Soil organic carbon dynamics are a key indicator for assessing the success of ecosystem restoration. According to a new study by researchers from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, soil microorganisms play a critical role in regulating carbon storage in tropical ecosystems undergoing recovery. The study, published in Catena on August 27, showed t
Life SciencesEnvironment & ClimateCarbon Neutrality#Chinese Academy of Sciences#Research News#Carbon Neutrality#genomics#biology#climate#decarbonization
Scientists recently discovered various Denisovan remains in Southwest China dating back to the late Middle Pleistocene, including the first Denisovan radius—one of two long bones in the forearm. Denisovans are a genetically identified archaic hominin group believed to have been widely distributed across Asia. However, due to the limited number of fossil remains, especially postcranial bones—those
Life SciencesEnvironment & ClimatePaleontology#Chinese Academy of Sciences#Research News#paleontology#genomics#biology#climate#decarbonization
The genus Androsace is widely distributed across the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with notable diversity in the Alps and the Hengduan–Himalaya regions. Previous phylogenetic studies have advanced the understanding of Androsace 's evolutionary history, but its biogeographic origins and diversification history remain unresolved due to limited species sampling and low statistical sup
Environment & ClimateBiodiversity#Chinese Academy of Sciences#Research News#biodiversity#climate#decarbonization
Satellites are becoming increasingly important to track global carbon cycle. China is preparing to launch its next-generation carbon monitoring satellite, TanSat-2, which is designed to provide global and regional observations of column-averaged carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ). Atmospheric CO 2 observations contain signals from both human activities and carbon exchanged between atmosphe
Environment & ClimateCarbon Neutrality#Chinese Academy of Sciences#Research News#Carbon Neutrality#climate#decarbonization
Not every dry year means degraded land. A new framework published in Catena on August 25 can distinguish persistent degradation from short-term climate fluctuations. Land degradation remains a critical ecological challenge worldwide, undermining ecosystem services, food security, and sustainable development. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has established Land Degra
Environment & ClimateConservationClimate#Chinese Academy of Sciences#Research News#Conservation#climate#decarbonization
Freshwater protected areas (FPAs) are widely promoted as an important conservation tool for rebuilding overexploited fish populations and protecting aquatic habitats. Yet simply banning fishing does not always guarantee ecological recovery. This is partly because non-native, stocked, and benthivorous fishes may also benefit from reduced fishing pressure. A new study suggests that targeted fish rem
Environment & ClimateConservation#Chinese Academy of Sciences#Research News#Conservation#climate#decarbonization
Goji berry ( Lycium barbarum L.) is a perennial woody cash crop valued for its nutritional and medicinal properties and of significant industrial importance. However, its typical indeterminate growth habit has become a major bottleneck to the development of the goji berry industry. This trait causes goji branches to continuously sprout, bloom, and bear fruit over time. Consequently, flowers and fr
Environment & ClimateBioengineering#Chinese Academy of Sciences#Research News#Bioengineering#climate#decarbonization
Dr. Teun Munnik has been appointed Professor of Plant Cell Biology at the University of Amsterdam. Munnik is affiliated with the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (SILS) at the Faculty of Science. The appointment came into effect on 1 January 2026. As professor, Munnik will further strengthen research and education in molecular cell biology within the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences.
Life SciencesEnvironment & Climate#University of Amsterdam#genomics#biology#climate#decarbonization
A research team from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has proposed a new ecosystem health framework to track long-term, consistent ecological changes across Asian drylands. Based on the framework, the team found that ecosystem health across Asian drylands declined steadily until 2012, then partially recovered after 2014. Central Asia c
Environment & ClimateClimateConservation#Chinese Academy of Sciences#Research News#climate#Conservation#decarbonization
"Red berries grow in southern land, how many spring branches hold?" The red beans described by WANG Wei (701–761) in his poem have evoked the longing of the Chinese people for thousands of years. Today, right in the "southern land" mentioned in the poem—the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area—a research team has unveiled the identity of two new species of this very genus. Recently, a team l
Environment & Climate#Chinese Academy of Sciences#Research News#climate#decarbonization
The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) earned a new lab record with 22 R&D 100 Awards in 2026 for technologies that advance energy, manufacturing, computing, biotechnology and other fields. ORNL led 18 of the winning technologies and contributed to four additional award-winning projects led by partner institutions.
Fusion EnergyLife SciencesEnvironment & Climate#Oak Ridge National Laboratory#fusion#plasma physics#genomics#biology#climate#decarbonization#grid
