Bigger thinking needed to make farming more sustainable
A larger-scale approach to sustainable farming could be more beneficial for wildlife than our current system of farm-based payments, according to University of Leeds researchers.
Environment News
Droughts could profoundly harm river life
Critically low water levels in many rivers could lead to the partial collapse of food webs that support aquatic life, according to a study co-authored by a University of Leeds researcher.
Loss of tropical forests reduces rain
Deforestation can have a significant effect on tropical rainfall, new research confirms. The findings have potentially devastating impacts for people living in and near the Amazon and Congo forests.
Research reveals contrasting consequences of a warmer Earth
A new study involving analysis of fossil and geological records going back 540 million years, suggests that biodiversity on Earth generally increases as the planet warms.
Biodiversity protects tropical rainforests from drought
Forest carbon stocks in protected West African rainforests increased despite a 40-year drought, due to a dramatic shift in tree species composition.
Cloud control could tame hurricanes, study shows
They are one of the most destructive forces of nature on Earth, but now environmental scientists are working to tame the hurricane.
Flood risk ranking reveals vulnerable cities
A new study of nine coastal cities around the world suggests that Shanghai is most vulnerable to serious flooding. European cities top the leader board for their resilience.
Energy-sustainable cities: councils have the vision, but now need help
Researchers at the University of Leeds have found that while UK local authorities are willing to think strategically about energy sustainability, their limited resources make it difficult to act.
Hormones dictate when youngsters fly the nest
Seabirds feed their young less as they reach an age to fly the nest, but it's hormones that actually control when the chicks leave home, according to new research from the University of Leeds.
Evidence of oceanic "green rust" offers hope for the future change this heading and change it again
A rare kind of mineral which scientists hope could be used to remove toxic metals and radioactive species from the environment played a similar, crucial role early in Earth's history.