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Categories: Ecology: Extinction, Paleontology: General
Published Alaska dinosaur tracks reveal a lush, wet environment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A large find of dinosaur tracks and fossilized plants and tree stumps in far northwestern Alaska provides new information about the climate and movement of animals near the time when they began traveling between the Asian and North American continents roughly 100 million years ago.
Published History repeats as Coral Bay faces mass loss of coral and fish life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A perfect storm of environmental factors has seen a monumental loss of fish and coral life at a popular area of Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia's Gascoyne region -- however research into the event shows there is hope it will recover. In March 2022, during the annual coral spawning event, calm weather and limited tidal movement combined to trap the coral's eggs within Bills Bay, at the town of Coral Bay. This led to an excess of nutrients in the water which consumed more oxygen than usual -- causing massive numbers of fish and corals to die from asphyxiation.
Published Higher carnivorous dinosaur biodiversity of famous Kem Kem beds, Morocco
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team of palaeontologists applied recently developed methods to measure theropod (carnivorous) dinosaur species diversity. The newly applied method uses both traditional phylogenetic analysis, discriminant analysis as well as machine learning.
Published Pronghorn population declining due to human development
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new article looked at 40 years of data collected on 40 pronghorn herds residing in the Wyoming Basin Shrub Steppe. Overall, 80% of the herds saw a decrease in productivity, and nearly 43% saw a significant decrease. After looking at a number of variables that could potentially contribute to the decline, the researchers identified the two most strongly associated: development of oil and gas resources and woody encroachment.
Published Gene flow in giraffes and what it means for their conservation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Giraffes, with their bizarre body plan, have always held a special place in the minds of evolutionary biologists and non-experts alike. In a new study whole-genome sequencing data was used to investigate the evolutionary processes occurring within giraffes. In particular, the authors were interested in establishing whether different populations of giraffes really have been isolated from each other for extended periods of time, which is normally a requirement before new species can arise.
Published Cheetahs' unrivalled speed explained by their 'sweet spot' size, finds Imperial study
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has answered a long-held question about why medium-sized land animals like cheetahs tend to be fastest.
Published New study reveals transgenerational effects of pesticide linuron on frogs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Grand-offspring of male frogs exposed to the pesticide linuron exhibited changes in their DNA that was linked to significant physiological impacts, a study reveals. The research highlights the profound transgenerational consequences of environmental pollution on amphibian populations, which are already under threat of extinction.
Published Mapping the future's sweet spot for clean energy and biodiversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study of Joshua trees, kit foxes and solar energy developments highlights the need to consider climate-induced range shifts for species as we expand clean energy.
Published Good news for coral reef restoration efforts: Study finds 'full recovery' of reef growth within four years
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source While the majority of the world's reefs are now under threat or even damaged potentially beyond repair, a new study offers some encouraging news: efforts to restore coral reefs not only increase coral cover, but they can also bring back important ecosystem functions, and surprisingly fast.
Published Reptile roadkill reveals new threat to endangered lizard species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The chance sighting of a dead snake beside a sandy track in remote Western Australia, and the investigation of its stomach contents, has led researchers to record the first known instance of a spotted mulga snake consuming a pygmy spiny-tailed skink, raising concerns for a similar-looking, endangered lizard species.
Published New study reveals insight into which animals are most vulnerable to extinction due to climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a new study, researchers have used the fossil record to better understand what factors make animals more vulnerable to extinction from climate change. The results could help to identify species most at risk today from human-driven climate change.
Published Loss of nature costs more than previously estimated
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers propose that governments apply a new method for calculating the benefits that arise from conserving biodiversity and nature for future generations.
Published Earth's earliest forest revealed in Somerset fossils
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The oldest fossilized forest known on Earth -- dating from 390 million years ago -- has been found in the high sandstone cliffs along the Devon and Somerset coast of South West England.
Published Microbes impact coral bleaching susceptibility
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study provides insights into the role of microbes and their interaction as drivers of interspecific differences in coral thermal bleaching.
Published Fossils of giant sea lizard with dagger-like teeth show how our oceans have fundamentally changed since the dinosaur era
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fossils of a strange new species of marine lizard with dagger-like teeth that lived 66 million years ago, show a dramatically more biodiverse ocean ecosystem to what we see today.
Published Fossil named 'Attenborough's strange bird' was the first in its kind without teeth
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new fossil, named 'Attenborough's strange bird' after naturalist and documentarian Sir David Attenborough, is the first of its kind to evolve a toothless beak. It's from a branch of the bird family tree that went extinct in the mass extinction 66 million years ago, and this strange bird is another puzzle piece that helps explain why some birds -- and their fellow dinosaurs -- went extinct, and others survived to today.
Published 8 in 10 lizards could be at risk due to deforestation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source These reptiles move around tree trunks to seek warmth or shade. With trees disappearing, they would have trouble controlling their body temperature, a new study shows.
Published Scientists ID burned bodies using technique used for extracting DNA from woolly mammoths, Neanderthals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A technique originally devised to extract DNA from woolly mammoths and other ancient archaeological specimens can be used to potentially identify badly burned human remains, according to research.
Published Mercury rising: Study sheds new light on ancient volcanoes' environmental impact
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Massive volcanic events in Earth's history that released large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere frequently correlate with periods of severe environmental change and mass extinctions. A new method to estimate how much and how rapidly carbon was released by the volcanoes could improve our understanding of the climate response, according to an international team.
Published Slimming down a colossal fossil whale
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A 30 million year-old fossil whale may not be the heaviest animal of all time after all, according to a new analysis by paleontologists. The new analysis puts Perucetus colossus back in the same weight range as modern whales and smaller than the largest blue whales ever recorded.