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Categories: Ecology: Animals, Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published Unearthing the ecological impacts of cicada emergences on North American forests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research unveils the cascading effects of periodical cicada emergence events on forest ecosystems ahead of an historic convergence of broods set to emerge spring of 2024.
Published Heat waves harm bird reproduction on agricultural lands
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The effects of extreme temperatures on avian reproduction can vary depending on the type of environment that birds call home. A new study found that extreme high temperatures significantly diminish bird reproductive success in agricultural landscapes.
Published Holy bat skull! Fossil adds vital piece to bat evolution puzzle
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bats may have lived in caves and used soundwaves to navigate much earlier than first thought.
Published Pinpointing the emergence of muddy flavors in your fish
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Many people have experienced a muddy off-flavor in farmed fish. While the aquaculture industry has known about the problem for 20 years, it continues to impact the consumption of otherwise healthy and potentially sustainable fish. Now, researchers have been able to pinpoint exactly when the off-flavors emerge. And this can make it easier to deal with the compounds that turn people away from farmed fish.
Published Biodegradable plastics still damaging to fish
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Biodegradable plastics may not be the solution to plastic pollution many hoped for, with a new study showing they are still harmful to fish.
Published Reef-devouring predator survives coral bleaching and feasts on the survivors
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The crown-of-thorns starfish is nature's ultimate coral predator that has a circle of life perfectly adapted to warming waters.
Published Critical step made for managing brushtail possums
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers say mapping the genetic code of the brushtail possum will benefit those working to both conserve and control the animal.
Published World may have crossed solar power 'tipping point'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The world may have crossed a 'tipping point' that will inevitably make solar power our main source of energy, new research suggests.
Published Harnessing molecular power: Electricity generation on the nanoscale
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers tested a molecular energy harvesting device that captures the energy from the natural motion of molecules in a liquid. Their work showed molecular motion can be used to generate a stable electric current. To create the device, they submerged nanoarrays of piezoelectric material in liquid, allowing the movement of the liquid to move the strands like seaweed waving in the ocean, except in this case the movement is on the molecular scale, and the strands are made of zinc oxide. When the zinc oxide material waves, bends, or deforms under motion, it generates electric potential.
Published AI models identify biodiversity from animal sounds in tropical rainforests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Animal sounds are a very good indicator of biodiversity in tropical reforestation areas. Researchers demonstrate this by using sound recordings and AI models.
Published Genomic analysis in snakes shows link between neutral, functional genetic diversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In the world of threatened and endangered species conservation, the genomic revolution has raised some complicated questions: How can scientists justify assessing species genetic diversity without consulting entire genomes now that they can be sequenced? But then again, how can scientists justify the time and expense of genome sequencing when age-old measures of neutral genetic diversity are much cheaper and easier to obtain? A new study suggests making a transition from 'old school' genetics to 'new school' genomics for species conservation purposes probably isn't necessary in all cases.
Published Solar design would harness 40% of the sun's heat to produce clean hydrogen fuel
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers have designed a system that can efficiently produce 'solar thermochemical hydrogen.' It harnesses the sun's heat to split water and generate hydrogen -- a clean fuel that emits no greenhouse gas emissions.
Published New threat to Antarctic fur seals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Populations of charismatic animals have recovered since hunting ban but now struggle to find enough food.
Published Flagship individual animals can boost conservation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source 'Flagship' individual animals like Cecil the lion or Freya the walrus can boost conservation, new research suggests.
Published The effects of preheating on vehicle fuel consumption and emissions appear minimal
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study found that the benefits of car preheating for both fuel economy and emissions are minimal. The researchers focused on vehicle fuel consumption and emissions under cold winter conditions. Of particular interest were cold start emissions and their relation to preheating.
Published Tens of thousands of endangered sharks and rays caught off Congo
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tens of thousands of endangered sharks and rays are caught by small-scale fisheries off the Republic of the Congo each year, new research shows.
Published Killer whales' diet more important than location for pollutant exposure
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Both elegant and fierce, killer whales are some of the oceans' top predators, but even they can be exposed to environmental pollution. Now, in the largest study to date on North Atlantic killer whales, researchers report the levels of legacy and emerging pollutants in 162 individuals' blubber. The animals' diet, rather than location, greatly impacted contaminant levels and potential health risks -- information that's helpful to conservation efforts.
Published Death is only the beginning: Birds disperse eaten insects' eggs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Relationship patterns among flightless stick insects suggest that birds disperse the eggs after eating gravid females. Lab experiments previously suggested the possibility, but a new genetic analysis of natural populations in Japan now supports the idea.
Published Wild pig populations in U.S. can be managed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Recent conservation efforts have proven effective at controlling wild pig populations in the Southeastern United States, according to new research. Within 24 months of the start of control efforts in the study area located around the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina, researchers found a reduction of about 70% in relative abundance of pigs and a corresponding decline in environmental rooting damage of about 99%.
Published Modular dam design could accelerate the adoption of renewable energy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have developed a new modular steel buttress dam system designed to resolve energy storage issues hindering the integration of renewable resources into the energy mix. The new modular steel buttress dam system facilitates the rapid construction of paired reservoir systems for grid-scale energy storage and generation using closed-loop pumped storage hydropower, cutting dam construction costs by one-third and reducing construction schedules by half.