A study has found that the impact of climate change on an animal’s traits can begin much earlier than scientists previously thought – a discovery that could reshape how researchers and policymakers approach biodiversity conservation.

Focusing on dragonflies, the researchers developed a new statistical framework to quantify the extent to which traits formed in early life influence adult trait diversity, and thus biodiversity more broadly. They found that factors like water temperature and seasonal changes during the aquatic juvenile stage shaped adult trait diversity more strongly than the land-based adult environments themselves. Biodiversity refers to the variety of living things in an area, including how many species there are and how different they are from each other in their physical appearance (referred to as traits) such as body size or shape.

13 June 2025 / Kiel. Methods to enhance the ocean’s uptake of carbon dioxide (CO₂) are being explored to help tackle the climate crisis. However, some of these approaches could significantly exacerbate ocean deoxygenation. Their potential impact on marine oxygen must therefore be systematically considered when assessing their suitability. This is the conclusion of an international team of researchers led by Prof. Dr Andreas Oschlies from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. The findings were published yesterday in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

According to an article published in the prestigious journal Nature Climate Change, atmospheric particle emissions generated by forest fires could double current projections by the end of the 21st century due to climate change, as these projections only consider the direct effect of human activity on their evolution.

The most important mineral in today's electric car batteries is lithium. China completely dominates the market, with no extraction taking place in Europe. However, a new study shows that there is great potential for European lithium production, which would bring improvements in competitiveness, the climate and security. The study also points out that there are complex international trade dependencies that affect supply and demand.