New tool aims to boost ocean-based renewable energy

North Carolina State University

Researchers have created a new modeling tool that can be used to help develop ocean-based hydrokinetic energy projects. The tool can be used both to help design more robust marine hydrokinetic technologies and to inform risk assessments that are essential for securing financing and permitting of commercial projects.

At issue are marine hydrokinetic devices, which convert the mechanical energy of the ocean’s tides, current and waves into electricity.

“Marine hydrokinetic technologies hold promise for being a significant contributor to sustainable energy portfolios in the future,” says Anderson de Queiroz, co-author of a paper on the work and an associate professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering at North Carolina State University. “However, the same currents and waves that allow hydrokinetic devices to generate electricity can also damage the devices during extreme weather events, such as hurricanes or tropical storms. For example, waves generated by high winds could potentially tear devices loose from their moorings and anchoring system.”

“Marine hydrokinetic energy projects are expensive to get off the ground,” says Mo Gabr, co-author of the paper and Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering and Construction at NC State. “If a developer is proposing a marine hydrokinetic project, it will need to apply for permits and get insurance – and both of those things will require the developer to do a robust risk assessment. That’s where fragility curve estimates come in.”

For risk assessments, it is important to know how much force the components of marine hydrokinetic device can withstand before it breaks loose from the ocean floor. And that’s exactly what a fragility curve estimate can tell you. Specifically, in this context, a fragility curve estimates how much force a marine hydrokinetic device can withstand from hurricanes or storms before damage occurs due to mooring system failure.

“So, a fragility curve estimate helps you make more informed risk assessments regarding marine hydrokinetic energy projects,” de Queiroz says. “However, it also gives you information you can use to design marine hydrokinetic device mooring and anchoring systems that are more robust and better able to withstand extreme weather conditions.

“Our goal with this work, which focused on hydrokinetic devices called ocean current turbines, was to create a model that can do two things,” de Queiroz says. “First, allow users to determine the fragility curve estimate for their projects based on the specific characteristics of the devices and mooring and anchoring systems they are using. Second, incorporate a hydrodynamic simulation component that allows users to see precisely how their systems respond to various currents and wind speeds. This second element is particularly valuable for helping system designers develop more robust devices and mooring systems.”

With that in mind, the researchers have created a piece of software that allows users to plug in the specific data associated with their marine hydrokinetic projects, such as ocean currents, wind speeds, the physical characteristics of the hydrokinetic devices and mooring systems, and so on. The software can then be used to determine not only how likely a system is to break free from its moorings at the relevant location, but how much current or wind speed the technology could withstand before such failure occurs.

“For example, you could use this tool to determine whether your device would likely break loose from its anchoring and mooring system during a 100-year storm,” de Queiroz says.

“But you could also use this tool to modify your device or mooring system in the simulation until its support capacity characteristics are capable of withstanding a 100-year storm – and then use that information to design a system that has the attributes that will provide such capacity.”

The researchers plan to make the software program freely available on the GitHub platform.

“We hope our model will be useful for advancing successful marine hydrokinetic energy projects and technologies that will make meaningful contributions to renewable energy,” de Queiroz says.

The paper, “Bayesian Modeling and Mechanical Simulations for Fragility Curve Estimation of The Mooring System of Marine Hydrokinetic Devices,” is published in the journal Applied Ocean Research. Corresponding author of the paper is Victor de Faria, who received his Ph.D. from NC State earlier this year. The paper was co-authored by Neda Jamaleddin, a Ph.D. student at NC State.

This work was done with support from the North Carolina Renewable Ocean Energy Program under grant number 16065 11-0127.

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Journal

Applied Ocean Research

DOI

10.1016/j.apor.2024.104243 

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Bayesian Modeling and Mechanical Simulations for Fragility Curve Estimation of The Mooring System of Marine Hydrokinetic Devices

 

Light pollution disturbs moths even in the dark

University of Würzburg

 

image: 

The flight paths of individual moths were tracked using radar. On the left a large yellow underwing (Noctua pronuba) with a transponder.

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Credit: Jacqueline Degen / University of Wuerzburg

The increasing use of artificial light at night is one of the most dramatic man-made changes on earth. Streetlights and illuminated buildings are significantly changing the environment for nocturnal animals.

Scientists have identified light pollution as one of the causes of the sharp decline in insects in recent years: many nocturnal insects fly to artificial light sources and circle around them incessantly. There they become easy prey for bats and other predators or eventually fall to the ground exhausted and die.

Moths are one group of nocturnal insects that are in significant decline. Their disappearance is also problematic because they play a key role in food webs and in the pollination of plants.

Results Published in the Journal PNAS

A new study now shows that the behaviour of moths changes not only in the cone of light from street lamps, but also outside the illuminated area. The experiments were carried out by a group from Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) Würzburg in Bavaria, Germany, in cooperation with researchers from Berlin and Providence (USA). The results have been published in the scientific journal PNAS.

"Using radar tracking, we found that the orientation of moths is also disturbed outside the cone of light: the flight paths of the three species of hawkmoths and one species of lappet moths, for which we were even able to demonstrate a barrier effect from streetlights, were significantly more curvy than normal," says Dr Jacqueline Degen, head of a junior research group at the JMU Biocentre.

"Surprisingly, we had to reject our basic assumption that most individuals would fly to one of the streetlights," explains the Würzburg researcher. This only applied to four per cent of the individuals studied: "This suggests that the effects of light pollution are not limited to direct attraction to light sources, but are much more far-reaching and complex than previously assumed."

Flight tracking using a Radar System near Marburg

The experiments took place at a radar system in Großseelheim near Marburg in Germany. The harmonic radar is currently the only radar system that can track small insects over several hundred metres. The research group observed the flight behaviour of a total of 95 moths up to one kilometre away from the release point, which was surrounded by a total of six street lamps at a distance of 85 metres.

In order to record the insects by radar, a transponder had to be attached to each individual moth. This small antenna is 10.5 milligrams light and twelve millimetres long. It does not change the flight behaviour of the moths in any way – the researchers had previously clarified this in elaborate control experiments.

Interaction With the Moon

What also emerged from the experiments: There is an interaction between the disorientation of the moths caused by artificial light and the moon. This depends on whether the moon is above or below the horizon. "We don't yet have a precise understanding of this interaction," says Jacqueline Degen. But this is likely to change in the course of further research.

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Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2401215121 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Shedding light with harmonic radar: Unveiling the hidden impacts of streetlights on moth flight behavior.

Article Publication Date

8-Oct-2024

 ANOTHER MIGRANT MYTH BUSTED

Study: Rise in English learner students in “new destination” states helps, does not hurt, academic outcomes for existing students

American Educational Research Association

Washington, October 9, 2024—English learner (EL) students represent the fastest growing student group in the United States over the past two decades, with numbers of EL students in public schools soaring in “new destination” states across the South and Midwest. Some commentators have expressed concerns about the possible adverse effect of immigrant students on current students if they require additional resources that are diverted from their peers.

However, a new study finds significant positive spillover effects of new EL students in these states on existing students’ test scores, especially in reading. The study was published today in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association. It was conducted by Sy Doan, Samuel Enrique Morales, Umut Ozek, and Heather Schwartz, all from RAND, a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy and research institute.

Looking at the impact of new EL students on the academic achievement of their peers in their first year in a new destination state, the authors found that the benefits are mainly concentrated among former or current ELs. They found no adverse effects on non-ELs.

“Our findings contradict the narrative that the arrival of EL students lowers student performance overall,” said study co-author Umut Ozek, a senior economist at RAND. “While new ELs may require additional educational resources initially, they do not harm the academic achievement of existing students.”

“In fact, our research suggests that incoming ELs could even improve the academic achievement of the existing current and former ELs in the first year, which might help close the gaps between ELs and non-ELs,” Ozek said.

The study is the first to examine the spillover effects of the large influx of EL students in new destination states over the past two decades. States that were below the national average in 2000 in the percentage of enrolled EL students account for 90 percent of the increase in EL students across the U.S. since then.

The authors analyzed student-level administrative data from Delaware covering all students in grades 4 through 8 enrolled in the state’s public schools between the 2015–16 and 2018–19 school years. The number of EL students in Delaware has increased seven-fold over the past 20 years.

Ozek noted that traditional destination states, such as California and New York, benefit from pre-existing infrastructure to accommodate newly arriving students that is unavailable or newly built in new destination states. EL policies and practices also vary greatly across states and school districts, and the composition of immigrants and refugees examined in prior research is likely different from that of the newly arriving EL students in new destination states.

“To be certain, a large influx of any population into a school system places strain on districts, as they have to grow to accommodate incoming students,” Ozek said. “And the specific needs of incoming students can trigger a host of necessary social and academic supports. But our study should assuage concerns by state and federal policy makers that large inflows of recent immigrants may be overwhelming school districts and harming classroom achievement.”

Study citation: Doan, S., Morales, S. E., Ozek, U., & Schwartz, H. (2024). Educational spillover effects of new English learners in a new destination state. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. Prepublished October 9, 2024. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737241282412

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About AERA
The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the largest national interdisciplinary research association devoted to the scientific study of education and learning. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education, and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good. Find AERA on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky.

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Journal

Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis

DOI

10.3102/01623737241282412 

Article Title

Educational Spillover Effects of New English Learners in a New Destination State

Article Publication Date

9-Oct-2024

 

The complex social life of rats uncovered with potential implications for human psychiatry

The discovery not only deepens our understanding of rat social structures but also implies important lessons for developing psychiatric medications.

Eötvös Loránd University

 

image: 

The researchers at ELTE observed varied patterns of dominance and coexistence, challenging preconceived notions about rats and potentially human social interactions. In some instances, hierarchies stabilized only after numerous conflicts, while peaceful cohabitation was the norm in other scenarios. These dynamics were influenced significantly by the composition and reorganization of the rat groups, showcasing the profound impact of the social environment on behavior.

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Credit: Photo credit: The Department of Biological Physics at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University

The social behaviors of the Rattus norvegicus, commonly known as the Norway rat,  are far more complex than previously thought - as a team of researchers from ELTE Eötvös Loránd University revealed in a pioneering study published in the journal Scientific Reports. This discovery not only deepens our understanding of rat social structures but also implies important lessons for developing psychiatric medications.

The biological properties of rats show much greater similarities to human cells and organs than most people would expect. In simplified terms,

nearly 90% of the genes in humans and rats share significant similarities.

The researchers at ELTE observed varied patterns of dominance and coexistence, challenging preconceived notions about rats and potentially human social interactions. In some instances, hierarchies stabilized only after numerous conflicts, while peaceful cohabitation was the norm in other scenarios. These dynamics were influenced significantly by the composition and reorganization of the rat groups, showcasing the profound impact of the social environment on behavior.

When rats from a hierarchical group were mixed with those from a non-hierarchical group, the outcome was sometimes a hierarchical group, and sometimes a peaceful one. Another unexpected result was that there was relatively little correlation between the "personality" traits defined in standard personality and social tests (commonly used in drug or behavioral research) and the actual behavior observed within the real groups.

This suggests that rats' social lives, socialization, and relationship to their traits are far more complex than can be interpreted using any simple mechanism. One interesting aspect of this result is that when examining the effects of certain psychotropic drugs in animal experiments,

researchers must be extremely cautious with their conclusions, as rat group behavior contains paradoxes.

The rats were color-coded so that the automated system could track them 24 hours a day for eight months.

The Department of Biological Physics at ELTE, in collaboration with Enikő Kubinyi at the Department of Ethology, conducted this important, gap-filling research and published it in „Scientific Reports”, part of the „Nature” portfolio. The research began as part of an ERC Advanced Grant previously awarded to Tamás Vicsek, professor emeritus at the Institute of Physics, but processing the vast dataset generated took years.

The resulting publication is a unique work in its field, due to the enormous amount of data behind it, the design of the experiments, and the wide range of evaluation methods used. Máté Nagy played a key role in the design and execution, while Gábor Vásárhelyi developed highly innovative software solutions for processing the visual data.

At the end of the experiment, the researchers made efforts to take care of the animals, and they were delighted that all of them found adoptive homes.

(A) Photo of the rats with color-codes for individual identification and tracking.

(C) Continuous tracking allowed for the reconstruction of each individual’s space use. The heatmap shows the space use of two rats during a 3-week period at the beginning of phase 3. Areas used only by a3 are shown with red, only by β1 with green, and areas visited by both (e.g. at the water and the feeder) are shown with yellow.

For more information: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-72437-5/figures/1 

Credit

Photo credit: The Department of Biological Physics at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University

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Journal

Scientific Reports

DOI

10.1038/s41598-024-72437-5 

Article Title

Long-term tracking of social structure in groups of rats

Article Publication Date

1-Oct-2024

Optimizing sustainable development in arid river basins: A multi-objective model balances water, energy, economy, carbon, and ecology

 News Release 9-Oct-2024
Eurasia Academic Publishing Group

A collaborative research team from Beijing Normal University and the University of Regina has introduced a new approach to sustainable development in arid river basins through a Grey Fractional Multi-Objective Programming (GFMOP) model. The study, recently published, focuses on balancing water, energy, economy, carbon emissions, and ecological considerations to provide a comprehensive solution for resource management in arid and semi-arid regions.

The researchers applied this model to the Tarim River Basin in Northwest China, a critical region suffering from water scarcity and environmental degradation. The study explored 32 scenarios, examining factors such as carbon removal rates and water conveyance efficiency.

Key findings indicate that improving water use efficiency can simultaneously reduce carbon emissions and safeguard the environment. Wind power development is highlighted as a priority, with its share in the energy structure projected to rise to 23.3% by 2060. Additionally, promoting carbon capture technologies and expanding grassland coverage are crucial for achieving regional carbon neutrality.

This study provides detailed strategies for resource allocation and pollutant control, offering valuable guidance for policymakers and stakeholders aiming for sustainable and balanced watershed management.

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Journal

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology

DOI

10.1016/j.ese.2024.100481 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Optimizing sustainable development in arid river basins: A multi-objective approach to balancing water, energy, economy, carbon and ecology nexus

 

Transgender or gender diverse populations in Canada suffer from higher rate of mental disorders and suicide: uOttawa study

New research from the University of Ottawa finds the prevalence of serious mental disorders and suicidality is higher among people who identify as transgender or gender diverse compared to cisgender.

University of Ottawa

New research from the University of Ottawa finds the prevalence of serious mental disorders and suicidality is higher among people who identify as transgender or gender diverse compared to cisgender.

Published in JAMA, the research represents one of the first nationally representative samples, with responses from nearly 10,000 Canadians aged 15 or older providing insight into the psychological hurdles this marginalized population lives with.

Summary:

• Transgender and gender diverse people were up to three times more likely to meet the criteria for depression, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder and social phobia over a one-year period compared to cisgender people. 
• More than half of transgender or gender diverse people in the study had met the criteria for major depression, generalized anxiety, or social phobia in their lives. 
• Transgender and gender diverse people were three times more likely to report thoughts of suicide and 6 times more likely to have attempted suicide during their lifetime.

“This research is important because it highlights that we need better supports for transgender and gender diverse people, who experience high rates of prejudice and discrimination,” says lead author Heidi Eccles, a PhD student in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health who collaborated with researchers from eight other universities.

“Research like this should inform policy decisions regarding providing gender affirming care and support,” adds senior author and Full Professor Dr. Ian Colman, whose previous research has investigated suicide and self-harm among transgender teens and adolescents. 

The researchers will be looking to continue investigating factors to support mental health and build resiliency in transgender and gender diverse youth, including at the clinical level.

“Given these mental health disparities, there is a need for increased mental health services and access for transgender and gender diverse individuals,” says Nicole Racine, Assistant Professor of Psychology and fellow author on the research. “Feeling accepted, understood, and socially supported are critical ingredients for this care.”

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Journal

JAMA

DOI

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.36883 

Method of Research

Literature review

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Mental Disorders and Suicidality in Transgender and Gender-Diverse People

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors among autistic transgender or gender-nonconforming US college students

JAMA Network Open

About The Study: This cross-sectional study addresses the dearth of information on how intersectionality in gender and autism status impacts the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and the results confirm the elevated risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among transgender or gender nonconforming and autistic populations. Interventions are needed to support college students with these identities. 

Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Annabelle M. Mournet, MS, email amm883@psych.rutgers.edu.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.38345)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

#  #  #

Embed this link to provide your readers free access to the full-text article This link will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.38345?utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=100924

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is an online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication. 

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Journal

JAMA Network Open

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! ar

 

The tourism industry's path to success lies in ethical labor practices

University of Surrey

Addressing poor working conditions and human rights violations in the tourism sector isn't just ethical – it also makes good business sense, according to a new report by researchers at the University of Surrey. 

Commissioned by the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and IUF, the report examines the S in ESG (environmental, social, and governance) trends, risks, and opportunities in the travel and tourism industry, which employs 290 million people worldwide. Despite this reach, workers in the sector, especially the sector's most vulnerable workers – women, migrants and those in undeclared roles – are at high risk of exploitation. 

Dr Anke Winchenbach, lead author from Surrey Business School, University of Surrey, said: 

"Sadly, the travel and tourism sector continues to be plagued by poor pay, unsafe working conditions, and, in some cases, modern slavery. Enforcement is often weak or absent, even where laws exist to protect workers. 

"With ESG reporting increasingly becoming mandatory, businesses and governments who ignore social risks will not only face legal compliance issues but also lose out on attracting talent and business and investment opportunities in the future.  

"With customers becoming more socially conscious, it is both a moral obligation and a smart business move for the sector to tackle these deep-rooted issues before it's too late." 

The report offers seven recommendations to help businesses, governments, investors, and unions create a more sustainable future for the industry: 

• Set up partnerships that include different groups and have clear rules, laws, and ways to ensure they're followed. 

• Improve access to unions and trusted experts in labour and human rights. 

• Carry out assessments to identify the most important labour and human rights issues. 

• Create policies with clear goals to improve working conditions. 

• Use reliable measurements, involve employees in gathering data, and be open about the results. 

• Consider both the direct impacts and those in the supply chain. 

• Share progress openly to build trust and accountability. 

The report is based on a comprehensive literature review and 29 in-depth interviews with industry leaders, global trade unions, and financial experts. The research team also analysed four key frameworks – European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), UN Tourism's Statistical Framework, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Criteria, and the World Benchmarking Alliance, to identify the most pressing risks and opportunities for improving labour and human rights in travel and tourism. 

 

The bright and dark sides of Pacific salmon biotransport

University of Connecticut

Each year millions of Pacific salmon make a grand journey from the ocean to their freshwater spawning grounds at the end of their life cycles. This migration has rippling effects through food webs and ecosystems along the way. Whether they decompose or are consumed by other animals, these salmon deliver both nutrients and contaminants they have accumulated in their bodies after spending most of their lives growing at sea.  A team of researchers from UConn, the University of South Dakota, the U.S. Geological Survey, Natural Resource Consultants, the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Missouri, and Regis University set out to study the transport of these nutrients and contaminants and trends as the salmon community changed over 40 years. Their findings are published in the journal Nature. 

Jess Brandt, assistant professor in UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and the Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, led the project. The study considers the spawning migrations to North America for the five major Pacific salmon species including Chinook, chum, coho, pink, and sockeye salmon. The research team combined estimates of migrating fish biomass for the forty years between 1976 and 2015 with Pacific salmon nutrient and contaminant tissue concentrations from scientific studies and reports.  

Energy and nutrients that travel from one system to another and have positive effects are called ecological subsidies. Contaminants that move alongside nutrients that can have detrimental impacts are referred to as ‘the dark side of subsidies,’ says Brandt, 

“This research is about the ‘bright and dark sides’ of Pacific salmon subsidies. We usually study them separately in the context of transport by animals, but nutrients and contaminants go hand-in-hand.” 

To start, the researchers combined the biomass estimates for each species with nutrient and contaminant concentrations to estimate the movements of these materials carried by salmon. Brandt says these movements had not been estimated at the continental scale before, and the magnitudes of materials transported by Pacific salmon were compelling. 

“On average, there were an estimated 119 million Pacific salmon returning to North America each year in the 40-year period of the study. This involved the movement of thousands of tonnes of nutrients and kilograms of contaminants. The fluxes of nutrients by Pacific salmon we report are among the largest fluxes that have been estimated so far for large groups of animals that move materials when they emerge, migrate, or die in large numbers.”  

The second question they address is how changes in the Pacific salmon community over time have impacted nutrient and contaminant transport.  

They found the Pacific salmon community grew substantially over that 40-year period, both in terms of biomass and number of fish. Brandt says the estimated amount of nutrients and contaminants transported in 2015 was 30% higher than in 1976, and the increase in pink salmon biomass during this period accounted for nearly 80% of the increase they observed.  

“We were curious about how shifts in the structure of the Pacific salmon community translated to changes in nutrient and contaminant transport over time” says Brandt. 

To understand the significance of these questions, it helps to look at some of the aspects of the lives of different Pacific salmon species. Brandt says that where a species feeds on the food chain (called its trophic level), how long it spends in the ocean, and how large it gets, are all important when considering contaminant concentrations. The environmental contaminants included in this study build up in food webs and increase in concentrations from prey to predators, in a process called biomagnification. This means animals higher in the food web accumulate higher concentrations of these contaminants. 

Brandt notes that contaminant concentrations in Pacific salmon are low, overall, relative to many other types of fish. Even still, there are clear differences in contaminant levels among the Pacific salmon species. Pink salmon feed lower on the food web, spend less time at sea, and are small when they return to spawning grounds. By comparison, Chinook salmon feed higher up, spend many years in the ocean, and are the largest of the Pacific salmon species. These differences influence the amounts of contaminants each species transports. 

“That's where we started thinking about the loading potential of each species – in other words, how much of each chemical a fish carries - and how loadings of nutrients and contaminants compare. We found the higher trophic level fish, specifically Chinook salmon, will carry relatively high ratios of contaminants to nutrients. On the other hand, pink salmon carry more nutrients per contaminant.” 

Despite these differences, pink salmon transported the largest overall amounts of contaminants, and this comes down to sheer numbers, says Brandt, 

“We also asked which species were contributing the most to nutrient and contaminant transport by the Pacific salmon community. Even though pink salmon have the lowest tissue concentrations of contaminants, the entire group of pink salmon contributes the greatest share of contaminants transported to North America because they dominate the community. Their numbers have increased, and even if the concentration of the contaminant hasn't changed, if more fish are carrying the contaminant, then there's more contaminant transferred.” 

Finally, the researchers considered the tradeoffs in nutrient and contaminant co-exposure for animals that eat salmon, including people. They compared the benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids people get from eating salmon with the health risks associated with the contaminants included in the study. “The results for each species indicated that salmon consumption brings a net benefit to people,” says Brandt. “We believe this means that there is a net benefit to the ecosystem as well”. 

Studying nutrients and contaminants together gives powerful insight into the environmental impacts of migratory species like salmon.  

“We miss part of the story when we study nutrients and contaminants separately. We hope this study leads to future work focused on migratory species as transporters of nutrients and contaminants and the tradeoffs between the two types of inputs for recipient systems at large spatial scales.” 

 

 

 

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Journal

Nature

DOI

10.1038/s41586-024-07980-2 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Continental-scale nutrient and contaminant delivery by Pacific salmon

Article Publication Date

9-Oct-2024