Earth and Environment
When Viruses Infect Plants – Dr Hernan Garcia-Ruiz, University of Nebraska
Just as human beings can catch a cold, plants can also get viral infections. Understanding the mechanisms regulating the interactions between plants and viruses is the first step towards developing better management strategies and using biotechnology methods to...
Voice of the Sea, Innovation in Science Communication – Professor Kanesa Duncan Seraphin, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa
Communicating science to the public is a difficult undertaking; communicating it in a way that encourages people to change their behaviour is a rare achievement. With her television series Voice of the Sea, Dr Kanesa Duncan Seraphin has produced an innovative program...
Angler Attitudes, Understanding Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Harvests – Drs Andrew Scheld & William Goldsmith, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Scientists from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at the College of William & Mary are working to understand what motivates fishermen to target Atlantic bluefin tuna. Collaborating with the fishing community, the team surveyed over 5,000 bluefin tuna...
Promoting Inclusion in Environmental Policy Development – Professor Dr Jill H. Slinger, Delft University of Technology
Responding to global environmental change requires ongoing effort, and long-term success depends heavily upon the input of local communities. Moreover, if diverse viewpoints are included in policy development, then shared solutions and common goals are achieved. Dr...
Nature’s Vital Signs, Using Bioindicators to Understand Ecosystem Health – Dr Paul Montagna, Texas A&M
The 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill was an environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico that may take decades to recover. In the immediate wake of the crisis, scientists began to study the developing effects of the spill. Dr Paul Montagna at Texas A&M, Corpus...
Resilient Cropping Systems for a Sustainable Future – Dr Amélie Gaudin, University of California, Davis
Dr Amélie Gaudin at the University of California, Davis explores ways to develop more efficient and resilient cropping systems. Here we take a closer look at just a few of Dr Gaudin’s research projects, which aim to build multifunctional agricultural systems where...
Changing the Landscape of Geology, Forecasting Earthquakes – Professor Friedemann T. Freund, NASA Ames Research Center
Imagine a world where we knew about earthquakes before they strike – days before a potentially lethal event. A world with an early warning system that would give us time to evacuate vulnerable buildings, to activate civil defence organisations, to minimise the loss of...
Investigating the Role of Land Use in Climate Change – Professor Qi (Steve) Hu, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Land-use changes can have a significant effect on regional climates. Professor Qi Hu from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln uses climate models to study the interactions between land-use change, regional climate and large-scale atmospheric circulation. As our...
New Perspectives on Marine Ecology: Technology Informs Oceanic Carbon Models – Dr Mark D. Ohman, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
The world’s oceans are responsible for absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to mitigate its warming effect on the planet. However, the way in which marine ecosystems respond to temperature changes can impact the ocean’s ability to...
Protecting the Plains, A Comprehensive Approach to Invasive Plant Control – Professor KC Olson, Kansas State University
Around the world, invasive species provide a major threat to global biodiversity. The Great Plains of the United States are among the most threatened ecosystems, where a noxious invasive weed is overpowering the native tallgrass prairies. Professor KC Olson and his...
Combatting the Lionfish Invasion – Dr Mark Hixon and Lab, University of Hawaii
Lionfish are predators that typically inhabit Pacific and Indian Ocean coral reefs. In areas where they have been introduced, they have become troublesome invaders. Populations have spread and grown in some regions to the extent that they are wreaking havoc on local...
Buzzing & Blooming, Bee-Flower Interactions in Crop Production – Professor Johanne Brunet, USDA-ARS Vegetable Crops Research Unit
Pollination by flying insects is often the forgotten key to high agricultural productivity. Dr Johanne Brunet, research ecologist at the USDA-Agricultural Service, is investigating insect-flower interactions, and their implications for crop production....
An Interdisciplinary Approach to Water Management – Drs Marcellus Caldas & Melinda Daniels, Stroud Water Research Centre
According to the WHO, half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas by 2025. Therefore, managing our water resources is vital, especially in a changing climate. On that front, an interdisciplinary team from Kansas State University, led by Dr...
The Role of Policies in Managing Scarce Water Resources – Drs Jose Albiac, Ariel Dinar, Encarna Esteban & Dr Taher Kahil
Water scarcity and perverse policies may have severe effects on the environment, affecting society both directly and indirectly. A team from the Agrifood Research and Technology Center (CITA), the University of Zaragoza, the International Institute for Applied Systems...
Shaking Up the Physics of Vibration – Dr Wei-Chau Xie, University of Waterloo
Nuclear power plants may be some of the most secure structures in our society, but when subjected to earthquakes, they have the potential to cause major disasters. Dr Wei-Chau Xie of the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, is now developing algorithms for...
Greener Pastures, Transforming Land Management Practices in the Cattle Industry – Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University
In the face of global climate change and challenges to sustainable use of renewable resources, farmers and ranchers are continually seeking best management practices that are economically viable and environmentally friendly. To meet this need, researchers at Auburn...
The Molecular World of Aphid Feeding – Professor Gerald Reeck, Kansas State University
Professor Gerald Reeck and his team at Kansas State University are investigating the molecular basis of aphid herbivory, including suppression of plant defences, using powerful methods of molecular genetics. This research is important for developing new aphid-pest...
Working Together to Achieve a Better Future for the Horticultural Industry – Dr Lynda K Deeks, Dr Chantelle N Jay and Dr Laura H Vickers
The production of fresh fruit and vegetables, and ornamental plants, is often taken for granted. While producing horticultural crops and plants offers many societal benefits, it can also have negative impacts on the environment and even on crop production itself....
Sub-Zero Survival, Revealing How Plants Freeze – Drs David Livingston and Michael Wisniewski, USDA
Watching plants return to life after a spell of cold winter weather can seem like a miracle. For over a century, biologists have understood that plant survival depends on a variety of co-dependent mechanisms, yet their methods for coping with temperatures far below...
Towards Low-Cost, Low-Impact Marine Renewable Energy – Drs Grace Chang and Craig Jones, Integral Consulting Inc.
As we move towards a sustainable future, there is a growing interest in marine renewable energy technologies such as marine hydrokinetic devices and offshore wind turbines. However, the viability of these technologies and the potential environmental effects associated...
A Journey Through the Ocean: A Modern Approach to Science Education – Ocean Tracks
Research in the sciences is currently undergoing a massive transformation, as technological advancements shift big data into the forefront of investigative tools, and early education is looking for solutions to keep up. The Ocean Tracks program offers a structured...
Understanding the Effects of Severe Windstorms on Buildings – Dr John Ginger, James Cook University
As natural disasters are affecting an increasing number of people worldwide, risk mitigation by design is of primary concern to engineers. One of those engineers is Dr John Ginger, Professor of Civil Engineering and Research Director of the Cyclone Testing Station at...
Collaborating for a Cleaner Future – Dr Justyna Widera-Kalinowska, Adelphi University
The greatest challenges facing humanity over the next decades involve finding renewable sources of energy and finding ways to restore natural resources such as clean water that have been polluted by industrialisation. Dr Justyna Widera-Kalinowska of Adelphi University...
Improved Drought Early Warning Science Helps Save Lives and Livelihoods in Africa – Climate Hazards Group, University of California Santa Barbara
Bringing together multidisciplinary scientists and food security analysts from UC Santa Barbara, Africa and Central America, the Climate Hazards Group develops datasets, tools and forecasts that help guide effective disaster responses and long-term development plans...
The Sargasso Sea Commission – Saving the Atlantic Golden Rainforest
The Sargasso Sea contains a unique ecosystem based upon floating seaweed. It is a marine treasure that is threatened by pollution and other human activities. The Sargasso Sea Commission, an international team of researchers and policy makers, is working to preserve...
Climate and Agricultural Resilience in the American Southwest Safeguarding Ancient Traditions Against Modern Threats – Dr Maureen McCarthy, University of Nevada
Sustaining the availability of clean water is one of the greatest challenges humanity will face, as climate change leads to hotter, more extreme weather patterns that disrupt normal snow and rainfall worldwide. These changes are predicted to hit arid climates...
Using Population Genetics to Inform Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation – Drs Eric Hallerman & Jess Jones
Conservation can be difficult work on an ever-changing planet, where human activity often runs counter to the needs of endangered species. When budgets and resources are limited, it is critical that conservation plans are designed to be as effective as possible. Dr...
A Greener Future: Leveraging Ecosystem Services in Sustainable Landscape and City Management – Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology
As global climate change and other major environmental threats advance, scientists are looking for ways to evaluate sustainable solutions for energy, agriculture and city management. Ecosystem services are benefits provided to humans by nature, and over the past two...
Circles of Hope: Circular Buffer Strip Schemes for Agriculture – Dr Sangamesh Angadi, New Mexico State University
Agriculture in the semi-arid US Southern Great Plains depends on irrigation water from the Ogallala Aquifer, the largest in the country. With the aquifer in decline, new ideas will be needed to ensure the future of irrigated agriculture in the region. Dr Sangamesh...
Frozen in Time: The Permafrost Microbiome – Professor Rachel Mackelprang, California State University, Northridge
Deep within the permafrost, viable microbial communities persist, buried for millennia. With the permafrost rapidly thawing due to global warming, these microbes are becoming more active, feeding on previously frozen organic matter and ‘breathing’ out greenhouse...