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A river surrounded by trees with mountains in the background.
DNA Metabarcoding Reveals Hidden Biodiversity
Genomicist Mehrdad Hajibabaei empowers Canadian communities to monitor bioindicator species in their local freshwater ecosystems.
DNA Metabarcoding Reveals Hidden Biodiversity
DNA Metabarcoding Reveals Hidden Biodiversity

Genomicist Mehrdad Hajibabaei empowers Canadian communities to monitor bioindicator species in their local freshwater ecosystems.

Genomicist Mehrdad Hajibabaei empowers Canadian communities to monitor bioindicator species in their local freshwater ecosystems.

freshwater

Calm lake reflecting sky with boat in foreground
Plastic Pollution Boosts Bacterial Growth in Lake Water
Patience Asanga | Jul 26, 2022 | 3 min read
A study finds that not only did aquatic bacteria thrive when chemicals washed from degrading plastic were introduced into lake water, they also broke down organic matter more efficiently.
a man collects water using a fishing pole and can
World’s Rivers Rife with Drugs: Study
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Feb 15, 2022 | 2 min read
Levels of pharmaceuticals considered unsafe for aquatic organisms were found at more than one-quarter of sampling sites.
The lungfish has a beige face and grey spotted body with a darker tail fin, as well as four long, spindly appendages. It is on a white background.
Lungfish Cocoons Are Alive, Sort Of
Abby Olena, PhD | Nov 17, 2021 | 4 min read
Researchers find that the protective outer layer that lungfish make to survive extended dry periods—once thought to be a simple mucus shell—contains immune cells that trap bacteria and protect the animals from infection.
Image of the Day: Bubbling Plants
Emily Makowski | Nov 18, 2019 | 1 min read
Plants use two different strategies to photosynthesize underwater.
Saving the Hellbender, a Giant Salamander Under Threat
Mary Bates | Sep 1, 2019 | 4 min read
Populations of the two-foot-long amphibians are declining across North America. Scientists are struggling to find out why, before it’s too late.
silver carp swimming in the fox river near lake michigan
Invasive Carp Could Spread Across Lake Michigan on Detritus Diet
Nicoletta Lanese | Aug 14, 2019 | 3 min read
The fish’s undiscerning palate might make more of the lake habitable to the species than once thought, according to a new study.
Image of the Day: Nor Any Drop to Drink
Carolyn Wilke | Feb 12, 2019 | 1 min read
Sea snakes wait in thirst for “lenses” of freshwater forming on the surface of the ocean after a heavy rain.
Thousands of Australian Animals Die in Unprecedented Heatwave
Jef Akst | Jan 17, 2019 | 2 min read
Freshwater fish suffer from low levels of oxygen in the country’s rivers, while bats are unable to survive the extreme air temperatures.
Shotgun Sequencing Outdone by Amplicon
Catherine Offord | Aug 8, 2017 | 3 min read
The shotgun approach, typically thought to be the superior method, may substantially underestimate diversity in environments that have not already been classified, researchers find.
Image of the Day: Saltwater Survivors
The Scientist | Jan 8, 2017 | 1 min read
When road deicing salt enters freshwater ecosystems, prey species such as Daphnia pulex can rapidly evolve tolerance to the contaminant, buffering their local food webs from the impacts of salination.
Opinion: The Water Crisis
Christiane Barranguet | Mar 25, 2013 | 3 min read
The increasing global demand for potable water needs immediate attention—from researchers and policy makers alike.
Extinction Risk for Invertebrates
Jef Akst | Sep 4, 2012 | 1 min read
A new report estimates that human activities as well as other factors are threatening 20 percent of all invertebrate species, including corals and freshwater snails.
Experimental Lakes Face Closure
Hayley Dunning | Aug 22, 2012 | 2 min read
A unique resource for studying environmental impacts on freshwater systems is threatened by federal funding cuts.
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