Environmental sciences articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    The risks posed by plastic contamination of the ocean cannot be assessed as their amount and location remain largely unknown. Here the authors show that large quantities of microplastics exist below the ocean surface over the entire Atlantic in quantities greater than previously estimated.

    • Katsiaryna Pabortsava
    •  & Richard S. Lampitt

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In anoxic environments, soluble hexavalent uranium is reduced and immobilized, however, the underlying molecular-scale reduction mechanism remains unknown. Here, the authors find that U reduction can occur on the surface of magnetite via transient U nanowire structures which collapse into ordered UO2 nanoclusters, which may have implications for understanding nuclear waste evolution and remediation of uranium contamination.

    • Zezhen Pan
    • , Barbora Bártová
    •  & Rizlan Bernier-Latmani

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Ocean warming could enable the release of methane related to hydrate dissociation from the ocean floor, a process thought to have triggered abrupt climate changes in Earth history. Here the authors detect this process in action, observing a massive release of methane from a site in the South Atlantic Ocean.

    • Marcelo Ketzer
    • , Daniel Praeg
    •  & José A. Cupertino

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Anthropogenic stressors affect many aspects of marine organismal health. Here, the authors expose surgeonfish to temperature and pesticide stressors and show that the stressors, separately and in combination, have adverse effects on thyroid signaling, which disrupts several sensory systems and important predation defenses.

    • Marc Besson
    • , William E. Feeney
    •  & David Lecchini

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Selective reduction of carbon dioxide to high-value products is key for advancing carbon capture and utilization technologies. Here the authors prepare a copper catalyst for electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide to C2+ products with enhanced selectivity that is attributed to a high density of surface defects.

    • Taehee Kim
    •  & G. Tayhas R. Palmore

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Plastic pollution is a critical concern across diverse ecosystems, yet most research has focused on terrestrial and aquatic transport, neglecting other mechanisms. Here the authors show that atmospheric transport is a major pathway for road plastic pollution over remote regions.

    • N. Evangeliou
    • , H. Grythe
    •  & A. Stohl

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Monomethylmercury is a toxin that humans can be exposed to after consumption of seafood in which it has bioaccumulated. Here the authors show that amphipods in the deepest point of the global ocean contain monomethylmercury with surface origins, suggesting rapid sinking of this toxin on particles.

    • Ruoyu Sun
    • , Jingjing Yuan
    •  & Congqiang Liu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors here report tensile properties of polycrystalline methane hydrate at the micron scale by applying a contactless, thermos-induced stress to a tenuous shell of hydrate grown in a thin glass capillary. The results suggest that the cohesive strength of methane hydrate in marine settings may be an order of magnitude less than currently thought.

    • Dyhia Atig
    • , Daniel Broseta
    •  & Ross Brown

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The proliferation of dams since 1950 has promoted sediment deposition in reservoirs, which is thought to be starving the coast of sediment and decreasing resistance to storms and sea-level rise. Here, the authors show that century-long records of sediment mass accumulation rates and sediment accumulation rates more than doubled after 1950 in coastal depocenters around North America.

    • A. B. Rodriguez
    • , B. A. McKee
    •  & A. N. Atencio

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Glaciers in the European Alps are strongly affected by global warming, yet there is no methodologically consistent alpine-wide analysis on glacier changes. Here the authors show significant glacier retreat and an ice mass loss of 1.3 ± 0.2 Gt a−1, derived from contemporaneous measurements of glacier areas and elevations.

    • Christian Sommer
    • , Philipp Malz
    •  & Matthias H. Braun

  • Perspective
    | Open Access

    Current environmental impact mitigation neglects over-consumption from affluent citizens as a primary driver. The authors highlight the role of bottom-up movements to overcome structural economic growth imperatives spurring consumption by changing structures and culture towards safe and just systems.

    • Thomas Wiedmann
    • , Manfred Lenzen
    •  & Julia K. Steinberger

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A cloud of enhanced ruthenium concentrations has been observed over Europe in 2017, but no country has acknowledged responsibility for this nuclear release. Here, the authors show that the stable isotopic composition of ruthenium emitted from nuclear fuel reprocessing during the 2017 event is consistent with the isotopic signature of civilian Russian nuclear reactor fuel.

    • Timo Hopp
    • , Dorian Zok
    •  & Georg Steinhauser

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Fire is an important component of many African ecosystems, but prediction of fire activity is challenging. Here, the authors use a statistical framework to assess the seasonal environmental drivers of African fire, which allow for a better prediction of fire activity.

    • Yan Yu
    • , Jiafu Mao
    •  & Yaoping Wang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    How sulfur dioxide emitted through coal combustion is oxidized to sulfate particles during winter haze pollution events has been the subject of debate. Here, the authors show that rapid oxidation takes place by nitrogen dioxide and nitrous acid, producing nitrous oxide together with sulfate.

    • Junfeng Wang
    • , Jingyi Li
    •  & Daniel J. Jacob

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Black carbon is a recalcitrant and unique form of organic carbon formed from incomplete combustion. Here the authors use global sampling to reduce uncertainty in the flux of terrestrial black carbon to the oceans, predicting that 34% of black carbon produced by fires has an oceanic fate.

    • Matthew W. Jones
    • , Alysha I. Coppola
    •  & Timothy A. Quine

  • Article
    | Open Access

    There lacks a method to measure the rapid changes of vehicle emissions. Here the authors proposed a big data approach ‘TrackATruck’, and their estimates using the new approach show that the heavy-duty trucks (HDT) emissions of primary cargo routes/terminals were underestimated by 2–10 times in proxy-based emission inventories.

    • Fanyuan Deng
    • , Zhaofeng Lv
    •  & Huan Liu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Plastic pollution has infiltrated every ecosystem, but few studies have quantified the biogeochemical or ecological effects of plastic. Here the authors show that microplastics in ocean sediment can significantly alter microbial community structure and nitrogen cycling.

    • Meredith E. Seeley
    • , Bongkeun Song
    •  & Robert C. Hale

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Here the authors develop a set of global, long-term, spatial projections of urban land expansion for understanding the planet’s potential urban futures. The global total amount of urban land increases by a factor of 1.8-5.9 over the 21st century, and the developed world experiences as much new urban development as the developing world.

    • Jing Gao
    •  & Brian C. O’Neill

  • Article
    | Open Access

    There lacks a spatially explicit mapping of global carbon footprint in China that considers both international and interprovincial trade. Here the authors map the carbon footprints of global regions in China and show the hotspots concentrated in key manufacturing hubs, including the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and North China Plain.

    • Yuantao Yang
    • , Shen Qu
    •  & Ming Xu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Generally it is thought that confining clay layers provide protection to low-arsenic groundwaters against intrusion of shallower, high-arsenic groundwater bodies. Here, the authors show that impermeable clay layers can increase arsenic input to underlying groundwater systems due to reduction of iron oxides coupled to carbon oxidation.

    • Ivan Mihajlov
    • , M. Rajib H. Mozumder
    •  & Alexander van Geen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    A primary element of modern wildfire management is to aggressively suppress small fires before they become large, but benefits can be offset by the fact that these practices promote older forests that are more ‘flammable’. Here the authors show that this downside puts numerous human communities at elevated risk of fires in boreal Canada.

    • Marc-André Parisien
    • , Quinn E. Barber
    •  & Sean A. Parks

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Countries are adopting ecological compensation policies aimed at achieving no net loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Here, Sonter and colleagues apply spatial simulation models to case studies in Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, and Mozambique to show that compensation alone is not sufficient to preserve biodiversity.

    • Laura J. Sonter
    • , Jeremy S. Simmonds
    •  & Martine Maron

  • Comment
    | Open Access

    Big data reveals new, stark pictures of the state of our environments. It also reveals ‘bright spots’ amongst the broad pattern of decline and—crucially—the key conditions for these cases. Big data analyses could benefit the planet if tightly coupled with ongoing sustainability efforts.

    • Rebecca K. Runting
    • , Stuart Phinn
    •  & James E. M. Watson

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Invasive plants can adversely affect ecosystems and economic costs. Here, the authors quantify the impact of the invasive plant Ambrosia artemisiifolia on seasonal allergies and health costs across Europe, finding that the costs are considerably higher than what previously reported, and estimate also the reduction in the number of patients and health costs that may be obtained with biological control

    • Urs Schaffner
    • , Sandro Steinbach
    •  & Heinz Müller-Schärer

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The non-linear interaction between tide and non-tidal residual impacts current and future extreme water levels. Here, based on 620 gauge records, the authors find a large non-linear interaction in the US East Coast, North Sea and parts of southern Japan, that results in a reduction of extreme sea levels.

    • Arne Arns
    • , Thomas Wahl
    •  & Jürgen Jensen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Arctic plant growth is predominantly nitrogen limited, where the slow nitrogen turnover in the soil is commonly attributed to the cold arctic climate. Here the authors show that the arctic plant-soil nitrogen cycling is also constrained by the lack of larger detritivores like earthworms.

    • Gesche Blume-Werry
    • , Eveline J. Krab
    •  & Jonatan Klaminder

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Corals have evolved as finely tuned light collectors. Here, the authors report on the 3D printing of coral-inspired biomaterials, that mimic the coral-algal symbiosis; these bionic corals lead to dense microalgal growth and can find applications in algal biotechnology and applied coral science.

    • Daniel Wangpraseurt
    • , Shangting You
    •  & Silvia Vignolini

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Drained peatlands are sources of CO2, and though rewetting could curb emissions, this strategy results in elevated methane release. Here, the authors model peatland emissions scenarios and show that rewetting is a critical way to mitigate climate change despite potential methane increases.

    • Anke Günther
    • , Alexandra Barthelmes
    •  & John Couwenberg

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Plastic pollution is an escalating problem and there is a need to predict the range of plastic sizes that an organism of interest could feasibly ingest. Here the authors use previously published data to develop an allometric equation for plastic size ingested as a function of animal body size, a relationship which could help predict risk of plastic introduction into food webs.

    • Ifan B. Jâms
    • , Fredric M. Windsor
    •  & Isabelle Durance

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The authors investigate the infiltration potential of more than 500 vacant lots in the City of Buffalo, NY, USA. They found that the expanding footprint of pervious cover as urban vacant land provides stormwater volume retention benefits on an event and annual basis.

    • Christa Kelleher
    • , Heather E. Golden
    •  & William Shuster

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The exploitation of rivers has been at the detriment of river ecosystems. Here the authors propose a concept of Golden Inland Waterways (GIWs) to represent large waterways and find that the exploitation ratio threshold around the turning point for most GIWs appear to be less than 80%, subject to ecological constraints.

    • Yichu Wang
    • , Xiabin Chen
    •  & Jinren Ni

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Coastal pollution degrades ecosystems, but long term impacts are unknown in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Using a 333 year record of coral skeleton nitrogen isotopes, Erler and colleagues show that increasing nutrient inputs since European settlement have led to unexpected feedback responses.

    • Dirk V. Erler
    • , Hanieh Tohidi Farid
    •  & Janice M. Lough

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Chinese government has implemented the air pollution control measure-the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan in 2013, whose effects have not been fully studied. Here the authors show that from 2013 to 2017, the plan has achieved substantial public health benefits.

    • Huanbi Yue
    • , Chunyang He
    •  & Brett A. Bryan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Bacterial fuel cells have generated attention with the prospect of green energy production; current research is focused on optimising the system to improve efficiency. Here, the authors report on the feeding of carbon dots to S. oneidensis MR-1 to enhance metabolic activity and bioelectric generation.

    • Chenhui Yang
    • , Hüsnü Aslan
    •  & Miao Yu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Groundwater is Earth’s largest source of freshwater, but the cost and ease with which it is turned to drinking water is dependent on the concentration of organic carbon. Here the authors show that climate change and urbanization will likely elevate future levels of groundwater dissolved organic carbon across the globe.

    • Liza K. McDonough
    • , Isaac R. Santos
    •  & Andy Baker

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The dominant emission sources of anthropogenic radionuclides come from either atmospheric nuclear weapons tests or the nuclear industry (i.e., reprocessing plants or reactor accidents). Here, the authors identify a new environmental isotope tracer (\(^{233}\)U/\(^{236}\)U) which can help distinguish emissions from nuclear weapons tests, and can also provide constraints on past weapon designs and fuel sources, for which many details remain classified or lost.

    • K. Hain
    • , P. Steier
    •  & A. Sakaguchi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Palm oil biofuels are touted as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Meijide and colleagues use greenhouse gas measurements to update life cycle assessments of oil palm growth scenarios and show that despite the promise, emission savings do not meet sustainability standards.

    • Ana Meijide
    • , Cristina de la Rua
    •  & Alexander Knohl

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Land cover change contributes to regional climate trends. Here, the authors use high-resolution land cover maps and state-of-the-art climate modelling to assess land cover change effects across Europe over 1992-2015, showing widespread cooling after agricultural abandonment but also different, region-specific effects.

    • Bo Huang
    • , Xiangping Hu
    •  & Francesco Cherubini

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Supported metal single-atom catalysts face challenges on both durability and practicality. Here, the authors demonstrate that a sustained 90% diesel oxidation conversion at ~160 oC is achieved by single-atom Pt on TiO2 nanowire-array integrated catalytic converter.

    • Son Hoang
    • , Yanbing Guo
    •  & Pu-Xian Gao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The carbon footprints of natural gas supplies at the field level are unclear. Here the authors analysed the GHG intensities of gas supplies from 104 fields and show that their GHG intensities range from 6.2 to 43.3 g CO2eq MJ-1.

    • Yu Gan
    • , Hassan M. El-Houjeiri
    •  & Michael Wang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Accumulation of micro and nano-plastic in the oceans has emerged as a global challenge. Here, the authors predict a hierarchy of features that regulate their degradation and surface erosion by a thorough analysis of polymer structure, composition, physical properties and degradation data.

    • Kyungjun Min
    • , Joseph D. Cuiffi
    •  & Robert T. Mathers

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