Eyal Harel’s Post

A recent study by GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, part of the European oceanNETs project, explored the effects of Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) on marine food webs. Conducted off Gran Canaria, the research utilized KOSMOS mesocosms to test varying levels of alkalinity on zooplankton. Results indicated that zooplankton communities remained stable despite moderate chemical changes. This suggests potential for OAE in climate protection by enhancing CO2 absorption without further acidification. However, further research is necessary to understand OAE's broader environmental impacts and to develop responsible application frameworks across diverse marine ecosystems.

🌱A recent Science Magazine study confirmed a massive store of soil inorganic carbon worldwide, challenging traditional views. Find out how this dynamic carbon pool impacts #climate, #ecosystems, and our future. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dHZEekai #SoilCarbon #ClimateScience Dmitry Schepaschenko Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Soil Science, CAS Nanjing

🚀 New Paper Alert! 🌱🌍 Excited to share our latest research published in Chemosphere (IF 8.1)! 🔬✨ During my PhD, I developed a side project to explore the potential of Antarctic psychrotolerant fungi for the biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Our study unveils key factors influencing this process, highlighting how extremophiles can be powerful allies in the remediation of contaminated areas, even under harsh environmental conditions. 💡 Why does this matter? Extremophiles are true specialists in surviving and thriving in extreme environments. Harnessing their unique adaptations can open new frontiers for sustainable solutions in extreme environmental remediation. A huge thank you to Dr. Willian Garcia Birolli leading expert in bioremediation, for his invaluable partnership and supervision throughout this project. Special thanks to Prof Edson Rodrigues-Filho not only for his guidance as a supervisor but also for securing the funding that made this research possible. I also deeply appreciate Prof. Lara Durães Sette for providing the fungal strains that were essential for our study. Finally, a big shoutout to all my co-authors for their incredible contributions and collaboration. It was an honor to work with such a dedicated team! 🙌 📄 Read the full article here: 🔗https://lnkd.in/gwNUAWhm 🚀🔬 #Extremophiles #Bioremediation #Antartic #Environment #PAHS #EnvironmentalChemistry

Biochar, the new gold AND the new road to perdition? Below we see Fig. 6 from the paper: “Conte, P.; Bertani, R.; Sgarbossa, P.; Bambina, P.; Schmidt, H.-P.; Raga, R.; Lo Papa, G.; Chillura Martino, D.F.; Lo Meo, P. Recent Developments in Understanding Biochar Physical-Chemistry. Agronomy 2021, 11, 615. https://doi.org/10.3390/ agronomy11040615” Biochar Produced at a minimal temperature of 300 degrees celcius, forming little holes where the Volatile Organic Carbon (VOC) escaped. So wildly interesting as it turns carbon molecules into something so refractory that it will remain unchanged for hundreds of years! Palaeobotanists are very keen on such charcoals, they delight us as they are so inert that we can study taxonomic structures 270 million years after the charring event. So I wonder: how can that biochar be fertile? VOC But more importantly: the arctic heat anomaly is caused by something we call pollutants, amongst others VOLATILE ORGANIC CARBON (VOC). These VOC cause ozone accumulation in the Arctic winter. The troposphere is a lava lamp Ozone is a short lived greenhouse gas and is responsible for the Arctic heat anomaly. It escapes slowly from the high latitudes towards the low ones, from the low altitudes to the high ones. As that gas bubble climbs, it causes storms that incorporate its heat into the oceans that release ocean gasses (because the sollubility of gasses in water depends on the temperature of the water). So imagine a lava lamp, but with gasses. Pollutants ARE the problem As a matter of fact we are producing so much industrial pollutants already that the oceans release their CO2 ( we used to think it was industrial CO2, but it isn’t, its ocean emitted), but also numerous other gasses, like CH4, Chlorine, SF6, or water vapour, these ascend to the stratosphere where they cause stratospheric ozone depletion, which gives cooling up there, and warming down here. Conclusion By making biochar, we cause the oceans to release more CO2, which isn’t the biggest desaster, although quite unhealthy, for both inhabitants of the hydrosphere and the troposphere! No. The biggest desaster it that the heat and the pollutants (a.o. VOC) give the tropospheric warming that causes the ocean to release their gasses, which gasses ascend to the stratosphere where they deplete the stratospheric ozone. This gives stratospheric cooling and tropospheric warming. So biochar… I don’t think so! Let’s BUILD in wood.

"Algae: the unsung heroes of our planet. These microscopic organisms are the lungs of the Earth, producing over half of the world's oxygen and forming the base of the aquatic food chain. Beyond their ecological role, algae hold promise in biofuel production, carbon sequestration, and as a sustainable source of food and pharmaceuticals. Embracing the potential of algae means investing in a greener, more sustainable future for all." _ 🌟Completing the algae introduction course is a significant step for me as someone passionate about algae. 🥳🥳🥳 _Algae Basics _ Algal Diversity _ Algal Ecology _ Algae bio manufacturing This modules which the course contains deepen my understanding of Algae ecological impact and potential in sustainability, opening new doors for research and innovation in the algae industry. Excited for the journey ahead! _Thanks for UC San Diego and ATEC for this opportunity . #UssanDiego #ATEC #algae #biofuel

Pattern of total organic carbon in sediments within the mangrove ecosystem - Frontiers in Marine Science: The sedimentary total organic carbon (TOC) in mangrove ecosystems plays an essential role in the global carbon storage. Nevertheless, little information is available about the pattern of TOC in sediments varying from bare and flat to those beneath mangroves. To find out the roles of new-developing mangroves in sedimentary TOC accumulation, a serials of sediment samples were collected from the creek mudflat zone (CMZ) through the fringe mangrove zone (FMZ) to the interior mangrove zone (IMZ) in young mangrove system of Nanliu River Delta in China. Sediment compositions, TOC, total nitrogen (TN), molar C/N ratios, and carbon stable isotopes (δ13C) were analyzed to examine the accumulation processes. The results revealed the distinct differences in the sedimentary TOC values, with an obvious increasing trend from the CMZ and FMZ to the IMZ. We quantified that terrestrials, marine-derived and mangrove-derived sources contributed 39.2-74.1%, 24.7-63.1% and 0.9-6.9%, respectively, to the sedimentary TOC in the mangrove ecosystems. The organic carbon accumulation rates ranged from 2.59 to 269.60 g*m-2*a-1, with values of 8.77 ± 19.87, 24.78 ± 12.53, 167.19 ± 57.79 g*m-2*a-1 for CMZ, FMZ and IMZ. Our work highlights information showing that young mangrove forests of the tropical delta have important potential for carbon storage. https://lnkd.in/gjPvYi8Q

My first paper is officially out!! 🥳 🎉 🤔Do you want to know how time ⏰ and climate 🌧️🌡️ affect the dynamics of Soil Organic Carbon? Take a look at the "first part" of my project!!! https://lnkd.in/dmM-3vRx The "second part" coming soon! The research continues💪✌️ #climatechange #chronosequence #climosequence #organicmatter

I am beyond excited to share my first academic publication! My review paper on Microalgal Bioprospecting has been published in Springer Nature's ''Natural Products and Bioprospecting'' Journal. Writing this review has been an essential foundation from which to plan my PhD journey. I’m deeply grateful for the guidance provided by my supervisors and co-authors, Peter Ralph and Andrei Herdean, as well as the support provided by my incredible Climate Change Cluster (C3) colleagues. This review analyzes the current technological state of microalgal bioprospecting and explores novel avenues driving the next generation of algal biodiscovery. I hope this review incites meaningful conversations and sparks a transdisciplinary curiosity that leads to the implementation of novel approaches in bioprospecting endeavours! Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gvsDxK2g #Microalgae #Bioprospecting #Biotechnology

🌱 Understanding Ecological Pyramids: A Key to Ecosystem Dynamics 🌍 Ecological pyramids are a powerful way to visualize the relationship between different trophic levels in an ecosystem. They show the distribution of energy, biomass, and organisms in a food chain, helping us understand how ecosystems function. 🔍 Types of Ecological Pyramids: 1. Pyramid of Numbers – Shows the number of organisms at each trophic level. In general, producers (plants) are abundant, while top predators are fewer. 2. Pyramid of Biomass – Represents the total mass of living organisms at each level. Typically, biomass decreases as we move up the food chain. 3. Pyramid of Energy – The most accurate, it represents the flow of energy. Energy always decreases as it moves up the food chain due to heat loss (10% rule). 🔑 Key Takeaways: Energy pyramids always remain upright, illustrating that energy decreases at higher trophic levels. Understanding ecological pyramids gives us valuable insights into the balance of nature. What’s your favorite example of an ecological pyramid in the wild? Share your thoughts below! 💬 #Ecology #Sustainability #Biodiversity #BioByPriti #EnvironmentalScience #TrophicLevels #EnergyFlow

Excited to share that my first PhD research article has been published in Science of the Total Environment! This study explores greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes from the leaves of tropical tree species, a topic that, to our knowledge, is being investigated for the first time at this scale. Check out the paper here and happy reading!