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Categories: Biology: Evolutionary, Ecology: Sea Life

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Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geography
Published

Shark fear: Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water...      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

It's one of the most famous taglines in film history, immortalizing sharks as ruthless predators. But beyond the horror generated by Spielberg's Jaws series, a persistent fear of sharks remains, with consequences that extend into reality.

Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

North Atlantic's marine productivity may not be declining, according to new study of older ice cores      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of declining phytoplankton in the North Atlantic may have been greatly exaggerated. Analysis of a Greenland ice core going back 800 years shows that atmospheric chemistry, not dwindling phytoplankton populations, explains the industrial-era ice core trends.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Sea Life Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

A 'fish cartel' for Africa could benefit the countries, and their seas      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Banding together to sell fishing rights could generate economic benefits for African countries, which receive far less from access to their fisheries on the global market than other countries do from theirs. By joining forces, researchers say African fisheries would not just secure more competitive access fees, they could also protect their seas' biodiversity.

Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
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Endangered turtle population under threat as pollution may lead to excess of females being born      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers find exposure to heavy metals cadmium and antimony and certain organic contaminants, accumulated by the mother and transferred to her eggs, may cause embryos to be feminized in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), a species already at risk of extinction from a current lack of male hatchlings.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Bacteria-virus arms race provides rare window into rapid and complex evolution      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Rather than a slow, gradual process as Darwin envisioned, biologists can now see how evolutionary changes unfold on much more accelerated timescales. Using an accelerated arms race between bacteria and viruses, researchers are documenting rapid evolutionary processes in simple laboratory flasks in only three weeks.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology
Published

Poison dart frogs: Personality determines reproductive strategies      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Unlike their relatives, individuals of the poison frog Allobates femoralis are not poisonous but are captivating due to their different behavioral profiles: They successfully reproduce with different strategies depending on whether they are bold, aggressive or explorative. In addition, certain character traits are already present in this species at the tadpole stage.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
Published

Zooplankton in ocean and freshwater are rapidly escalating the global environmental threat of plastics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A collaborative research team has recently revealed that rotifers, a kind of microscopic zooplankton common in both fresh and ocean water around the world, are able to chew apart microplastics, breaking them down into even smaller, and potentially more dangerous, nanoplastics -- or particles smaller than one micron. Each rotifer can create between 348,000 -- 366,000 per day, leading to uncountable swarms of nanoparticles in our environment.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

A different take on phosphorus: Bacteria use organic phosphorus and release methane in the process      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Some bacteria are able to tap into unusual sources of nutrients in the surface water of the oceans. This enables them to increase their primary production and extract more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In doing so, however, they release the potent greenhouse gas methane.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: General Biology: Marine Chemistry: Biochemistry Ecology: General Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Engineering: Robotics Research Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Device 'smells' seawater to discover, detect novel molecules      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Under the ocean's surface, marine organisms are constantly releasing invisible molecules. Some of the chemical clues reveal which creatures are nearby, while others could be used someday as medications. Now, researchers report a proof-of-concept device that 'sniffs' seawater, trapping dissolved compounds for analyses. The team showed that the system could easily concentrate molecules that are present in underwater caves and holds promise for drug discovery in fragile ecosystems, including coral reefs.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Ecology: Animals Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Yeast with an over half synthetic genome is created in the lab      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have combined over seven synthetic chromosomes that were made in the lab into a single yeast cell, resulting in a strain with more than 50% synthetic DNA that survives and replicates similarly to wild yeast strains. A global consortium is working to develop the first synthetic eukaryote genome from scratch. The team has now synthesized and debugged all sixteen yeast chromosomes.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Scientists take major step towards completing the world's first synthetic yeast      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of Scientists has completed construction of a synthetic chromosome as part of a major international project to build the world's first synthetic yeast genome. The work represents completion of one of the 16 chromosomes of the yeast genome, which is part of the biggest project ever in synthetic biology; the international synthetic yeast genome collaboration. The collaboration, known as 'Sc2.0' has been a 15-year project involving teams from around the world (UK, US, China, Singapore, UK, France and Australia), working together to make synthetic versions of all of yeast's chromosomes. Alongside this paper, another 9 publications are also released today from other teams describing their synthetic chromosomes. The final completion of the genome project -- the largest synthetic genome ever -- is expected next year.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life Paleontology: General
Published

Why a surprising discovery, warming seas and the demise of the 'Meg' may spell trouble for more and more sharks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Some unexpected shark strandings and subsequent surprises following autopsies have, ironically, taken marine biologists millions of years back in time as they look to the future with concern. Adding chapters to an evolutionary tale involving the infamous megalodon shark (the 'Meg'), they think their work suggests there are more warm-blooded sharks out there than previously believed, and -- based on the Meg's demise -- these species may be at great risk from warming seas.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Nature
Published

Cracking the code: Genome sequencing reveals why songbirds are larger in colder climates      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have unlocked the genetic basis underlying the remarkable variation in body size observed in song sparrows, one of North America's most familiar and beloved songbirds. This discovery also provides insights into this species' capacity to adapt to the challenges of climate change. The study used genomic sequencing to successfully pinpoint eight genetic variants, or DNA mutations, largely responsible for the nearly threefold difference in body size observed across the song sparrow range from Mexico to Alaska. 

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Chemistry: Biochemistry
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.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

New algae species rewrites understanding of reef systems      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of marine scientists has identified and officially named four species of algae new to science, challenging previous taxonomical assumptions within the Porolithon genus. The discovery has far-reaching implications for our understanding of the ecological role of these algae in the coral reef ecosystem.