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Categories: Biology: Botany, Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published Scientists develop new index based on functional morphology to understand how ancestors of modern birds used their wings
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientists have compared the relationship among the strength of flight bones, body mass, and the way modern birds fly to better understand the evolution of flight in birds and extinct animals, such as the Pteranodon.
Published Reducing pesticide pollution and the intensity of harvesting can increase crop yield and contribute to climate change mitigation
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have found that carbon sequestration and plant resilience as well as forage pasture yield can be increased through key adjustments in agricultural management. The results provide a roadmap for reducing pesticide loads in soils and the first steps towards increasing climate change mitigation while improving crop yield in grasslands.
Published Licorice leaf extract is a promising plant protectant for conventional and organic agriculture
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study reveals that licorice leaf extract is a potent bactericide and fungicide that can be used in conventional and organic agriculture.
Published Caribou have been using same Arctic calving grounds for 3,000 years
(via sciencedaily.com) Caribou have been using the same Arctic calving grounds for more than 3,000 years. Female caribou shed their antlers within days of giving birth, leaving behind a record of their annual travels across Alaska and Canada's Yukon that persists on the cold tundra for hundreds or even thousands of years. Researchers recovered antlers that have sat undisturbed on the arctic tundra since the Bronze Age.
Published Codebreakers crack secrets of Mary Queen of Scots' lost letters
(via sciencedaily.com) Secret, coded letters penned by Mary Queen of Scots while she was imprisoned in England by her cousin Queen Elizabeth I have been uncovered by a multidisciplinary team of international codebreakers. Launched on the anniversary of Mary's execution, study reveals 50 new letters in cipher -- with some still believed missing -- shedding new light on her captivity.
Published Long-term restoration of a biodiversity hotspot hinges on getting seeds to the right place at the right time
(via sciencedaily.com) New research shows that degraded savanna ecosystems can reap lasting benefits from a single seeding of native understory plants. Once a diverse understory of savanna plants became established, its long-term persistence was relatively unaffected by environmental factors -- with one exception. Higher temperatures during the height of the growing season were associated with poorer long-term survival among some species, indicating one threat posed by a warming climate.
Published Pacific Northwest heat dome tree damage more about temperature than drought, scientists say
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Widespread tree scorch in the Pacific Northwest that became visible shortly after multiple days of record-setting, triple-digit temperatures in June 2021 was more attributable to heat than to drought conditions, researchers say.
Published Evolution of wheat spikes since the Neolithic revolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Around 12,000 years ago, the Neolithic revolution radically changed the economy, diet and structure of the first human societies in the Fertile Crescent of the Near East. With the beginning of the cultivation of cereals -- such as wheat and barley -- and the domestication of animals, the first cities emerged in a new social context marked by a productive economy. Now, a study analyses the evolution of wheat spikes since its cultivation began by the inhabitants of ancient Mesopotamia -- the cradle of agriculture -- between the Tigris and the Euphrates.
Published Forest trees find a new watery 'sweet spot' when CO2 is high
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Trees living in conditions where the carbon dioxide (CO2) has been artificially elevated are likely to become more efficient in conserving water.
Published Climate change may cut US forest inventory by a fifth this century
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study found that under more severe climate warming scenarios, the inventory of trees used for timber in the continental United States could decline by as much as 23% by 2100. The largest inventory losses would occur in two of the leading timber regions in the U.S., which are both in the South.
Published 319-million-year-old fish preserves the earliest fossilized brain of a backboned animal
(via sciencedaily.com) The CT-scanned skull of a 319-million-year-old fossilized fish, pulled from a coal mine in England more than a century ago, has revealed the oldest example of a well-preserved vertebrate brain.
Published Over 4% of summer mortality in European cities is attributable to urban heat islands
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Over four percent of deaths in cities during the summer months are due to urban heat islands, and one third of these deaths could be prevented by reaching a tree cover of 30%, according to a modelling study. The study results, obtained with data from 93 European cities, highlight the substantial benefits of planting more trees in cities to attenuate the impact of climate change.
Published Understanding plants can boost wildland-fire modeling in uncertain future
(via sciencedaily.com) A new conceptual framework for incorporating the way plants use carbon and water, or plant dynamics, into fine-scale computer models of wildland fire provides a critical first step toward improved global fire forecasting.
Published New ancient 'marine crocodile' discovered on UK's Jurassic Coast -- and it's one of the oldest specimens of its type ever found
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study has uncovered a new thalattosuchian -- an ancient 'sister' of modern-day crocodiles' ancestors.
Published Characterization of an emergent plant virus
(via sciencedaily.com) High throughput sequencing (HTS) data is set to improve our knowledge of Physostegia chlorotic mottle virus biology, epidemiology, and genetic diversity.
Published New species of microalgae discovered
(via sciencedaily.com) A new species of microalgae was found in water from a home aquarium. While analyzing DNA samples taken from the algae, researchers discovered Medakamo hakoo, whose DNA sequence didn't match any on record. This new species is the smallest known freshwater green algae, with inherent qualities which enable it to be cultured stably at high density, meaning it could be effectively used to produce useful products for food and industry.
Published Ancestral variation guides future environmental adaptations
(via sciencedaily.com) The speed of environmental change is very challenging for wild organisms. When exposed to a new environment individual plants and animals can potentially adjust their biology to better cope with new pressures they are exposed to -- this is known as phenotypic plasticity. New research shows that early plasticity can influence the ability to subsequently evolve genetic adaptations to conquer new habitats.
Published What crocodile DNA reveals about the Ice Age
(via sciencedaily.com) What drives crocodile evolution? Is climate a major factor or changes in sea levels? Determined to find answers to these questions, researchers discovered that while changing temperatures and rainfall had little impact on the crocodiles' gene flow over the past three million years, changes to sea levels during the Ice Age had a different effect.
Published Researchers uncover 92 fossil nests belonging to some of India's largest dinosaurs
(via sciencedaily.com) The discovery of more than 250 fossilized eggs reveals intimate details about the lives of titanosaurs in the Indian subcontinent, according to a new study.
Published Mummified crocodiles provide insights into mummy-making over time
(via sciencedaily.com) Crocodiles were mummified in a unique way at the Egyptian site of Qubbat al-Hawa during the 5th Century BC, according to a new study.