Volume 3 Issue 5, May 2022

An article in Water Research investigated the rates, microbe types and main drivers of dark carbon fixation within intertidal sediments from the Yangtze Estuary, China.

An article in JGR Solid Earth uses numerical models to explore the conditions required to form thick, cratonic lithosphere in a relatively hot Archean mantle.

Kristian Chan describes how airborne ice-penetrating radar can be used to map ice layers.

Caleb Walcott explains how geographic information systems (GIS) are used to reconstruct past glacier surfaces, which in turn can be used as a paleoclimate proxy.

Vanessa Sun describes the use of sensors linked to a low-cost computer in air quality monitoring.

Enhanced drought frequency and magnitude have impacted tree mortality, leading to multiple examples of regional-scale dieback. This Review outlines the mechanisms leading to mortality, including carbon starvation and hydraulic failure.

The use of organophosphate esters as flame retardants and plasticizers has increased, leading to their environmental pervasiveness. This Review describes the transport and distribution of these organic pollutants in the ocean and highlights the potential impacts on biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem health.

Plastic debris and microplastics are ubiquitous in the Arctic. This Review describes the sources, distribution and consequences of this pollution, and calls for immediate action to mitigate further ecosystem impact.

The Chicxulub impact 66 million years ago caused catastrophic environmental changes, leading to the extinction of three-quarters of plant and animal species, including the dinosaurs. This Review explores how the Chicxulub impact structure provides insight into cratering processes and events leading to the Cretaceous–Palaeogene extinction.