Showing 20 articles starting at article 321

< Previous 20 articles        Next 20 articles >

Categories: Ecology: Nature, Engineering: Robotics Research

Return to the site home page

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Geography
Published

Deforestation harms biodiversity of the Amazon's perfume-loving orchid bees      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A survey of orchid bees in the Brazilian Amazon, carried out in the 1990s, is shedding new light the impact of deforestation on the scent-collecting pollinators, which some view as bellwethers of biodiversity in the neotropics.

Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Cold-affinity algae species are gradually being replaced by warm-affinity ones off the coast of Biscay      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study has analyzed the impact of the rise in sea surface temperature on macroalgae communities over the last four decades. Points at various depths were investigated in a location off the coast of Biscay, and an increasing scarcity was observed in the number of cold-affinity structuring species, while small warm-affinity ones have proliferated. The researchers are warning that some ecological functions are in jeopardy as a result.

Ecology: Animals Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

'Teacher Toads' can save native animals from toxic cane toads      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists from Macquarie University have come up with an innovative way to stop cane toads killing native wildlife by training goannas to avoid eating the deadly amphibians.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Impact of climate change on marine life much bigger than previously known      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Fish and invertebrate animals are far more affected by warmer and more acidic seawater than was previously known. The big gain of the new method is that more details become known about effects of climate change on species.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Engineers design soft and flexible 'skeletons' for muscle-powered robots      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers designed modular, spring-like devices to maximize the work of live muscle fibers so they can be harnessed to power biohybrid robots.

Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Dinosaur study challenges Bergmann's rule      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study calls into question Bergmann's rule, an 1800s-era scientific principle stating that animals in high-latitude, cooler climates tend to be larger than close relatives living in warmer climates.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Ecology: Animals Ecology: Nature Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Heat stress from ocean warming harms octopus vision      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

While climate change has led to an increase in the abundance of octopuses, heat stress from projected ocean warming could impair their vision and impact the survivability of the species.

Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geography
Published

Four in five bird species cannot tolerate intense human pressures      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a recent study, researchers found that 78% of the world's bird species do not thrive in the most modified human-dominated environments. These species are also most likely to have declining populations.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature
Published

Rusty-patched bumblebee's struggle for survival found in its genes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The rusty-patched bumblebee, once common in the United States, has declined from about 90% of its former range. Researchers conducted the first range-wide genetic study of the endangered species to inform recovery efforts.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water
Published

Shy sea anemones are more likely to survive heatwaves      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study shows that sea anemones that react more slowly to change can survive a heatwave better than individuals that change their behavior quickly.

Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Adult fish struggle to bounce back in marine protected areas      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Many marine protected areas are falling short of their most basic purpose: to rebuild struggling fish populations. In a new study, scientists looked at the age breakdown of reef fish in marine protected areas for the first time. They discovered in almost all of them, adult fish populations -- vital to spawning the next generation -- have either flatlined or declined.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees
Published

New sunflower family tree reveals multiple origins of flower symmetry      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new sunflower family tree used skimmed genomes to increase the number of species sampled, revealing that flower symmetry evolved multiple times independently, a process called convergent evolution, among the members of this large plant family.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

'Smart swarms' of tiny robots inspired by natural herd mentality      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers gave nanorobots a trait called adaptive time delay, which allows them to better work together.

Ecology: Nature Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

California leads U.S. emissions of little-known greenhouse gas      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

California, a state known for its aggressive greenhouse gas reduction policies, is ironically the nation's greatest emitter of one: sulfuryl fluoride. As much as 17% of global emissions of this gas, a common pesticide for treating termites and other wood-infesting insects, stem from the United States. The majority of those emissions trace back to just a few counties in California, finds a new study.

Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Groundbreaking research in groundwater's role in ecosystem sustainability      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Until now, groundwater -- a critical water resource around the globe, especially in dry regions -- has been largely unstudied in its importance and role in sustaining ecosystems. New groundbreaking research examines the relationship between groundwater and ecosystems across California.

Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: General Physics: Optics
Published

Intelligent liquid      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a programmable meta-fluid with tunable springiness, optical properties, viscosity and even the ability to transition between a Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid. The first-of-its-kind meta-fluid uses a suspension of small, elastomer spheres -- between 50 to 500 microns -- that buckle under pressure, radically changing the characteristics of the fluid. The meta-fluid could be used in everything from hydraulic actuators to program robots, to intelligent shock absorbers that can dissipate energy depending on the intensity of the impact, to optical devices that can transition from clear to opaque.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Engineering: Robotics Research Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General
Published

Elastocaloric cooling: Refrigerator cools by flexing artificial muscles      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

There is room for just one small bottle in the world's first refrigerator that is cooled with artificial muscles made of nitinol, a nickel-titanium alloy. But the mini-prototype is groundbreaking: it shows that elastocalorics is becoming a viable solution for practical applications. This climate-friendly cooling and heating technology is far more energy-efficient and sustainable than current methods.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

These plants evolved in Florida millions of years ago: They may be gone in decades      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scrub mints are among the most endangered plants you've probably never heard of. More than half of the 24 species currently known to exist are considered threatened or endangered at the state or federal level. In a new study, researchers show there are likely more scrub mint species waiting to be scientifically described. And at least one species has been left without federal protection because of a technicality.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water
Published

Older trees help to protect an endangered species      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The oldest trees in the forest help to prevent the disappearance of endangered species in the natural environment, according to a new study. This is the case of the wolf lichen -- threatened throughout Europe --, which now finds refuge in the oldest trees in the high mountains of the Pyrenees. This study reveals for the first time the decisive role of the oldest trees in the conservation of other living beings thanks to their characteristic and unique physiology.