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Categories: Biology: Marine, Paleontology: Fossils

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Biology: Biochemistry Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Race to find world's oldest mammal fossils led to mud-slinging      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The hunt for the world’s most ancient mammals descended into academic warfare in the seventies, researchers have discovered.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
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Discovery of invisible nutrient discharge on Great Barrier Reef raises concerns      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists using natural tracers off Queensland’s coast have discovered the source of previously unquantified nitrogen and phosphorus having a profound environmental impact on the Great Barrier Reef. Groundwater discharge accounted for approximately one-third of new nitrogen and two-thirds of phosphorus inputs, indicating that nearly twice the amount of nitrogen enters the Reef from groundwater compared to river waters.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Geoscience: Severe Weather Paleontology: Fossils
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Researchers identify largest ever solar storm in ancient 14,300-year-old tree rings      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of scientists have discovered a huge spike in radiocarbon levels 14,300 years ago by analyzing ancient tree-rings found in the French Alps. The radiocarbon spike was caused by a massive solar storm, the biggest ever identified.  A similar solar storm today would be catastrophic for modern technological society – potentially wiping out telecommunications and satellite systems, causing massive electricity grid blackouts, and costing us billions. The academics are warning of the importance of understanding such storms to protect our global communications and energy infrastructure for the future.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems
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Newly-discovered 'margarita snails' from the Florida Keys are bright lemon-yellow      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A newly-discovered, bright yellow snail has been discovered in the Florida Keys and named in honor of Jimmy Buffet's song 'Margaritaville.' The lemon-colored marine snail, along with its lime-green cousin from Belize, is the subject of a recent study ; researchers think these snails' bright colors might help deter predators.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life
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Consistent metabolism may prove costly for insects in saltier water      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Increased salinity usually spells trouble for freshwater insects like mayflies. A new study finds that the lack of metabolic responses to salinity may explain why some freshwater insects often struggle in higher salinity, while other freshwater invertebrates (like mollusks and crustaceans) thrive. 

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
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Ginger pigment molecules found in fossil frogs      (via sciencedaily.com) 

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. 

Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life
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DNA from discarded whale bones suggests loss of genetic diversity due to commercial whaling      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Commercial whaling in the 20th century decimated populations of large whales but also appears to have had a lasting impact on the genetic diversity of today’s surviving whales, new research shows.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
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Sustainable protection of rapidly subsiding coastlines with mangroves      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Along the Asian coast lines there are many areas where rural communities experience alarming rates of sea level rises due to land subsidence up to 10 cm per year. This causes tremendous challenges on how to live there and protect these coasts. Scientists have now investigated the potential and limitation of mangrove restoration as a cost-effective and sustainable solution for coastal protection in rapidly subsiding areas.

Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
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Insights into early snake evolution through brain analysis      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Recent study sheds new light on the enigmatic early evolution of snakes by examining an unexpected source: their brains. The results emphasize the significance of studying both the soft parts of animals’ bodies and their bones for understanding how animals evolved.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Sea Life
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Did animal evolution begin with a predatory lifestyle?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Surprising findings on the development of sea anemones suggest that a predatory lifestyle molded their evolution and had a significant impact on the origin of their nervous system. The researchers were able to show that the young life stages (larvae) of the small sea anemone Aiptasia actively feed on living prey and are not dependent on algae. To capture its prey, the anemone larvae use specialized stinging cells and a simple neuronal network.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
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Why are killer whales harassing and killing porpoises without eating them?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

For decades, fish-eating killer whales in the Pacific Northwest have been observed harassing and even killing porpoises without consuming them —- a perplexing behavior that has long intrigued scientists.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
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Whales Around the World Play With Kelp Clumps      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new article has analyzed another understudied behavior in baleen (filter-feeding) whales such as humpback whales in different populations across the northern and southern hemispheres. They appeared to roll around and 'play' with clumps of kelp and seaweed at the water's surface. The research also emphasizes that the behavior was similar in different individuals, regardless of where in the world it occurred.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Atlantic walrus more vulnerable than ever to Arctic warming      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Past cycles of climate change, along with human exploitation, have led to only small and isolated stocks of Atlantic walrus remaining. The current population is at high risk of the same issues affecting them severely, according to a new study.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water
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Theories about the natural world may need to change to reflect human impact      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New research has validated at scale, one of the theories that has underpinned ecology for over half a century. In doing so, the findings raise further questions about whether models should be revised to capture human impacts on natural systems.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
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Rivers contain hidden sinks and sources of microplastics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research represents the first combined analysis of microplastics in water, sediment and air around a major river system. It found significant quantities of microplastics trapped in riverbed sediments, and also found they were being transported through the air and the flow of the river.