This week in environmental and Earth sciences, we highlight ten open-access studies from journals including Journal of African Earth Sciences, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, and Cell Genomics.
📊 This week at a glance
🌍 African-led research
Angola’s Lower Cretaceous coastal outcrops reveal key stages in South Atlantic evolution
Exceptionally well-exposed rocks between Binga Waterfalls and the lower Catumbela River record stratigraphic and palaeoenvironmental changes during the Early Cretaceous. This fills a gap in geological knowledge of the Angolan western margin, which remains poorly studied due to limited access. The findings can inform resource exploration and heritage conservation in the Benguela Sub-basin.
Microplastics and nanoplastics may affect brain function and behavior, review finds
Evidence from rodent and human studies suggests plastic pollution could impact the brain, beyond known risks to cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic health. This shifts the focus from general environmental harm to potential neurological effects. For African researchers, it highlights the need to investigate plastic pollution’s health impacts in local contexts.
Land use and climate change interact to disproportionately harm Lepidoptera among insect orders
Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) are more sensitive to combined land use and climate pressures than other major insect groups. This challenges broad assessments that treat insects as a single category. Conservation strategies in Africa should prioritize Lepidoptera, which include important pollinators and pests.
Pressure exchanger and hydraulic turbocharger energy recovery devices compared for SWRO desalination
Energy-exergy analysis identifies optimal configurations for seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination using pressure exchanger (PX) and hydraulic turbocharger (HTC) devices. This can improve energy efficiency and sustainability of water production on islands. For African coastal areas facing water scarcity, such optimizations could reduce costs and environmental impact.
Toxic metals in Meghna River fish and shellfish pose health risks, probabilistic assessment shows
Eight toxic metals were quantified in finfish and shellfish along the Meghna River-estuary gradient in Bangladesh, with deterministic and Monte Carlo models revealing potential health risks. This provides a comprehensive risk assessment across an entire estuarine gradient, which is rare in South Asia. The methodology can be adapted for similar African estuaries to safeguard food safety.
Nine satellite rainfall products evaluated for accuracy over Kenya
Performance of nine satellite rainfall estimate (SRE) datasets was assessed to identify the most suitable for Kenya’s climate-sensitive applications. This helps users choose the best product for agriculture, water management, and disaster preparedness. Improved rainfall data can enhance climate resilience efforts across Africa.
🔬 Global breakthroughs
Optimizing temperature-pressure combinations for gas production from hydrates via CO2 replacement
Coupling carbon dioxide replacement with inhibitor injection can improve gas production efficiency from hydrates, which is lower than depressurization alone. This identifies optimal operating windows for temperature and pressure. The strategy balances production and environmental benefits, relevant for energy resources in African waters.
New method integrates carbon and biodiversity footprints for organizations
Researchers developed a metric to calculate integrated carbon and biodiversity footprints using organizational activity data. This allows organizations to assess and reduce their environmental impacts more comprehensively. African businesses and institutions can adopt this to contribute to global biodiversity targets.
Dire wolf ancestry and evolution clarified through paleogenomes
Analysis of two well-preserved dire wolf paleogenomes reveals they are not closely related to living wolves, with about two-thirds of their ancestry from a distinct lineage. This resolves a long-standing debate about their placement in the canid family tree. The findings inform understanding of Pleistocene predator evolution, with implications for paleontology globally.
England’s biodiversity offset market shows early outcomes after 16 months
Preliminary assessment of England’s off-site biodiversity offset market indicates limited alignment with biodiversity targets. This raises concerns about the effectiveness of nature markets in achieving conservation goals. African countries considering similar market-based approaches can learn from these early results.
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