Wetlands could be key in revitalizing acid streams, researchers say
A team of University of Texas at Arlington biologists working with the U.S. Geological Survey has found that watershed wetlands can serve as a natural source for the improvement of streams polluted by...
View ArticleHealth check for Perth waterways
A new report has found that the health of Perth's iconic Swan-Canning Estuary has improved in recent years.
View ArticleAccurate maps of streams could aid in more sustainable development of Potomac...
Where a stream ends is clear, but where it begins can be more difficult to discern. Researchers from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science have developed a new method to solve...
View ArticleHow tiny organisms make a big impact on clean water
Nearly every body of water, from a puddle or a pond to a vast ocean, contains microscopic organisms that live attached to rocks, plants, and animals. These so-called sessile suspension feeders are...
View ArticleStudy puts freshwater biodiversity on the map for planners and policymakers
When it comes to economic growth and environmental impacts, it can seem like Newton's third law of motion is the rule—for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction—and that in most cases,...
View ArticleResearchers debunk argument of an invasive algal species in rivers and lakes
An algal species known commonly as didymo or "rock snot" has been found to be non-invasive after a collaboration between researchers from Queen's, l'Institut national de la recherché scientifique...
View ArticleStudy shows less snowpack will harm ecosystem
(Phys.org) —A new study by CAS Professor of Biology Pamela Templer shows that milder winters can have a negative impact both on trees and on the water quality of nearby aquatic ecosystems, far into the...
View ArticleFish exposed to antidepressants exhibit altered behavioral changes
Fish exposed to the antidepressant Fluoxetine, an active ingredient in prescription drugs such as Prozac, exhibited a range of altered mating behaviours, repetitive behaviour and aggression towards...
View ArticleFrom Tar Sands to Ring of Fire—forewarning changes to Canada's watersheds
The Tar Sands in Alberta, potential development in the Ring of Fire in northern Ontario, declining timber harvest and farming - human activity is transforming Canada's landscape, yet many of the...
View ArticleClimate-warmed leaves change lake ecosystems, study finds
Rising soil temperatures significantly affect autumn leaves and consequently the food web, appearance and biochemical makeup of the lakes and ponds those leaves fall into, a Dartmouth College-led study...
View ArticleNovel monitoring tools tackle chemical surface waters pollution
With the socio-economic developments of the last decades, new emerging compounds have been produced, released and discharged through different point and diffuse sources in European rivers, lakes, and...
View ArticlePlants' defensive responses have downstream effects on nearby ecosystems
Chemical changes that occur in tree leaves after being attacked by insects and mammals can impact nearby streams, which rely on fallen plant material as a food source, report scientists from the...
View ArticleOcean 'dead zones' a growing disaster for fish
Falling ocean oxygen levels due to rising temperatures and influence from human activities such as agrochemical use is an increasingly widespread problem. Considering that the sea floors have taken...
View ArticleHippo dung provides important nutrients to river fish and aquatic insects
The common hippopotamus can spend up to 16 hours a day immersed in rivers and lakes. Lumbering out of the water at night, these herbivores graze on tropical grasses and consume 80 to 100 pounds in one...
View ArticleSediment dwelling creatures at risk from nanoparticles in common household...
Researchers from the University of Exeter highlight the risk that engineered nanoparticles released from masonry paint on exterior facades, and consumer products such as zinc oxide cream, could have on...
View ArticleDon't forget plankton in climate change models, says study
A new study from the University of Exeter, published in the journal Ecology Letters, found that phytoplankton - microscopic water-borne plants - can rapidly evolve tolerance to elevated water...
View ArticleNew caddisfly species discovered in the Balkan biodiversity hotspot of Kosovo
The Republic of Kosovo turns out to be a unique European biodiversity hotspot after a second new species of aquatic insect has been described from the Balkan country. The new caddisfly was discovered...
View ArticleForest and watercourse interplay important for restorations
Humans utilise forests and watercourses in a way that depletes ecosystem habitats, biodiversity and ecosystem services. Many areas are restored to break the trend, but to succeed you need to consider...
View ArticleNovel genetic tools for bioassessment of European aquatic ecosystems, COST...
Often referred to as "the blue planet", the majority of the Earth consists of aquatic ecosystems. Human land-use change, over-exploitation and pollution have severely impacted aquatic ecosystems over...
View ArticleRoad salt alternatives alter aquatic ecosystems
Organic additives found in road salt alternatives—such as those used in the commercial products GeoMelt and Magic Salt—act as a fertilizer to aquatic ecosystems, promoting the growth of algae and...
View ArticleGhosts of past diseases shape species evolution
Parasites and diseases are major elements of the environment that affect animal populations. The new findings show evidence that infections in one generation can affect the survival and growth of a...
View ArticleBangladesh coal plant could cause 6,000 early deaths: Greenpeace
A giant coal-fired power plant approved by Bangladesh could drastically worsen air pollution for millions and cause the early deaths of 6,000 people over its lifetime, Greenpeace said Friday.
View ArticleEffective restoration of aquatic ecosystems
Despite having increased human wellbeing in the past, intense modifications by multiple and interacting pressures have degraded ecosystems and the sustainability of their goods and services. For...
View ArticleBrain damage in fish affected by plastic nanoparticles
Calculations have shown that 10 per cent of all plastic produced around the world ultimately ends up in the oceans. As a result, a large majority of global marine debris is in fact plastic waste. Human...
View ArticleHerbivores help protect ecosystems from climate change
Plant-eating critters are the key ingredient to helping ecosystems survive global warming, finds new UBC research that offers some hope for a defence strategy against climate change.
View ArticleFungicides and antidepressants in rivers alter the swimming and feeding...
Surprisingly low concentrations of toxic chemical products in rivers including fungicides to antidepressants can change the swimming and feeding behaviours of some animals, according to a new research...
View ArticleLow dose, constant drip: Pharmaceutical and personal care pollution impacts...
Traditional toxicity testing underestimates the risk that pharmaceutical and personal care product pollution poses to freshwater ecosystems. Criteria that account for ecological disruption - not just...
View ArticleAntidepressants from urine are making fish less afraid of predators
Antidepressants are making their way into our lakes and rivers—and they're making freshwater fish less fazed by predators.
View ArticlePlankton swim against the current
Zooplankton are often considered to be a passive source of food for fish and other aquatic animals. But at least one of their representatives, the millimetre-sized copepod (Eurytemora affinis), moves...
View ArticleTo mow or not to mow: Tackling nuisance growth of water plants at the root
Massive growth of submerged aquatic plants can be a nuisance, especially in summer. It's up to water managers to limit the inconvenience for swimmers, boats and fishermen in a way that is both...
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