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Categories: Ecology: Nature, Geoscience: Earth Science
Published Microbial viruses act as secret drivers of climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered that viruses that infect microbes contribute to climate change by playing a key role in cycling methane, a potent greenhouse gas, through the environment.
Published Building bionic jellyfish for ocean exploration
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers show how biohybrid robots based on jellyfish could be used to gather climate science data from deep in the Earth's oceans.
Published Uncertainty in measuring biodiversity change could hinder progress towards global targets for nature
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source More than ever before, there is a growing interest in dedicating resources to stop the loss of biodiversity, as recently exemplified by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) decided at COP15 in December 2022. The GBF focuses on understanding why biodiversity is declining and what actions are needed to reverse this trend. However, according to researchers, implementing the plan is challenging because information about biodiversity changes is not evenly available everywhere, and is uncertain in many places.
Published Genetic research revealed several new fern species in tropical America
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have clarified the evolutionary history of a previously poorly known group of ferns from the tropical rainforests of America using DNA methods. The study discovered many new fern species, 18 of which have now been given official names and species descriptions.
Published A new plant's name that tells a story
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new species and genus of fairy lantern, tiny glass-like white plants that feed on fungi, has been discovered in Japan. In the country renowned for its extensive flora research, the discovery of a new plant genus is extremely rare and has not occurred in almost 100 years.
Published Surprising methane discovery in Yukon glaciers: 'Much more widespread than we thought'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Global melting is prying the lid off methane stocks, the extent of which we do not know. A researcher has now discovered high concentrations of the powerful greenhouse gas in meltwater from three Canadian mountain glaciers, where it was not thought to exist -- adding new unknowns to the understanding of methane emissions from Earth's glaciated regions.
Published Bottlenecks and beehives: How an invasive bee colony defied genetic expectations
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An invasive Asian honeybee colony in northern Australia has defied expectations, displaying emergent genetic variation in a short period of time. While bad news for biosecurity agencies, it could be a sign that species under pressure from climate change can be resilient.
Published How first cells could have formed on Earth
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New phospholipid discovery brings researchers closer to understanding how primordial cells emerged during origin of life.
Published Emergency atmospheric geoengineering wouldn't save the oceans
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Climate change is heating the oceans, altering currents and circulation patterns responsible for regulating climate on a global scale. If temperatures dropped, some of that damage could theoretically be undone. But employing 'emergency' atmospheric geoengineering later this century in the face of continuous high carbon emissions would not be able to reverse changes to ocean currents, a new study finds. This would critically curtail the intervention's potential effectiveness on human-relevant timescales.
Published The veil varies more than the threat: Predator selection on variability in camouflage and warning signals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers leveraged open-access digital collections to validate an age-old hypothesis in evolutionary ecology. The classic hypothesis proposes that predators select for a great variety of camouflage and a limited variety of warning signals, but the idea has never been tested on natural prey.
Published 80 mph speed record for glacier fracture helps reveal the physics of ice sheet collapse
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research documents the fastest-known large-scale breakage along an Antarctic ice shelf. A 6.5-mile crack formed in 2012 over 5-and-a-half minutes, showing that ice shelves can effectively shatter -- though the speed is limited by seawater rushing in. The results help inform large-scale ice sheet models and projections of future sea level rise.
Published Older African elephants will be most severely affected by the changing climate
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Older elephants in East Africa will be most severely impacted by climate change, threatening the long-term survival of this vulnerable African mammal, according to a new study.
Published African great apes predicted to see frequent extreme climate events in the next 30 years
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source African apes are already being exposed to climate change impacts, and will experience extreme events such as wildfires, heatwaves and flooding more frequently in the next 30 years, according to a new study.
Published Study reveals accelerated soil priming under climate warming
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study highlights a crucial biosphere feedback mechanism and its effects on releasing soil carbon into the atmosphere.
Published Study finds drought fuels invasive species after wildfires
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists uncover the intricate dance between drought, wildfires and invasive species in Southern California's coastal sage scrub ecosystems.
Published Climate change shrinking fish
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fish weight in the western North Pacific Ocean dipped in the 2010s due to warmer water limiting food supplies, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed the individual weight and overall biomass of 13 species of fish. In the 1980s and 2010s, the fish were lighter. They attributed the first period of weight loss to greater numbers of Japanese sardine, which increased competition with other species for food. During the 2010s, while the number of Japanese sardine and chub mackerel moderately increased, the effect of climate change warming the ocean appears to have resulted in more competition for food, as cooler, nutrient-dense water could not easily rise to the surface. These results have implications for fisheries and policymakers trying to manage ocean resources under future climate change scenarios.
Published Counting rays: Aerial surveys reveal ample populations in Southeast Florida
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A unique long-term study quantified the abundance of whitespotted eagle and giant manta rays in Southeast Florida. Researchers conducted 120 survey flights between 2014 and 2021 from Miami north to the Jupiter Inlet. One or both species were seen on nearly every flight and both populations appear to be stable in the region. The giant manta rays were more abundant in the south and the whitespotted eagle rays were found all along the coast. Neither species seems to be deterred by the greater human population density in Fort Lauderdale/Miami.
Published Extinctions could result as fish change foraging behavior in response to rising temperatures
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fish species respond to temperature increases by going after more readily available prey. Models suggest this behavior could lead to more extinctions.
Published Scientists propose new method for tracking elusive origins of CO2 emissions from streams
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of researchers that specializes in accounting for the carbon dioxide release by streams, rivers and lakes recently demonstrated that the chemical process known as 'carbonate buffering' can account for the majority of emissions in highly alkaline waters. Furthermore, carbonate buffering distorts the most commonly used method of tracking the origins of CO2 in streams. The research proposes a better method for tracking the origin of riverine CO2 emissions.
Published 'Janitors' of the Sea: Overharvested sea cucumbers play crucial role in protecting coral
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers discovered that sea cucumbers -- sediment-eating organisms that function like autonomous vacuum cleaners of the ocean floor -- play an enormous role in protecting coral from disease.