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Categories: Ecology: Animals, Paleontology: General
Published Fruit, nectar, bugs and blood: How bat teeth and jaws evolved for a diverse dinnertime
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Noctilionoid bat species evolved wildly different faces as they adapted to exploit diverse food sources -- including insects, fruit, nectar, blood and fish. New research shows that those adaptations include dramatic, but also consistent, modifications to tooth number, size, shape and position.
Published Roosters might recognize themselves in the mirror
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scrape, cluck, lay eggs -- that's it? Anyone involved in chicken farming knows that the animals are capable of much more. Researchers have found evidence that roosters could recognize themselves in a mirror. Whether this is successful, however, depends on the experimental conditions -- a finding that points beyond the experiment with roosters and could also be of importance for other animal species.
Published To navigate the world, we all shimmy like these electric fish
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An electric knifefish shimmies in the water for the same reason a dog sniffs or a human glances around a new place -- to make sense of their surroundings. For the first time, scientists demonstrate that a wide range of organisms, even microbes, perform the same pattern of movements in order to sense the world.
Published Climate change likely impacted human populations in the Neolithic and Bronze Age
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Human populations in Neolithic Europe fluctuated with changing climates, according to a new study.
Published Sediment core analysis supports new epoch characterized by human impact on planet
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists analyzed open-source data to track vegetation changes across North America since the end of the Pleistocene Epoch, and conclude that humans have had as much of an impact on the landscape as the retreat of the glaciers at the end of the Ice Age.
Published Bizarre new fossils shed light on ancient plankton
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Recently discovered microfossils date back half a billion years. Resembling modern-day algae, they provide insight into early life in our oceans.
Published Research reveals three new marsupial species -- though all likely extinct
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The exciting discovery of three new species of a small Australian marsupial has been tempered by the sad fact that each of the newly identified species of mulgara is likely already extinct.
Published Bacteria can enhance host insect's fertility with implications for disease control
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research reveals how the bacteria strain Wolbachia pipientis enhances the fertility of the insects it infects, an insight that could help scientists increase the populations of mosquitoes that do not carry human disease.
Published Raining cats and dogs: Global precipitation patterns a driver for animal diversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team has identified several factors to help answer a fundamental ecological question: why is there a ridiculous abundance of species some places on earth and a scarcity in others? What factors, exactly, drive animal diversity? They discovered that what an animal eats (and how that interacts with climate) shapes Earth's diversity.
Published Finding the genes that help kingfishers dive without hurting their brains
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists studied the genomes of 30 kingfisher species to try to identify the genes that allow kingfishers to dive headfirst into water without huring their brains. The researchers found that the diving birds have unusual mutations to the genes that produce tau: a protein that helps stabilize tiny structures in the brain, but which can build up in humans with traumatic brain injuries or Alzheimer's disease. The researchers suspect that these variations in the kingfishers' tau proteins might protect their brains when they dive.
Published Scientists uncover cause of mysterious deaths of elephants in Zimbabwe
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A bacterium, closely associated with deadly septicaemia, could have caused the deaths of six African elephants in Zimbabwe and possibly more in neighboring countries. The findings place infectious diseases on the list of pressures on African elephants, whose populations continue to be under threat.
Published Origin of ancient mummified baboons found in Egypt
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Primatologists are using genetic analysis to determine the geographic origin of ancient mummified baboons found in Egypt. The team finds evidence that the two legendary trading regions of Punt and Adulis may have been the same place separated by a thousand years of history.
Published Challenging prehistoric gender roles: Research finds that women were hunters, too
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Anthropologists challenge the traditional view of men as hunters and women as gatherers in prehistoric times. Their research reveals evidence of gender equality in roles and suggests that women were physically capable of hunting. The study sheds light on the gender bias in past research and calls for a more nuanced understanding of prehistoric gender roles.
Published Dingoes given 'almost-human' status in pre-colonial Australia
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source It's said that a dog is a man's best friend, but the wild dingo is much maligned in Australia. This may not always have been the case though, with new research suggesting that dingoes were buried -- and even domesticated -- by First Nations people prior to European colonization.
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 Waves of change: How sea-levels and climate altered the marine ecosystems at the South Pole 390-385 million years ago
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research reveals a chain of environmental disasters. These took place in what is today's South Africa, during an ancient time period called the Early-Middle Devonian. The crises led to the extinction of a unique group of marine animals called the Malvinoxhosan biota.
Published New study finds 50-year trend in hurricane escalation linked to climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research by climate scientists indicates that there have been great changes to Atlantic hurricanes in just the past 50 years, with storms developing and strengthening faster.
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.