We use a collection of measurements that capture the physiological sensitivity of organisms to temperature and oxygen and a CESM1 large ensemble to investigate how natural climate variations and climate warming will impact the ability of marine heterotrophic marine organisms to support habitats in the future. We find that warming and dissolved oxygen loss over the next several decades will reduce the volume of ocean habitats and will increase organisms' vulnerability to extremes.

Peatlands are among the largest carbon (C) sinks on the planet. However, peatland features such as open-water pools emit more C than they accumulate because of higher decomposition than production. With this study, we show that the rates of decomposition vary among pools and are mostly driven by the environmental conditions in pools rather than by the nature of the material being decomposed. This means that changes in pool number or size may modify the capacity of peatlands to accumulate C.

Our study delves into the vital role of subalpine forests in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau as carbon sinks in the context of climate change. Utilizing advanced eddy covariance systems, we uncover their significant carbon sequestration potential, observing distinct seasonal patterns influenced by temperature, humidity, and radiation. Notably, these forests exhibit robust carbon absorption, with potential implications for global carbon balance.

Through the first large-scale study of meiobenthic ostracods from the diverse and productive reef ecosystem in the Zanzibar Archipelago, Tanzania, we found that the diversity and composition of ostracod assemblages as controlled by benthic habitats and human impacts were indicative of overall reef health, and we highlighted the usefulness of ostracods as a model proxy to monitor and understand the degradation of reef ecosystems from the coral-dominated phase to the algae-dominated phase.

Human activities are rivers' main source of nitrogen, causing eutrophication and other hazards. However, rivers can serve as a natural defense mechanism against this by retaining nitrogen. We show that the Elbe River retains more nitrogen during times of high pollution. With improvements in water quality, less nitrogen is retained. We explain this with changed algal and bacterial activities, which correspond to pollution and have many implications for the river and adjacent ecosystems.

Ocean alkalinity enhancement leverages the large surface area and carbon storage capacity of the oceans to store atmospheric CO₂ as dissolved bicarbonate. We monitored CO₂ uptake in seawater treated with NaOH to establish operational boundaries for carbon removal experiments. Results show that CO₂ equilibration occurred on the order of weeks to months, was consistent with values expected from equilibration calculations, and was limited by mineral precipitation at high pH and CaCO₃ saturation.

Forests face increased exposure to “compound soil and atmospheric drought” (CSAD) events due to global warming. We examined the impacts and drivers of CO₂ fluxes during CSAD events at multiple layers of a deciduous forest over 18 years. Results showed reduced net ecosystem productivity and forest-floor respiration during CSAD events, mainly driven by soil and atmospheric drought. This unpredictability in forest CO₂ fluxes jeopardises reforestation projects aimed at mitigating CO₂ emissions.