Showing 20 articles starting at article 421
Categories: Ecology: Trees, Paleontology: Climate
Published 1930s Dust Bowl led to extreme heat around Northern Hemisphere


The 1930s Dust Bowl affected heat extremes across much of North America and as far away as Europe and East Asia, according to new research. The study found that the extreme heating of the Great Plains triggered motions of air around the Northern Hemisphere in ways that suppressed cloud formation in some regions and contributed to record heat thousands of miles away.
Published Interdisciplinary environmental history: How narratives of the past can meet the challenges of the anthropocene


A new article discusses vital methodological issues for humanities-based historical inquiry and argues that the challenges of the Anthropocene demand interdisciplinary research informed by a variety of historical narratives.
Published Forests benefit from tree species variety and genetic diversity



Reforestation projects should include a variety of tree species and ensure genetic diversity within each species to maximize new forests' health and productivity.
Published What ancient underwater food webs can tell us about the future of climate change


Have humans wreaked too much havoc on marine life to halt damage? A new analysis challenges the idea that ocean ecosystems have barely changed over millions of years, pointing scientists down a new path on conservation efforts and policy.
Published The evolution of Asia's mammals was dictated by ancient climate change and rising mountains


A new study compiles data on more than 3,000 species to show how climate and geologic changes across Asia over the last 66 million years have shaped the evolution of the continent's mammals.
Published Animals are key to restoring the world's forests



By dispersing seeds, animals can rapidly reestablish plant diversity in degraded forests.
Published Genome studies uncover a new branch in fungal evolution



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



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?



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 Planting trees can save lives, study shows



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 Half of replanted tropical trees don't survive



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 Evolution of tree roots may have driven mass extinctions



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



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



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



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.
Published Life cycle of tree roots



Scientists have developed a method for the direct observation of fine roots, which control the uptake of nutrients and water by trees. This provides a valuable addition to the existing knowledge of carbon and nutrient cycling in the forest floor, leading to further understanding of the carbon cycle from the view point of initial carbon input into the soil and aiding forest management and soil conservation.
Published UV-to-red light converting films accelerate plant growth



Plastic sheets coated with an Eu3+ film that converts UV light to red light were able to accelerate growth of vegetal plants and trees.
Published Tree rings offer insight into devastating radiation storms


A new study has shed new light on a mysterious, unpredictable and potentially devastating kind of astrophysical event.
Published By leaving garden waste alone, we could store 600,000 tons of CO2 per year



Danes shuttle nearly a million tons of garden waste from their gardens every year. But we would be doing the climate a great service if we just left it alone, according to the new calculations. At the same time, leaves and other garden waste are a boon for backyard biodiversity and soil.
Published Forest recovery after Montana's 2017 fire season



Researchers found thousands of seedlings growing after recent fires in Montana, especially at sites with cooler, damper conditions -- often found in the shade of the dead trees and upper canopy, as well as on the north side of mountains with higher elevations and more undergrowth. Researchers found fewer seedlings at sites with less shade and drier, hotter conditions.