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Categories: Ecology: Endangered Species, Ecology: Extinction

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Biology: Marine Biology: Molecular Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

Researchers unearth a new process by which algae pass on nurtrients to their coral host      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have identified a new pathway by which sugar is released by symbiotic algae. This pathway involves the largely overlooked cell wall, showing that this structure not only protects the cell but plays an important role in symbiosis and carbon circulation in the ocean.

Anthropology: General Ecology: Extinction Environmental: Ecosystems
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Buffalo slaughter left lasting impact on Indigenous peoples      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The near extinction of the North American bison in the late 1800s caused a devastating, lasting economic shock to Indigenous peoples whose lives depended on the animals, an economic study finds.

Biology: Botany Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Research Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Biodiversity protects against invasions of non-native tree species      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers combined human and ecological factors to analyze the global scale of non-native tree species invasions. Human activity in hotspots of global trade, such as maritime ports, is linked to an increased likelihood of non-native tree species invasions. However, a high diversity of native tree species can help to curb the intensity of such invasions.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Animals Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science
Published

Vegetarian diet of corals explains age-old mystery dating back to Darwin      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study has revealed why coral reefs can thrive in seemingly nutrient poor water, a phenomenon that has fascinated scientists since Charles Darwin.

Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species
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Fungus gnats as pollinators not pests      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Many plants and crops rely on insects to pollinate them so they can reproduce. A new study has shown that several flowering plants from the group Euonymus are pollinated by fungus gnats, a dipteran insect. Specifically, they pollinate Euonymus plants which have red-petaled flowers with short stamens and yogurt-like scent. Although fungus gnats are known to pollinate hundreds of plant species, this study shows that the particular traits of red Euonymus flowers were likely to have been acquired via pollination syndrome, evolving over a process of natural selection to be pollinated specifically by fungus gnats. This research highlights the important role of Diptera, which are commonly regarded as pests, in plant diversity and evolution.

Biology: Botany Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: Biodiversity
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Small urban greening projects can dramatically increase number of insect species in cities      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

By increasing the diversity of indigenous plants in urban areas, researchers have seen a seven times increase in the number of insect species in just three years, confirming the ecological benefits of urban greening projects.

Biology: Botany Ecology: Animals Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Severe Weather
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Fire, disease threatening sanctuary plants for Australian wildlife      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research has revealed Australia's iconic grasstrees -- known as 'yaccas' -- play a critical role in protecting wildlife from deadly weather extremes, thereby ensuring their survival. But the grasses themselves are under threat due to back burning, clearing and disease.

Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems
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Hundreds of Andean bird species at risk due to deforestation: New research shows how to protect them      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Birds native to the tropical Andes are threatened by increasing agricultural development in the region. A new study combines a meta-analysis of papers on birds across the Andes with five years of fieldwork in Peru, revealing that open farmlands result in up to a 60% decline in the number of species in an area. The study documents how specific species are affected and provides tailored guidance for conservationists trying to protect them.

Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

Detecting a vast diversity of rainforest animals by swabbing their DNA from leaves      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers demonstrate that a vast multitude of birds and mammals can be detected by simply swabbing the DNA left behind by animals from leaves. They showcased the power of this approach in an ecosystem that hosts a ton of wildlife and where detecting animals has historically proven extremely challenging -- the tropical rainforest.

Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: General Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Pollutants are important to biodiversity's role in spread of wildlife diseases      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Conventional wisdom among ecologists holds that the more species there are inhabiting an ecosystem, the less vulnerable any one species will be to a threat like a parasite. A new study of tadpoles illustrates how overlapping biological and environmental factors can complicate how we value protecting diverse animal communities. The researchers found that environmental pollutants like road salt influence whether increased biodiversity helps or hinders disease outbreaks in wildlife, which can complicate how we value protecting diverse animal communities.

Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: Ecosystems
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Bats feast as insects migrate through Pyrenees      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Bats gather to feast as nocturnal insects fly through mountain passes in the Pyrenees each autumn, new research shows.

Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems
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Harnessing big data reveals birds' coexisting tactics      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Birds likely hold smart insights about coexisting in popular habitats -- especially as climate change looms. Scientists peel back layers of big data to tease out real-life answers.

Biology: Botany Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: Ecosystems
Published

Researchers find global plant water use efficiency stalled due to climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New findings have found that water use efficiency has stalled since 2001 which implies not as much CO2 was being taken in by plants and more water was consumed and that could have implications on carbon cycling, agricultural production and water resources.

Biology: Botany Ecology: Endangered Species Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Chemicals from maize roots influence wheat yield      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Maize roots secrete certain chemicals that affect the quality of soil. In some fields, this effect increases yields of wheat planted subsequent to maize in the same soil by more than 4%. While the findings from several field experiments show that these effects are highly variable, in the long term they may yet help to make the cultivation of grains more sustainable, without the need for additional fertilizers or pesticides.

Biology: Botany Ecology: Endangered Species
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The positional transmitter of statoliths unveiled: It keeps plants from getting lazy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Plants orient their organs in response to the gravity vector, with roots growing towards gravity and shoots growing in the opposite direction. The movement of statoliths responding to the inclination relative to the gravity vector is employed for gravity sensing in both plants and animals. However, in plants, the statolith takes the form of a high-density organelle, known as an amyloplast, which settles toward gravity within the gravity sensing cell. Despite the significance of this gravity sensing mechanism, the exact process behind it has eluded scientists for over a century.

Biology: Botany Ecology: Endangered Species
Published

Researchers identify peptides for pollen tube growth in rice      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Rapid alkalinization factors (RALFs) are required for pollen tube germination and elongation, an essential process in plant fertilization. But their role in monocot plants remains unexplored. Scientists have now identified OsRALF17 and OsRALF19 in rice and determined their functions in pollen tube germination and growth. This study provides novel insights into the role of RALFs in rice fertilization, paving the way for enhanced grain yield.

Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Ecology: Endangered Species Paleontology: General
Published

The oldest and fastest evolving moss in the world might not survive climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A 390-million-year-old moss called Takakia lives in some of Earth's most remote places, including the icy cliffs of the Tibetan Plateau. In a decade-long project, a team of scientists climbed some of the tallest peaks in the world to find Takakia, sequence its DNA for the first time, and study how climate change is impacting the moss. Their results show that Takakia is one of the fastest evolving species ever studied -- but it likely isn't evolving fast enough to survive climate change.