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Categories: Biology: Developmental, Ecology: Endangered Species
Published New research reveals dynamic factors shaping biodiversity at small scales
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers studying arboreal ants in a Florida forest explore the fundamental question of how resource availability and competition shape biodiversity.
Published How the heart starts beating
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers discover that heart cells in developing zebrafish start beating suddenly and all at once
Published Researchers discover disease-causing stem cells in lungs of cystic fibrosis patients
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Experts in cloning and stem cell science are reporting that five lung stem cell variants dominate the lungs of patients with advanced cystic fibrosis, and that these variants drive key aspects of CF pathology including inflammation, fibrosis and mucin secretion.
Published How to save plants from climate change? Just ask them
(via sciencedaily.com) Climate change and a range of human-caused factors have disrupted the habitats of many California native trees and other plant species. Efforts to protect or relocate plant species would be bolstered by understanding which habitats are best suited for each species. A new study identified a range of characteristics from more than 100 types of plants that can be analyzed to determine each species' preferred temperature and rainfall amount.
Published Genetically engineering associations between plants and nitrogen-fixing microbes could lessen dependence on synthetic fertilizer
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth, but the overuse of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture is not sustainable. A team of bacteriologists and plant scientists discuss the possibility of using genetic engineering to facilitate mutualistic relationships between plants and nitrogen-fixing microbes called 'diazotrophs.' These engineered associations would help crops acquire nitrogen from the air by mimicking the mutualisms between legumes and nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Published Caribbean parrots thought to be endemic are actually relicts of millennial-scale extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For the first time, researchers have extracted ancient DNA from Caribbean parrot fossils and archaeological specimens, showing that species thought to be endemic to particular islands were historically more widespread and diverse.
Published Despite being properly treated and highly diluted, wastewater still impacts on the river ecosystem
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An experiment using water from a large wastewater treatment plant has shown that this water continues to affect river diversity and the trophic web (food web) despite being properly treated and highly diluted before discharge. The study shows that the limits currently in place and the procedures used to treat wastewater may not be sufficient to protect the natural properties of food webs.
Published Jellyfish, with no central brain, shown to learn from past experience
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Even without a central brain, jellyfish can learn from past experiences like humans, mice, and flies, scientists report for the first time. They trained Caribbean box jellyfish (Tripedalia cystophora) to learn to spot and dodge obstacles. The study challenges previous notions that advanced learning requires a centralized brain and sheds light on the evolutionary roots of learning and memory.
Published AI increases precision in plant observation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Artificial intelligence (AI) can help plant scientists collect and analyze unprecedented volumes of data, which would not be possible using conventional methods. Researchers have now used big data, machine learning and field observations in the university's experimental garden to show how plants respond to changes in the environment.
Published Conversations with plants: Can we provide plants with advance warning of impending dangers?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Plant scientists have engineered a light-controlled gene expression system (optogenetics system) from a prokaryotic system into a eukaryotic system that is tailored for plants.
Published We could sequester CO2 by 're-greening' arid lands, plant scientists say
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere will take more than cutting emissions -- we will also need to capture and store the excessive volumes of already-emitted carbon. A team of plant scientists argue that arid lands such as deserts could be one answer to the carbon-capture problem.
Published This parasitic plant convinces hosts to grow into its own flesh--it's also an extreme example of genome shrinkage
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Balanophora shed one third of its genes as it evolved into a streamlined parasitic plant -- an extreme degree of genome shrinkage even among parasites. Along the way this subtropical plant developed the ability to induce the host plant to grow into the parasite's own flesh -- forming chimeric organs that mix host and parasite tissues.
Published Researchers develop first method to study microRNA activity in single cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have developed the first method to uncover the tasks that microRNAs perform in single cells. This is a huge improvement over existing state-of-the-art methods that require millions of cells and will for the first time allow researchers to study microRNAs in complex tissues such as brains.
Published Scientists regenerate neurons that restore walking in mice after paralysis from spinal cord injury
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a new study in mice, researchers have uncovered a crucial component for restoring functional activity after spinal cord injury. The neuroscientists have shown that re-growing specific neurons back to their natural target regions led to recovery, while random regrowth was not effective.
Published Understanding the sex life of coral gives hope of clawing it back from the path to extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have mapped the reproductive strategies and life cycle of an endangered coral species, the purple cauliflower soft coral Dendronephthya australis. Lab-grown larvae have been successfully introduced back into the wild.
Published Monkeys cause a stink in response to human noise
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research has found that monkeys increase their use of scent markings to compensate for human noise pollution. The study has investigated how primates change their communication strategies in response to noise pollution. The researchers studied endangered pied tamarins (Saguinus bicolor), which use both vocal calls and scent markings. The researchers found that the frequency of scent marking directly increased in line with noise decibel levels.
Published Exercise and muscle regulation: Implications for diabetes and obesity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source How do our muscles respond at the molecular level to exercise? Researchers have unraveled the cellular basis and signaling pathways responsible for the positive impact of physical activity on our overall health. Regulatory T cells, a type of immune cell, play a critical role in ensuring proper muscle function. These novel insights are paving the path towards precision medicines targeting metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes, as well as muscle-related illnesses.
Published Genetically modifying individual cells in animals
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a method that lets them genetically modify each cell differently in animals. This allows them to study in a single experiment what used to require many animal experiments. Using the new method, the researchers have discovered genes that are relevant for a severe rare genetic disorder.
Published Plant and forest researchers do not 'anthropomorphize' plants
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Plants are often attributed with abilities similar to those known in the animal or human world. Trees are said to have feelings and can therefore care for their offspring, like mothers. Researchers analyzed the claims in two popular publications on forests and reached the conclusion that conjecture is equated with fact. They warn against 'anthropomorphizing' plants.
Published Researchers issue urgent call to save the world's largest flower -Rafflesia -- from extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study finds that most Rafflesia species, which produce the world's largest flowers, face extinction. Lack of protection at local, national, and international levels means that remaining populations are under critical threat.