Showing 20 articles starting at article 1181
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Environmental: Ecosystems, Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds
Published Fossil overturns more than a century of knowledge about the origin of modern birds


Fossilized fragments of a skeleton, hidden within a rock the size of a grapefruit, have helped upend one of the longest-standing assumptions about the origins of modern birds.
Published Mammoth problem with extinction timeline



Paleontologists say environmental DNA is not always helpful in identifying when animals like mammoths went extinct because genetic material found in sediment could have come from animals that died thousands of years earlier.
Published Major fires an increasing risk as the air gets thirstier, research shows


Greater atmospheric demand for water means a dramatic increase in the risk of major fires in global forests unless we take urgent and effective climate action, new research finds. Researchers have examined global climate and fire records in all of the world's forests over the last 20 years.
Published Strongest Arctic cyclone on record led to surprising loss of sea ice


The strongest Arctic cyclone ever observed struck in January 2022. A new analysis shows that while forecasts accurately predicted the massive storm, models seriously underestimated its effect on sea ice. Results suggest where forecast models for a changing Arctic Ocean could improve.
Published 1930s Dust Bowl led to extreme heat around Northern Hemisphere


The 1930s Dust Bowl affected heat extremes across much of North America and as far away as Europe and East Asia, according to new research. The study found that the extreme heating of the Great Plains triggered motions of air around the Northern Hemisphere in ways that suppressed cloud formation in some regions and contributed to record heat thousands of miles away.
Published Mangroves: Environmental guardians of our coastline


They are the salt-tolerant shrubs that thrive in the toughest of conditions, but according to new UniSA research, mangroves are also avid coastal protectors, capable of surviving in heavy metal contaminated environments.
Published Forests benefit from tree species variety and genetic diversity



Reforestation projects should include a variety of tree species and ensure genetic diversity within each species to maximize new forests' health and productivity.
Published Plastic additives contaminate the sea and selectively harm corals' reproduction processes, research finds


A new study examined the effect of plastic additives on the reproductive process and larvae development of corals and other organisms commonly found in the coral reef of Eilat.
Published The evolution of Asia's mammals was dictated by ancient climate change and rising mountains


A new study compiles data on more than 3,000 species to show how climate and geologic changes across Asia over the last 66 million years have shaped the evolution of the continent's mammals.
Published Researchers discover root exudates have surprising and counterintuitive impact on soil carbon storage


Researchers examined root exudates and their impact on soil carbon storage revealing surprising and counterintuitive results.
Published Biodiversity in Africa and Latin America at risk from oil palm expansion, new report warns


Zero deforestation commitments may inadvertently leave vital habitats in Latin America and Africa vulnerable to agricultural expansion, a new study has found.
Published Animals are key to restoring the world's forests



By dispersing seeds, animals can rapidly reestablish plant diversity in degraded forests.
Published Planet's rarest birds at higher risk of extinction


A new study finds that bird species with extreme or uncommon combinations of traits face the highest risk of extinction.
Published Less intensively managed grasslands have higher plant diversity and better soil health


Researchers have shown -- for the first time -- that less intensively managed British grazed grasslands have on average 50% more plant species and better soil health than intensively managed grassland. The new study could help farmers increase both biodiversity and soil health, including the amount of carbon in the soil of the British countryside.
Published Corals saving corals


Corals resistant to disease can rescue more vulnerable corals, UC Davis found. Raising corals with diverse genotypes builds resilience amid disease and climate changes in reefs.
Published Arctic carbon conveyor belt discovered


Every year, the cross-shelf transport of carbon-rich particles from the Barents and Kara Seas could bind up to 3.6 million metric tons of CO2 in the Arctic deep sea for millennia. In this region alone, a previously unknown transport route uses the biological carbon pump and ocean currents to absorb atmospheric CO2 on the scale of Iceland's total annual emissions, as researchers report.
Published Crown-of-thorns seastar from Red Sea is endemic species


Researchers have identified coral-eating crown-of-thorns seastars in the Red Sea as distinct species that occurs only in this location.
Published Deadly coral disease in Florida, Caribbean may be transported in ship hulls, study finds


A new study suggests that ships may be spreading a deadly coral disease across Florida and the Caribbean. The findings could help establish testing and treatment methods to mitigate the risk of further disease spread.
Published Arctic vegetation has a major impact on warming


An international team of research scientists has documented the central role of vegetation for Arctic warming. The new results allow us to make more precise climate predictions, with the researchers pointing out that current models remain flawed.
Published Exploring the possibility of extraterrestrial life living in caves


For millennia, caves have served as shelters for prehistoric humans. Caves have also intrigued scholars from early Chinese naturalists to Charles Darwin. A cave ecologist has been in and out of these subterranean ecosystems, examining the unique life forms -- and unique living conditions -- that exist in Earth's many caves. But what does that suggest about caves on other planetary bodies? In two connected studies, engineers, astrophysicists, astrobiologists and astronauts lay out the research that needs to be done to get us closer to answering the old-age question about life beyond Earth.