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Categories: Biology: Marine, Biology: Microbiology
Published Discovery could lead to new fungicides to protect rice crops
(via sciencedaily.com) In some years, rice blast disease destroys more than one quarter of the harvest worldwide. But it's hard to fight with current methods. Researchers have now discovered how the fungus breeches the tough skin of the rice leaf and determined the structure of the enzyme secreted to puncture the leaf. They're now searching for chemical blockers that would work as a spray-on fungicide for rice and other crops.
Published Coral reefs in the Eastern Pacific could survive into the 2060s
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientists found that some reefs in the tropical Pacific Ocean could maintain high coral cover into the second half of this century by shuffling the symbiotic algae they host. The findings offer a ray of hope in an often-dire picture of the future of coral reefs worldwide.
Published Biodiversity engine for fishes: Shifting water depth
(via sciencedaily.com) Fish, the most biodiverse vertebrates in the animal kingdom, present evolutionary biologists a conundrum: The greatest species richness is found in the world's tropical waters, yet the fish groups that generate new species most rapidly inhabit colder climates at higher latitudes. A new study helps to explain this paradox. The researchers discovered that the ability of fish in temperate and polar ecosystems to transition back and forth from shallow to deep water triggers species diversification. Their findings suggest that as climate change warms the oceans at higher latitudes, it will impede the evolution of fish species.
Published Due to their feed, chicken and farmed salmon have remarkably similar environmental footprints
(via sciencedaily.com) We love our chicken. We love our salmon. Thanks to how we farm these two popular proteins, their environmental footprints are surprisingly similar.
Published Microbes that co-operate contribute more carbon emissions
(via sciencedaily.com) Communities of microbes that work together release more carbon dioxide than competitive communities, contributing more to climate change.
Published Do forest trees really 'talk' through underground fungi?
(via sciencedaily.com) The idea that forest trees can 'talk' to each other, share resources with their seedlings -- and even protect them -- through a connective underground web of delicate fungal filaments tickles the imagination. The concept is so intriguing, it's taken root in popular media -- even being raised in the popular Apple TV show Ted Lasso -- and been dubbed the 'wood-wide web,' but the science behind those ideas is unproven, cautions an expert.
Published Fossil discovery reveals complex ecosystems existed on Earth much earlier than previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source About 250 million years ago, the Permian-Triassic mass extinction killed over 80 per cent of the planet's species. In the aftermath, scientists believe that life on earth was dominated by simple species for up to 10 million years before more complex ecosystems could evolve. Now this longstanding theory is being challenged by a team of international researchers.
Published Bite this! Mosquito feeding chamber uses fake skin, real blood
(via sciencedaily.com) Bioengineers and experts in tropical medicine have invented a new way of studying mosquito feeding behavior using technology instead of live volunteers. Their open-source design combines automated cameras, artificial intelligence and blood-infused, 3D-printed 'synthetic skin.'
Published The cod population off the coast of Sweden is not extinct
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Through DNA analyses, researchers have identified that there are still juvenile coastal cod off the west coast of Sweden. However, it is still difficult to find any mature adult cod in the area.
Published 'We're not all that different': Study IDs bacterial weapons that could be harnessed to treat human disease
(via sciencedaily.com) When it comes to fighting off invaders, bacteria operate in a remarkably similar way to human cells, possessing the same core machinery required to switch immune pathways on and off, according to new research.
Published Marine reserves unlikely to restore marine ecosystems
(via sciencedaily.com) Protected marine areas are one of the essential tools for the conservation of natural resources affected by human impact -- mainly fishing --, but, are they enough to recover the functioning of these systems? A study now highlights the limitations of marine reserves in restoring food webs to their pristine state prior to the impact of intensive fishing.
Published Keeping SARS-CoV-2 closed for business with small molecules
(via sciencedaily.com) The infamous spike proteins on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 help it bind to and enter human cells. Because of their important role in spreading infection, these spike proteins are one of the main targets for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. But those remedies gradually lose effectiveness when certain segments of the spike proteins mutate. Now, researchers report that they have discovered small molecules that successfully target other segments that mutate less.
Published Discovery of T-cells that protect against deadly pneumococcal disease
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study reveals how resistance to bacteraemic pneumonia is provided by a unique subset of lung T regulatory cells.
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 Studies find that microbiome changes may be a signature for ME/CFS
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have found differences in the gut microbiomes of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) compared to healthy controls. Findings from two studies add to growing evidence that connects disruptions in the gut microbiome, the complete collection of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in our gastrointestinal system, to ME/CFS.
Published How waste-eating bacteria digest complex carbons
(via sciencedaily.com) For the first time, researchers mapped the metabolic mechanisms in a Comamonas bacterium that digests chemicals from plastic and plant waste. This new information could potentially lead to novel biotechnology platforms that harness the bacteria to help recycle plastic waste.
Published Why microbes in the deep ocean live without sunlight
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study reverses the idea that the bulk of life in the ocean is fueled by photosynthesis via sunshine, revealing that many ocean microbes in fact get their energy from hydrogen and carbon monoxide. It has always been a mystery as to how microbes growing in deepest parts of the sea survive, with no sunlight. A new study shows that a distinct process called chemosynthesis -- growth using inorganic compounds -- fuels microbes in these darkest depths.
Published Shark bites tied for 10-year low in 2022 but spiked in regional hotspots
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The number of unprovoked shark attacks worldwide decreased last year, tying with 2020 for the fewest number of reported incidents in the last 10 years. There were a total of 57 unprovoked bites in 2022, most of which occurred in the United States and Australia. Of these, five attacks were fatal, down from nine deaths in 2021 and 10 the year prior.
Published How species partnerships evolve
(via sciencedaily.com) Biologists explored how symbiotic relationships between species evolve to become specific or general, cooperative or antagonistic.