Ecology40
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Deep Sea Mining: Out of Sight, Out of Mind?
Are we willing to compromise deep sea ecosystems and biodiversity for prodigious amounts of mineral materials? Will deep sea mining have the largest footprint of any single human activity on the planet? The race is on to create more progressive, environmental regulations concerning deep sea mining, but much more scientific research is still necessary to…
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Shag, Before It Was Cool
More cuddly than a dino, The Zanda woolly rhino! This pioneer of old Grew shag before the cold. …
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Science and Solutions for Sustainable Development: 2013 Annual Report
The Earth Institute is grateful to its many partners for their important role in the effort to develop the science and solutions necessary for sustainable development. Please visit the interactive digital 2013 Annual Report to read more about how we are forging partnerships across disciplines and sectors to advance the global effort to guide our…
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Keeping our Freshwater Fresh: Ecosystem Management Tools
We have been harming our hard-earned water resources; is it too late to clean up our act? With the help of the nine principles of ecology we can work towards effectively and sustainably managing these ecosystems, which will help us preserve the quality of New York’s freshwater resources and maintain our high quality drinking water.
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Coastal Erosion and Adaptation to Climate Change
Increasing understanding of the extent of coastal erosion and its interaction with other naturally existing geographical features such as mangrove vegetation is one of the areas of research that may help reduce vulnerability of small-island developing states to climate hazards.
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Latest Environmental Performance Index Introduces New Indicators
Innovations in the 2014 EPI include a new wastewater treatment indicator; a new approach to climate change indicators; and two new satellite-derived indicators for air quality and forests.
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Genetic Modifications You May Not Know About
While much attention is focused on genetically modified foods, fewer people are aware that many other genetically modified organisms and cells are in development. Columbia University’s Shaheed Naeem and Matthew Palmer offer their perspectives.
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Psychology of Environmental Decision Making and Sustainable Behavior
Countries vary dramatically in their records of environmental responsibility. Some nations such as Switzerland and Norway are well known for their willingness to sacrifice for the future good, while countries such Iraq and South Africa lag far behind. There are certainly socio-economic reasons for these stark differences, but is it also possible that human psychology…
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Splicing the Role of Genetics in Conservation
Genetics hold the secret to understanding evolutionary processes. They also hold the secret to how ecological and climatic factors influence the course of evolution. In fact, recent research—ranging in topics from butterfly speciation to the genetic diversity of immune systems in giant pandas—has found that genetics play a vital role in the outcome of conservation…

You Asked invites you to share your most pressing questions about climate, science, and sustainability. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School experts will respond with clear, evidence-based answers. Pose your questions and story ideas!
