Human Impact on Wildlife Revealed by COVID-19 Lockdown
An international team of scientists is investigating how animals are responding to reduced levels of human activity during the Covid-19 pandemic. In an article published…
Ecology
Get Your Hands Dirty for Health: Call to Restore Urban Biodiversity, Post COVID-19 Pandemic
Billions of people using the Earth’s resources and changing or destroying ecosystems are not only creating the global environmental and climate crisis, but also compromising…
Scientists Surprised by Growth Rates in World’s Deepest Photosynthetic Corals
New research published in the journal Coral Reefs revealed unexpectedly high growth rates for deep water photosynthetic corals. The study, led by Samuel Kahng, affiliate graduate faculty in the…
Lock Up Your Pet Cat, It’s a Killing Machine
Every year an average pet cat kills 110 native animals. Roaming pet cats kill 390 million animals per year in Australia, including reptiles, birds and…
Each Year More Than 1000 Tons of Plastic Rains on Western US Protected Lands
Microplastic particles and fibers spiral through the Earth system, accumulating even in protected wilderness areas and national parks in the western US. Utah State University…
A Glimpse Into the Future of Diverse Tropical Forests
New method enables predictions for the development of species-rich forests. Tropical forests are a hotspot of biodiversity. Against the backdrop of climate change, their protection…
Alien Carnivorous Frog Invasion Wreaks Havoc on Natural Habitat
Indiscriminate feeding by an alien population of the carnivorous spotted-thighed frog – could severely affect the native biodiversity of southern Australia according to a new…
Forests Are Thinning Around the Globe Due to Changing Environmental Conditions
A multi-institutional research team found that changing environmental conditions are affecting forests around the globe, leading to increasing tree death and uncertainty about the ability…
The Wildlife Trade Permeates the Biological Tree of Life and Threatens Biodiversity – But Still Largely Remains a Mystery
The wildlife trade is a multibillion-dollar industry that threatens biodiversity. Exploiting wildlife by selling it, their parts or their products is one of the most…
Temperature Tipping Point for Tropical Forests Identified – Scientists Recommend Immediate Steps
All living things have tipping points: points of no return, beyond which they cannot thrive. A new report in Science shows that maximum daily temperatures…
Terrestrial Species Outpaced by Marine Species in the Race Against Global Warming
Global warming is causing species to search for more temperate environments in which to migrate to, but it is marine species – according to the…
“Deep Biosphere” Microbes: Life Is Bubbling Up From Sediments Deep Below the Ocean Floor
The COVID-19 pandemic is a stark reminder that we move through a world shaped by unseen life. Bacteria, viruses, and other microscopic organisms regulate the…
Toxic Chemicals – Including a Pesticide – Identified in Fracking Wastewater
Scientists are zeroing in on water quality and environmental concerns of fracking wastewater to determine if it is safe for reuse. Before water produced during…
Masterful Illusionist: The European Viper Uses Cloak-and-Dazzle to Escape Predators
Research of the University of Jyväskylä demonstrates that the characteristic zig-zag pattern on a viper’s back performs seemingly opposing functions during a predation event. At…
An Incredible New Bumble Bee Behavior Was Just Discovered – So Sophisticated, Scientists Cannot Reproduce
Facing a scarcity of pollen, bumblebees will nibble on the leaves of flowerless plants, causing intentional damage in such a way that accelerates the production…
Faster, More Efficient Way of Recycling Bioplastics Developed
Chemical Recycling Makes Useful Product From Waste Bioplastic A faster, more efficient way of recycling plant-based “bioplastics” has been developed by a team of scientists…
Underwater Sound Devices Called “Pingers” Could Save Porpoises From Fishing Nets
Underwater sound devices called “pingers” could be an effective, long-term way to prevent porpoises from getting caught in fishing nets with no negative behavioral effects,…
Bumble Bee Disease & Reproduction Is Shaped by Flowering Strip Plants
Flowering strips – pollinator-friendly rows of plants that increase foraging habitat for bees – can help offset pollinator decline but may also bring risks of…