Earth and environmental sciences articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article |

    Tropical forest deforestation is a major source of CO2emissions, yet potential additional emissions through the creation of forest edge areas has been largely overlooked. Here, the authors combine remote sensing and knowledge on spatial processes to estimate carbon loss due to forest fragmentation.

    • Sandro Pütz
    • , Jürgen Groeneveld
    •  & Andreas Huth

  • Article |

    The Antarctic ice sheets contribution to rising sea levels at the end of the last ice age remains a matter of debate. Here, the authors present a suite of ice-sheet modelling experiments and conclude that the retreating Antarctic ice sheet may have contributed as much as 0.7 m per century to meltwater pulse 1A.

    • N. R. Golledge
    • , L. Menviel
    •  & R. H. Levy

  • Article |

    The delivery of meltwater to the base of the Greenland Ice Sheet has been shown to regulate ice flow, yet the role of soft basal sediment is unknown. Here, the authors use a three-dimensional ice sheet model to assess the impact of seasonal meltwater delivery on subglacial sediment shear strength and ice flow.

    • M. Bougamont
    • , P. Christoffersen
    •  & S. P. Carter

  • Article |

    Detailed sea-level records beyond ~150,000 years ago are limited. Here, the authors present a radiometrically constrained sea-level record from the Red Sea, spanning five glacial cycles and examine sea-level rise rates and the effects of past global ice-volume changes on monsoon intensity.

    • K. M. Grant
    • , E. J. Rohling
    •  & F. Williams

  • Article |

    Unlike most aerosols, black carbon absorbs solar radiation, potentially warming the atmosphere, yet its total climate effect remains uncertain. Here, the authors use a chemical transport and global circulation model to investigate the impact of black carbon emissions on global, annual mean radiative forcing.

    • Øivind Hodnebrog
    • , Gunnar Myhre
    •  & Bjørn H. Samset

  • Article |

    Large igneous province subduction is a rare process with many unknowns. Timm et al.present geochemical and geophysical data providing insights into the Hikurangi Plateau subduction and its impact on arc volcanism, identifying a missing piece of the Ontong Java–Manihiki–Hikurangi super plateau.

    • Christian Timm
    • , Bryan Davy
    •  & John A. Gamble

  • Article |

    Synoptic-scale atmospheric pressure patterns control moisture delivery and thus drought occurrence across western North America, yet long-term records are lacking. Here, the authors use a novel combination of tree-ring data and self-organizing maps to reconstruct and analyse pressure patterns since AD 1500.

    • Erika K. Wise
    •  & Matthew P. Dannenberg

  • Article |

    Growth of salt crystals in pores is one of the most damaging weathering mechanisms for stone in ornamental structures and historical buildings. Here, the authors present a simple yet powerful treatment for predicting when salt damage will occur, quantifying this susceptibility to salt crystallization.

    • Robert J. Flatt
    • , Francesco Caruso
    •  & George W. Scherer

  • Article |

    Comparison of climate model hindcasts with proxy data is essential to improve model reliability, yet standardized palaeoclimate data sets are lacking. Here, Heiri et al. compare chironomid-based palaeotemperature records with the ECHAM-4 atmospheric general circulation model, showing excellent agreement.

    • Oliver Heiri
    • , Stephen J. Brooks
    •  & André F. Lotter

  • Article |

    The mechanism behind the severely cold winters experienced by the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere in recent years is not fully understood. Here, the authors combine observational analyses and model experiments to reveal a dynamic connection between Arctic sea-ice cover and the polar stratosphere.

    • Baek-Min Kim
    • , Seok-Woo Son
    •  & Jin-Ho Yoon

  • Article |

    Selenium deficiency is a major health problem, particularly in the selenium-poor belt in China, yet its distribution in the terrestrial environment is poorly understood. Here, the authors combine geochemical and palaeoclimate data and show that selenium distribution in China may be related to East Asian monsoon rainfall.

    • Tim Blazina
    • , Youbin Sun
    •  & Lenny H.E. Winkel

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Claims that the end-Ordovician Earth was characterized by giant ice sheets, yet paradoxically warm oceans and elevated CO2 levels are open to debate. Here, Ghienne et al. examine sedimentary records from low and high palaeolatitude settings and propose a revision of the mechanisms for end-Ordovician events.

    • Jean-François Ghienne
    • , André Desrochers
    •  & Jan Veizer

  • Article |

    Obtaining reliable estimates of the absolute palaeointensity of the Earth’s magnetic field is difficult and many methods induce alteration. de Groot et al.present a means to see and explain changes in magnetization in unreliable samples, explaining why some samples systematically fail paleointensity experiments.

    • Lennart V. de Groot
    • , Karl Fabian
    •  & Mark J. Dekkers

  • Article |

    To date, covariance of carbonate and organic carbon isotope records has been assumed to denote fidelity of the original signal. This study shows that post-depositional alteration can create strong correlations, raising doubts about the use of correlated records to imply important changes in past global carbon cycling.

    • Amanda M. Oehlert
    •  & Peter K. Swart

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Although it has been widely suggested that the mid-Holocene minimum methane emissions are associated with hydrological change, direct evidence is missing. Here, the authors present evidence from the Tibetan Plateau using tracers of methanogenesis and methanotrophy, in combination with climate simulations.

    • Yanhong Zheng
    • , Joy S. Singarayer
    •  & Richard D. Pancost

  • Article |

    Methyl iodide is a fumigant registered for use in many countries and its usage is increasing. Here, the authors identify a new pathway of mercury methylation via methyl iodide in sunlit water, suggesting the necessity for a more comprehensive risk assessment for the use of methyl iodide as a fumigant.

    • Yongguang Yin
    • , Yanbin Li
    •  & Guibin Jiang

  • Article |

    Studies suggest almost the same amount of biomass is present in subterranean settings as on Earth’s surface. Here, the authors propose that a large intraterrestrial microbial system was responsible for mineralization in southern Spain, and that microbes may play a major role in sub-surface ore-forming processes.

    • Fernando Tornos
    • , Francisco Velasco
    •  & Juan Manuel Escobar

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The earth’s electromagnetic field has a modest effect on the behaviour of Drosophila melanogaster. Here, Fedele et al. use an assessment of climbing behaviour to describe how the blue-light circadian photoreceptor cryptochrome mediates a negative movement response to gravity in flies.

    • Giorgio Fedele
    • , Edward W. Green
    •  & Charalambos P. Kyriacou

  • Article |

    The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) strongly impacts modern Southern Hemisphere climate, yet insight into its pre-industrial behaviour is lacking. Here, the authors present a high-resolution lake record and show that SAM variability coincided with major centennial-scale climate changes over the past 3,000 years.

    • Patricio I. Moreno
    • , I. Vilanova
    •  & R. De Pol-Holz

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Studies have suggested amphibole to be a major phase in the lower crust based on trace element geochemistry of volcanic suites, although the formation of these lithologies remains cryptic. Here, the author suggests a reaction-replacement mechanism to explain how this cryptic fractionation may occur.

    • Daniel J. Smith

  • Article |

    Models of turbulent flows are often simulated in the laboratory, in sampling areas with dimensions <1 m. Here, the authors exploit a natural snowstorm to quantify turbulent flows, exploring the complex dynamics of the atmospheric boundary layer around a 2.5-MW utility-scale wind turbine.

    • Jiarong Hong
    • , Mostafa Toloui
    •  & Fotis Sotiropoulos

  • Article |

    The origin of bimodal (mafic–felsic) rock suites is a fundamental question in volcanology. Here, the authors present a new model for magmatic differentiation in continental igneous provinces and explain how large volumes of granitic magma can be produced in otherwise basaltic systems.

    • F. C. Meade
    • , V. R. Troll
    •  & I. Klonowska

  • Article |

    The organic geochemical biomarker IP25 has been widely applied in the reconstruction of Arctic sea ice, yet its source remains undetermined. Here, the authors report the identification of IP25in common pan-Arctic sea ice diatoms, thus establishing its applicability as a palaeo Arctic sea ice proxy.

    • T. A. Brown
    • , S. T. Belt
    •  & C. J. Mundy

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is under threat from rising ocean temperatures, yet its response to past temperature change is poorly known. Felis et al. show that the GBR experienced a much steeper temperature gradient during the last deglaciation, suggesting it may be more resilient than previously thought.

    • Thomas Felis
    • , Helen V. McGregor
    •  & Jody M. Webster

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The Late Cretaceous experienced significant cooling, yet a lack of low-latitude records mean the regional extent of this cooling is poorly constrained. Linnert et al. present a TEX86sea surface temperature record from a palaeolatitude of ~35 °N and show that Late Cretaceous cooling was global in nature.

    • Christian Linnert
    • , Stuart A. Robinson
    •  & Ernest E. Russell

  • Article |

    The first-reported natural quasicrystal, found in the meteorite Khatyrka, has posed many questions regarding the extraterrestrial processes that led to its formation. Here, the authors suggest how the metallic Al- and Cu-bearing phases formed and report the discovery of other new minerals.

    • Lincoln S. Hollister
    • , Luca Bindi
    •  & Paul J. Steinhardt

  • Article |

    Peatlands both store and emit potent greenhouse gases, yet their contribution to carbon dynamics during the past is poorly constrained. Here, Packalen et al.present new age constraints for peat development in the Hudson Bay Lowlands and quantify carbon storage and methane emissions during the Holocene.

    • Maara S. Packalen
    • , Sarah A. Finkelstein
    •  & James W. McLaughlin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    During continental rifting, various stages and structures are observed, the least understood being hyper-extended continental crust at magma-poor margins. Here, the authors use finite-element thermomechanical models to investigate the mechanism causing observed margin asymmetry and crustal hyper-extension.

    • Sascha Brune
    • , Christian Heine
    •  & Stephan V. Sobolev

  • Article |

    Being able to predict the final size of an earthquake while rupture is ongoing is a largely debated scientific problem. Here, the authors suggest that the evolution of P-wave peak displacement holds information regarding the early stage of the rupture process and may be a proxy for the final size of the event.

    • S. Colombelli
    • , A. Zollo
    •  & M. Picozzi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Arctic sea ice has been in rapid decline in recent decades, yet the impact on biogeochemical cycling is unknown due to insufficient sampling. Watanabe et al.combine year-long mooring observations with numerical models to show that an eddy-induced biological pump would be enhanced by sea ice retreat.

    • Eiji Watanabe
    • , Jonaotaro Onodera
    •  & Michio J. Kishi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Seagrass beds are effective blue-carbon sinks, yet their role as a lime mud source in the tropical carbonate factory is less well known. Here, the authors demonstrate that the species Thalassia testudinumcan significantly contribute to carbonate production via the precipitation of aragonite needles.

    • Susana Enríquez
    •  & Nadine Schubert

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Glacial meltwaters may help fertilize the iron-limited Polar Oceans, yet the contribution is poorly constrained. Hawkings et al.monitor iron fluxes during a full-melt season in Greenland, and propose that ice sheets provide highly reactive and potentially bioavailable iron, comparable with aeolian dust fluxes.

    • Jon R. Hawkings
    • , Jemma L. Wadham
    •  & Jon Telling

  • Article |

    El Niño Southern Oscillation affects seasonal climate worldwide; however, it is uncertain how it impacts global crop yields. Here, the authors present a global assessment of the impacts of El Niño Southern Oscillation on crop productivity and show large differences among regions, crop types and cropping technologies.

    • Toshichika Iizumi
    • , Jing-Jia Luo
    •  & Toshio Yamagata

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The risks of flooding to coastal communities are increasing due to coastal development and climate change. Here, the authors use meta-analyses to quantitatively show that coral reefs can significantly reduce risks from natural hazards, and that reef defences can be enhanced cost effectively.

    • Filippo Ferrario
    • , Michael W. Beck
    •  & Laura Airoldi

  • Article |

    As global population and food demand rises, it is increasingly unclear how reactive nitrogen pollution will be mitigated. Bodirsky et al.run a series of model simulations and show that even under ambitious mitigation, reactive nitrogen pollution is likely to exceed critical environmental thresholds in the year 2050.

    • Benjamin Leon Bodirsky
    • , Alexander Popp
    •  & Miodrag Stevanovic

  • Article |

    Primary and secondary organic aerosols emitted by road vehicles are hazardous to health and climate, with diesel trucks and cars considered the main offenders. Platt et al.show that, despite constituting a small fraction of the fleet, two-stroke scooters can dominate vehicular pollution in some cities.

    • S.M. Platt
    • , I.El. Haddad
    •  & A.S.H. Prévôt

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Discards from fishing vessels are food for scavenging species, so ending the practice may have ecological consequences. Here, Heath et al. show that improving selectivity so that unwanted fish are not caught, achieves conservation benefits, while simply requiring that vessels land their entire catch, does not.

    • Michael R. Heath
    • , Robin M. Cook
    •  & Douglas C. Speirs

  • Article |

    Whether the origins of inner gorges were fluvial or subglacial has been debated for decades. Here, Jansen et al. present new evidence, in the form of a suite of cosmogenic nuclide exposure ages and a deglaciation map, which suggests a subglacial meltwater origin for inner gorges in northern Sweden.

    • J.D. Jansen
    • , A.T. Codilean
    •  & S. Xu

  • Article |

    Sprites are spectacular optical emissions in the mesosphere with an enigmatic filamentary nature. Qin et al.present high-speed video and modelling data revealing sub-millisecond dynamics to reconstruct the structures on a km-scale, showing that pre-existing plasma irregularities are responsible for their initiation.

    • Jianqi Qin
    • , Victor P. Pasko
    •  & Hans C. Stenbaek-Nielsen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Tree rings are widely used to reconstruct historical records of surface temperature. Here, Stine and Huybers analyse tree-ring records north of 50°N and show that changes in the light environment associated with both volcanic eruptions and global dimming significantly influence tree-ring growth.

    • A. R. Stine
    •  & P. Huybers

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Prediction of the Madden–Julian Oscillation using complex cloud-resolving models has been limited by computational power. Here, Miyakawa et al.run a series of simulations using the newly developed 10 peta-flop ‘K computer’ and demonstrate a Madden–Julian Oscillation predictive window of 27 days.

    • Tomoki Miyakawa
    • , Masaki Satoh
    •  & Kunio Yoneyama

  • Article |

    Lakes play an important role in the global carbon cycle and understanding their organic matter cycling is vital. Kellerman et al.apply an ultrahigh-resolution technique to 120 lakes across Sweden and show that the molecular composition is shaped by water dynamics and temperature.

    • Anne M. Kellerman
    • , Thorsten Dittmar
    •  & Lars J. Tranvik

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