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Categories: Ecology: Extinction, Environmental: Ecosystems
Published People are altering decomposition rates in waterways
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Humans may be accelerating the rate at which organic matter decomposes in rivers and streams on a global scale, according to a new study. That could pose a threat to biodiversity in waterways around the world and increase the amount of carbon in Earth's atmosphere, potentially exacerbating climate change. The study is the first to combine a global experiment and predictive modeling to illustrate how human impacts to waterways may contribute to the global climate crisis.
Published Historic iceberg surges offer insights on modern climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A great armada entered the North Atlantic, launched from the cold shores of North America. But rather than ships off to war, this force was a fleet of icebergs. And the havoc it wrought was to the ocean current itself. The future of the Atlantic circulation will be determined by a tug-o-war between Greenland's decreasing ice flux and its increasing freshwater runoff.
Published High groundwater depletion risk in South Korea in 2080s
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Team utilizes advanced statistical techniques to project the future groundwater depletion risk.
Published Musankwa sanyatiensis, a new dinosaur from Zimbabwe
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fossils found on the shoreline of Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe represent a completely new dinosaur species. This remarkable find, named Musankwa sanyatiensis, marks only the fourth dinosaur species named from Zimbabwe.
Published Antibiotic pollution disrupts the gut microbiome and blocks memory in aquatic snails
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Antibiotics prevent snails from forming new memories by disrupting their gut microbiome -- the community of beneficial bacteria found in their guts.
Published Abandoned farmlands could play a role in fighting climate change: A new study shows exactly where they are
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The team used machine learning to map nearly 30 million acres of United States cropland abandoned since the 1980s, creating a tool that could guide decisions about how to balance production of energy and food.
Published What makes some plant groups so successful?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers involved in cataloguing the world's plant species are hunting for answers as to what makes some groups of plants so successful. One of their major goals is to predict more accurately which lineages of flowering plants -- some of which are of huge importance to people and to ecosystems -- are at a greater risk from global climate change.
Published Aerosol pollution, greenhouse gases must be reduced simultaneously to keep forest fires in check
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source If we want cleaner air, fewer forest fires, and less severe climate change, a new study shows we must reduce aerosol pollution and greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide at the same time.
Published Fatal attraction: When endangered species try to mate with domestic relatives, both wildlife and people lose
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Sticks and stones aren't enough to thwart biological attraction, but sometimes those are the only tools available to pastoralists trying to prevent wildlife from eloping with their livestock. A new study brings awareness to both the human impacts of these encounters -- ranging from economic loss to death -- and conservation concerns for the wild animals that are often endangered.
Published Some species may tolerate climate change better than expected
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new model reassesses the proportion of terrestrial and marine species threatened with extinction by climate change. While the forecasts of traditional models estimate that the diversity of terrestrial species in tropical areas could decrease by 54% between now and 2041-2060, this model is more moderate, predicting a decrease of 39%. Nevertheless, this proportion remains alarming and confirms the importance of taking urgent measures to mitigate climate change and its impact on biodiversity.
Published Slugs and snails love the city, unlike other animals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Most native species avoid more urbanized areas of Los Angeles, but slugs and snails may actually prefer these environments, according to a new study.
Published Wild megalopolis: Study shows unexpected pockets of biodiversity pepper Los Angeles
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers, in partnership with the city of Los Angeles, have developed the urban association index to help identify how well or poorly individual wildlife species are doing in the city. The researchers found unexpected pockets of biodiversity deep in the city, but they say it will still be a challenge to elevate Los Angeles' overall level of biodiversity.
Published Research to uncover the impact of water use in the Colorado River Basin
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Persistent overuse of water and long-term drought has depleted the Colorado River and highlighted the need for a comprehensive understanding of how waters are allocated and used to develop effective management strategies.
Published Marine Protected Areas don't line up with core habitats of rare migratory fish, finds new research
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source 62% of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) designated to protect rare migratory fish species are outside of their core habitats, according to a new modeling study.
Published The secret sex life of coral revealed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Corals play an essential role in ocean ecosystems, and like many organisms, they are under threat from climate change and other human activities. To better protect coral, it's first necessary to understand them, in particular their reproductive life cycle, which only happens once a year. For the first time, researchers have produced a model for coral spawning, based on various environmental factors. They achieved this by tapping an often overlooked source of aquatic knowledge, an aquarium.
Published Bringing back an ancient bird
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using ancient DNA extracted from the toe bone of a museum specimen, biologists have sequenced the genome of an extinct, flightless bird called the little bush moa, shedding light into an unknown corner of avian genetic history. The work is the first complete genetic map of the turkey-sized bird whose distant living cousins include the ostrich, emu, and kiwi.
Published New research shows soil microorganisms could produce additional greenhouse gas emissions from thawing permafrost
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As the planet has warmed, scientists have long been concerned about the potential for harmful greenhouse gasses to seep out of thawing Arctic permafrost. Recent estimates suggest that by 2100 the amount of carbon dioxide and methane released from these perpetually frozen lands could be on par with emissions from large industrial countries. However, new research led by a team of microbiome scientists suggests those estimates might be too low.
Published Global activity of seafloor biodiversity mapped
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of scientists has used artificial intelligence (AI) to map the activities of seafloor invertebrate animals, such as worms, clams and shrimps, across all the oceans of the world.
Published The global clean water crisis looms large
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Water scarcity will intensify with climate and socioeconomic change, disproportionately impacting populations located in the Global South.
Published Biodiversity in crabs: More than counting species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers compare the shield shapes of crabs and find unexpected differentiation.