Highlight articles

Northward shift of boreal tree cover confirmed by satellite record

Analysis of 36 years of satellite tree cover data provide the first comprehensive confirmation of the northward advance of the boreal forest. Boreal tree cover expanded by 0.84 million km² (12%) from 1985 to 2020 and shifted northward by 0.43°. Gains outpaced losses across most latitudes, confirming a biome-wide poleward shift. Young forests now comprise 15% of the area of the world’s largest forest biome, storing 1–6 Pg C and potentially sequestering an additional 2–4 Pg C as they mature.

Investigating controls on fluvial grain sizes in post-glacial landscapes using citizen science

We explore controls on channel sediment characteristics in post-glacial landscapes. In contrast to other studies that have focused on landscapes with little glacial influence, we find no apparent controls. We propose that Scotland's post-glacial legacy drives the lack of sedimentological trends, and that changes in landscape morphology and sediment sources caused by glacial processes lead to a decoupling between fluvial sediment grain size and environmental variables.

The largest crop production shocks: magnitude, causes and frequency

Large crop failures happen regularly around the world, threatening food security. We analyzed sixty years of global crop production data and found that every country has experienced major crop losses. Climate events like droughts cause most severe disruptions, with some African nations losing up to eighty percent of production. While global crop shocks above five percent are rare, regional disruptions occur frequently. These findings show our food system faces regular large-scale threats.

Machine-learning models of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N isoscapes in Amazonian wood

Illegal logging is a major environmental concern in the Amazon. We tested whether the isotopic composition of carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) in wood can support timber traceability. Using machine-learning models, we generated basin-wide isoscapes showing that both isotopes capture consistent environmental gradients, providing a scientific basis to improve provenance verification and guide enforcement efforts.

Flood risks to the financial stability of residential mortgage borrowers: an integrated modeling approach

Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
DOI 10.5194/nhess-26-675-2026
30 January 2026

Uninsured flood damage can destabilize household finances, particularly when access to affordable credit is limited. Across seven floods in North Carolina, 66% of damage was found to be uninsured. Among affected mortgage borrowers, 32% lacked sufficient income or collateral to finance repairs through home equity-based borrowing, making their recovery uncertain. These findings suggest that uninsured flood damage poses a serious and under-recognized threat to residential mortgage borrowers.

Assessment of the Cape Blanc (northwest Africa) upwelling ecosystem response to recent climate change, using wavelet analyses on dinoflagellate cyst export

This study examined the cycle variability in records of a plankton group remnant (dinoflagellate cysts), atmospheric, and oceanic factors off Cape Blanc, Northwest Africa. The result showed changes in the cycles of the plankton, upwelling winds, and Saharan dust records from 2003 to 2020. These changes were divided into three phases, coinciding with changes in the plankton assemblage. Our results showed that local climate change can influence the dynamics and composition of marine ecosystems.

Operational numerical weather prediction with ICON on GPUs (version 2024.10)

The ICON climate and numerical weather prediction model was fully ported to Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) using OpenACC compiler directives, covering all components required for operational weather prediction. The GPU port together with several performance optimizations led to a speed-up of 5.6× when comparing to traditional Central Processing Units (CPUs) . Thanks to this adaptation effort, MeteoSwiss became the first national weather service to run the ICON model operationally on GPUs.

A survey of snow growth signatures from tropics to Antarctica using triple-frequency radar observations

Despite the increasing complexity of snow microphysics schemes employed in numerical models, whether the dominant snow microphysical process is reasonably identified remains an open question. This study using unprecedented triple-frequency radar observations for the first time unravels the key snow growth processes over diverse geographies. The unique cross-continental datasets from triple-frequency campaigns shed new insights for model evaluation and future satellite missions.

Review article: Social media for managing disasters triggered by natural hazards: a critical review of data collection strategies and actionable insights

Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
DOI 10.5194/nhess-26-215-2026
27 January 2026

This paper critically reviews 250 studies (2010–2023) on how social media are used to manage disasters triggered by natural hazards. Supported by a newly created Social Media Literature Database, it identifies trends, data collection and analysis strategies, actionable information types, and major research gaps. Best practices are proposed for community use of social media during disasters and for researchers seeking to enhance its integration into disaster management and resilience strategies.

Impact on cloud properties of reduced-sulphur shipping fuel in the Eastern North Atlantic

The amount of sunlight reflected by marine boundary layer clouds in the Eastern North Atlantic does not change due to a decrease in aerosol caused by reduced sulphur in shipping fuel because adjustments to liquid water path offset the decease in cloud droplet number concentration.

News & press Highlight articles

Highlight articles

Information for

External links