American Pikas Far More Resilient in the Face of Global Warming Than Previously Believed
The American pika is a charismatic, diminutive relative of rabbits that some researchers say is at high risk of extinction due to climate change. Pikas…
Biodiversity
Tapping Secrets of Aussie Spider’s Unique Silk: Strong New Genetic Material Touted
An international collaboration has provided the first insights into a new type of silk produced by the very unusual Australian basket-web spider, which uses it…
The Great Barrier Reef Has Lost Half Its Corals – Massive Declines in Just 3 Decades
A new study of the Great Barrier Reef shows populations of its small, medium and large corals have all declined in the past three decades….
Evolutionary Origin of Skin Colors Revealed by Genetic Mutation in Snakes
A mutation of the lavender variant of corn snake allows a UNIGE team to understand the mechanisms responsible for the extraordinary variety of skin colors…
Under-Regulated Pet Trade Leaves Thousands of Wildlife Species Vulnerable
Keeping reptiles is fashionable, but what are the consequences for wild reptiles? More reptiles are kept as pets than you might expect. In 2008, the…
Citizens Help Scientists Demonstrate Value of Protected Areas in Biodiversity Hotspots Across the Globe
New study used millions of bird observations collated by citizens to test the effectiveness of protected areas in tropical forests across the globe. Protected areas…
Scientists Discover Surprising Reasons Why Tarantulas Come in Vivid Blues and Greens
Researchers from Yale-NUS College and Carnegie Mellon University have discovered that tarantulas have the ability to see in color, contrary to previous thought, and suggest…
The Most Biodiverse Places on the Planet: Scientists Discover Secret Behind Earth’s Biodiversity Hotspots
Researchers have discovered why the tropics and a handful of other areas across the globe have become the most biodiverse places on the planet. The…
Rare Dragon DNA: Sequencing the Genome of an Ancient Reptile
New Zealand is home to an astonishingly rich web of life, with many indigenous plant and animal species found nowhere else on Earth. Even amid…
Whale Shark Girls Overtake the Boys to Become World’s Largest Fish
A decade-long study of the iconic fish has found male whale sharks grow quickly, before plateauing at an average adult length of about eight or…
Mystery of Alfred Wallace’s Butterfly Is Finally Solved Over a Century Later
Described by the ‘father of zoogeography’ and co-author of the theories of evolution and natural selection, the species hasn’t been reexamined since 1866. An over…
Bending the Curve of Biodiversity Loss: Ambitious Conservation and Restoration Efforts Required
Plant and animal species across the world are steadily disappearing due to human activity. A major new IIASA-led study suggests that without ambitious, integrated action…
New Species Found in the Hottest Place on Earth
A new species of freshwater Crustacea has been discovered during an expedition of the desert Lut, known as the hottest place on Earth. The newly…
Scientists Have Been Warning About an “Insect Apocalypse” for Years – Not So Fast
Long-term ecological site study shows no net insect changes. Scientists have been warning about an “insect apocalypse” in recent years, noting sharp declines in specific…
An Ancient Reptile in Peril: The Curious Genome of the Tuatara, a Vulnerable Species That Is NOT a Lizard
Researchers have sequenced the genome of the tuatara, revealing its unique evolutionary history. Summary International scientists and Ngātiwai, a Māori tribe, teamed up to sequence…
See the Amazing Wildlife Photos That Won the 7th Annual BMC Ecology Image Competition
From shy ferns to idle meerkats and bathing king eiders, the Seventh BMC Ecology Image Competition has produced an eclectic array of images that showcase the beauty…
Life at Its Limits: Microbes in the Seabed Survive on Far Less Energy Than Shown Ever Before
All life needs energy. Where there is not enough energy available, there can be no life. But how much is enough? A new study led…
Scientists Say Oriole Hybridization Is a Dead End
Baltimore and Bullock’s Orioles Are Not Merging A half-century of controversy over two popular bird species may have finally come to an end. In one…