by Erin Minor

As plastic pollution spreads to every corner of the world, concerns are rising about microplastics, smaller pieces of plastic even more difficult to see and track. Scientists estimate that microplastics (particles smaller than 5 millimeters) make up 92% of the plastic particles on the ocean surface. But what about below the surface?

Until recently, understanding microplastics below the ocean surface has been a glaring gap in marine pollution research. Most sampling happens at the ocean surface. However, complex ocean currents mean that a surface-level sample doesn’t necessarily represent the ocean as a whole.

In a new study coauthored by the Smithsonian, an international team compiled data from deep-water samples around the world to start filling in the blanks. Here are four things we know better now about microplastics underwater.

by Taylor Wev

Seagrass meadows play a vital role in protecting the health and integrity of coastal communities around the world. However, some coastal seagrass meadows can be prone to collapse due to seagrass wasting disease. A study in the journal Ecology looked at the disease in meadows of eelgrass (Zostera marina) along the Pacific Coast of North America. It revealed that a key driver may be one of the grasses’ closest animal companions.

“Eelgrass is a very widespread and important habitat all over the Northern hemisphere,” said Emmett Duffy, marine biologist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC). Duffy coauthored the study as part of his work leading the Marine Global Earth Observatory network.

by Erin Minor

Worldwide, an estimated 600 million people at least partially depend on fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods. This makes marine conservation important not only to protect vulnerable species and ecosystems, but to ensure these communities have sustainable food and income. However, when creating marine protection plans, local women are often left out of the conversation, causing valuable information to go unheard.

by Kristen Goodhue

Rising temperatures could tip the scale in an underground battle that has raged for millennia. In the soils of Earth’s wetlands, microbes are fighting to both produce and consume the powerful greenhouse gas methane. But if the Earth gets too hot, a key way wetlands clamp down on methane could be at risk, according to a Smithsonian study published April 23.

Methane is responsible for roughly 19% of global warming, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. And while wetlands are champions at removing carbon dioxide (CO₂)—the more abundant greenhouse gas—they are also the world’s largest natural source of methane. As nations set targets to bring down methane emitted from human activity, it is crucial to understand how much methane wetlands emit naturally—and how much more they could emit in the future.

by Kristen Goodhue

This is the first of two In Memoriam tributes, honoring two long-time staff members who passed away while still employed at our center over the last decade. As the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center enters its 60th year, we recognize that many of our achievements would not have been possible without their hard work and passion.

The invisible handprints of Bob Gallagher cover more than half the buildings at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. They’re also present in the center’s most popular volunteer program, and some buildings that have yet to be constructed. From 2004 until his death in 2020, Gallagher served as the center’s executive officer. And the campus as it is today would not exist without his efforts.

by Erin Minor

Forests play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Worldwide, roughly 10 million hectares of forest are lost to deforestation each year. Forest restorations—efforts to regrow forests—offset around half of that. But how do we make sure that these efforts are as efficient as possible? One answer is in planting a wide variety of tree species.

A new study from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) has found that forests planted with multiple tree species are more efficient than those with just one.

by Cole Johnson

Coastal wetlands are vital to our planet’s health. They store carbon, filter nitrogen and protect our shorelines. But they also can emit large pulses of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, in sudden events known as “hot moments.” These fleeting events are challenging to predict. However, understanding them is crucial in humanity’s fight against climate change.

Genevieve Noyce, a senior scientist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), is leading an innovative project to better understand these hot moments in coastal wetlands.

by Kristen Goodhue

What does it take to grow an endangered orchid and bring it back to the wild? This past school year, the Smithsonian decided to ask hundreds of middle and high school students. It’s part of a participatory science project called “Classroom Cultivation,” run by the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) and Smithsonian Gardens. Its goal: Turn students into scientists and classrooms into botany labs.

Orchids are some of the trickiest plants to grow—either in a lab or in the wild. This is largely because they are so frustratingly picky about their habitats. And every species has a different wish list.

“Orchids can be a bit of a drama queen, a diva,” said Shatiyana Dunn, who runs Classroom Cultivation for SERC. “They have very specific elements that they like to grow in.”

by Kristen Goodhue

Your local wetland could be sending over 500 metric tons of methane into the atmosphere every year, per square mile. Or virtually none. It’s a bit of a mystery—one that’s been troubling climate scientists for decades. But a new report published this week is helping nail down which wetlands are more likely to be methane bombs.