Birds Can Thrive in Urban Environments With Either Big Brains or Frequent Breeding
Researchers have found that birds can thrive in cities either by having larger brains or by breeding more often. A new study in Frontiers in…
Biodiversity
How Pablo Escobar’s Hippos Can Counteract a Legacy of Extinctions and Restore a Lost World
Study from international team of researchers, including University of Massachusetts Amherst biologist John Rowan, shows introduced species can restore a lost world. When cocaine kingpin…
Skulls Gone Wild: Secrets of How and Why Frogs Evolved Extreme Heads
Many frogs look like a water balloon with legs, but don’t be fooled. Beneath slick skin, some species sport spines, spikes, and other skeletal secrets….
Map of Life Will Need to Be Redrawn and Textbooks Updated After Highly Surprising Discovery on Christmas Island
The world’s animal distribution map will need to be redrawn and textbooks updated, after researchers discovered the existence of ‘Australian’ species on Christmas Island. The…
How Much Carbon Can Tropical Forests Absorb?
Tropical forest ecosystems are an important part of the global carbon cycle as they take up and store large amounts of CO2. It is however…
“Fatal Attraction” – Small Carnivores Scavenging for Scraps Risk Ambush
In many parts of the world, there is an imbalance in the food chain. Without top predators such as wolves and grizzly bears, smaller meat-eating…
Scientists Say Global Plan to Protect Endangered Species Has Major Flaw
A global group of scientists is calling for an urgent rethink on a draft action plan to safeguard biodiversity. The provisional action plan[1], unveiled in…
First Scientific Evidence of a Potentially Invasive Species to Reach Antarctica – Here’s How It Got There
Drifting algae in the Austral Ocean can bring invasive species to the Antarctic coasts, according to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports. The…
Widely Used Weed Killer – Roundup – Contaminates Ecosystems, Harms Biodiversity
Study examines the resilience of freshwater ecosystems contaminated by Roundup herbicide. One of the world’s most widely used glyphosate-based herbicides, Roundup, can trigger loss of…
Stunning Deep-Sea Coral Gardens Discovered in the Submarine Canyons Off Australia
Bremer Canyon Marine Park is already known as a biodiversity hotspot for marine species such as whales and dolphins, however, a recent expedition focused on…
Invasion: Parasitic Worms Have Armies – Produce More Soldiers to Meet Threats
Study demonstrates for the first time that animal societies can adjust army size to meet threat levels in the wild. In estuaries around the world,…
“Treasure Trove” of New Coral Species Discovered Along the Great Barrier Reef
Scientists discovered dozens of new coral species on a recent voyage along the length of the Great Barrier Reef. A team of scientists completed a…
New Snail Discovered by Citizen Scientists Named After Greta Thunberg
A new to science species of land snail was discovered by a group of citizen scientists working together with scientists from Taxon Expeditions, a company…
Scientists Devise a Plan to Save Earth’s Oceans – Will It Work?
At least 26 percent of our oceans need urgent conservation attention to preserve Earth’s marine biodiversity, a University of Queensland-led international study has found. Dr….
New Mechanism for the Coexistence of Species Discovered
Researchers from AMOLF (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) and Harvard University (USA) show how the ability of organisms to move around plays a role in stabilizing ecosystems….
To Save the Amazon Rainforest, It Helps to Learn About Fish
High fish diversity is a good indicator of forest health. Think of the Amazon, and you probably think of jaguars, monkeys, or parrots. But many…
Study of Recent Extinctions Estimates That 1/3 of Plant & Animal Species Could Be Gone in 50 Years
University of Arizona researchers studied recent extinctions from climate change to estimate the loss of plant and animal species by 2070. Accurately predicting biodiversity loss…
Absolutely Massive Extinct Turtle Weighed 2,500 Pounds and Had Giant Horned Shell
The tropical region of South America is one of the world’s hot spots when it comes to animal diversity. The region’s extinct fauna is unique,…