Playing the Reproduction Lottery: How Squirrels Gamble for a Better Future
Imagine overhearing the Powerball lottery winning numbers, but not being aware of when they will be announced – only that it will occur sometime within…
Ecology News
Wood-Wide Web: Do Forest Trees Really “Talk” Through Underground Fungi?
University of Alberta expert challenges popular claims about the “wood-wide web.” The idea that forest trees can “talk” to each other, share resources with their…
The Benefits of Polygamy: How Birds Avoid Harmful Mutations
According to a study led by the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, bird species that engage in multiple sexual partnerships have…
Stanford Research Finds Global Wetlands Losses Are Overestimated
A Stanford-led study finds global wetlands losses are overestimated, despite high losses in many regions. Sometime this spring or summer, the Supreme Court is expected…
The Dark Cost of Being Toxic
The sequestration of plant toxins by monarch butterflies results in decreased visibility of warning signals. Aposematism in animals: the more toxic, the more striking the…
Uncovering the Mystery of Hispaniola’s Lost Rodent Species
The Caribbean island of Hispaniola used to host 11 different rodent species, but now only one remains in the island’s two countries of Haiti and…
Agriculture Threatens Permanent Loss of Plant Diversity
Even many years after being abandoned, plant diversity of former agricultural sites is still incomplete compared to undisturbed sites. Agriculture is considered a major disturbance…
New Tropical Kelp Forest Discovered in the Galapagos Islands
The Charles Darwin Foundation-led research holds importance due to the discovery of a new species of this type of alga, previously mostly found in colder…
Bad News: Warming Oceans Have Decimated Marine Parasites
Over 100 years of preserved fish specimens provide a unique look at parasite population trends over time. A study from the University of Washington reveals…
Shaking Up Our Understanding: Ethereal Variant of Mysterious Plant Is Actually a New Species
It was once thought that green leaves and photosynthesis were essential for plants, however, some plants have evolved to obtain their nutrients from other organisms…
A Peculiar Case of “Virgin Birth” in Aquarium Sharks
Asexual reproduction is prevalent among animals such as starfish, deep-sea worms, and stick insects, but it is a rarity among vertebrates. Parthenogenesis is a process…
Why Aren’t All Black Bears Black?
A team of researchers from HudsonAlpha, the University of Memphis, and the University of Pennsylvania have uncovered the underlying cause of the cinnamon-colored coat in…
New Species: First Primate Relatives Discovered in the High Arctic of Ancient Canada
Fossilized mammals reveal patterns of Arctic migration in warming climates. In the warm climate of ancient Canada, early primate relatives adapted to life in the…
Nature’s Decline: The Distance Between Humans and Nature Is Growing
A review of scientific literature suggests that urbanization is leading to a reduction in interactions with nature, however, research in this area is limited. The…
How Modern Agriculture Turned a Wild Plant Into a Problematic Weed
New research has discovered that agriculture is causing rapid evolutionary changes not only on farms but also in wild species in adjacent areas. An international…
A New Ancient Branch on the Tree of Life: The “Lions of the Microbial World”
A new branch has been discovered on the tree of life, and it is composed of predators that nibble their prey to death. These microbial…
National Parks Are the Backbone of Conservation – Here How To Make Them Better
Corridors Between Western U.S. National Parks Would Greatly Increase the Persistence Time of Mammals National parks play a crucial role in conservation efforts, however, increasing…
70% of Florida’s Coral Reefs Are Eroding
The largest spatial assessment to date highlights the need for improved management practices and coral restoration efforts in Florida. According to recent research, 70% of…