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Arthur Gessler

@arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social

4.1K followers 6.9K following 350 posts

#Ecosystem Science and Impacts of #Climate Change; #Forest #Ecology; #Biodiversity. | Ecosystem Ecology group at @wslresearch.bsky.social | | Professor at @usyseth.bsky.social | | Head of the @SwissForestLab.bsky.social | .. more

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · Jan 18

The earth gets drier and warmer, and #megadroughts have been increasing for 40 years and will do so in the future. Substantial negative impacts on #water supply, #agriculture and all #ecosystem services are to be expected. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Global increase in the occurrence and impact of multiyear droughts

Persistent multiyear drought (MYD) events pose a growing threat to nature and humans in a changing climate. We identified and inventoried global MYDs by detecting spatiotemporally contiguous climatic ...

www.science.org

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 10h

This makes science not really credible. I see nevertheless that approaches such as the ones of Zhu et al are important - as micro- and nanoplastics are likely a global threat. But we - the scientists- need to put our results into a realistic context - this is our core responsibility.

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 10h

This paper is a perfect example how trying to get newspapers-citable into the focus of a paper invalidates the really important findings (microplastics can reduce photosynthesis but we do not know how this might scale to our ecosystems - just because we have no data at all.

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 10h

Just imagine you go with machine learning from scarce lab data with almost no information on plastic pollution under real world conditions to crop and fishery yield losses as a result of that given pollution. I acknowledge that this is a first step - but you need to name the shortcomings.

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 10h

They (1) extrapolate plastic impact measurements on photosynthesis under controlled and highly artificial conditions to the real world (2) without valid data on global plastic pollution and (3) without any baseline for their model.

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 10h

We still feel that this later statement in their response letter is not congruent with the alarming statements in the original text: „These findings underscore the urgency of integrating plastic mitigation into global hunger and sustainability initiatives“ which seem to be targeted to press coverage

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 10h

In their response (www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...) some authors of the original paper state that „[they] believe it is scientifically sound and responsible to use currently available—albeit limited evidence—for preliminary assessments and to stimulate broader scientific and policy dialog“

PNAS

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...

www.pnas.org

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 10h

This is our critical assessment of www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... These authors claimed that they can calculate quite exact MP-induced real world global photosynthesis losses translating in a reduction of 22.15 to 115.73 MT·y−1 in main crop production and 0.32 to 7.39 MT·y−1 in seafood production.

A global estimate of multiecosystem photosynthesis losses under microplastic pollution | PNAS

Understanding how ecosystems respond to ubiquitous microplastic (MP) pollution is crucial for ensuring global food security. Here, we conduct a mul...

www.pnas.org

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 10h

Scaling laboratory results with machine learning is no silver bullet to strengthen global (micro)plastic mitigation policy | PNAS

Scaling laboratory results with machine learning is no silver bullet to strengthen global (micro)plastic mitigation policy

www.pnas.org

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 4d

Nighttime Warming Enhances Tree Growth in Temperate Tree Species

Moderate night warming (+2°C) enhances radial growth via faster cell expansion, but daytime(night +4°C) warming weakens benefits. Ring-porous, arbuscular mycorrhizal and isohydric species show heig...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 5d

Rooting for function: community‐level fine‐root traits relate to many ecosystem functions

Humans are driving biodiversity change, which also alters community functional traits. However, how changes in the functional traits of the community alter ecosystem functions—especially belowground...

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Reposted by Arthur Geßler

Ali Raza @aliraza6.bsky.social · 7d

Excited to share our review is on the Cover of @cp-trendsplantsci.bsky.social (Vol 30, Issue 10)🤩🎉😍

👉 #Panomics to manage combined #abiotic stresses in plants

🔗 www.cell.com/trends/plant...

Congratulations to all authors @agbioworld.bsky.social👏

@plantteaching.bsky.social @cellpress.bsky.social

In this work, together with my wonderful co-authors (Yiran Li, Channapatna Prakash, and Zhangli Hu), we discuss how climate change-driven combined abiotic stresses threaten global crop productivity, and how panomics, AI-driven breeding, single-cell omics, and advanced phenotyping can guide the way for stress-smart crops of the future🌱

🔑 𝙆𝙚𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:

Panomics + AI = unlocking novel molecular targets & pathways

Field-level validation + spatial/single-cell omics for real-world solutions

Synthetic biology and epigenome editing as next-gen breeding strategies

Crop wild relatives as hidden reservoirs of resilience

Designing "genetic circuits" and "full-gene packages" for enhanced tolerance

Ultimately, we propose panomics as a “social insurance” for crops, equipping them to withstand real-world stress combinations and secure sustainable agriculture in a changing climate 🌍✨

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 9d

Effects of Soil and Atmospheric Drought on Intra-Annual δ13C Patterns in Tree Rings https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpaf120

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Reposted by Francis Martin

Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 9d

New research reveals how to better monitor tree #drought #stress! We combined remote sensing data (greenness & photoprotection indicators) with leaf water potential measurements to track drought impacts across different tree species.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Deciphering tree drought responses across species: linking leaf water potentials with remote sensing greenness and photoprotection dynamics

Monitoring forest drought stress requires indicators that capture tree water relations across species and scales. Remote sensing enables large-scale a…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 11d

Want to do disruptive science? Include more rookie researchers

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Valerie M. Delmotte, Arthur Geßler, Julie L. Lockwood , and 4 more Valerie M. Delmotte, Arthur Geßler, Julie L. Lockwood, Silvia Secchi, Juan Rocha, Tim Stephens, Jason A. Heppler

Zack Labe @zacklabe.com · 12d

"After nearly 40 years, the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States, or ARCUS, will close September 30."

"The Arctic Research Consortium of the United States funded programs that aided Indigenous communities and tracked melting sea ice, among dozens of initiatives."

After Trump cut the National Science Foundation by 56 percent, a venerable Arctic research center closes its doors

The Arctic Research Consortium of the United States funded programs that aided Indigenous communities and tracked melting sea ice, among dozens of initiatives.

grist.org

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Reposted by Arthur Geßler

WSL Umweltforschung @wslresearch.bsky.social · 16d

Die Unwetter 2024 forderten in der Schweiz 13 Todesopfer, 3 Vermisste und verursachten Schäden von 905 Mio. CHF. Es handelt sich um die fünfthöchste Jahresschadenssumme seit Beginn der Erhebungen 1972. www.wsl.ch/de/news/unwe... @bafu.admin.ch #Schweiz #WSL #Naturgefahren #Forschung

Unwetter 2024: viele Todesopfer und hohe Kosten

Dreizehn Todesfälle und 905 Mio. Franken Schäden: Das ist die Bilanz der Unwetter 2024, wie die jährliche Auswertung durch die WSL ergab.

www.wsl.ch

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 17d

Absorptive fine #roots drive substantial #forest #soil carbon accumulation over the long term: Substantial forest soil carbon accrual from absorptive fine roots over decadal timescales - Nature Geoscience

Substantial forest soil carbon accrual from absorptive fine roots over decadal timescales - Nature Geoscience

The accrual of soil carbon from absorptive fine roots exceeds that of leaf litter in forests despite lower productivity, according to an analysis of field observations from Northern Hemisphere forest sites.

www.nature.com

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 23d

Tree ring 14C and 13C content reveal reliance on fast cycling carbon for pine growth in semiarid montane forests

Trees harbor large stores of nonstructural carbohydrates, some of which are quite old (> 10 yr), yet we know little of how these older stores may be used for woody growth. Crucially, the use of old ...

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 23d

Air pollutants, biodiversity loss, and climate stress - the pressures on forests have changed. Long-term measurements are crucial for identifying impacts at an early stage. They are a basis for forest management and environmental policy. @waldwissen.bsky.social: www.waldwissen.net/en/technique...

Forest ecosystems in transition: the findings of 40 years of research

Air pollutants, biodiversity loss, climate stress - the pressures on forests have changed. Long-term measurements are essential to identify the effects at an early stage. The resulting data forms a ba...

www.waldwissen.net

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · 29d

Our new paper reveals that tropical rainforests adapt to P limitation through microbially mediated strategies: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Decadal nutrient addition reveals phosphorus limitation and its adaptive mechanisms in tropical rainforests

Tropical rainforests on low-phosphorus soils are highly biodiverse and productive, playing a crucial role in climate change mitigation. However, the d…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Reposted by Sonia I. Seneviratne, Arthur Geßler

Departement Umweltsystemwissenschaften (D-USYS), ETH Zürich @usyseth.bsky.social · 29d

🔥🌍 New research led by Prof. @soniaseneviratne.bsky.social at @ethz.ch, with lead author @yannquilcaille.bsky.social, shows how greenhouse gas emissions from major fossil fuel and cement producers have significantly intensified global heat waves.

👉 Full article: go.ethz.ch/2u

Rising heat waves tied to fossil fuel and cement production

According to ETH Zurich climate researchers, greenhouse gas emissions from major fossil fuel and cement producers are significant contributors to the occurrence and intensity of heat waves. These find...

go.ethz.ch

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · Sep 10

Klimawandel ist wohl maßgeblich für viele Hitzewellen verantwortlich

Die globale Erwärmung macht Hitzewellen wahrscheinlicher und extremer. Massiv dazu beigetragen haben Wissenschaftlern zufolge die Emissionen der fossilen Industrie, namentlich von Firmen wie Saudi Aramco, Gazprom und BP.

www.spiegel.de

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · Sep 10

Systematic attribution of heatwaves to the emissions of carbon majors - Nature

Climate change made 213 historical heatwaves reported over 2000–2023 more likely and more intense, to which each of the 180 carbon majors (fossil fuel and cement producers) substantially contributed.

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Valerie M. Delmotte, Peter Thorne, Arthur Geßler , and 9 more Valerie M. Delmotte, Peter Thorne, Arthur Geßler, Wim Thiery, Gavin A. Schmidt, Wolfgang Crämer, Matthias Cuntz, Juan Cole, Dominik Wiedenhofer, John Hogan, Zerina Lokmic‐Tomkins, Béatrice Cointe

Prof. Sonia I Seneviratne @soniaseneviratne.bsky.social · Sep 10

Hot off the press: We can provide for the first time a systematic attribution of recent #heatwaves to the emissions of #carbon_majors. Essential new #Nature article coordinated by @yannquilcaille.bsky.social at @ethz.ch, with numerous contributors @usyseth.bsky.social:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Arthur Geßler, Andreas Schweiger

WSL Umweltforschung @wslresearch.bsky.social · Sep 1

🌳🐦‍⬛ Der neue Leiter der Forschungseinheit Wald- und Bodenökologie der WSL ist Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social. Mit seiner Arbeit möchte er verstehen, wie Wälder auf Umweltveränderungen wie Hitze und #Trockenheit reagieren. Wir gratulieren! www.wsl.ch/de/news/neue... #wald #waldökologie

Neuer Leiter der Einheit Wald- und Bodenökologie

Der renommierte Waldökologe Arthur Gessler übernimmt die Leitung der neuen WSL-Forschungseinheit.

www.wsl.ch

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Arthur Gessler @arthurobuntspecht.bsky.social · Aug 25

Impact of a 2°C Warmer Climate on the Fine Root System of European Beech, Sessile Oak, Scots Pine, and Douglas Fir in Central European Lowland Forests - Ecosystems