55 trillion kilograms: that's how much carbon could be released into the atmosphere from the soil by mid-century if climate change isn't stopped. And all in the form of greenhouse gases such as CO2 and methane. Tom Crowther (NIOO-KNAW) and his team are publishing the results of a worldwide study into the effects of climate change on the soil in the issue of Nature that came out on 1 December.

How can we tell if climate change really affects the population dynamics of a species? "Changes to behaviour, weight or appearance don't always mean population numbers are de- or increasing." NIOO-researcher Martijn van de Pol presents a novel approach to answering the question in the June issue of Ecology Letters.

It's a hidden global change: away from the public eye, residues of medicines in water have been causing increasing disruption. They can kill aquatic animals, and play havoc with their food web and reproductive cycle. An international team of researchers led by the NIOO makes an urgent case for better wastewater treatment and biodegradable pharmaceuticals.

Massive growth of submerged aquatic plants can be a nuisance, especially in summer. It's up to water managers to limit the inconvenience for swimmers, boats and fishermen in a way that is both responsible and cost-effective. Michiel Verhofstad defended his PhD thesis this week on the 'root' causes of the problem, and how best to tackle it.

The breeding grounds of Arctic migratory birds such as the barnacle goose are changing rapidly due to accelerated warming in the polar regions. They won't be able to keep up with these climatic changes unless they can somehow anticipate them. A team of researchers from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) employed computer models to assess the prospects of the geese and their young. The results can be found in the scientific journal Global Change Biology.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented scientists with a unique opportunity to study the effects of an ‘anthropause’: an abrupt reduction of, and/or alteration in, human activities.

LTER-LIFE aims to study and predict how global change affects ecosystems. It is one of nine projects that have just won funding for setting up and improving large-scale research infrastructure.