A new Colorado State University study of the interior U.S. West has found that tree ranges are generally contracting in response to climate change but not expanding into cooler, wetter climates – suggesting that forests are not regenerating fast enough to keep pace with climate change, wildfire, insects and disease. 

This Valentine’s Day, millions of pounds worth of chocolate will be exchanged as gifts, but climate change and biodiversity loss imperil future global supplies of this treat. A new research study led by the University of Oxford and published today (14 February) demonstrates that sustainable agricultural practices that both protect pollinator populations and mitigate climate risks could help secure- and even improve - global cocoa yields.

In a paper published in National Science Review, an international team of scientists discovered a universal N₂O emission baseline that could guide the sustainable management of riverine N₂O. The discovery of EF-lines emphasized the importance of targeting hotspots and managing baseline emissions sustainably to balance social and environmental benefits. The priority control of organic and NH₄⁺ pollution could rapidly eliminate global riverine N₂O hotspots and reduce emissions by half. However, the further restoration of baseline emissions on nitrate removal is a long-term challenge.

Porous organic crystals with superior properties as CO₂ adsorbents were created by researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo. Owing to the novel 2.5-dimensional skeleton, the materials feature ultrahigh-density amines. The covalently-bonded microporous skeleton and high crystallinity realize fast CO₂ adsorption and high thermal stability. Their low adsorption heat, only one-fourth of the current amine scrubbing method, and their light-elemental nature can reduce the cost for CO₂ separation from flue gases.

In tropical forests, endangered species inside protected habitats are still in danger from threats from beyond their sanctuaries, according to a study published February 13^th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Ilaria Greco and Francesco Rovero of the University of Florence, Italy, and colleagues.

In the race to combat global climate change, much attention has been given to natural “carbon sinks:” those primarily terrestrial areas of the globe that absorb and sequester more carbon than they release. While scientists have long known that coastal salt marshes are just such a sink for “blue carbon,” or carbon stored in the ocean and coastal ecosystems, it has been difficult to get an accurate estimate of just how much they store, and so most of the focus has been on terrestrial sinks such as forests and grasslands. Now, a team of scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently debuted a new, highly accurate method for quantifying carbon capture in the Northeast’s salt marshes — and it’s a lot.

A new study led by CAS Institute of Atmospheric Physics investigates the paradox of these record-breaking cold spells and assesses future risks in a changing climate. The study reveals that human-induced climate change is actually weakening extreme cold events but also highlights that while extreme cold events are becoming less common, they have not disappeared entirely.