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Categories: Ecology: Trees, Energy: Nuclear
Published Climate change in the forests of northern Germany
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source More and more trees are suffering the consequences of decades of human-made climate change. The growth of the European beech has so far suffered decline mainly in southern Europe. European beech is Germany's most important native forest tree species and it is most commonly found in Central Europe. A research team has now been able to show that the European beech is suffering from increasing drought stress in summer in northern Germany as well. This climate stress is particularly pronounced at warmer sites, when there is a higher density of these trees together, and on very sandy soils.
Published Living in greener areas is associated with better mental health and less medication use
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has evaluated the relationship between better mental health and the 3-30-300 green space rule. According to this rule of thumb, everyone should be able to see at least three trees from their home, have 30 percent tree canopy cover in their neighborhood and not live more than 300 meters away from the nearest park or green space.
Published Cheetah marking trees are hotspots for communication also for other species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Marking trees are important hotspots of communication for cheetahs: Here they exchange information with and about other cheetahs via scent marks, urine and scats. A team has now shown that several mammalian species on farmland in Namibia maintain a network for intra- and interspecific communication at cheetah trees. Black-backed jackals, African wildcats and warthogs visited and sniffed the cheetahs' 'places to be' more frequently than control trees, the team concluded from photos and videos recorded by wildlife camera traps. A common prey species of the cheetahs, however, avoided these hotspots.
Published Old-growth trees more drought tolerant than younger ones, providing a buffer against climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new analysis of more than 20,000 trees on five continents shows that old-growth trees are more drought tolerant than younger trees in the forest canopy and may be better able to withstand future climate extremes. The findings highlight the importance of preserving the world's remaining old-growth forests, which are biodiversity strongholds that store vast amounts of planet-warming carbon, according to forest ecologists.
Published Forests benefit from tree species variety and genetic diversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Reforestation projects should include a variety of tree species and ensure genetic diversity within each species to maximize new forests' health and productivity.
Published Quantum algorithm of the direct calculation of energy derivatives developed for molecular geometry optimization
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have successfully extended the quantum phase difference estimation algorithm, a general quantum algorithm for the direct calculations of energy gaps, to enable the direct calculation of energy differences between two different molecular geometries. This allows for the computation, based on the finite difference method, of energy derivatives with respect to nuclear coordinates in a single calculation.
Published Animals are key to restoring the world's forests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source By dispersing seeds, animals can rapidly reestablish plant diversity in degraded forests.
Published Genome studies uncover a new branch in fungal evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source About 600 seemingly disparate fungi that had resisted categorization have been shown to have a common ancestor, according to a a research team that used genome sequencing to give these peculiar creatures a new classification home.
Published Old World flycatchers' family tree mapped
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The European robin's closest relatives are found in tropical Africa. The European robin is therefore not closely related to the Japanese robin, despite their close similarity in appearance. This is confirmed by a new study of the Old World flycatcher family, to which these birds belong. The study comprises 92 per cent of the more than 300 species in this family.
Published What shapes the composition of microbes in a warbler's gut?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Differences among the collection of bacteria and other microorganisms that live within birds' digestive tracts -- their gut microbiomes -- are not primarily driven by diet diversity, contrary to a recently proposed hypothesis. Instead, a team of researchers found that evolution may play a larger role in explaining these differences, which could potentially have implications for how these species adapt to new habitats.
Published Small modular reactor waste analysis report
(via sciencedaily.com) Small modular nuclear reactors, which offer greater flexibility and lower upfront cost than large nuclear reactors, have both some advantages and disadvantages when it comes to nuclear waste generation.
Published How does radiation travel through dense plasma?
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers provide experimental data about how radiation travels through dense plasmas. Their data will improve plasma models, which allow scientists to better understand the evolution of stars and may aid in the realization of controlled nuclear fusion as an alternative energy source.
Published Planting trees can save lives, study shows
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A 30-year tree planting campaign in Portland, Oregon, allowed researchers to show that the number of trees planted in the street is associated with reductions in mortality, and that the association grows stronger as the trees age and grow.
Published How long can exotic nuclei survive at the edge of stability?
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study has measured how long it takes for several kinds of exotic nuclei to decay. The paper marks the first experimental result from the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams. It is just a small taste of what's to come at the facility, which will become 400 times more powerful over the coming years. Scientists used the facility to better understand nuclei, the collection of protons and neutrons found at the heart of atoms. Understanding these basic building blocks allows scientists to refine their best models and has applications in medicine, national security, and industry.
Published Half of replanted tropical trees don't survive
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source On average, about half of trees planted in tropical and sub-tropical forest restoration efforts do not survive more than five years, but there is enormous variation in outcomes, new research has found.
Published Material separates heavy water from ordinary water
(via sciencedaily.com) A research group has made a material that can effectively separate heavy water from normal water at room temperature. Until now, this process has been very difficult and energy intensive. The findings have implications for industrial -- and even biological -- processes that involve using different forms of the same molecule.
Published Evolution of tree roots may have driven mass extinctions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study has found evidence that the evolution of tree roots over 300 million years ago triggered mass extinction events through the same chemical processes created by pollution in modern oceans and lakes.
Published Lianas more likely to infest smaller trees in Southeast Asian forests, transforming knowledge in understudied area
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Woody climbing plants, known as lianas, are more likely to infest smaller trees in Malaysian forests and therefore stop them growing to their full potential, which may have implications for climate change.
Published Ambrosia beetles breed and maintain their own food fungi
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A recent experiment provides evidence of a bark beetle species' agricultural capability. The fruit-tree pinhole borer can suppress the growth of weed fungi and promote food fungi.
Published El Niño increases seedling mortality even in drought-tolerant forests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists conducted a 7-year study on seedling recruitment and mortality in a national park in Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand. During the study period, an extremely strong El Niño event occurred, leading to a stronger and longer drought than normal. Seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTFs), which experience an annual dry season, are considered drought-tolerant. Nevertheless, the study found that seedling mortality increased in SDTFs when severe and prolonged drought occurred.