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Categories: Ecology: Endangered Species, Ecology: General
Published Groundbreaking discovery: Zinc can make crop yields more climate-resilient
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Climate change, drought, increased temperature and other stressors challenge agricultural sustainability. Researchers have now made an unexpected discovery: zinc plays a pivotal role in the plant response to abiotic stress. This groundbreaking discovery not only sheds light on the intricate mechanisms of plant growth but also holds promise for revolutionizing crop resilience, especially in legume-based agriculture.
Published Last surviving woolly mammoths were inbred but not doomed to extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The last population of woolly mammoths was isolated on Wrangel Island off the coast of Siberia 10,000 years ago, when sea levels rose and cut the mountainous island off from the mainland. A new genomic analysis reveals that the isolated mammoths, who lived on the island for the subsequent 6,000 years, originated from at most 8 individuals but grew to 200--300 individuals within 20 generations. The researchers report that the Wrangel Island mammoths' genomes showed signs of inbreeding and low genetic diversity but not to the extent that it can explain their ultimate (and mysterious) extinction.
Published Wolves reintroduced to Isle Royale temporarily affect other carnivores, humans have influence as well
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a rare opportunity to study carnivores before and after wolves were reintroduced to their ranges, researchers found that the effects of wolves on Isle Royale have been only temporary. And even in the least-visited national park, humans had a more significant impact on carnivores' lives.
Published New tool enables faster, more cost-effective genome editing of traits to improve agriculture sustainability
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research had the goal of reducing the time and cost it takes to bring an improved crop to the marketplace to improve agriculture sustainability.
Published Future risk of coral bleaching set to intensify globally
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have projected future marine heatwaves will cause coral reefs to be at severe risk of bleaching for longer periods than previously seen.
Published Rewriting the armadillo family tree: A new species, plus a name change for the state mammal of Texas
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The nine-banded armadillo, which ranges all the way from Argentina to Nebraska, is actually four separate species. One of the species, the Guianan long-nosed armadillo, is new to science. Meanwhile, the species that has migrated from Mexico to the United States (and is the official small mammal of Texas) is now called the Mexican long-nosed armadillo.
Published Frog 'saunas' a lifeline for endangered frog populations
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New biologist-designed shelters will help endangered frogs survive the devastating impacts of a deadly fungal disease by regulating their body temperature to fight off infections.
Published Fuel treatments reduce future wildfire severity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source There is a common belief that prescribed burning, thinning trees, and clearing underbrush reduce risks of the severity of future fires. But is that true? A new project analyzing 40 studies where wildfire burned into different vegetation treatments, spanning 11 western states. Researchers found overwhelming evidence that in seasonally dry mixed conifer forests in the western U.S., reducing surface and ladder fuels and tree density through thinning, coupled with prescribed burning or pile burning, could reduce future wildfire severity by more than 60% relative to untreated areas.
Published Removal of excess chloride ions by plants when subjected to salt stress
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered a salt adaptation mechanism in plants that facilitates chloride removal from the roots and enhancing salinity tolerance. A research team has uncovered a novel mechanism of plant adaptation to salt stress involving the NaCl-induced translocation of a specific chloride channel protein, AtCLCf.
Published Boosting biodiversity without hurting local economies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Protected areas, like nature reserves, can conserve biodiversity without harming local economic growth, countering a common belief that conservation restricts development. A new study outlines what is needed for conservation to benefit both nature and people.
Published Wild chimpanzees seek out medicinal plants to treat illness and injuries
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Chimpanzees appear to consume plants with medicinal properties to treat their ailments, according to a new study.
Published Climate models underestimate carbon cycling through plants
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The carbon stored globally by plants is shorter-lived and more vulnerable to climate change than previously thought, according to a new study.
Published Non-native plants and animals expanding ranges 100 times faster than native species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international team of scientists has recently found that non-native species are expanding their ranges many orders of magnitude faster than native ones, in large part due to inadvertent human help. Even seemingly sedentary non-native plants are moving at three times the speed of their native counterparts in a race where, because of the rapid pace of climate change and its effect on habitat, speed matters. To survive, plants and animals need to be shifting their ranges by 3.25 kilometers per year just to keep up with the increasing temperatures and associated climactic shifts -- a speed that native species cannot manage without human help.
Published Interaction with insects accelerates plant evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered that plants benefit from a greater variety of interactions with pollinators and herbivores. Plants that are pollinated by insects and have to defend themselves against herbivores have evolved to be better adapted to different types of soil.
Published When in drought: Researchers map which parts of the Amazon are most vulnerable to climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Some areas of the Amazon rainforest are more resilient to drought than others, new research shows. But if not managed carefully, we could 'threaten the integrity of the whole system,' researchers say.
Published Natural hazards threaten over three thousand species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Natural hazards can speed up the extinction process of land animals that have limited distribution and/or small populations. But there is hope to turn the negative development around, says researchers behind new study.
Published AI shows how field crops develop
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers developed software that can simulate the growth of field crops. To do this, they fed thousands of photos from field experiments into a learning algorithm. This enabled the algorithm to learn how to visualize the future development of cultivated plants based on a single initial image. Using the images created during this process, parameters such as leaf area or yield can be estimated accurately.
Published Can engineered plants help make baby formula as nutritious as breast milk?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research may help close the nutrition gap between infant formula and human breast milk. The study shows how plants can be programmed to produce a diverse array of beneficial sugars found in human breast milk. The findings could lead to healthier and more affordable formula for babies, or more nutritious non-dairy plant milk for adults.
Published The scary, yet promising world of phages, the pathogen's pathogen
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers are unlocking the mystery of how bacteria harness viruses to wipe out the competition. The answers could help spur the development of alternatives to antibiotics.
Published Marine heatwaves devastate red gorgonians in the Medes Islands
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The increase in the frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves in recent decades is one of the effects of global climate change. A study shows that the extreme heatwave of 2022 caused an 'unprecedented' increase in mortality of the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata, affecting 70% of the colonies located in the Montgr Natural Park, the Medes Islands and the Baix Ter. According to the researchers, these results are 'alarming and threaten the viability' of this species of great value for the biodiversity of benthic ecosystems, since it is considered to be an inhabitant-forming species.