10 news posts from November 2020

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Microbes help unlock phosphorus for plant growth

Poplar trees along the Snoqualmie River

Phosphorus is a necessary nutrient for plants to grow. But when it’s applied to plants as part of a chemical fertilizer, phosphorus can react strongly with minerals in the soil, forming complexes with iron, aluminum and calcium. This locks up the phosphorus, preventing plants from being able to access this crucial nutrient. To overcome this, farmers often apply an excess of chemical fertilizers to agricultural crops, leading to phosphorus buildup in soils. 

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Seven UW Environment researchers featured on Highly Cited Researchers 2020 List

University of Washington's Suzzallo Library

Seven faculty and researchers from the College of the Environment have been included in the annual Highly Cited Researchers 2020 list from Clarivate. The highly-anticipated annual list identifies researchers who demonstrated significant influence in their chosen field or fields through the publication of multiple highly cited papers during the last decade. Their names are drawn from the publications that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and publication year in the Web of Science citation index. 

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US seafood industry flounders due to COVID-19

A school of forage fish.

The global pandemic is hurting the seafood industry, and American fishmongers may flounder without more government aid, according to the largest study of COVID-19’s impacts on U.S. fisheries. The new study, published Nov. 23 in the journal Fish and Fisheries, found that monthly fresh seafood exports declined up to 43% compared to last year, while monthly imports fell up to 37%, and catches dropped 40% in some months. 

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Kyle Armour recipient of AGU James B. Macelwane Medal

Kyle Armour

Congratulations to Associate Professor Kyle Armour, who was selected as a recipient of the 2020 James B. Macelwane Medal from the American Geophysical Union (AGU) for his outstanding scientific contributions. The Macelwane Medal is given annually to three to five early career scientists in recognition of their significant contributions to Earth and space science. Nominees are selected for the medal based on their depth and breadth of research, impact, creativity as well as service, outreach, and diversity. 

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Lisa Graumlich, dean of UW College of the Environment, named president-elect of AGU

Lisa Graumlich

The American Geophysical Union announced that its members have elected Lisa Graumlich, dean of the UW College of the Environment, as the president-elect starting Jan. 1. After two years in this role Graumlich will begin a two-year term as president of the AGU board beginning in 2023. With more than 62,000 members from 144 countries, AGU represents an interdisciplinary mix of atmospheric, ocean, Earth, hydrology and space scientists. 

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