Showing 20 articles starting at article 261
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Biology: Zoology, Ecology: Endangered Species
Published Genes provide hope for the survival of Arabia's last big cat
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The release of captive bred animals carefully selected for their genes can make a significant contribution to the successful recovery of the dwindling wild population and avert the prospect of extinction. Despite revealing extremely low levels of genetic diversity in the wild leopard population in Oman, the research team discovered higher levels of genetic diversity in captive leopards across the region. This important genetic resource has the potential for a major role in successful recovery of the Arabian leopard.
Published The impacts of climate change on food production
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study shows that climate change has led to decreased pollen production from plants and less pollen diversity than previously thought, which could have a significant impact on food production.
Published Meerkat chit-chat
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers unravel the vocal interactions of meerkat groups and show they use two different types of interactions to stay in touch.
Published Evolutionary history of extinct duck revealed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The study's findings show mergansers arrived in the New Zealand region at least seven million years ago from the Northern Hemisphere, in a separate colonisation event to that which led to the Brazilian merganser.
Published Cloudy waters causes African fish to develop bigger eyes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Variations in water quality can impact the development of the visual system of one species of African fish, suggests a new study.
Published After hundreds of years, study confirms Bermuda now home to cownose rays
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using citizen science, photographs, on-water observations and the combination of morphological and genetic data, researchers have provided evidence that the Atlantic cownose ray has recently made a new home in Bermuda. Results show that after hundreds of years of natural history records, this is a novel migration of Atlantic cownose rays to Bermuda.
Published Ukraine war caused migrating eagles to deviate from their usual flight plan, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When migrating through Ukraine in 2022, Greater Spotted Eagles were exposed to multiple conflict events that altered their migratory course, according to a new study.
Published Modern plant enzyme partners with surprisingly ancient protein
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered that a protein responsible for the synthesis of a key plant material evolved much earlier than suspected. This new research explored the origin and evolution of the biochemical machinery that builds lignin, a structural component of plant cell walls with significant impacts on the clean energy industry.
Published Scale matters in determining vulnerability of freshwater fish to climate changes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team explored the influence the spatial extent of research -- the geographical coverage of data collected -- has on evaluating the sensitivity of different fish species to climate change.
Published Scientists discover mechanism of sugar signaling in plants
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A paper describes how the moving parts of a particular plant protein control whether plants can grow and make energy-intensive products such as oil -- or instead put in place a series of steps to conserve precious resources. The study focuses specifically on how the molecular machinery is regulated by a molecule that rises and falls with the level of sugar -- plants' main energy source.
Published Otters, especially females, use tools to survive a changing world
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Sea otters are one of the few animals that use tools to access their food, and a new study has found that individual sea otters that use tools -- most of whom are female -- are able to eat larger prey and reduce tooth damage when their preferred prey becomes depleted.
Published How did sabre-toothed tigers acquire their long upper canine teeth?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a groundbreaking study an international team of scientists has investigated the evolutionary patterns behind the development of sabre teeth, with some unexpected results along the way.
Published Study reveals consumers value animal welfare more than environmental sustainability when buying meat and dairy products
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The treatment of animals rates higher than green issues when consumers choose meat and dairy products. That's according to a new study, which suggests that while consumers consider sustainability important, other factors such as taste, quality, and animal welfare take precedence in their purchasing decisions.
Published Bioengineered enzyme creates natural vanillin from plants in one step
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Vanilla, the most widely used flavoring compound in confectionaries and cosmetics, gets its sweet flavor and aroma from the chemical compound -- 'vanillin'. However, the large-scale production of natural vanillin is impeded by the lack of microbial processes and enzymes which can commercially generate vanillin. Now, researchers have genetically engineered a novel enzyme which can convert ferulic acid from plant waste into vanillin in a one-step sustainable process.
Published From roots to resilience: investigating the vital role of microbes in coastal plant health
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Understanding how salt marsh grass stays healthy is of crucial ecological importance, and studying the ways bacteria interact with these plants is key. Thanks to recent advances in genomic technology, biologists have begun to reveal never-before-seen ecological processes.
Published Access to gardens and citizen science helps encourage conservation among children, study shows
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Access to gardens and citizen science projects at school can help promote pro-conservation behaviour among pupils, a new study shows.
Published Eurasian jays can use 'mental time travel' like humans, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Eurasian jays can remember incidental details of past events, which is characteristic of episodic memory in humans, according to a new study.
Published Two decades of studies suggest health benefits associated with plant-based diets
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Vegetarian and vegan diets are generally associated with better status on various medical factors linked to cardiovascular health and cancer risk, as well as lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and death, according to a new review of 49 previously published papers.
Published Bees and butterflies on the decline in western and southern North America
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bee and butterfly populations are in decline in major regions of North America due to ongoing environmental change, and significant gaps in pollinator research limit our ability to protect these species, according to a new study.
Published Analyzing androgynous characteristics in an emperor penguin courtship call
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In the emperor penguin courtship call, male vocalizations are composed of long, slow bursts with lower frequency tones than the female version. But calls of SeaWorld San Diego male penguin E-79 defied this binary. Also unusual was this penguin's male companion, E-81. The pair 'kept company' and sometimes exhibited ritual courtship displays. Researchers studied the courtship calls of E-79 and E-81, recording the birds in their below-freezing enclosure and refining the usual technique for analyzing the bursts.