Ecology (Environment & Chemistry)

 

Close-up of a rock slab. The rock is dark gray to black. A complex pattern of light gray, almost white, branching, and interconnected structures is visible across the surface of the slab. These structures resemble a network or a colony of small, interconnected organisms. A small, light-colored, somewhat circular area near the center appears to be different from the surrounding patterns, potentially a part of fossilized remains embedded in the rock matrix. A scale bar,in the lower right corner of the image indicates about 1 centimeter.The edges of the slab are irregular and broken. The lighting is even, casting no significant shadows. The rock slab is presented against a plain white background.

Analysis of nitrogen isotopes provides evidence of the earliest known photosymbiosis in corals of the Devonian more

Swimming bacteria shape communities

Researchers discover structure in microbial communities of swimmers and non-swimmers more

2023 – a year of climate extremes

The devastating storms, rainfall, heatwaves and droughts of the past year have become more likely and more severe as a result of global warming more

Microorganisms break down petroleum components in the seabed

Archaea cultivated in the laboratory are active even at high temperatures and without oxygen more

African smoke over the Amazon

At certain times in the year, more soot particles reach the Amazon rainforest from bush fires in Africa than from regional fires. more

Air pollution impairs successful mating of flies

High levels of ozone destroy the chemical mating signal of the insects and may thus contribute to global insect decline more

Reactive oxygen impacts carbon cycling in tidal sands

Scientists detect high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide in intertidal sands more

The dark cost of being toxic

Sequestration of plant toxins by monarch butterflies leads to reduced warning signal conspicuousness more

Max Planck researcher Stefan Wolff and German President Steinmeier stand on the railing of Atto's first platform. They are wearing climbing helmets and harnesses. In the background, the rainforest stretches to the horizon.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier traveled with German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke to ATTO in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest more

Toucan, seed disperser

By dispersing seeds, animals can rapidly reestablish plant diversity in degraded forests more

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Close-up of a rock slab. The rock is dark gray to black. A complex pattern of light gray, almost white, branching, and interconnected structures is visible across the surface of the slab. These structures resemble a network or a colony of small, interconnected organisms. A small, light-colored, somewhat circular area near the center appears to be different from the surrounding patterns, potentially a part of fossilized remains embedded in the rock matrix. A scale bar,in the lower right corner of the image indicates about 1 centimeter.The edges of the slab are irregular and broken. The lighting is even, casting no significant shadows. The rock slab is presented against a plain white background.

Analysis of nitrogen isotopes provides evidence of the earliest known photosymbiosis in corals of the Devonian more

2023 – a year of climate extremes

The devastating storms, rainfall, heatwaves and droughts of the past year have become more likely and more severe as a result of global warming more

Microorganisms break down petroleum components in the seabed

Archaea cultivated in the laboratory are active even at high temperatures and without oxygen more

African smoke over the Amazon

At certain times in the year, more soot particles reach the Amazon rainforest from bush fires in Africa than from regional fires. more

Air pollution impairs successful mating of flies

High levels of ozone destroy the chemical mating signal of the insects and may thus contribute to global insect decline more

The dark cost of being toxic

Sequestration of plant toxins by monarch butterflies leads to reduced warning signal conspicuousness more

Max Planck researcher Stefan Wolff and German President Steinmeier stand on the railing of Atto's first platform. They are wearing climbing helmets and harnesses. In the background, the rainforest stretches to the horizon.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier traveled with German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke to ATTO in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest more

Toucan, seed disperser

By dispersing seeds, animals can rapidly reestablish plant diversity in degraded forests more

Vital ventilation

Stony corals use a refined built-in ventilation system to protect themselves from environmental stressors more

Dust catchers: Biological crusts influence the climate

A surface layer of bacteria, fungi and lichen amongst others reduces the amount of dust stirred up into the atmosphere more

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The constant addition of nutrients into our ecosystems is depleting biodiversity

Interview with Sönke Zaehle from the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry about the role of nutrients in the decline of biodiversity more

Reducing manure and fertilizers decreases atmospheric fine particles

A decrease of agricultural ammonia emissions avoids mortality attributable to air pollution more

“Global warming doesn’t stop when the emissions stop”

Thorsten Mauritsen from the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology has worked out how much time we have left to reach the Paris climate goal more

The impact of the Cold War on geophysics and oceanography lies at the centre of Lino Camprubí's research. The Spanish postdoc, who has been researching in Berlin for three years, is currently investigating how submarine surveillance advanced marine acoustics. In an interview, he reports on what marine biologists have learned from this data. more

Oil as energy source for deep-sea creatures

Scientists discover mussels and sponges in the deep sea which can thrive on oil with the help of symbiont bacteria more

The myth of the pristine Amazon rainforest

Indigenous inhabitants shaped the rainforest by domesticating tree species in pre-Columbian times more

Genetically modified organisms for pest control could end up as contaminants in agricultural products throughout the globe more

Dark taiga under threat through climate change

Boreal coniferous forests could see increased occurrences of fire as a result of global warming, with deciduous trees becoming more dominant in the future more

Diversity in a monoculture

Functional differences within a species ensure its survival and improve the productivity of the whole ecosystem more

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