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Categories: Biology: Botany, Ecology: Nature
Published Timing plant evolution with a fast-ticking epigenetic clock
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Recent discoveries in the field of epigenetics, the study of inheritance of traits that occur without changing the DNA sequence, have shown that chronological age in mammals correlates with epigenetic changes that accumulate during the lifetime of an individual. In humans, this observation has led to the development of epigenetic clocks, which are now extensively used as biomarkers of aging. While these clocks work accurately from birth until death, they are set back to zero in each new generation. Now, an international team shows that epigenetic clocks not only exist in plants, but that these clocks keep ticking accurately over many generations.
Published New study removes human bias from debate over dinosaurs' demise
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers tried a new approach to resolve the scientific debate over whether it was a giant asteroid or volcanoes that wiped out the dinosaurs -- they removed scientists from the debate and let the computers decide. The researchers created a model powered by 130 interconnected processors that, without human input, reverse-engineered the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction until they reached a scenario that matched the fossil record. The model determined that while a meteorite contributed to the cataclysm, the outpouring of climate-altering gases from the nearly 1-million-year eruptions of volcanoes in western India's Deccan Traps would have been sufficient to trigger the extinction and clear the way for the ascendance of mammals.
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.
Published New research reveals dynamic factors shaping biodiversity at small scales
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers studying arboreal ants in a Florida forest explore the fundamental question of how resource availability and competition shape biodiversity.
Published Important additional driver of insect decline identified: Weather explains the decline and rise of insect biomass over 34 years
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Combinations of unfavorable weather conditions over several years can cause a decline in insect biomass.
Published Protecting lands slows biodiversity loss among vertebrates by five times
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Protecting large swaths of Earth's land can help stem the tide of biodiversity loss -- especially when those protected areas are in less disturbed landscapes and in countries with effective national governance. A new study looked at how amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds fared in protected versus unprotected areas worldwide. Vertebrate abundance decreased five times more slowly inside protected areas, offering much-needed support for the United Nations' '30 by 30' conservation initiative.
Published How to save plants from climate change? Just ask them
(via sciencedaily.com) Climate change and a range of human-caused factors have disrupted the habitats of many California native trees and other plant species. Efforts to protect or relocate plant species would be bolstered by understanding which habitats are best suited for each species. A new study identified a range of characteristics from more than 100 types of plants that can be analyzed to determine each species' preferred temperature and rainfall amount.
Published New insect genus discovered in one of the most biodiverse rain forest regions in the world
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The Allpahuayo-Mishana National Reserve in Peru has often been described as the most biodiverse rainforest in the world. For example, in recent decades, scientist have discovered several new bird species from the region. Researchers from the University of Turku in Finland have studied the insect biodiversity in Allpahuayo-Mishana for over 20 years. In their latest study, the scientist described a new wasp genus, Capitojoppa, to science.
Published Decreasing biodiversity may promote spread of viruses
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source How are environmental changes, loss of biodiversity, and the spread of pathogens connected? The answer is a puzzle. Researchers have now described one piece of that puzzle, showing that the destruction of tropical rainforests harms the diversity of mosquito species. At the same time, more resilient species of mosquitoes become more prevalent -- which also means the viruses they carry are more abundant. If there are many individuals of a given species, those viruses can spread quickly.
Published Genetically engineering associations between plants and nitrogen-fixing microbes could lessen dependence on synthetic fertilizer
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth, but the overuse of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture is not sustainable. A team of bacteriologists and plant scientists discuss the possibility of using genetic engineering to facilitate mutualistic relationships between plants and nitrogen-fixing microbes called 'diazotrophs.' These engineered associations would help crops acquire nitrogen from the air by mimicking the mutualisms between legumes and nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Published Scientists reveal what fuels wildfires in Sierra Nevada Mountains
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Wildfires in California, exacerbated by human-driven climate change, are getting more severe. To better manage them, there's a growing need to know exactly what fuels the blazes after they ignite. Scientists now report that one of the chief fuels of wildfires in California's Sierra Nevada mountains is the decades-old remains of large trees.
Published Caribbean parrots thought to be endemic are actually relicts of millennial-scale extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For the first time, researchers have extracted ancient DNA from Caribbean parrot fossils and archaeological specimens, showing that species thought to be endemic to particular islands were historically more widespread and diverse.
Published 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.
Published New research reveals extreme heat likely to wipe out humans and mammals in the distant future
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study shows unprecedented heat is likely to lead to the next mass extinction, akin to when the dinosaurs died out, eliminating nearly all mammals in some 250 million years time.
Published Despite being properly treated and highly diluted, wastewater still impacts on the river ecosystem
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An experiment using water from a large wastewater treatment plant has shown that this water continues to affect river diversity and the trophic web (food web) despite being properly treated and highly diluted before discharge. The study shows that the limits currently in place and the procedures used to treat wastewater may not be sufficient to protect the natural properties of food webs.
Published Study shows birds that have evolved greater complexity are less biodiverse
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research shows that birds with more complex skeletons are more specialized and so are less species rich.
Published By air, rain and land: How microbes return after a wildfire
(via sciencedaily.com) Ecological disturbances like wildfires disrupt microbial communities. Researchers found that dispersal played a pivotal role in re-establishing surface-level communities.
Published Ocean acidification makes ecologically important seaweed species fragile
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Ocean acidification will likely almost triple by the end of the century -- a drastic environmental change that could impact important marine species like fleshy seaweeds, algae that grow vertically and promote biodiversity in more than a third of the world's coastline. To get a better idea of how seaweeds might fare in a rapidly acidifying ocean, a team of marine scientists subjected a common fleshy seaweed species to the acidification levels expected by the end of the century. They report that increased acidification impacted the seaweed's chemical balance, made both its structure and its tissues weaker, and reduced its overall chances of survival.
Published AI increases precision in plant observation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Artificial intelligence (AI) can help plant scientists collect and analyze unprecedented volumes of data, which would not be possible using conventional methods. Researchers have now used big data, machine learning and field observations in the university's experimental garden to show how plants respond to changes in the environment.
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.