Publications by authors named "C Feehan"
Cycling of organic carbon in the ocean has the potential to mitigate or exacerbate global climate change, but major questions remain about the environmental controls on organic carbon flux in the coastal zone. Here, we used a field experiment distributed across 28° of latitude, and the entire range of 2 dominant kelp species in the northern hemisphere, to measure decomposition rates of kelp detritus on the seafloor in relation to local environmental factors. Detritus decomposition in both species were strongly related to ocean temperature and initial carbon content, with higher rates of biomass loss at lower latitudes with warmer temperatures.
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- The UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration aims to accelerate ecological restoration for a sustainable future, primarily focusing on terrestrial forests.
- Seaweed forest restoration, despite its potential, has remained limited to small-scale academic projects, falling behind other ecosystems.
- By integrating seaweed cultivation with restoration efforts, we can create a commercial-scale enterprise that significantly contributes to global marine restoration initiatives.
Article Synopsis
- Humans are significantly altering underwater ecosystems, leading to the replacement of forest-forming seaweeds with ground-covering turfs across multiple continents.
- This shift results in a miniaturization of habitat structure, creating flatter environments with fewer habitable spaces and causing a homogenization of habitats, even though the species richness in turf areas varies widely.
- The changes lead to increased sediment loads, with one region in mid-Western Australia accumulating about 242 million tons more sediment than expected, highlighting the broad ecological implications of this transformation for temperate reefs.
Neurologic and neuropsychiatric manifestations of COVID-19 are affecting a growing number of people worldwide. We provide a brief overview of these manifestations, contrasting them with those of other 21st century viral epidemics, as well as mitigation strategies, and societal and moral considerations related to the pandemic. We highlight unique concerns relating to COVID-19 given the scale of infection, mental health challenges faced by health care providers and the general public, and the unprecedented social consequences, including benefits and possible harms associated with continuous connectedness using modern digital communication.
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