Biology: Marine Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Sea stars able to consume kelp-eating urchins fast enough to protect kelp forests, research shows      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have provided the first experimental evidence that a species of endangered sea star protects kelp forests along North America's Pacific Coast by preying on substantial numbers of kelp-eating urchins.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Technology Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Study offers details on using electric fields to tune thermal properties of ferroelectric materials      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New research sheds light on how electric fields can be used to alter the thermal properties of ferroelectric materials, allowing engineers to manipulate the flow of heat through the materials. Ferroelectric materials are used in a wide variety of applications, from ultrasound devices to memory storage technologies.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

New research reveals 12 ways aquaculture can benefit the environment      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Aquaculture, or the farming of aquatic plants and animals, contributes to biodiversity and habitat loss in freshwater and marine ecosystems globally, but when used wisely, it can also be part of the solution, new research shows.

Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

First wearable device for vocal fatigue senses when your voice needs a break      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have developed the first smart wearable device to continuously track how much people use their voices, alerting them to overuse before vocal fatigue and potential injury set in. The soft, flexible, postage-stamp-sized device comfortably adheres to the upper chest to sense the subtle vibrations associated with talking and singing. From there, the captured data is instantaneously streamed via Bluetooth to the users' smartphone or tablet, so they can monitor their vocal activities in real time throughout the day and measure cumulative total vocal usage. Custom machine-learning algorithms distinguish the difference between speaking and singing, enabling singers to separately track each activity.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Animals Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life
Published

Feathered 'fingerprints' reveal potential motivation for migratory patterns of endangered seabirds      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New research shows that the feathers of seabirds such as the Wandering Albatross can provide clues about their long-distance foraging, which could help protect these species from further decline.

Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound Space: Exploration
Published

The roar and crackle of Artemis 1      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When the Artemis 1 mission was launched in November, it became the world's most powerful rocket, and with liftoff came a loud roar heard miles away. Researchers report noise measurements during the launch at different locations around Kennedy Space Center. The data collected can be used to validate existing noise prediction models, which are needed to protect equipment as well as the surrounding environment and community.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Coral reefs in the Eastern Pacific could survive into the 2060s      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists found that some reefs in the tropical Pacific Ocean could maintain high coral cover into the second half of this century by shuffling the symbiotic algae they host. The findings offer a ray of hope in an often-dire picture of the future of coral reefs worldwide.

Biology: Developmental Offbeat: Plants and Animals Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Creating 3D objects with sound      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have created a new technology to assemble matter in 3D. Their concept uses multiple acoustic holograms to generate pressure fields with which solid particles, gel beads and even biological cells can be printed. These results pave the way for novel 3D cell culture techniques with applications in biomedical engineering.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Fossil discovery reveals complex ecosystems existed on Earth much earlier than previously thought      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

About 250 million years ago, the Permian-Triassic mass extinction killed over 80 per cent of the planet's species. In the aftermath, scientists believe that life on earth was dominated by simple species for up to 10 million years before more complex ecosystems could evolve. Now this longstanding theory is being challenged by a team of international researchers.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Research Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Endangered Bahamas bird may be lost from island following hurricane      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The endangered Bahama Warbler may be surviving on just one island following Hurricane Dorian's devastation in 2019, according to researchers. A new study shows the bird's distribution and ecology on Grand Bahama before the hurricane struck. But the team says that the warbler may now only survive on neighboring Abaco island, after hurricane Dorian destroyed the bird's forest habitat on Grand Bahama. The research comes from the same team that found what is thought to have been the last living Bahama Nuthatch, previously thought to have been extinct.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction
Published

Roads, pet dogs and more may pose hidden threat to Africa's primates      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Simple solutions, such as not leaving out food at night, could help to protect non-human primates in Sub-Saharan Africa -- some of which are already struggling because of threats like climate change and habitat loss.

Ecology: Extinction Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: General
Published

Scientists develop new index based on functional morphology to understand how ancestors of modern birds used their wings      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have compared the relationship among the strength of flight bones, body mass, and the way modern birds fly to better understand the evolution of flight in birds and extinct animals, such as the Pteranodon.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Research
Published

Loss of reptiles poses threat for small islands where humans may have caused extinctions      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new examination of ancient and current species of reptiles conducted by paleobiologists reveals the serious impact of the disappearance of even a few species of reptiles in some island areas. The study has startling conclusions about how, on smaller islands in the Caribbean where human impact was greatest, extinctions have led to the loss of up to two-thirds of the supports for the ecosystem that native reptile species once provided there.

Ecology: Extinction
Published

Wild bumblebee queens lured and killed in commercial hives      (via sciencedaily.com) 

While testing how well commercial bumblebees pollinate early spring crops, researchers made a surprising discovery: dead wild bumblebee queens in the hives, an average of 10 per nest box.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Research Ecology: Trees Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Voiceless frog discovered in Tanzania      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers discovered a new species of frog in Africa that has an unusual trait: it's completely silent. The Ukaguru spiny-throated reed frog does not croak, sing or ribbit. Found in Tanzania's Ukaguru Mountains for which it is named, Hyperolius ukaguruensis is among the few frogs around the world that do not vocalize to other frogs.

Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Marine Ecology: Extinction
Published

How species partnerships evolve      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Biologists explored how symbiotic relationships between species evolve to become specific or general, cooperative or antagonistic.

Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Environmental: Biodiversity
Published

Protected areas fail to safeguard more than 75% of global insect species      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Insects play crucial roles in almost every ecosystem -- they pollinate more than 80% of plants and are a major source of food for thousands of vertebrate species -- but insect populations are collapsing around the globe, and they continue to be overlooked by conservation efforts. Protected areas can safeguard threatened species but only if these threatened species actually live within the areas we protect. A new study found that 76% of insect species are not adequately covered by protected areas.

Biology: Evolutionary Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

With rapidly increasing heat and drought, can plants adapt?      (via sciencedaily.com) 

As deserts expanded their range over the past 5-7 million years, many plants invaded the new biome and rapidly diversified, producing amazing adaptations to drought and heat. Can plants continue to adapt to increasing aridity caused by climate change? A new study that addressed the origins of desert adaptation concluded that one group of desert plants, rock daisies, came preadapted to aridity, likely helping them survive desert conditions. Not all plants may be so lucky.

Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Focused ultrasound technique leads to release of neurodegenerative disorders biomarkers      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New research found that using focused-ultrasound-mediated liquid biopsy in a mouse model released more tau proteins and another biomarker into the blood than without the intervention. This noninvasive method could facilitate diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders, the researchers said.