John Jaeger Environmental Research & Mentorship Blog

For years, the microplastics conversation centered on oceans. Rightly so. But a study published March 23, 2026 by geoscientists at TU Darmstadt is shifting that focus somewhere less expected: forests. The research confirms that microplastics are accumulating in woodland ecosystems at significant scale — and the primary delivery system isn’t agricultural runoff or industrial waste.… Read more: Microplastics Are Falling from the Sky, and Into Our Forests

This week, some of the world’s most dedicated soil researchers are gathered in Victoria, British Columbia, for the 4th Global Soil Biodiversity Conference, running April 12–15, 2026. Organized by the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative (GSBI) and backed by the Biological Survey of Canada, GSB2026 is the premier international event in this field. It pulls together… Read more: Why the 4th Global Soil Biodiversity Conference Matters

Alaska has more coastline than every other state put together. Earlier this year, NOAA decided it was time to take a serious look at what sustainable seafood expansion could realistically look like along that coastline. What the Atlas Actually Is Published on February 19, 2026, NOAA’s Atlas for Aquaculture Opportunity Areas identifies 77 areas in… Read more: Mapping Alaska’s Aquaculture Future: NOAA’s New Atlas

Long-term ecosystem monitoring in Queensland has revealed a troubling change: parts of Australia’s tropical rainforests are now releasing more carbon than they absorb. These forests, once reliable carbon sinks, are becoming net carbon sources as rising temperatures and prolonged dry periods increase tree loss. The findings come from decades of field measurements across the Wet… Read more: Australia’s Tropical Rainforests Become Carbon Source

Methane remains one of the most damaging greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, especially from agriculture and waste systems. A new line of environmental research highlights an unexpected ally in reducing these emissions: underwater microbes that naturally consume methane before it escapes into the air. Researchers are testing these microbes in controlled systems placed near… Read more: Underwater Microbes That Consume Methane Show Climate Promise