Seed banking not an option for over a third of threatened species

Researchers detail for the first time the scale of threatened species that are unable to be conserved in seed banks. The paper reveals that when looking at threatened species, 36 percent of 'critically endangered' species produce recalcitrant seeds. This means they can't tolerate the drying process and therefore cannot be frozen, the key process they need to go through to be safely 'banked.'

Currently, seed banking is the most commonly practiced way of conserving plants outside of their natural habitats. Seed banking works as an 'insurance policy' against the extinction of plants in the world -- especially for those that are rare, endemic and economically important -- so that they can be protected and utilised for the future.This type of 'ex-situ' conservation is preferred for a number of reasons: it allows for the preservation of high levels of genetic diversity at relatively low cost in minimal space and can be kept for comparatively long periods.However, this doesn't work for all seeds and this new paper suggests there is a huge knowledge gap of knowing which of the world's most rare, endemic and economically important plants are not suitable for conservation in seed banks. To estimate for the first time the extent of the problem, Wyse and Dickie developed a set of models to predict the likely seed storage behaviour of species.

Reducing methane emissions can play a key role in reducing ozone worldwide Date:

A new report points to inexpensive and profitable solutions to reduce methane emissions in the energy, waste, wastewater and agriculture sectors.Methane (CH4) is the main ingredient in natural gas. It is the second most important greenhouse gas (GHG) after carbon dioxide (CO2), and it also leads to the formation of another GHG -- ozone.Ozone has harmful effects for people, ecosystems and agricultural productivity. It is a so-called "short-lived climate forcer." This term refers to pollutants that remain in the atmosphere for a much shorter period of time than CO2 but have a much greater potential to warm the atmosphere.

The life span of short-lived climate pollutants is usually less than 15 years, unlike CO2 which stays in the atmosphere for about 100 years.Since the pre-industrial era, methane concentrations have more than doubled. And after a period of stagnation, they are increasing again since the last decade.

"Worldwide, methane emissions increased by 17% between 1990-2012, compared to a 53% increase in CO2 emissions. The methane emissions of the EU28 and the contributions of methane to the overall EU GHG emissions declined substantially in the 1990s, but in the last 15 years the rate of decline has been much less," explains JRC researcher Rita Van Dingenen. If nothing is done about reducing methane emissions worldwide, they could cause between 40,000 and 90,000 more premature deaths globally by 2050, compared to the present situation.

New technologies in the ocean energy sector

Analysis of ten future emerging technologies to generate energy from the ocean tides and waves.While the ocean energy sector is still at an early stage of development, a new report analyses ten future emerging technologies to generate energy from the ocean tides and waves.

An integrated systems approach is necessary for their successful commercialisation.

It still takes a level of almost science fiction fantasy to imagine that we can use the oceans' permanent movement to power our cities and houses.Yet, such ideas are on designer desks, going through demonstrations of viability, towards possible commercial success.Moving to economically viable ocean energy technologies is a huge step towards decarbonisation and the growth of the blue economy in many coastal areas.With only 17 MW compared to 15.8 GW of offshore wind of operating capacity installed in European waters, mostly as demonstration or first-of-a-kind precommercial projects, every technological solution proposed to bridge the gap between R&D stage and the commercialisation of ocean energy devices can be seen for the time being as a future emerging technology.

Deconstructing the superfood that determines honeybee hierarchy

All bee larvae eat royal jelly when they're new, but only future queens continue to eat it. To figure out why, researchers are taking a close look at the molecular ingredients of the fancy fare.Royal jelly is widely believed to have health benefits, although the medical evidence is scarce and doctors caution that some people have severe allergic reactions. One thing the substance certainly does is promote caste development in honeybees, causing genetically identical larvae to develop into very different adults. All bee larvae eat royal jelly secreted by worker bees for the first few days of life, but those picked out to be queens continue to eat it until they pupate and beyond, whereas those that will become workers switch to honey and pollen. Biologists believe molecular signals in royal jelly drive larval bees to develop into queens, but the details of that signaling including what molecule is most important and how it is recognised are not yet clear.

Widely used mosquito repellent proves lethal to larval salamanders

Insect repellents containing picaridin can be lethal to salamanders. So reports a new study that investigated how exposure to two common insect repellents influenced the survival of aquatic salamander and mosquito larvae. 

Robust corals primed to resist coral bleaching

A world first study reveals that robust reef building corals are the only known organisms in the animal kingdom to make one of the essential amino acids, which may make them less susceptible than other corals to global warming

Earth's oceans have absorbed 60 percent more heat than previously thought

Since 1991, the world's oceans have absorbed an amount of heat energy each year that is 150 times the energy humans produce as electricity annually, according to a new study. The strong ocean warming the researchers found suggests that Earth is more sensitive to fossil fuel emission than previous thought.

Just 5 countries have 70% of world's wilderness

Researchers recently found that 70% of the world's remaining untouched wilderness is in just five countries. According to a study that published in the journal 'Nature', an urgent international action is required to protect them. In 2016, scientists charted the planet's remaining terrestrial wilderness and in 2018 examined which part of the world's oceans remained free from the damaging impacts of human activity. In this study, researchers showed a global map to show which countries are responsible for nature that is devoid of heavy industrial activity. The study identified that Australia, the US, Brazil, Russia, Canada as five countries that hold the vast majority of the world's remaining wilderness. The study excluded Antarctica and on the high seas that is not contained within national borders. The study defines wilderness as the only places that contain mixes of species at near natural levels. 

Oceans are heating up 60% faster than IPCC claims

The findings of the recent report by IPCC reveals that oceans are heating up 60% faster. Scientists rely on robotic devices called Argo array which floats in different depths at all the oceans and comes to the surface every 0 days to provide their readings to the satellite. Still, 3800 such devices are floating in oceans they are not evenly divided. Some areas of water bodies have many such devices and some areas have less. To keep global warming without exceeding 2 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels, IPCC recommended cutting 20 per cent of climate emissions by 2030. But the Princeton researchers say that emission levels in the coming decades would need to be 25 percent lower than IPCC recommendations. The researchers also stated that even if the humanity manages to get emission levels into zero, the greenhouse gases that have already emitted to the atmosphere will remain for hundred years and keep warming up the planet.

German rivers show how warming can trigger chaos

BERLIN: A hot, dry summer has left German rivers and lakes at record low water levels, causing chaos for the inland shipping industry, environmental damage and billions of euros in losses — a scenario that could portend the future as global temperatures rise. he drought-like conditions have hit nearly 90% of the country this year. In Magdeburg, the Elbe River has been so low that no ships carrying goods south to Leipzig or on to the Czech Republic have been able to pass through since the end of June.

Household emissions adding to air pollution in India: UN 

NEW DELHI: Even as the air quality is dropping with rising pollution levels ahead of Diwali, a new report by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says the contribution of indoor air pollution to overall air pollution in India varies between 22% and 52%, urging people to reduce household emissions if they want to tackle air pollution. The relationship between ambient and indoor air pollution and urban and rural centers emphasizes the importance of multiple stakeholders cooperating and using an integrated approach to improve air quality.