ecology Archives

Degradation of Plastic in Natural Conditions

Plastic degrades in the sun in lab experiments but not in real life, so what makes fresh water and salt water different?

Large predators can’t be added or subtracted to an ecosystem like simple arithmetic—many factors shift simultaneously.

Shifts in fish populations show the impact of climate change on Arctic food webs and Indigenous communities as river temperatures increase.

Freshwater shorelines absorb more carbon than previously thought, shifting the estimated balance of carbon sources and carbon sinks.

Sea-friendly plastic is the newest project for material scientists: plastic that can dissolve in water to reduce microplastic pollution.

Scientists test protein upcycling by using maize leftovers to grow mushrooms, then using the more nutritious by-product to feed earthworms.

Ecology

This invasive species threatens agriculture but perhaps for not much longer, as trained dogs can detect their eggs in vineyards and forests.

Do you have a bird feeder at home? Fifty percent of Americans do. Learn how to feed the birds without causing them to crash into your window.

Surfrider Foundation volunteers working hard to protect clean water at their local beaches.

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria help plants obtain a usable form of nitrogen. But what’s the science behind it, and how can it benefit crops?