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Matters Arising
| Open AccessReply to: Response to limited surface impacts of the January 2021 sudden stratospheric warming
- Nicholas A. Davis
- , Jadwiga H. Richter
- & Emerson LaJoie
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Article
| Open AccessThe effectiveness of global protected areas for climate change mitigation
Protected areas are important for climate change mitigation. Here, the authors use satellite data and statistical matching to show that terrestrial protected areas have higher C stocks than non-protected areas, roughly equivalent to one year of annual global fossil fuel emissions.
- L. Duncanson
- , M. Liang
- & A. Zvoleff
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Article
| Open AccessNewborn metabolomic signatures of maternal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance exposure and reduced length of gestation
Mechanisms of the impact of PFAS (also known as forever chemicals) on adverse birth outcomes remain largely unknown. Here, authors identified tissue neogenesis, neuroendocrine function, and redox homeostasis as imprints of prenatal PFAS exposures and reduced gestational age in the newborn metabolome.
- Kaitlin R. Taibl
- , Anne L. Dunlop
- & Donghai Liang
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Article
| Open AccessThe global power sector’s low-carbon transition may enhance sustainable development goal achievement
The low-carbon power transition could enhance global sustainable development goal (SDG) progress, but hinder that of developing economies under fossil fuel-based scenarios. Meanwhile, SDG synergies and trade-offs exist within and between economies.
- Kun Peng
- , Kuishuang Feng
- & Jiashuo Li
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Article
| Open AccessPrehistoric population expansion in Central Asia promoted by the Altai Holocene Climatic Optimum
The impact of climate change on Holocene human activity in the Altai-Sayan region of Central Asia is unclear. Here, the authors use pollen, biogenic silica, and isotope records from lake cores to show that the climate prompted human population expansion and intensified cultural exchange during the Bronze Age.
- Lixiong Xiang
- , Xiaozhong Huang
- & Fahu Chen
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Article
| Open AccessFood demand displaced by global refugee migration influences water use in already water stressed countries
While minimal in most host countries, the water needed to produce the food consumed by refugees can have a large effect on water stress in vulnerable countries. Small changes to food trade and refugee resettlement policies can alleviate this unequal burden.
- Leonardo Bertassello
- , Marc F. Müller
- & Michèle C. Müller-Itten
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Comment
| Open AccessStakeholder alliances are essential to reduce the scourge of plastic pollution
Progress to reduce plastic pollution has been painfully slow and the consequent damage to the natural environment and to human health is likely to increase further. This has been because the views and ways of working of four distinct stakeholder communities are not sufficiently well integrated. (1) Scientists, (2) industry, (3) society at large and (4) those making policy and legislation must in future find ways to work together.
- Richard S. Lampitt
- , Stephen Fletcher
- & Adrian Whyle
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Article
| Open AccessGlobal disruption of coral broadcast spawning associated with artificial light at night
This global analysis reveals that artificial light from cities is associated with the disruption of synchronised egg release by corals. This situation could reduce coral reproductive health, hindering conservation efforts in the face of climate change and other anthropogenic impacts.
- Thomas W. Davies
- , Oren Levy
- & Tim Smyth
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Article
| Open AccessRoom temperature phosphorescence from natural wood activated by external chloride anion treatment
Converting natural wood to room temperature phosphorescent (RTP) materials is a complex process often requiring toxic reagents. Here the authors convert natural wood to a RTP material using external chloride ions from a MgCl2 solution, obtaining a promising luminescent additive material for 3D printing.
- Yingxiang Zhai
- , Shujun Li
- & Zhijun Chen
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Article
| Open AccessSediment delivery to sustain the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta under climate change and anthropogenic impacts
The potential for enhanced sediment delivery to the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta exists, but it alone is insufficient to sustain the system. The delta may be resilient to climate change, but only in the absence of dam construction and water diversions.
- Jessica L. Raff
- , Steven L. Goodbred Jr.
- & Lauren A. Williams
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Article
| Open AccessPhysical and virtual nutrient flows in global telecoupled agricultural trade networks
This study identifies the flows of physical and virtual nutrients (N and P) within the global agricultural trade network by trade tracing, and explores strategies to improve global nutrient use efficiency using the telecoupling framework.
- Xiuzhi Chen
- , Yue Hou
- & Yunkai Li
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Article
| Open AccessHealth disparities among older adults following tropical cyclone exposure in Florida
Tropical cyclones pose a significant threat to human health. Here, authors show associations between tropical cyclones and risk of cause-specific hospitalizations, with elevated risks according to neighborhood-level poverty, homeownership and urbanicity.
- K. Burrows
- , G. B. Anderson
- & M. L. Bell
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Article
| Open AccessAssessing the impact of the global subsea telecommunications network on sedimentary organic carbon stocks
The sequestration of organic carbon in seafloor sediments plays a key role in regulating global climate. Here, the authors present an assessment of organic carbon disturbance related to the globally-extensive subsea telecommunications cable network.
- M. A. Clare
- , A. Lichtschlag
- & N. L. M. Barlow
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Article
| Open AccessOrganic matter degradation causes enrichment of organic pollutants in hadal sediments
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are found in hadal trench sediment in the Atacama trench at depths down to 8085 m. High turnover of organic matter in the trench contributes to elevated contaminant concentrations in this extreme and remote place.
- Anna Sobek
- , Sebastian Abel
- & Ronnie N. Glud
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Article
| Open AccessElevation-dependent intensification of fire danger in the western United States
Elevation-dependent warming trends have been previously identified, but its effect on fire danger is still unclear. Here the authors show that there has been widespread increases in fire danger across the mountainous western US from 1979 to 2020 with most acute trends at high-elevation regions above 3000 m.
- Mohammad Reza Alizadeh
- , John T. Abatzoglou
- & Mojtaba Sadegh
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Article
| Open AccessImpact of small farmers' access to improved seeds and deforestation in DR Congo
Availability of modern seed varieties in developing countries has had positive effects on households’ well-being. Here, the authors show that without support to maintain soil fertility, access to modern seed varieties increases primary forest clearance in DR Congo.
- Tanguy Bernard
- , Sylvie Lambert
- & Margaux Vinez
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Article
| Open AccessSatellites reveal hotspots of global river extent change
Rivers are among the most diverse, dynamic, and productive ecosystems on Earth. Here, using Landsat imagery, the authors provide a global attribution of the recent changes in river regime to morphological dynamics, dam-induced widening, and hydrological signals.
- Qianhan Wu
- , Linghong Ke
- & Chunqiao Song
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Article
| Open AccessRevealing influencing factors on global waste distribution via deep-learning based dumpsite detection from satellite imagery
Dumpsites are hard to locate globally. Here the authors apply deep networks to satellite images to provide an effective and low-cost way to detect dumpsites with the new method saving more than 96.8% of the manual time with a strong sensitivity to dumpsites.
- Xian Sun
- , Dongshuo Yin
- & Kun Fu
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Article
| Open AccessOzone exposure disrupts insect sexual communication
Insect pheromones can be degraded by the air pollutant ozone. Jiang et al. show that ozone-exposed male flies lose their pheromones and become less attractive to females. Additionally, ozone-exposed males exhibited increased male-male courtship behaviour as a result of reduced sex recognition.
- Nan-Ji Jiang
- , Hetan Chang
- & Markus Knaden
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Article
| Open AccessEffects of acidification on nitrification and associated nitrous oxide emission in estuarine and coastal waters
Acidification of estuarine and coastal water due to synergistic effects of human induced eutrophication and elevated atmospheric CO2 could inhibit nitrification, a vital link of nitrogen cycle, but increase the release of powerful greenhouse gas N2O.
- Jie Zhou
- , Yanling Zheng
- & Min Liu
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| Open AccessNatural resources modulate the nexus between environmental shocks and human mobility
Remote sensed information and population data for continental Africa are used to assess how migration acts as an adaptation response after drought event. The effect on mobility is amplified with drought frequency and poverty.
- Michael Brottrager
- , Jesus Crespo Cuaresma
- & Saleem H. Ali
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Article
| Open AccessGlobal Protected Areas as refuges for amphibians and reptiles under climate change
The effectiveness of protected areas under climate change is debated. Here, the authors analyse the potential effectiveness of protected areas for conserving over 70% of extant amphibian and reptile species under present and future climate scenarios.
- Chunrong Mi
- , Liang Ma
- & Weiguo Du
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Article
| Open AccessHigh-efficiency gold recovery by additive-induced supramolecular polymerization of β-cyclodextrin
Eco-friendly, efficient, and selective gold recovery technologies are urgently desired to satisfy the increasing demand for gold. Here, the authors report one such technology based on the supramolecular polymerization of second-sphere coordinated adducts formed between β-cyclodextrin and tetrabromoaurate anions.
- Huang Wu
- , Yu Wang
- & J. Fraser Stoddart
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Article
| Open AccessChina’s electric vehicle and climate ambitions jeopardized by surging critical material prices
Under a high-cost scenario for battery critical materials, the uptake of electric vehicles in China may be greatly reduced, leading to increased cumulative carbon emissions. This may jeopardize both China’s electric vehicle and climate targets.
- Hetong Wang
- , Kuishuang Feng
- & Jiashuo Li
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Comment
| Open AccessUntitled public forestlands threaten Amazon conservation
A large proportion of recent Brazilian Amazon deforestation is occurring on untitled public forestlands through land grabbing. This emerging risk demands long-term conservation strategies. Here we propose prioritizing land tenure security, technological improvement, and law enforcement.
- Paulo Moutinho
- & Claudia Azevedo-Ramos
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Article
| Open AccessUnintended consequences of combating desertification in China
This paper shows that desertification combating practices decline incomes of farmers and herders, and China needs to adapt its ecological programmes to address the impacts of climate change and create positive synergies to combat desertification.
- Xunming Wang
- , Quansheng Ge
- & Fahu Chen
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| Open AccessRecent decrease of the impact of tropical temperature on the carbon cycle linked to increased precipitation
The authors show a recent decoupling of the tropical temperature variations and the carbon cycle that is driven by wetter conditions in the tropics.
- Wenmin Zhang
- , Guy Schurgers
- & Martin Brandt
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Article
| Open AccessVariation of lightning-ignited wildfire patterns under climate change
This study shows that climate change is expected to result in a 41% increase in the frequency of lightning worldwide. This increase has the potential to amplify the risk of lightning-induced wildfires.
- Francisco J. Pérez-Invernón
- , Francisco J. Gordillo-Vázquez
- & Patrick Jöckel
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| Open AccessBiophysical impacts of earth greening can substantially mitigate regional land surface temperature warming
Using satellite observations over the recent two decades, the authors quantify the biophysical impact of earth greening on land surface temperature and show a considerable cooling effect in India and China, important for climate mitigation.
- Yitao Li
- , Zhao-Liang Li
- & Lingling Ma
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Article
| Open AccessStratospheric impacts on dust transport and air pollution in West Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean
Today, most operational dust forecasts extend only 2-5 days. New research finds that the stratosphere exerts long-lasting influence on Saharan dust emission and transport, contributing to subseasonal predictability for dust and air pollution over West Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean.
- Ying Dai
- , Peter Hitchcock
- & Adwoa Aboagye-Okyere
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| Open AccessThe burden of heatwave-related preterm births and associated human capital losses in China
Frequent heatwaves caused by global warming can lead to an increased risk of preterm birth, however, what remains unknown is the extent to which anthropogenic climate change has contributed to such burdens. Here, the authors combine health impact and economic assessment methods to comprehensively evaluate the entire preterm birth burden of heatwave exposure.
- Yali Zhang
- , Shakoor Hajat
- & Cunrui Huang
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Article
| Open AccessRisk of the hydrogen economy for atmospheric methane
H2 has the potential to become the green, low-carbon fuel of the future. However, hydrogen emissions impact atmospheric methane (CH4). Bertagni et al. investigate the fate of atmospheric CH4 in scenarios of H2 economy.
- Matteo B. Bertagni
- , Stephen W. Pacala
- & Amilcare Porporato
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Matters Arising
| Open AccessReply to: Re-examining extreme carbon isotope fractionation in the coccolithophore Ochrosphaera neapolitana
- Yi-Wei Liu
- , Robert A. Eagle
- & Justin B. Ries
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Article
| Open AccessShort-term exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5 increases mortality risks and burdens in Brazil
To assess mortality risks and burdens associated with short-term exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5, the authors collect daily mortality data from 2000 to 2016 for 510 immediate regions in Brazil, the most wildfire-prone area.
- Tingting Ye
- , Rongbin Xu
- & Shanshan Li
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Article
| Open AccessMulti-angular polarimetric remote sensing to pinpoint global aerosol absorption and direct radiative forcing
Chen et al. demonstrate the use of multi-angular polarimetric remote sensing to pinpoint global aerosol absorption and direct radiative forcing.
- Cheng Chen
- , Oleg Dubovik
- & Ying Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessSouth Asian black carbon is threatening the water sustainability of the Asian Water Tower
South Asian black carbon’s pairing activities (direct and indirect effects) are driving glacial mass decline of the so-called “Water Tower of Asia” with the potential to threaten future water resources for the countries that rely upon its source.
- Junhua Yang
- , Shichang Kang
- & Robert R. Gillies
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Article
| Open AccessDeficiency and excess of groundwater iodine and their health associations
Both iodine deficiency and excess could cause thyroid disorders. By creating a national map of groundwater iodine throughout China, the authors reveal the spatial responses of diverse health risks to iodine in continental groundwater.
- Ruoqi Ma
- , Mingquan Yan
- & Jinren Ni
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| Open AccessU.S. winter wheat yield loss attributed to compound hot-dry-windy events
The authors show that in recent decades compound climate extremes (i.e., hot, dry, and windy events) have increased and have reduced winter wheat yields in the U.S. Great Plains. The area most affected is the same area as that in 1930s Dust Bowl.
- Haidong Zhao
- , Lina Zhang
- & Xiaomao Lin
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Article
| Open AccessForest fire threatens global carbon sinks and population centres under rising atmospheric water demand
Rising forest flammability could become a major public health issue and amplify climate change via feedbacks on the carbon cycle. Here the authors identify daily fuel moisture thresholds associated with increased fire risk in earth’s forests.
- Hamish Clarke
- , Rachael H. Nolan
- & Matthias M. Boer
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Article
| Open AccessUnderstanding soil selenium accumulation and bioavailability through size resolved and elemental characterization of soil extracts
Selenium is essential for human health and mainly delivered via terrestrial foodstuffs. An advanced characterization of selenium chemical forms shows that organic matter increases its accumulation in soils but could limit its supply to plants
- Julie Tolu
- , Sylvain Bouchet
- & Lenny H. E. Winkel
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Article
| Open AccessAir quality impacts of crop residue burning in India and mitigation alternatives
We quantify the air quality and health impacts of Indian crop residue burning and trace these impacts back to individual burning events by hour and district. We find that small interventions, such as burning one hour earlier in the day, may provide broad public health benefits
- Ruoyu Lan
- , Sebastian D. Eastham
- & Steven R. H. Barrett
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Article
| Open AccessEnergy requirements and carbon emissions for a low-carbon energy transition
A low-carbon energy transition consistent with 1.5 °C of warming may result in substantial carbon emissions. Moreover, the initial push to substitute fossil fuels with low-carbon alternatives will reduce the net energy available to society.
- Aljoša Slameršak
- , Giorgos Kallis
- & Daniel W. O’Neill
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Article
| Open AccessBeaver dams overshadow climate extremes in controlling riparian hydrology and water quality
Beaver dams increase water flow gradients and nitrate removal far more than seasonal climate extremes. An expanding beaver range is an ecosystem feedback to climate change which could improve water quality.
- Christian Dewey
- , Patricia M. Fox
- & Scott Fendorf
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Article
| Open AccessThree-dimensional open architecture enabling salt-rejection solar evaporators with boosted water production efficiency
Conventional salt-rejection evaporators typically exhibit low evaporation rate due to large heat loss. Here, authors demonstrate a solar evaporator featuring vertically aligned mass transfer bridges that takes advantage of the conductive heat to enable optimized water transport and salt backflow.
- Kaijie Yang
- , Tingting Pan
- & Yu Han
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Article
| Open AccessUnequal airborne exposure to toxic metals associated with race, ethnicity, and segregation in the USA
A new study assesses differences in exposure to particulate air pollution between racially segregated and racially integrated communities in the U.S, and finds that segregated communities are exposed to higher proportions of toxic and carcinogenic metals.
- John K. Kodros
- , Michelle L. Bell
- & John Volckens
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Article
| Open AccessThe impact of phosphorus on projected Sub-Saharan Africa food security futures
New research finds future rock fertiliser use as a contributor towards food security in Sub-Saharan Africa can be achieved with both sustainability-driven and fossil-fuel-driven economic growth.
- Daniel Magnone
- , Vahid J. Niasar
- & Sheida Z. Sattari
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Article
| Open AccessImpacts of shared mobility on vehicle lifetimes and on the carbon footprint of electric vehicles
Shared cars are driven more, which could shorten their lifetimes. This could influence carbon dioxide emissions in car manufacturing. Sharing nonetheless reduces carbon footprints. Designing cars for durability can further enhance the benefits
- Johannes Morfeldt
- & Daniel J. A. Johansson
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Article
| Open AccessIntercomparison of regional loss estimates from global synthetic tropical cyclone models
Various synthetic tropical cyclone datasets exist for risk assessment purposes. Here, the authors conduct a global dataset comparison to assess their suitability and applicability in answering different impact-related questions.
- Simona Meiler
- , Thomas Vogt
- & David N. Bresch
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Article
| Open AccessDeforestation intensifies daily temperature variability in the northern extratropics
A new study finds that deforestation in the northern extratropics can enhance horizontal temperature advection through biogeophysical processes, leading to higher local daily temperature variability, particularly in winter.
- Jun Ge
- , Qi Liu
- & Weidong Guo