Remediation – envirobites

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Biologists go the distance for the safe release of migratory birds

June 4, 2023June 4, 2023 Brandi Pessman 0 Comments birds, Conservation, flight, migration

Migrating birds have embarked on treacherous voyages for hundreds of thousands of years. Yet, habitat loss and climate change might be their biggest challenge. With many species on the brink of extinction, conservation programs aim to return and sustain wild populations of the world’s most vulnerable species. Captive breeding programs must select the fittest birds to survive such a perilous flight. Researchers find that sharper wing tips might improve survival during the first migration. There’s no time for winging it.

Ecosystems Environmental Science Remediation Sustainabililty

Treating Old Forests with New Tricks

February 2, 2023February 2, 2023 Cypress Novick 0 Comments ecosystem health, forest managment, logging, Old-Growth Forests, soil management

Research directs how we can protect the recovery of the few remaining old-growth forests from the ground up.

Ecosystems Environmental Science Remediation

Fungal Community Changes Amid Salinity and Succession

September 2, 2022September 2, 2022 Cypress Novick 0 Comments Fungal communities, plant ecology, Salinization, soil remediation, Succession

While we easily observe changes to vegetation in a recovering grassland, the changes below ground are less apparent, but equally important, if not more-so.

Human Exposure and Public Health Remediation

A New Compound Makes Waves for Oil Spill Clean Up

September 1, 2022August 31, 2022 Andrea Valcarcel 0 Comments bioremediation, chemical engineering, clean up, human impacts, human risk, marine biology, marine remediation, Oil, oil spill

Phase-Selective Organo-WHAT? Scientists are studying complex chemicals called Phase-Selective Organogelators (or PSOGs) to better understand their ability to clean up oil spills. These chemicals create a gel when added, in small quantities, to crude oil. The use of these chemicals could be a game changer when it comes to remediating marine oil spills. It would facilitate the way these disasters are handled, shortening the time it’s left affecting the organisms that live and interact in marine ecosystems

Climate Ecosystems Remediation

Relief for the Reef – Connecting Coral Resilience with Restoration Efforts

June 1, 2022June 30, 2022 Andrea Valcarcel 0 Comments Climate Change, climate resiliency, coastal resilience, coral, coral bleaching, coral nurseries, coral reef ecosystem, coral reefs, habitat restoration, reef restoration, rehabilitation, resilience, Restoration

Coral reefs are ecologically important for both marine and land species, offering support for high biodiversity. They also represent one of the most threatened ecosystems, especially as a result of climate change and human intervention. Due to their vulnerability and significance, many efforts have been made to restore these vital ecosystems, yet the worldwide success rates for coral reef restoration aren’t nearly as high as scientists had hoped. So, now the question is: is there anything that can be done to make coral reefs and their restoration more resilient to the threats they face?

A picture of a single Australian mangrove tree on an otherwise sandy beach. Many twisting and complex roots near the base of the tree hold the soil together, giving the ground beneath the tree a more stable look than the immediate surroundings.

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science Remediation

Rising Sea Levels Call for Rising Wetlands

May 2, 2022May 2, 2022 Cypress Novick 0 Comments coastal wetlands, flooding, Restoration, sea level rise, stormwater infrastructure

Amid the search for protection against rising sea levels, many have turned to remediating or reconstructing traditional wetland ecosystems.

Climate Remediation

Using mangrove genes to protect where the land meets the sea

February 20, 2022February 20, 2022 Brandi Pessman 0 Comments coasts, diversity, genetics, mangroves, Restoration

When two of Earth’s forces meet, we often get monumental products. Where the land meets the sea, the mighty mangrove forest protects the coastline and all its inhabitants. Deforestation has led to rapid declines of mangroves, threatening the diversity of life that they support. Analyzing the genetic variation in a forest is a promising tool for protective measures and restoration. Saving mangrove forests might be in the genes.

Case Studies Ecosystems Environmental Science Remediation

Radioactive exclusion zone or restoration at work? Insights from the re-wilding of Chernobyl

February 15, 2022September 12, 2022 Brianne Palmer 0 Comments Nuclear Energy, Restoration, Rewildling

In 1986 a nuclear disaster rocked Belarus and forced thousands of people to abandon their homes for fear of radiation exposure. Now, removed from the impacts of human settlements, wildlife are returning to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). In a new study, researchers studied the raptors in the CEZ to test re-wilding and ask the question: can removing humans from a landscape help restore the natural environments? And like all things in ecology, the answer is more complicated than it seems but offers a glimmer of hope for re-wilding endeavors in this Decade on Ecological Restoration.

Environmental Science Remediation

Marvelous Mold: The Untold Story of Your Incredible Occasional Refrigerator Fungal Guest

February 3, 2022February 9, 2022 Maria Marlin 0 Comments bioremediation, environment, fungi, Pollution

As industrialization continues to increase, so does pollution and contamination of our environment. In this article, learn about a surprising source of potential help. Penicillium polonicum, a mold, can reduce the concentration of toxic lead ions in solution. This might be an avenue humans can pursue to help clean our earth.

Ecosystems Environmental Science Remediation

What does the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration mean for you?

December 4, 2020September 12, 2022 Brianne Palmer 0 Comments ecosystem services, Humans, Restoration, Sociology, United Nations

The Decade of Ecological Restoration is nearly here! The process of helping ecosystems regain function and biodiversity is a new and complex field. It requires collaboration across academic disciplines and requires connecting the needs of humans and ecosystems. So, what can restoration ecologists learn from sociologists to bridge the gap between humans and nature and help make the coming decade a success?

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