Reviews & Analysis

Caribbean peatlands are a critical ecosystem that remain poorly understood, according to a synthesis of paleoecology, carbon dynamics and mapping data: estimations of distribution and extent vary by more than 200% depending upon mapping technique

Improved understanding of marine heatwave predictability and impacts requires analysis of these extremes at full ocean depth, using models and observations capturing their key drivers at the relevant scales, according to a broad literature review.

The study of mineral host-inclusion systems by Raman spectroscopy at non-ambient conditions is an effective method to probe in situ deformational processes in the Earth’s interior

The formation of nanomaterials in aqueous fluids can be explained by four different pathways: formation by biotic and abiotic processes, coupled and decoupled with weathering processes. In the Earth’s critical zone, these pathways can be classified into 18 subcategories based on the surrounding environment.

Soil-based carbon dioxide removal approaches that make use of primary and secondary minerals can create synergies between inorganic carbon, soil organic carbon, and stable biochar carbon formation.

Data-driven equation discovery, a new scientific artificial intelligence pathway, can identify hidden patterns in data and transform them into interpretable equations, automating and accelerating discovery processes in various geoscience disciplines, according to a review of the advantages and potential challenges of data-driven equation discovery in geoscience.

Climate change is likely to impact coastal trace element contamination through natural processes, such as river runoff and human activities such as shipping. A focus on increased data coverage in the Global South, long-term and multiple stressors studies and improved ecosystem models are promising avenues to improve our understanding.

The transition of food and agriculture sectors to a circular bioeconomy needs to consider an economic view, which helps to identify strategies that balance social and private sector objectives and environmental benefits according to a social cost-benefit framework.

Indirect moisture injections to the stratosphere after a Pinatubo-sized volcanic eruption could be comparable to direct injection observed after the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruptions, according to a quantification based on the warming of the lowest cold-point temperatures in the tropical tropopause layer.

The microbial process of methane oxidation is slow due to energy limitations in environments exposed to low methane concentrations, but understanding limiting factors may help to enhance rates of atmospheric methane removal, according to a review of ecological and evolutionary aspects.

Water table fluctuations in wetlands impact methane production and emissions via biotic and abiotic pathways including soil redox, substrate availability, electron flow, gas transport, and microbial community structure, according to the analysis of observational data from 31 wetland sites and a broad literature review.

Humans must be represented within digital twins of the Earth, but they also play a role outside to govern development and access and guide usage, argues a perspective based on interdisciplinary scientific expert viewpoints.

Pollutant Release and Transfers Registers (PRTRs) can be used as a valuable tool in assessing progress towards reducing human and ecological harm from chemicals.

A systemic approach which considers all stakeholders and combines multiple policy instruments is necessary to reduce global reliance on chemicals in agriculture, according to a review of the agronomic and economic challenges and barriers to existing policies.

Addressing coastal ocean acidification requires holistic and harmonized actions across several sustainable development goals (SDGs) and a range of indicators to encourage mitigation efforts at local scales, suggests a synthesis of direct and indirect links between ocean pH and SDGs.

The apparent prevalence of tropical natural reforestation versus planted trees varies greatly, and it depends on underlying land change processes, recommending a long-term demographic approach to forest-change observation, according to a review of estimates of land use processes.

Different ways to calculate carbon footprints and the implications of choosing one option over another are visualised in an open-access web application that uses a global input-output database to produce Sankey diagrams of carbon flows for 49 world regions between 1995 and 2019.

Our health and active life depend critically on nutritious food. While agriculture and food production increased over the past decades, millions of people are still unable to meet their dietary needs, starkly contrasting the overconsumption and the enormous amount of food wasted daily.

The summary of Common Era temperature reconstructions in the 2021 Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change insufficiently characterizes reconstruction uncertainties associated with estimating global mean temperatures.

Plasticity and evolutionary changes in phytoplankton phenotypes in the ocean can be better represented by integrating statistical and multi-trait-based numerical models which will help improve predictions of future ecosystem states and ocean carbon cycling.