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Investigating auxin import and export proteins in Chlorella vulgaris

Wang et al. | Apr 19, 2025

Investigating auxin import and export proteins in <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i>

This study explores auxin signaling in Chlorella vulgaris, a green alga with potential for sustainable biofuel and food production. Evidence from protoplast swelling experiments suggests that C. vulgaris secretes auxin and possesses auxin import proteins, highlighting previously uncharacterized signaling pathways. These findings could support more efficient cultivation and resource extraction strategies.

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Impact of Silverado Fire on soil carbon

Choi et al. | Feb 20, 2025

Impact of Silverado Fire on soil carbon

Soil stores three times more carbon than the atmosphere, making small changes in its storage and release crucial for carbon cycling and climate models. This study examined the impact of the 2020 California Silverado Fire on pyrogenic carbon (PyC) deposits using nitrogen and carbon isotopes as proxies. While the results showed significant variability in δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C, total carbon, and total nitrogen across sites, they did not support the hypothesis that wildfire increases δ¹⁵N while keeping δ¹³C constant, emphasizing the need for location-based controls when using δ¹⁵N to track PyC.

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Lettuce seed germination in the presence of microplastic contamination

Kochar et al. | Dec 09, 2024

Lettuce seed germination in the presence of microplastic contamination

Microplastic pollution is a pressing environmental issue, particularly in the context of its potential impacts on ecosystems and human health. In this study, we explored the ability of plants, specifically those cultivated for human consumption, to absorb microplastics from their growing medium. We found no evidence of microplastic absorption in both intact and mechanically damaged roots. This outcome suggests that microplastics larger than 10 μm may not be readily absorbed by the root systems of leafy crops such as lettuce (L. sativa).

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An exploration of western mosquitofish as the animal component in an aquaponic farming system

Medina et al. | Dec 03, 2024

An exploration of western mosquitofish as the animal component in an aquaponic farming system
Image credit: The authors

Aquaponics (the combination of aquatic plant farming with fish production) is an innovative farming practice, but the fish that are typically used, like tilapia, are expensive and space-consuming to cultivate. Medina and Alvarez explore other options test if mosquitofish are a viable option in the aquaponic cultivation of herbs and microgreens.

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