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Nitrogen, an essential plant nutrient, is most readily absorbed by plants in its ammonium and nitrate forms. Because of the very low nitrate levels found in arctic tundra soil, scientists had assumed that plants in this biome do not use nitrate. But a new study co-authored by four Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) Ecosystems Center scientists challenges this notion. The study has important implications for predicting which arctic plant species will dominate as the climate warms, as well as how much carbon tundra ecosystems can store.

NASA satellite imagery showed that Tropical Cyclone Nora developed an eye as it strengthened into a hurricane north of Australia. NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite provided forecasters with a visible image of the storm, formerly named Tropical Cyclone 16P.

Tropical Cyclone Marcus continues to parallel Western Australia and remain far from the coast, while weakening. NASA’s Aqua satellite analyzed the storm in infrared light and saw a comma-shaped Marcus. 

The timing of the Middle Pleistocene glacial-interglacial cycles and the feedback mechanisms between climatic shifts and earth-surface processes are still poorly understood. This is largely due to the fact that chronological data of sediment archives representing periglacial, but also potentially warmer climate periods, are very sparse until now.

Human activities are causing an “alarming” decline in biodiversity that is endangering food security, clean water, energy supplies, economies, and livelihoods for billions of people worldwide, according to a new United Nations-backed study by 550 scientists, conservationists, and policy experts from over 100 countries.