Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature
Published

From pets to pests: How domestic rabbits survive the wilderness      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

How do rabbits go from fluffy pets to marauding invaders? Rabbits have colonized countries worldwide, often with dire economic and ecological consequences, but their secret has until now been a mystery. Biologists sequenced the genomes of nearly 300 rabbits from across three continents to unveil the key genetic changes that make these animals master colonizers.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Invasive Species
Published

Honey bees may play key role in spreading viruses to wild bumblebees      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Honey bees may play a role in increasing virus levels in wild bumble bees each spring, according to researchers who analyzed seasonal trends of parasite and virus transmission in bees.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

'Masters of shape-shifting': How darkling beetles conquered the world      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Large-scale genomic analysis of darkling beetles, a hyper-diverse insect group of more than 30,000 species worldwide, rolls back the curtain on a 150-million-year evolutionary tale of one of Earth's most ecologically important yet inconspicuous creatures, according to new research.

Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science
Published

Will climate change lead to the extinction of a newly discovered tarantula species?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Biologists have discovered a new species of tarantula from the Madrean Sky Island biodiversity hotspot in southeastern Arizona. This remarkable new species is endemic to the Chiricahua Mountains and is predominately distributed in mid- to high-elevation forests, which are increasingly threatened due to climate change.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Invasive Species
Published

The bee's knees: New tests created to find fake honey      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed new ways to detect sugar syrup adulteration in honey, paving the way for fast and accurate tests to discover fake products.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Geology Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: General
Published

Scottish and Irish rocks confirmed as rare record of 'snowball Earth'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The study found that the Port Askaig Formation, composed of layers of rock up to 1.1 km thick, was likely laid down between 662 to 720 million years ago during the Sturtian glaciation -- the first of two global freezes thought to have triggered the development of complex, multicellular life.

Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity
Published

Historic map reveals how mussel farm is bringing shellfish reefs back to the seabed      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New analysis has shown that the UK's first large scale offshore mussel farm might in fact serve as a form of restoration rather than creating habitats never seen in the area before. A map dating from 1871 shows a large area of the seabed -- stretching from Torquay in the west and beyond Lyme Regis to the east -- as being home to 'rich shell beds'. The region has now been transformed from muddy sediment with limited biodiversity into reefs, which research has shown have the potential to benefit a number of commercial fish and crustacean species and the ecosystem more generally.

Biology: Botany Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Giant fossil seeds from Borneo record ancient plant migration      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Ancient fossil beans about the size of modern limes, and among the largest seeds in the fossil record, may provide new insight into the evolution of today's diverse Southeast Asian and Australian rainforests, according to researchers who identified the plants.

Biology: Botany Biology: General Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Study reveals urban trees suffer more from heat waves and drought than their rural counterparts      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A recent study details how trees in New York City and Boston are more negatively impacted by heat waves and drought than trees of the same species in nearby rural forests. The finding highlights the challenges urban trees face in the context of climate change and underscores the importance of tailored urban forestry management as a tool for protecting tree species and reducing urban heat islands.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geology Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: General
Published

Millions of years for plants to recover from global warming      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Catastrophic volcanic eruptions that warmed the planet millions of years ago shed new light on how plants evolve and regulate climate. Researchers reveal the long-term effects of disturbed natural ecosystems on climate in geological history and its implications for today.

Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Geology Geoscience: Oceanography Paleontology: Climate
Published

Record-breaking recovery of rocks that originated in Earth's mantle could reveal secrets of planet's history      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have recovered the first long section of rocks that originated in the Earth's mantle, the layer below the crust and the planet's largest component. The rocks will help unravel the mantle's role in the origins of life on Earth, the volcanic activity generated when it melts, and how it drives the global cycles of important elements such as carbon and hydrogen.

Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

The race to discover biodiversity: 11 new marine species and a new platform for rapid species description      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new paper describes a ground-breaking experiment that united 25 independent taxonomists from 10 countries. The initiative boasts the discovery of 11 new marine species from all over the globe, occurring at depths from 5.2 to 7081 meters. It also represents a significant step forward in accelerating the pace at which new marine species are described and published.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Carvings at ancient monument may be world's oldest calendars      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Markings on a stone pillar at a 12,000 year-old archaeological site in Turkey likely represent the world's oldest solar calendar, created as a memorial to a devastating comet strike, experts suggest.