Ecology: Invasive Species
Published

Caterpillar venom study reveals toxins borrowed from bacteria      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have found toxins in the venom of asp caterpillars are completely different to anything they have seen before in insects. Toxins in the caterpillar venom punch holes in cells the same way as toxins produced by disease-causing bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. Venoms are rich sources of new molecules that could be developed into medicines of the future, pesticides, or used as scientific tools.

Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Trees Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Forest can adapt to climate change, but not quickly enough      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

America's forests have a tough time in store for them. Climate change is increasing temperatures and decreasing moisture levels across the country, not a winning combination for trees.

Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Trees
Published

Study reveals how a tall spruce develops defense against hungry weevils      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study has identified genes involved in development of stone cells -- rigid cells that can block a nibbling insect from eating budding branches of the Sitka spruce evergreen tree. The insect's attack has stunted the growth of these forest giants.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Humans' evolutionary relatives butchered one another 1.45 million years ago      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have identified the oldest decisive evidence of humans' close evolutionary relatives butchering and likely eating one another.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Cave excavation pushes back the clock on early human migration to Laos      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Fifteen years of archaeological work in the Tam Pa Ling cave in northeastern Laos has yielded a reliable chronology of early human occupation of the site. The team's excavations through the layers of sediments and bones that gradually washed into the cave and were left untouched for tens of thousands of years reveals that humans lived in the area for at least 70,000 years -- and likely even longer.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General
Published

Focus on function helps identify the changes that made us human      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Research sheds light on human evolution, and demonstrates an approach for identifying significant differences in how genes are used between closely-related species.

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

Completing genome of rusty patched bumble bee may offer new approach to saving endangered bee      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A detailed, high-resolution map of the rusty patched bumble bee's genome has been released, offering new approaches for bringing the native pollinator back from the danger of extinction. Putting together the rusty patched bumble bee genome is part of the Beenome 100 project, a first-of-its-kind effort to create a library of high-quality, highly detailed genome maps of 100 or more diverse bee species found in the United States.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Paleontology: General
Published

First hominin muscle reconstruction shows 3.2 million-year-old 'Lucy' could stand as erect as we can      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Digital modelling of legendary fossil's soft tissue suggests Australopithecus afarensis had powerful leg and pelvic muscles suited to tree dwelling, but knee muscles that allowed fully erect walking.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: Invasive Species Environmental: Biodiversity Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Researchers find high risk to amphibians if fungal pathogen invades North America      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research indicates the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) could be devastating to amphibian biodiversity if introduced to North America.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published

Remains at Crenshaw site are local, ancestors of Caddo      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Hundreds of human skulls and mandibles recovered from the Crenshaw site in southwest Arkansas are the remains of ancestors of the Caddo Nation and not foreign enemies, according to a new study.

Biology: Botany Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Plant remediation effects on petroleum contamination      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Initial choices about fertilization and grass seeding could have a long-lasting effect on how plants and their associated microbes break down pollution in petroleum-contaminated soils.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published

Lingering effects of Neanderthal DNA found in modern humans      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Recent scientific discoveries have shown that Neanderthal genes comprise some 1 to 4% of the genome of present-day humans whose ancestors migrated out of Africa, but the question remained open on how much those genes are still actively influencing human traits -- until now.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity
Published

Team finds reliable predictor of plant species persistence, coexistence      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Ecological scientists have long sought ways to measure and predict how specific plant communities will fare over time. Which species in a diverse population will persist and coexist? Which will decline? What factors might contribute to continuing biodiversity? Researchers report on a new method for determining whether pairs or groups of plant species are likely to coexist over time.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General
Published

Life before air conditioning: Curly hair kept early humans cool      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Curly hair does more than simply look good -- it may explain how early humans stayed cool while conserving water, according to researchers who studied the role human hair textures play in regulating body temperature. The findings can shed light on an evolutionary adaptation that enabled the human brain to grow to modern-day sizes.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Remains of an extinct world of organisms discovered      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Newly discovered biomarker signatures point to a whole range of previously unknown organisms that dominated complex life on Earth about a billion years ago. They differed from complex eukaryotic life as we know it, such as animals, plants and algae in their cell structure and likely metabolism, which was adapted to a world that had far less oxygen in the atmosphere than today.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General
Published

Older trees accumulate more mutations than their younger counterparts      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study of the relationship between the growth rate of tropical trees and the frequency of genetic mutations they accumulate suggests that older, long-lived trees play a greater role in generating and maintaining genetic diversity than short-lived trees.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Saving moths may be just as important as saving the bees      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Night-time pollinators such as moths may visit just as many plants as bees, and should also be the focus of conservation and protection efforts, a new study suggests.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Air quality stations have collected vast stores of DNA by accident, a potentially 'game-changing' discovery for tracking global biodiversity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The accelerating loss of biodiversity and increasing rate of species extinction is a major threat to ecosystems around the globe. And yet, quantifying those losses at a large scale hasn't been possible, in large part due to a lack of the required infrastructure. But a new study shows that a major source for such information already exists in the form of environmental DNA (eDNA), which has been inadvertently collected in filters by thousands of ambient air quality monitoring stations in countries around the world for decades.