Showing 20 articles starting at article 401
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Ecology: Research, Mathematics: Modeling
Published Consistent metabolism may prove costly for insects in saltier water
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Increased salinity usually spells trouble for freshwater insects like mayflies. A new study finds that the lack of metabolic responses to salinity may explain why some freshwater insects often struggle in higher salinity, while other freshwater invertebrates (like mollusks and crustaceans) thrive.
Published Researchers create a neural network for genomics -- one that explains how it achieves accurate predictions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of computer scientists has created a neural network that can explain how it reaches its predictions. The work reveals what accounts for the functionality of neural networks--the engines that drive artificial intelligence and machine learning--thereby illuminating a process that has largely been concealed from users.
Published Bewick's swans choose wintering areas based on the weather
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bewick’s swans fly less far during their autumn migration when the weather is warm. Climate change has therefore led to a shift in their common wintering areas. Now, for the first time, bird researchers have been able to use long-term GPS data to pinpoint the specific choices that individual swans make.
Published Machine learning used to probe the building blocks of shapes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Applying machine learning to find the properties of atomic pieces of geometry shows how AI has the power to accelerate discoveries in maths.
Published Invertebrate biodiversity is improving in England's rivers, long-term trends show
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Rivers across England have seen a significant improvement in river invertebrate biodiversity since 1989, shows a new study.
Published Birders and AI push bird conservation to the next level
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Big data and artificial intelligence (AI) are being used to model hidden patterns in nature, not just for one bird species, but for entire ecological communities across continents. And the models follow each species’ full annual life cycle, from breeding to fall migration to non-breeding grounds, and back north again during spring migration.
Published These robots helped explain how insects evolved two distinct strategies for flight
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Robots helped achieve a major breakthrough in our understanding of how insect flight evolved. The study is a result of a six-year long collaboration between roboticists and biophysicists.
Published Carbon-capture tree plantations threaten tropical biodiversity for little gain, ecologists say
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The increasingly urgent climate crisis has led to a boom in commercial tree plantations in an attempt to offset excess carbon emissions. However, authors argue that these carbon-offset plantations might come with costs for biodiversity and other ecosystem functions. Instead, the authors say we should prioritize conserving and restoring intact ecosystems.
Published Improved mangrove conservation could yield cash, carbon, coastal benefits
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A shift in the way we think about the benefits mangroves provide to coastal regions could yield significant economic and biodiversity gains and protect millions from flooding, research has revealed.
Published Viruses dynamic and changing after dry soils are watered
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Viruses in soil may not be as destructive to bacteria as once thought and could instead act like lawnmowers, culling older cells and giving space for new growth, according to research.
Published Study on mysterious Amazon porcupine can help its protection
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A recent study sheds new light on the elusive Roosmalens' dwarf porcupine, a poorly understood neotropical species. After 22 years of relative obscurity, this research uncovers vital information about its distribution, phylogenetics, and potential conservation threats, not only revealing its endemic presence in the Madeira biogeographical province but also expanding its known range in the southern Amazon.
Published Groundbreaking mathematical proof: New insights into typhoon dynamics unveiled
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has provided irrefutable proof that certain spherical vortices exist in a stable state.
Published Sperm swimming is caused by the same patterns that are believed to dictate zebra stripes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Patterns of chemical interactions are thought to create patterns in nature such as stripes and spots. This new study shows that the mathematical basis of these patterns also governs how sperm tail moves.
Published Important additional driver of insect decline identified: Weather explains the decline and rise of insect biomass over 34 years
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Combinations of unfavorable weather conditions over several years can cause a decline in insect biomass.
Published Protecting lands slows biodiversity loss among vertebrates by five times
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Protecting large swaths of Earth's land can help stem the tide of biodiversity loss -- especially when those protected areas are in less disturbed landscapes and in countries with effective national governance. A new study looked at how amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds fared in protected versus unprotected areas worldwide. Vertebrate abundance decreased five times more slowly inside protected areas, offering much-needed support for the United Nations' '30 by 30' conservation initiative.
Published How to save plants from climate change? Just ask them
(via sciencedaily.com) Climate change and a range of human-caused factors have disrupted the habitats of many California native trees and other plant species. Efforts to protect or relocate plant species would be bolstered by understanding which habitats are best suited for each species. A new study identified a range of characteristics from more than 100 types of plants that can be analyzed to determine each species' preferred temperature and rainfall amount.
Published Decreasing biodiversity may promote spread of viruses
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source How are environmental changes, loss of biodiversity, and the spread of pathogens connected? The answer is a puzzle. Researchers have now described one piece of that puzzle, showing that the destruction of tropical rainforests harms the diversity of mosquito species. At the same time, more resilient species of mosquitoes become more prevalent -- which also means the viruses they carry are more abundant. If there are many individuals of a given species, those viruses can spread quickly.
Published Theories about the natural world may need to change to reflect human impact
(via sciencedaily.com) New research has validated at scale, one of the theories that has underpinned ecology for over half a century. In doing so, the findings raise further questions about whether models should be revised to capture human impacts on natural systems.
Published Despite being properly treated and highly diluted, wastewater still impacts on the river ecosystem
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An experiment using water from a large wastewater treatment plant has shown that this water continues to affect river diversity and the trophic web (food web) despite being properly treated and highly diluted before discharge. The study shows that the limits currently in place and the procedures used to treat wastewater may not be sufficient to protect the natural properties of food webs.
Published By air, rain and land: How microbes return after a wildfire
(via sciencedaily.com) Ecological disturbances like wildfires disrupt microbial communities. Researchers found that dispersal played a pivotal role in re-establishing surface-level communities.