Tree cover in the tropics will likely change in surprising ways as climate change increases the frequency of extreme rainfall events, according to a new study.

Acidifying oceans could dramatically impact the world’s squid species, according to a new study. Because squid are both ecologically and commercially important, that impact may have far-reaching effects on the ocean environment and coastal economies, the researchers report.

Scientists have developed a unique computer model with a knack for predicting hurricanes with unprecedented accuracy and are forecasting a season of above-average activity for 2013.

A major question in ecology has centered on the role of microbes in regulating ecosystem function. Now scientists show how changes in the populations of methanotrophic bacteria can have consequences for methane mitigation at ecosystem levels.

Would Martians feel at home in Australia? Recent research has proven that if Martians took a holiday to Australia they might feel more at home than you’d think. Researchers have recently exposed a unique set of attributes suggesting that the Australian red center could be a close analogue for the surface of the red planet – and how this unusual weathering has led to the formation of Australia’s opals.

Researchers have applied game theory to the problem of climate change to help analyze the relationships between international players on the world stage, occurrence and effects, attitude towards carbon emissions, the power struggles taking place and the negotiations that are under way between nations, energy companies and the public.

Climate is greatly influenced by the flow of heat energy carried by ocean currents. But precisely quantifying the mixing between the ocean and the atmosphere is hampered by a lack of detail in models of the ocean and of the water cycle. And in both models, knowing the salt content of the water is essential.