Showing 20 articles starting at article 661
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Ecology: Research, Environmental: Biodiversity
Published Thousands of native plants are unphotographed, and citizen scientists can help fill the gaps


New research finds almost 4000 Australian plant species have not been photographed before in the wild, which may lead to their extinction.
Published Swan populations grow 30 times faster in nature reserves


Populations of whooper swans grow 30 times faster inside nature reserves, new research shows.
Published Study shows how biodiversity of coral reefs around the world changes with depth


Dramatic differences between shallow and mesophotic reefs stress the importance of studying--and conserving--these vital ecosystems along their entire depth gradient.
Published Assessing the potential risks of ocean-based climate intervention technologies on deep-sea ecosystems


An international team of experts convened remotely as part of the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative's Climate Working Group to consider the deep-sea impacts of ocean-based climate intervention (OBCI). A research team has analyzed the proposed approaches to assess their potential impacts on deep-sea ecosystems and biodiversity. Their findings raise substantial concern on the potential impacts of these technologies on deep-sea ecosystems and call for the need for an integrated research effort to carefully assess the cost and benefits of each intervention.
Published Sea temperatures control the distributions of European marine fish


An analysis extending from southern Portugal to northern Norway highlights the importance of temperature in determining where fish species are found.
Published Island-inhabiting giants, dwarfs more vulnerable to extinction


Island-dwelling mammal species often expand or contract in size, becoming giant or dwarf versions of their mainland counterparts. A new Science study from a global team shows that those giants and dwarfs have faced extreme risk of extinction -- an existential threat exacerbated by the arrival of humans.
Published To help dry forests, fire needs to be just the right intensity, and happen more than once


Research into the ability of a wildfire to improve the health of a forest uncovered a Goldilocks effect -- unless a blaze falls in a narrow severity range, neither too hot nor too cold, it isn't very good at helping forest landscapes return to their historical, more fire-tolerant conditions.
Published Plant roots fuel tropical soil animal communities


A research team has shed new light on the importance of plant roots for below-ground life, particularly in the tropics. Millions of small creatures toiling in a single hectare of soil including earthworms, springtails, mites, insects, and other arthropods are crucial for decomposition and soil health. For a long time, it was believed that leaf litter is the primary resource for these animals. However, this recent study is the first to provide proof that resources derived from plant roots drive soil animal communities in the tropics.
Published Drones detect moss beds and changes to Antarctica climate


Researchers are using drones with highly advanced sensors and AI to map large areas and to study changes to Antarctica's climate.
Published Phone-based measurements provide fast, accurate information about the health of forests


Researchers have developed an algorithm that uses computer vision techniques to accurately measure trees almost five times faster than traditional, manual methods.
Published Earlier take-off could lead to fewer bumblebees and less pollination


With the arrival of spring, bumblebee queens take their first wing beat of the season and set out to find new nesting sites. But they are flying earlier in the year, as a result of a warmer climate and a changing agricultural landscape, according to new research.
Published U.S. birds' Eastern, Western behavior patterns are polar opposites


Scientists have established what could be considered a baseline map of annual avian functional and species diversity patterns in the U.S., finding that functional diversity patterns in the West, where species and functional richness are both highest during the breeding season, are the polar opposite of what is seen in the East, where functional diversity is lowest when species richness is high.
Published Mulching time of forest meadows influences insect diversity


Researchers have examined how mulching at different times affects insect flower-visitors and larvae.
Published Deforestation in the tropics linked to a reduction in rainfall


Deforestation is resulting in reduced rainfall across large parts of the tropics, according to new research. People living in tropical forest communities have often complained that the climate gets hotter and drier once trees are cleared but until now, scientists have not been able to identify a clear link between the loss of tree cover and a decline in rainfall.
Published Better metric for prioritizing conservation of 'evolutionarily distinctive' species


Researchers have published an updated metric for prioritizing species' conservation that incorporates scientific uncertainty and complementarity between species, in addition to extinction risk and evolutionary distinctiveness.
Published Flower power: The role of ants in forest regeneration


Ants play a key role in forest regeneration, according to a new article.
Published Australia's rarest bird of prey disappearing at alarming rate


Australia's rarest bird of prey -- the red goshawk -- is facing extinction, with Cape York Peninsula now the only place in Queensland known to support breeding populations.
Published Rare insect found in Arkansas sets historic record, prompts mystery


A giant insect found in Arkansas has set historic records. The Polystoechotes punctata or giant lacewing is the first of its kind recorded in eastern North America in over 50 years. The giant lacewing was formerly widespread across North America, but was mysteriously extirpated from eastern North America by the 1950s. This discovery suggests there may be relic populations of this large insect yet to be discovered.
Published New study reveals biodiversity loss drove ecological collapse after the 'Great Dying'


By exploring the stability and collapse of marine ecosystems during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, researchers gain insights into modern biodiversity crisis.
Published Insect bite marks show first fossil evidence for plants' leaves folding up at night


Plants can move in ways that might surprise you. Some of them even show 'sleep movements,' folding or raising their leaves each night before opening them again the next day. Now, researchers offer convincing evidence for these nightly movements, also known as foliar nyctinasty, in fossil plants that lived more than 250 million years ago.