Ecology News - SciTechDaily

Ancient Predators, Modern Mysteries: Mapping the Crocodile’s Evolutionary Path

University of York — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 16:05:18 +0000

Researchers have mapped the family tree of crocodiles and their extinct relatives to shed new light on why there are so few species of the...

1,000 Birds Perish in Chicago Collision Catastrophe: Light Pollution’s Deadly Impact on Migrating Birds

Colorado State University — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 10:00:20 +0000

A catastrophic event in Chicago, where 1,000 migrating birds died due to collisions with an illuminated building, underscores the dangers of light pollution. A study...

Scarier Than Lions – Animals Around the World Fear This “Super Predator”

University of Western Ontario — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 22:17:26 +0000

A new study reveals that elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and other wildlife fear this predator far more than lions. Lions have long been regarded as the...

“Mummified” Bees From the Time of the Pharaohs Discovered in Portugal

University of Seville — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 17:33:22 +0000

Fernando Muñiz, a research academic from the University of Seville, participates in a discovery that represents a unique opportunity in the fight against climate change....

Nature’s Surprise: Plants Might Be Able To Absorb More CO2 Than Expected

Trinity College Dublin — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 21:19:55 +0000

A new study reveals that plants might absorb more CO2 than expected, offering hope in combating climate change. However, reducing emissions remains crucial, as planting...

Nature Positive by 2030: A Realistic Goal or a Greenwashed Dream?

The University of Queensland — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 00:47:20 +0000

Researchers have identified the threat posed by greenwashing to achieving a ‘nature-positive’ world, where environmental decline halts, and biodiversity outcomes improve. The concept of nature...

Feathered Paradox: The Unexpected Social Habits of Sick House Finches

Virginia Tech College of Science — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 00:58:14 +0000

Social distancing when sick has become second nature to many of us in the past few years, but some sick animals appear to take a...

Scientists Uncover Fascinating Relationship Between Mice and a Plant That Flowers Once a Century

Nagoya University — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 00:50:51 +0000

Researchers from Nagoya University in Japan, including Hanami Suzuki and Professor Hisashi Kajimura, have revealed new insights into the relationship between mast-seeding plants and the...

Scientists Have Discovered Some of the Oldest Animals in the World Living in a Place You Wouldn’t Expect

University of Minnesota — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 17:58:33 +0000

A recent study found some of the oldest animals in the world living in a place you wouldn’t expect: fishes in the Arizona desert. Scientists...

Amazon’s Dark Secret: The Soil That Supercharges Tree Growth

São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 00:31:16 +0000

Research indicates that Amazon dark earth (ADE) promotes tree growth by as much as sixfold. The study demonstrated that tree seedlings grown in ADE-enriched soils...

Nature Meets Tech: How Ecological Principles Could Reinvent AI

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 00:18:31 +0000

In a new paper, scientists describe how ecology could inspire better AI and vice versa, calling for convergence and co-evolution. Contemporary artificial intelligence platforms often...

DNA Revelations: “Extinct” Fish Is Alive and Well!

University of Amsterdam — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 11:14:22 +0000

The houting fish, once thought extinct, is still thriving, as revealed by DNA comparisons with the European whitefish by researchers from the University of Amsterdam...

Arctic Changes Triggered Significant Gray Whale Die-Offs Since the 1980s

Oregon State University — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 18:00:49 +0000

Dynamic Arctic conditions have caused major die-offs in gray whales since the 1980s. Despite their adaptability, climate change presents new challenges, affecting their prey and...

Global Climate Chaos: The Missing Link in Adaptation Efforts

University of Hamburg — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 15:18:27 +0000

Around the Globe, Climate Adaptation Lacks Coordination A meta-study shows that individuals and households are leading climate change adaptation efforts with minimal systematic collaboration. The...

“Margarita Snails” – Scientists Discover New Species of Bright Yellow Snail in Florida

Field Museum — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 18:46:48 +0000

The marine snails’ bright citrus coloring might help ward off predators. The “Margaritaville” in Jimmy Buffett’s famous song isn’t a real place, but it’s long...

The Carbon Paradox: How Tree Plantations May Harm More Than Help

Cell Press — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 12:09:19 +0000

The escalating climate crisis has spurred a surge in commercial tree-planting endeavors to counterbalance excessive carbon emissions. Yet, authors of a peer-reviewed opinion paper recently...

Decoding Evolution: Landmark Study Sheds Light on Darwin’s Iconic Finches

Uppsala University — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 06:14:02 +0000

An international team of researchers has recently published a landmark study on contemporary evolutionary change in natural populations. Utilizing one of the most extensive genomic...

Scientists Discover Mysterious “Fairy Circles” at Hundreds of Sites Globally

Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 20:49:15 +0000

Research indicates that fairy circles, previously identified only in Namibia and Australia, have now been discovered in over 250 sites across 15 nations and three...

Unraveling Africa’s Fairy Circle Mystery – Researchers Identify True Source

University of Hamburg — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 02:56:18 +0000

For over a decade, the origin of the numerous circular bare patches amidst the African grasslands, known as fairy circles, has been a topic of...

”Contrary to All Expectations” – Remote Plant Worlds of Tenerife Challenge Evolutionary Norms

University of Göttingen — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 02:28:17 +0000

Göttingen University-led research team examines differences in form and function of island and mainland plants. Oceanic islands serve as valuable platforms for studies in ecology,...

DNA Breakthrough – How Genetic Shedding Unveils Species Secrets

Cornell University — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 11:58:56 +0000

Ecologists have shown that the genetic material that species shed into their environments can reveal not only the presence of the species but also a...

Darwin’s Unanswered Question: Unraveling the Secrets of Species Abundance

German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 03:12:44 +0000

Over the years, global observations of biodiversity have revealed a potential consistent pattern indicating how many species are common, extremely rare, or fall somewhere in...

Like Humans – New Research Reveals That Wild Horses Live in a Complex, Multilevel Society

Eötvös Loránd University — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 20:58:31 +0000

The findings reveal that wild horses, just like humans, live in a complex, multilevel society. The organization and even past and future shifts in group...

“They Were Everywhere” – Exploding Monkey and Pig Populations Pose Human Disease Risk

The University of Queensland — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 17:37:02 +0000

Rising numbers of wild pigs and macaque monkeys in Southeast Asia pose risks to native forests and could lead to disease spread among livestock and...