Saving our bees
Most of the world's plant species rely on animals to transfer their pollen to other plants. The undisputed queen of these animal pollinators is the bee, made up of about 30,000 species worldwide, whose daily flights aid in the reproduction of more than half of the world's flowering plants. view more (2008-08-04)
Why eating less can help the environment
An estimated 19 percent of total energy used in the USA is taken up in the production and supply of food. Currently, this mostly comes from non-renewable energy sources which are in short supply. view more (2008-07-24)
Study shows parasites outweigh predators
In a study of free-living and parasitic species in three estuaries on the Pacific coast of California and Baja California, a team of researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, the United States Geological Survey, and Princeton University has determined that parasite biomass in those habitats exceeds that of top predators, in... view more... (2008-07-24)
Insect warning colors aid cancer and tropical disease drug discovery
Brightly colored beetles or butterfly larvae nibbling on a plant may signal the presence of chemical compounds active against cancer cell lines and tropical parasitic diseases, according to researchers at Smithsonian's Tropical Research Institute in Panama. view more (2008-07-09)
Abandoned farmlands are key to sustainable bioenergy
Biofuels can be a sustainable part of the world's energy future, especially if bioenergy agriculture is developed on currently abandoned or degraded agricultural lands, report scientists from the Carnegie Institution and Stanford University. view more (2008-06-24)
Unlocking genome of world's worst insect pest
Scientists from CSIRO and the University of Melbourne in Australia, and the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, are on the brink of a discovery which will facilitate the development of new, safe, more sustainable ways of controlling the world's worst agricultural insect pest - the moth, Helicoverpa armigera. view more (2008-06-18)
Ecological globalization
Ecosystems are constantly exchanging materials through the movement of air in the atmosphere, the flow of water in rivers and the migration of animals across the landscape. view more (2008-06-02)
Model successfully predicts large river system fish diversity
While scientists have developed methods to predict aspects of fish diversity in specific river locations, a model to understand what factors may drive a comprehensive suite of fish biodiversity patterns in a large and complex system of rivers has been elusive. view more (2008-05-09)
Smithsonian scientists find evidence that could rewrite Hawaii's botanical history
Scientists at the Smithsonian Institution have discovered data that suggests one of Hawaii's most dominant plants, Metrosideros, has been a resident of the islands far longer than previously believed. view more (2008-04-16)
Zoologists challenge longstanding theory that 'eyespots' mimic the eyes of predators' enemies
Circular markings on creatures such as butterflies are effective against predators because they are conspicuous features, not because they mimic the eyes of the predators' own enemies, according to research published today in the journal, Behavioral Ecology. view more (2008-02-22)
Yale study offers new paradigm on ecosystem ecology
Predators have considerably more influence than plants over how an ecosystem functions, according to a Yale study published today in Science. view more (2008-02-15)
Studying rivers for clues to global carbon cycle
In the science world, in the media, and recently, in our daily lives, the debate continues over how carbon in the atmosphere is affecting global climate change. Studying just how carbon cycles throughout the Earth is an enormous challenge, but one Northwestern University professor is doing his part by studying one important segment -- rivers. view more (2008-02-11)
Nitrogen pollution boosts plant growth in tropics by 20 percent
A study by UC Irvine ecologists finds that excess nitrogen in tropical forests boosts plant growth by an average of 20 percent, countering the belief that such forests would not respond to nitrogen pollution. view more (2008-02-07)
LSU, Yale team study agricultural impact on Mississippi River
According to a study published in "Nature" by researchers at LSU and Yale University, farming has significantly changed the hydrology and chemistry of the Mississippi River, injecting more carbon dioxide into the river and raising river discharge during the past 50 years. view more (2008-01-24)
Dam the Red Sea and release gigawatts
Damming the Red Sea could solve the growing energy demands of millions of people in the Middle East and alleviate some of the region's tensions pertaining to oil supplies through hydroelectric power. view more (2007-12-06)
Parasites might spur evolution of strange amphibian breeding habits
Parasites can decimate amphibian populations, but one University of Georgia researcher believes they might also play a role in spurring the evolution of new and sometimes bizarre breeding strategies. view more (2007-11-15)
First-ever 'State of the Carbon Cycle Report' finds troubling imbalance
The first "State of the Carbon Cycle Report" for North America, released online this week by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program, finds the continent's carbon budget increasingly overwhelmed by human-caused emissions. view more (2007-11-15)
At the root of nutrient limitation, ecosystems are not as different as they seem
Anyone who has thrown a backyard barbecue knows that hot dogs are inexplicably packaged in different numbers than buns - eight hot dogs per pack versus 10 hot dog buns. Put in ecological terms, this means that weenie roasts are "hot-dog limited" - the extra buns are worthless without hot dogs to fill them. view more (2007-11-09)
New study uncovers secrets behind butterfly wing patterns
The genes that make a fruit fly's eyes red also produce red wing patterns in the Heliconius butterfly found in South and Central America, finds a new study by a UC Irvine entomologist. view more (2007-10-26)
Understanding, combating foodborne pathogens E. coli 0157 and salmonella
Understanding the ecology of two dangerous foodborne pathogens and devising ways to combat them is a big job. That's why Kansas State University has a team of seven researchers and six collaborators taking on E. coli 0157 and salmonella. view more (2007-10-17)
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