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Categories: Biology: Zoology, Geoscience: Earth Science
Published Lightning identified as the leading cause of wildfires in boreal forests, threatening carbon storage
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Most wildfires in boreal forests, such as those in Canada, are caused by lightning strikes, according to a study aimed at attributing fire ignition sources globally.
Published Greenland's glacier retreat rate has doubled over past two decades
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study documents how Greenland's peripheral glaciers have changed from 1890 to 2022. Using satellite images and a unique archive of historical aerial photos, researchers documented changes in the lengths of more than 1,000 of the country's glaciers over the past 130 years. Although glaciers in Greenland have experienced retreat throughout the last century, the rate of their retreat has rapidly accelerated over the last two decades.
Published A fifth of European Red List flora and fauna species may be at risk of extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new analysis of 14,669 threatened species of plants and animals found in Europe reveals that about one fifth face the risk of extinction, and that agricultural land-use change poses a significant threat to these species.
Published 'Alien' wasps thriving in tropical forests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers say they have discovered high diversity of Darwin wasps in a tropical rainforest in Brazil, wasps which were previously thought to thrive more in cooler habitats.
Published The metabolism of bacteria under the microscope: New method reveals host-microbe interactions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The fascinating world of bacteria that live as symbionts or parasites in animal hosts often remains a mystery to researchers. A research team has made a breakthrough that provides insights into this mysterious micro-world.
Published Maps reveal biochar's potential for mitigating climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Twelve countries have the technical ability to sequester over 20% of their current total greenhouse gas emissions by converting crop residues to biochar. Bhutan leads the way with the potential to sequester 68% of its emissions in the form of biochar, followed by India, at 53%.
Published Window to the past: New microfossils suggest earlier rise in complex life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Microfossils may capture a jump in the complexity of life that coincided with the rise of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere and oceans, according to an international team of scientists.
Published Africa's dangerous air pollution levels are a global problem, says new research
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new report has brought to light the challenge of air pollution levels in Africa and why international action is needed to combat it.
Published 450-million-year-old organism finds new life in Softbotics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have used fossil evidence to engineer a soft robotic replica of pleurocystitids, a marine organism that existed nearly 450 million years ago and is believed to be one of the first echinoderms capable of movement using a muscular stem.
Published Video technology could transform how scientists monitor changes in species evolution and development
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research combines microscope and video technology to analyze how different species develop, and how changes in the timings of any developments can be tracked. A detailed analysis of the Energy Proxy Traits (EPTs) that result from these processes has provided researchers with the first evidence that traditionally measured timings of developmental events are associated with far broader changes to the full set of an embryo's observable characteristics.
Published Two fins are better than one: Fish synchronize tail fins to save energy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source They say two heads are better than one. But in the world of fish, it appears two fins are better than one. Researchers have produced a theoretical model that demonstrates the underlying mechanisms behind how fish will synchronize their fin movements to ride each other's vortices, thereby saving energy.
Published Threatened sharks and rays caught off Cyprus
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Sharks and rays from threatened species are being caught off northern Cyprus, according to a new study by scientists who are working with local authorities and fishers to protect the animals.
Published How to eat our way out of the climate crisis
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers conducted a study to determine if replacing dietary fats from palm oil, soy and other agricultural crops with fats created synthetically in chemical or biological processes could help reduce climate change-causing greenhouse gases. The researchers' analysis finds a reduction in carbon emissions and other benefits, such the opening of agricultural lands to reforestation which benefits biodiversity and creates a carbon sink.
Published Keeping an eye on the regions when it comes to climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Up to now, the results of climate simulations have sometimes contradicted the analysis of climate traces from the past. Physicists and climatologists have now brought together experts in climate models and climate tracks to clarify how the discrepancies come about. The surprising result has now been published: in a way, both sides are right. Climate models correctly simulate global temperature trends, but often underestimate the strength of regional climate fluctuations, especially over the course of decades to centuries.
Published Scientists map loss of groundwater storage around the world
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Global water resources are stretched by climate change and human population growth, and farms and cities are increasingly turning to groundwater to fill their needs. Unfortunately, the pumping of groundwater can cause the ground surface above to sink, as the aquifers below are drained and the architecture of the ground collapses. A new study maps this loss of groundwater storage capacity around the world.
Published Large herbivores such as elephants, bison and moose contribute to tree diversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using global satellite data, a research team has mapped the tree cover of the world's protected areas. The study shows that regions with abundant large herbivores in many settings have a more variable tree cover, which is expected to benefit biodiversity overall.
Published Predicting saltwater intrusion into groundwater using Plymouth, Mass. as test case
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As the world warms and ice sheets melt, the ocean continually rises. The greater Boston area can expect to see between one and six feet of sea level rise by 2100, according to recent estimates. To find out what this rise might mean for freshwater supplies, a team of hydrogeologists developed an innovative new model that can not only predict saltwater intrusion over the next 75 years, but also pinpoint the main sources of salt contamination today -- road salt and human development.
Published New secrets about cat evolution revealed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source By comparing genomes of several cat species, the project has helped researchers understand why cat genomes tend to have fewer complex genetic variations (such as rearrangements of DNA segments) than other mammal groups, like primates. It also revealed new insights into which parts of cat DNA are most likely to evolve rapidly and how they play a role in species differentiation.
Published Rats have an imagination, new research suggests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a novel system to probe a rat's thoughts, finding that animals can control their brain activity to imagine remote locations.
Published How a climate model can illustrate and explain ice-age climate variability
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source During the last ice age, the last glacial maximum about 20,000 years ago, the climate in the North Atlantic underwent much greater multi-centennial variability than it does in the present warm period. This is supported by evidence found in ice and seafloor cores. Researchers have now shown, based on a climate model, that internal mechanisms such as temperature and salinity distribution in the ocean are driving this multi-centennial variability.