly disturbed salt marsh ecosystem where the Italian coast meets the Adriatic Sea. New research finds that the lagoon’s salt marshes absorb as much carbon as 130,000 trees, and that Venice’s anti-flooding regulations may be reducing the marsh’s carbon uptake by up to 30%. [Earth’s Future study]
Boulders reveal an ancient tsunami
In the 15th century, a tsunami hit Tongatapu Island in the western Pacific. Researchers examined the magnetic records of several boulders on the island, clearly moved by past tsunamis, and found that some of the rocks had been moved multiple times. They determined that a second tsunami, not recorded in human history, likely occurred between 3,000 years ago and the 15th century. [Geophysical Research Letters study]
Global wetlands may belch 32% more methane by 2099
Wetlands may become a major source of methane as the climate warms. New research uses machine learning models to estimate global wetland emissions toward the end of the 21st century, finding 13% to 32% increases under different climate scenarios, with hotspots in Northern Europe and around the equator. [Earth’s Future study]
Climate warming is decreasing rice quality in China and Japan
Climate change can alter not just crops’ quantity, but also their quality. New research finds that rice in both China and Japan has decreased in quality since the 1980s and will continue to decrease in the future as the climate warms. That could mean a decrease in rice nutritional quality and economic value. [Geophysical Research Letters study]
Antarctic sea ice declines are spatially patchy
While Arctic sea ice has been declining for decades, Antarctica’s sea ice thickness increased from 2011 to 2016, and then started to decline. New research finds that Antarctica’s ice loss has been spatially variable, and has actually thickened in some areas since 2016. [JGR Oceans study]
Thermal cameras can measure tree water loss
It can be difficult to measure tree transpiration rates, or how much water trees lose to the atmosphere, which can affect how scientists quantify droughts. A new study finds that temperature data from thermal cameras can be used to estimate the transpiration rates of individual trees, which could help determine which tree species in a forest are better at weathering dry periods. [Geophysical Research Letters study]
Air pollution tied to gastrointestinal bleeding
Air pollution can have unexpected health consequences. A new study finds that high particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide air pollution in Hong Kong are associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding, especially in men and the elderly. [GeoHealth study]
Helping the most vulnerable stay cool in extreme heat
Choosing the ideal location for air-conditioned cooling centers in cities facing dangerously high temperatures takes good population data and community engagement. [Eos research spotlight] [Community Science study]
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