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Categories: Biology: Genetics, Environmental: Ecosystems
Published Probing the deep genetic structure of Africa
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using ancestry decomposition techniques an international research team has revealed a deeply divergent ancestry among admixed populations from the Angolan Namib desert. This unique genetic heritage brings the researchers closer to understanding the distribution of genetic variation in the broader region of southern Africa before the spread of food production.
Published Re-wetting is key for boosting CO2 storage in southern US peatlands
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Maintaining a water level between 20 and 30 centimeters below the local water table will boost southern peatlands' carbon storage and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases they release back into the atmosphere during dry periods by up to 90%, a new study finds. Applying this guideline on 100,000 acres of restored or partially restored peatlands across the Southeast could reduce U.S. carbon losses by 2% to 3% of our total national goal.
Published Same genes behind heart muscle disorders in humans and Dobermanns
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have made a significant finding in determining the genetic background of dilated cardiomyopathy in Dobermanns. This research helps us understand the genetic risk factors related to fatal diseases of the heart muscle and the mechanisms underlying the disease, and offers new tools for their prevention.
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 How climate warming could disrupt a deep-rooted relationship
(via sciencedaily.com) Trees depend on fungi for their well-being. As climate change and global warming cause higher temperatures and amplified drought, little is known about how these important fungi will respond. To investigate this issue, a research team conducted a climate change experiment where they exposed boreal and temperate tree species to warming and drought treatments to better understand how fungi and their tree hosts respond to environmental changes. Their findings revealed that the combined effects of warming and water stress will likely result in major disturbances of ectomycorrhizal networks and may harm forest resilience and function.
Published Split gene-editing tool offers greater precision
(via sciencedaily.com) To make a gene-editing tool more precise and easier to control, engineers split it into two pieces that only come back together when a third molecule is added.
Published Extensive impact of metal mining contamination on rivers and floodplains
(via sciencedaily.com) A groundbreaking study has provided new insights into the extensive impact of metal mining contamination on rivers and floodplains across the world, with an estimated 23 million people believed to be affected by potentially dangerous concentrations of toxic waste. The study used a new georeferenced global database of 185,000 metal mines compiled by the team alongside a combination of process-based modelling and empirical testing to predict the dispersal of mine waste in river systems to offer a comprehensive understanding of the environmental and health challenges associated with metal mining activities, examining both historical and active mining operations. With the rapid growth of metal mining crucial to the world making the transition to green energy, the study provides governments, mining companies, environmental regulators, and communities impacted by mining operations with a tool to understand the impacts of environmental impact of mining. Ultimately it is hoped that this will make it easier to mitigate the environmental effects of historical and present mining and help to minimise the impacts of future mining development on communities, while also protecting food and water security.
Published Unzipping mRNA rallies plant cells to fight infection
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Living things from plants to humans must constantly adjust the chemical soup of proteins -- the workhorse molecules of life -- inside their cells to adapt to stress or changing conditions. Now, researchers have identified a previously unknown molecular mechanism that helps explain how they do it. A team now reveals hairpin-like structures of mRNA that, by zipping and unzipping, help cells change the mix of proteins they produce when under stress.
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 Mussels able to adjust heart rate to cope with marine heatwaves
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research shows that mussels are pretty crafty sea creatures: able to withstand marine heatwaves by adjusting their heart rate and other physiological functions, boding well for their survival in future decades as the world heats up.
Published New study finds that sewage release is worse for rivers than agriculture
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Sewage pollution, whether treated or untreated, was found to be the primary driver of increased nutrients, algae, and sewage fungus in rivers. Sewage discharge also radically altered plant, animal, and microbe communities, increasing the abundance of harmful species. Run-off from agriculture was also found to lower water quality and be particularly harmful for sensitive insect groups.
Published Riddle of varying warm water inflow in the Arctic now solved
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In the 'weather kitchen,' the interplay between the Azores High and Icelandic Low has a substantial effect on how much warm water the Atlantic transports to the Arctic along the Norwegian coast. But this rhythm can be thrown off for years at a time. Experts finally have an explanation for why: Due to unusual atmospheric pressure conditions over the North Atlantic, low-pressure areas are diverted from their usual track, which disrupts the coupling between the Azores High, the Icelandic Low and the winds off the Norwegian coast. This finding is an important step toward refining climate models and more accurately predicting the fate of Arctic sea ice in the face of progressing climate change.
Published How to tackle the global deforestation crisis
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research examines the 'revolution' in the study of deforestation brought about by satellites, and analyzing which kinds of policies might limit climate-altering deforestation.
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 Sometimes beneficial, sometimes damaging: The double role of the enzyme chameau
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Biologists have discovered why an enzyme is important for the survival of fruit flies, even though it can shorten their lives under certain conditions.
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 Fast-track strain engineering for speedy biomanufacturing
(via sciencedaily.com) Using engineered microbes as microscopic factories has given the world steady sources of life-saving drugs, revolutionized the food industry, and allowed us to make sustainable versions of valuable chemicals previously made from petroleum. But behind each biomanufactured product on the market today is the investment of years of work and many millions of dollars in research and development funding. Scientists want to help the burgeoning industry reach new heights by accelerating and streamlining the process of engineering microbes to produce important compounds with commercial-ready efficiency.
Published Gene required for root hair growth, nitrate foraging found in grasses
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have found a plant gene that drives the growth of root hairs, the tiny structures that help plants find water and nutrients in the soil. The gene, dubbed 'BUZZ,' causes faster-growing, denser webs of roots and may also determine how plants find and use nitrates, a prime source of nitrogen essential to plant growth. Nitrates are also used in fertilizers that can pollute the environment as runoff, and this genetic discovery could ultimately help plant scientists find ways to grow crops more sustainably.