Showing 20 articles starting at article 621
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Biology: Evolutionary, Ecology: Animals
Published Honey bees may inherit altruistic behavior from their mothers



True altruism is rare behavior in animals, but a new study has found that honey bees display this trait. Additionally, they found that an evolutionary battle of genetics may determine the parent they inherit it from.
Published Flagship individual animals can boost conservation



'Flagship' individual animals like Cecil the lion or Freya the walrus can boost conservation, new research suggests.
Published Tens of thousands of endangered sharks and rays caught off Congo



Tens of thousands of endangered sharks and rays are caught by small-scale fisheries off the Republic of the Congo each year, new research shows.
Published Killer whales' diet more important than location for pollutant exposure



Both elegant and fierce, killer whales are some of the oceans' top predators, but even they can be exposed to environmental pollution. Now, in the largest study to date on North Atlantic killer whales, researchers report the levels of legacy and emerging pollutants in 162 individuals' blubber. The animals' diet, rather than location, greatly impacted contaminant levels and potential health risks -- information that's helpful to conservation efforts.
Published Death is only the beginning: Birds disperse eaten insects' eggs



Relationship patterns among flightless stick insects suggest that birds disperse the eggs after eating gravid females. Lab experiments previously suggested the possibility, but a new genetic analysis of natural populations in Japan now supports the idea.
Published Wild pig populations in U.S. can be managed



Recent conservation efforts have proven effective at controlling wild pig populations in the Southeastern United States, according to new research. Within 24 months of the start of control efforts in the study area located around the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina, researchers found a reduction of about 70% in relative abundance of pigs and a corresponding decline in environmental rooting damage of about 99%.
Published The changing climate creates more noise in the oceans



Due to the changing climate, the underwater world is getting ever noisier.
Published Long-term lizard study challenges the rules of evolutionary biology



Researchers measured natural selection in four Anolis lizard species in the wild for five consecutive time periods over three years. This long-term study in a community of lizards reveals how evolution unfolds in the wild across multiple species.
Published Ginger pigment molecules found in fossil frogs


Palaeontologists discover molecular evidence of phaeomelanin, the pigment that produces ginger coloration. Phaeomelanin is now toxic to animals – this discovery may be first step in understand its evolution.
Published Natural GM crops: Grasses take evolutionary shortcut by borrowing genes from their neighbors



Grass may transfer genes from their neighbors in the same way genetically modified crops are made, a new study has revealed.
Published The end of genes: Routine test reveals unique divergence in genetic code



Scientists testing a new method of sequencing single cells have unexpectedly changed our understanding of the rules of genetics. The genome of a protist has revealed a seemingly unique divergence in the DNA code signalling the end of a gene, suggesting the need for further research to better understand this group of diverse organisms.
Published Researchers propose radical change in how animal facial expressions are defined and studied



Researchers have developed a new method to analyze facial expressions, as part of efforts to better understand animal communication.
Published Fear of humans pervades the South African savanna



Mammals living in South Africa's Greater Kruger National Park, home to one of the world's largest remaining lion populations, are far more afraid of hearing human voices than lion vocalizations or hunting sounds such as dogs barking or gunshots.
Published Survival of the newest: the mammals that survive mass extinctions aren't as 'boring' as scientists thought



For decades, scientists have assumed that mammals and their relatives that survived challenging times (like those during mass extinctions) made it because they were generalists that were able to eat just about anything and adapt to whatever life threw at them. A new study into the mammal family tree through multiple mass extinctions revealed that the species that survived aren't as generic as scientists had thought: instead, having new and different traits can be the key to succeeding in the aftermath of a catastrophe.
Published Ruffed grouse population more resilient than expected, genetic study finds



Despite decades of decline, a genetic analysis of ruffed grouse reveals that Pennsylvania's state bird harbors more genetic diversity and connectivity than expected. The findings suggest that the iconic game bird could be maintained in persistent numbers if appropriate protections are implemented.
Published New 'Assembly Theory' unifies physics and biology to explain evolution and complexity



An international team of researchers has developed a new theoretical framework that bridges physics and biology to provide a unified approach for understanding how complexity and evolution emerge in nature. This new work on 'Assembly Theory' represents a major advance in our fundamental comprehension of biological evolution and how it is governed by the physical laws of the universe.
Published Bird species changing faster than expected in protected areas



A recent study has found that bird communities inside and outside protected areas are beginning to resemble each other as a result of climate change. In both areas, southern species increase in abundance, while northern species decrease.
Published These robots helped explain how insects evolved two distinct strategies for flight



Robots helped achieve a major breakthrough in our understanding of how insect flight evolved. The study is a result of a six-year long collaboration between roboticists and biophysicists.
Published Honeybees are more selective in their choices for nutrition than previously thought



An international research group examined which plants honeybees favor when collecting nectar and pollen. The choices honeybees make have an impact on their health and also on humans, as honeybees pollinate important crop plants.
Published Unique voice print in parrots



Individual voice could help birds be recognized in a flock, no matter what they say.