All Environmental Microbiology articles
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News
Connectivity loss in pond networks threatens microbial biodiversity
A recent study explored the effects of connectivity loss within pond networks, using an outdoor experimental setup of artificial ponds (mesocosms).
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News
Microbial oxidation in glacial rivers and lakes could help mitigate methane emissions
A new study suggests microbes in glacial rivers and lakes may play a crucial role in mitigating the effects of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that recent studies have shown emerging as glaciers melt in warming global temperatures.
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Features
Microbiome research and a paradigm shift in urban building design
There is increasing evidence that this association between a host and its microbes not only determines health and disease but also influences the behaviour of humans and other animals.
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News
Researchers call on the European Commission to protect groundwater and subterranean life from pollution
A plea was published in two days after the European Parliament approved revisions to water quality assessment standards.
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Tiny poops in the ocean may help solve the carbon problem
Zooplankton could capture carbon dioxide originating from Earth’s atmosphere and deposit it deep into the sea as feces. The new technique mooted consists of spraying clay dust on the surface of the ocean at the site of large blooms of phytoplankton.
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Funding boost to bring engineering biology technologies to market
Part of a £2.8 million UKRI seed corn fund has been awarded to the Environmental Biotechnology Innovation Centre (EBIC) to bridge the gap between research and market-ready products and technologies, with comprehensive support and resources for researchers.
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News
How do microbiomes influence the study of life?
Researchers from the awardwinning One Health Microbiome Center reveal how holobiont biology underpins a holistic understanding of how life’s forms and functions, from human disease to agricultural output, depend upon the relationships between microbes and hosts.
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Study suggests how to curb spread of mold in future space stations
Researchers have created a predictive approach for modeling unintended microbial growth in critical spaces and applied it to life on the International Space Station. The study provides insight into how healthy environments might be maintained during future missions.
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News
What’s really ‘fueling’ harmful algae in Florida’s lake Okeechobee?
Lake Okeechobee is the largest lake in Florida and the second largest in the Southeastern United States. Over the past two decades, blooms of blue-green algae (Microcystis) have emerged in the lake and have been flushed into nearby urban estuaries, causing serious environmental and public health issues. Source: ...
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Recreational tubing and swimming leave microbial impact on streams
Researchers found that swimming and tubing on a Colorado creek over a busy Labor Day weekend can have a short-term effect, increasing the levels of metals, human gut-associated microbes and substances from personal care products.
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Researchers discover an effective and environment-friendly disinfectant
Researchers have discovered a promising alternative to chloroxylenol that works more effectively in combating certain common bacteria, fungi and viruses, and can be rapidly degraded and detoxified in receiving waters.
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Scientists reveal how bacteria in lakes fight climate change
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas frequently produced in the sea and in fresh water. Lakes in particular release large quantities of this climate-killer. Fortunately, however, there are microorganisms that counteract this: They are able to utilize methane to grow and generate energy, thus preventing it from being released into ...
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Careers
The role of fungi in the Amazonian bioeconomy
The term bioeconomy is entering the mainstream and has brought discussions on sustainable development into the spotlight, in particular for the Amazon region.
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Features
What a waste: poop and plastic in the study of purple martin microbiomes
Sometimes questions on conservation in research can take multiple forms.
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News
Microbes found to destroy certain ‘forever chemicals’
Scientists have discovered specific bacterial species that can destroy certain kinds of “forever chemicals,” a step further toward low-cost treatments of contaminated drinking water sources.
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News
Study reveals environmental impact of artificial sweeteners on water microbes
A new study demonstrates how sucralose affects the behavior of cyanobacteria — an aquatic photosynthetic bacteria — and diatoms, microscopic algae that account for more than 30% of the primary food production in the marine food chain.
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Features
Changing the culture of Legionella testing
Examining the history of laboratory culture for Legionella spp., and whether it’s time for change.
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Careers
The Microbial EcoGenomics and Biotechnology Lab (MEGBLab)
At MEGBLab, our mission is to advance the understanding of microorganisms and their crucial role in environmental sustainability.
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News
Sea fungus breaks down ocean plastic that has basked in sun’s UV rays
A fungus living in the sea can break down the plastic polyethylene, provided it has first been exposed to UV radiation from sunlight. Researchers from, among others, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) published their results in the scientific journal Science of the Total Environment. They expect that many ...
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News
Biobased building materials less sustainable than concrete in South Africa, experts find
Scientists at the University of Bristol have discovered that mycelium composites, biobased materials made from fungi and agricultural residues, can have a greater environmental impact than conventional fossil-fuel-based materials due to the high amount of electricity involved in their production. Source: Karana et al. Mycelium based composite in ...