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Categories: Ecology: Nature, Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published Researchers parse oddity of distantly related bats in Solomon Islands that appear identical
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study of body size in leaf-nosed bats of the Solomon Islands has revealed surprising genetic diversity among nearly indistinguishable species on different islands.
Published Protecting endangered monkeys from poachers, habitat loss
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The 17 species of red colobus monkey living across Africa, including in the Tai Project field station region, have been singled out by scientists as a priority conservation target. Protection of these monkeys, they assert, can be expected to produce benefits throughout tropical African forests where hunting and climate change have led to dramatic wildlife and habitat loss.
Published A virus could help save billions of gallons of wastewater produced by fracking
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An estimated 168 billion gallons of wastewater -- or produced water -- is generated annually by the Permian Basin fracking industry, according to a 2022 report. The major waste stream has proved both difficult and costly to treat because of the chemical complexity of the water.
Published Unlocking the genetic mysteries behind plant adaptation: New insights into the evolution of a water-saving trait in the pineapple family (bromeliaceae)
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have achieved a breakthrough in understanding how genetic drivers influence the evolution of a specific photosynthesis mechanism in Tillandsia (air plants). This sheds light on the complex actions that cause plant adaptation and ecological diversity.
Published E-bike incentives prove to be worth the investment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Electric bicycle rebates have exploded in popularity in North America as transportation planners try to get people out of their cars and into healthier, more climate-friendly alternatives. However, questions remain: Are new cycling habits sustainable? Who benefits most from these incentives? And are they worth the cost? Researchers now have some answers.
Published Fading lights: Multiple threats to North America's firefly populations
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have applied a data-driven approach to understanding firefly population dynamics on a continental scale. Key findings from this new study indicate that fireflies, part of the beetle order, are sensitive to various environmental factors, from short-term weather conditions to longer climatic trends, including the number of growing-degree days related to temperature accumulations.
Published How can forests be reforested in a climate-friendly way?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Europe's forests have already been severely affected by climate change. Thousands of hectares of trees have already died due to drought and bark beetles. Scientists have now investigated which trees can be used for reforestation. Their findings: only a few tree species are fit for the future, such as English oak in the UK. However, mixed forests are important for the survival of forests, otherwise the forest ecosystem as a whole could be weakened.
Published Fixin' to be flexitarian: Scrap fish and invasive species can liven up vegetables
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Greening the way we eat needn't mean going vegetarian. A healthy, more realistic solution is to adopt a flexitarian diet where seafoods add umami to 'boring' vegetables. A gastrophysicist puts mathematical equations to work in calculating the umami potential of everything from seaweed and shrimp paste to mussels and mackerel.
Published Mobile device location data is already used by private companies, so why not for studying human-wildlife interactions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When did you last go anywhere without your cell phone? From maps and weather apps to social media platforms, we give consent for our phones to trace our footsteps and behavior. These curated mobility data are often used for personalized advertisements. Scientists now argue mobility data can offer so much more -- it is key to understanding human-wildlife interactions for guiding policy decisions on sustainability-related issues and should be free and accessible for research.
Published Energy trades could help resolve Nile conflict
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have shed light on a new, transformative approach that could help resolve a dispute over the Nile river's water resources.
Published How geography acts as a structural determinant of health
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In unincorporated communities in the United States-Mexico borderlands, historically and socially marginalized populations become invisible to the healthcare system, showing that geography acts as a structural determinant of health for low-income populations.
Published Ancient Maya blessed their ballcourts
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using environmental DNA analysis, an international team of researchers identified a collection of plants used in ceremonial rituals in the ancient Maya city of Yaxnohcah in Mexico. The plants, known for their religious associations and medicinal properties, were discovered beneath a plaza floor where a ballcourt was built.
Published Scientists capture X-rays from upward positive lightning
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have for the first time recorded X-rays being produced at the beginning of upward positive lightning flashes; an observation that gives important insight into the origins of this rare -- and particularly dangerous -- form of lightning.
Published Genetic hope in fight against devastating wheat disease
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fungal disease Fusarium head blight (FHB) is on the rise due to increasingly humid conditions induced by climate change during the wheat growing season, but a fundamental discovery could help reduce its economic harm.
Published Recovering phosphorus from sewage sludge ash
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Chemical and heat treatment of sewage sludge can recover phosphorus in a process that could help address the problem of diminishing supplies of phosphorus ores.
Published New offshore wind turbines can take away energy from existing ones
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Interactions between wind turbines could reduce power output by 30% in proposed offshore wind farm areas along the East Coast, new research has found. In all, the farms could still meet 60% of the electricity demand of New England.
Published Climate change could become the main driver of biodiversity decline by mid-century
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Global biodiversity has declined between 2% and 11% during the 20th century due to land-use change alone, according to a large multi-model study. Projections show climate change could become the main driver of biodiversity decline by the mid-21st century.
Published These jacks-of-all-trades are masters, too: Yeast study helps answer age-old biology question
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The results suggest that internal -- not external -- factors are the primary drivers of variation in the types of carbon yeasts can eat, and the researchers found no evidence that metabolic versatility, or the ability to eat different foods, comes with any trade-offs. In other words, some yeasts are jacks-of-all-trades and masters of each.
Published Voluntary corporate emissions targets not enough to create real climate action
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Companies' emissions reduction targets should not be the sole measure of corporate climate ambition, according to a new perspective paper.
Published Curiosity promotes biodiversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Cichlid fishes exhibit differing degrees of curiosity. The cause for this lies in their genes, as reported by researchers. This trait influences the cichlids' ability to adapt to new habitats.