Phys.org’s Post

The mechanisms, roles and dynamics of the hydrologic cycle as water moves between the surface and subsurface is just beginning to be understood as they are different depending on where you are on the surface of the planet. Until recently, it was unknown that the Hawaiian Islands has underground rivers whereby fresh water lands on the surface, percolates into the soil and migrates through those rivers back into the ocean. The head pressure of that percolating water on land is sufficient to push the water out the rivers and into the ocean where the head pressure is lower. This is a potential water resource for municipalities as Hawaii is vulnerable to drought as it lacks large reservoirs. This cycling between surface and subsurface is what takes away our vain belief, "settled science" a half century ago, that monkees can eliminate life on earth. Doesn't matter if monkees kill everything on the surface. The dynamics of the hydrologic cycle guarantee microorganisms will be pushed to the surface regardless of the drama occurring there.

Understanding the Concept of Blue Carbon Understanding Sediment Accumulation in Coastal Ecosystems Seagrasses, mangroves, and marshes are not just picturesque elements of coastal environments; they play a critical role in the Earth’s ecological balance. One of their significant functions is their ability to accumulate sediments, which can be analyzed to understand environmental changes over time. This sediment accumulation can reveal information about changes that have occurred over the last few years or even millions of years ago. The Role of Vegetated Coastal Ecosystems in Carbon Sequestration Vegetated coastal ecosystems have a remarkable ability to sequester and store carbon within their sediments. This process is crucial as […] https://lnkd.in/dKEMdVvF https://lnkd.in/dJ8UVCNt

The first part of the consultation within TSG 3: Construction Activities in the Sea and on the Seashore and Achieving Good Environmental Status of the Sea was titled 𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑺𝒆𝒂 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒆. Experts from various fields came together to present key insights into the geology, biodiversity, and the critical issue of rising sea levels. The presentations were given by: 📍 𝐊𝐚𝐣𝐚 Š𝐮š𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐣 from the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, gave a presentation titled Geology of the Slovenian Coast.  ➡ 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆-𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒈𝒆: “Exploring the complex interplay of hazards under flysch cliffs, potential karst cavities in limestone, sulfurous groundwater, and diverse ecosystems on the seafloor, we aim to understand and mitigate environmental risks while preserving marine and coastal biodiversity.” 📍𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐯𝐫𝐢č from the National Institute of Biology - Marine Biology Station presented on Sea Bottom and Benthic Habitat Types, Communities, and Species in the Slovenian Sea. ➡ 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆-𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒈𝒆: He focused on the biodiversity of the Slovenian sea and coastline, highlighting the heterogeneity and complexity of the coastal area, which is rich in biodiversity and diverse ecosystem functions, yet highly threatened. 📍𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐣𝐚ž 𝐋𝐢č𝐞𝐫 from the Slovenian Environment Agency and National Institute of Biology - Marine Biology Station gave a presentation titled Mean Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding in the Northern Adriatic. ➡ 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆-𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒈𝒆: He warned that the probability of extreme scenarios, such as sea level rise exceeding 2 meters, is not negligible and is higher than we would like. He added that the potential consequences could be extensive, and the low reliability of predictions does not imply that the likelihood of these scenarios is low. #EnvironmentalQuality #EUSAIR #TSG3

Oceans absorb 6% more carbon thanks to rain - University of Hawaii at Manoa: The ocean plays an important role in the global carbon cycle by absorbing about one-quarter of the carbon emitted by human activities every year. A study published recently in Nature Geoscience and co-authored by a University of Hawai'i at Mānoa oceanographer revealed about 6% of the total uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) by the ocean is due to rainfall. https://lnkd.in/eZJ3QYtF

Spatial heterogeneity of long-range dependence and self-similarity of global sea surface chlorophyll concentration with their environmental impact factors analysis Frontiers https://lnkd.in/gTJbXdeq

🔈The July #GeoNews is out 📨 Enjoy our monthly #newsletter covering relevant information for #European #geoscientists To start this edition of our newsletter, please find below a brief overview of cross-cutting EU policy developments that you might find of interest: 📯 On 18 July 2024, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was elected for a second mandate, presented to the European Parliament her Political Guidelines for the next European Commission 2024-2029. 📍 The “Science, Research and Innovation performance of the EU” report, which is published every 2 years, analyses research and innovation dynamics as well as Europe's innovation performance and its drivers. 📑 The European Environmental Agency (EEA) currently has an open call for experts to assist in carrying out preparatory work in support of EEA’s activities with the main focus on the areas of Resource use, Circular economy and waste, Health and environment, Oceans and sustainable blue economy, Biodiversity, Climate, and Sustainability transitions. You may find more sector-related policy news in our Panels of Experts sections here below. https://lnkd.in/dHMhSirG #PolicyNews #geology #environment #energy Geological Survey of Estonia Geological Society of America Colegio Oficial de Geólogos GEOLOGICA BELGICA Luonnon-, ympäristö- ja metsätieteilijöiden liitto Loimu ry Naturvetarna KNGMG Royal Geological and Mining Society of the Netherlands Croatian Geological Survey Institute of Geologists of Ireland

Source: Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology Soil respiration, crucial for carbon transfer, is significantly influenced by climate change-induced precipitation variability. Current research methods reveal inconsistencies in how simulated precipitation affects soil respiration due to diverse soil and vegetation types. Key findings include that soil moisture conditions impact respiration responses, which can be symmetric or asymmetric based on precipitation changes. Plant and microbial adaptations to stress and climate variations also alter these responses. Future studies should focus on threshold effects, differentiate respiration mechanisms, and evaluate impacts of increasing precipitation variability on carbon cycles. Understanding these dynamics is essential for predicting soil carbon balance amidst global changes.

🌍 Excited to share highlights from our recently published paper, "Groundwater releases CO2 to diverse global coastal ecosystems," in Science Advances. This work, led by Aprajita S. Tomer, underscores the critical role of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in global coastal carbon cycling. ✨ Proud to see data from my PhD research continuing to contribute to impactful science! This study combines time-series observations from 40 coastal ecosystems across 14 countries, revealing: SGD is a significant CO2 source, with mean CO2 fluxes of 148 mmol m²/day to coastal waters. Tidal processes, rather than diel cycles, dominate CO2 enrichment in ecosystems like mangroves, salt marshes, and estuaries. A huge congratulations and thanks to Aprajita for leading this comprehensive study and to all collaborators for their contributions. 🌊 📖 Check out the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/gQ7NtcZW. I'm happy to provide a copy upon request. #CarbonCycle #Groundwater #CoastalEcosystems #ClimateChange #ScientificResearch #PhDLegacy

A Deadly Zone in the Ocean is So Acidic It Dissolves Shells and Skeletons — And Scientists Say It's Growing Researchers say it could make up half of the global ocean by the end of the century. The work was published in the journal "Marine Geology." The deep ocean harbors an expanding acidic zone where high pressure and low temperature create conditions that dissolve calcium carbonate, a crucial material for marine animals' shells. This area, which is known as the carbonate compensation depth (or CCD), is growing due to rising carbon dioxide levels in the ocean, which is making the water more acidic. This phenomenon, coupled with ocean acidification at the surface, is shrinking the habitable space for marine life from both the top and the bottom, making it difficult for creatures to survive under such harsh acidic conditions. Recent studies have revealed that the CCD serves as a biological boundary, creating distinct habitats above and below it. Above the CCD, organisms with calcified shells or skeletons like soft corals, brittle stars, and mussels, thrive, while below it, sea anemones, sea cucumbers, and octopuses are more abundant. The under-saturated, more acidic habitat below the CCD currently limits life in 54.4 million square miles of the ocean and could expand by another 13.5 million square miles with a 980-foot rise. The expansion of this acidic zone will have varying impacts on different regions and countries, with island nations being the most affected. It's remarkable that nearly half of the deep sea is already acidic, and this proportion could increase to half by the end of the century. The rising acidity of our oceans serves as a stark reminder of the pressing need to combat climate change and its devastating impact on marine ecosystems.

Excited to share my recent co-authored publication in Hydrological Processes, led by the IAEA's Isotope Hydrology Section. Our global study used isotopic tracers (δ¹⁸O, δ²H) to reveal how cities manage water resources amid climate change, uncovering key insights into water transfers, groundwater dynamics, and environmental cycles across ten countries, including Nepal. #TracerHydrology #WaterStableIsotopes #ClimateAdaptation Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/graFHN77