For some species, an upside to inbreeding
Although breeding between close kin is thought to be generally unfavorable from an evolutionary standpoint, in part because harmful mutations are more easily propagated through populations in this way, theory predicts that under some circumstances, the benefits of inbreeding may outweigh the costs. view more (2007-02-06)
Genetics reveals big fish that almost got away
Researchers from the University of Hawaii, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, National Marine Fisheries Service and Projecto Meros do Brazil discovered a new species of fish-a grouper that reaches more than six feet in length and can weigh nearly 1,000 pounds. This newly discovered species can be found... view more... (2008-08-22)
Climate change predicted to drive trees northward
The most extensive and detailed study to date of 130 North American tree species concludes that expected climate change this century could shift their ranges northward by hundreds of kilometers and shrink the ranges by more than half. view more (2007-12-03)
Priority regions for threatened frog and toad conservation in Latin America
Nearly 35% of all amphibians are now threatened of extinction raising them to the position of the most endangered group of animals in the world. view more (2008-05-07)
Mysterious mountain dino may be a new species
A partial dinosaur skeleton unearthed in 1971 from a remote British Columbia site is the first ever found in Canadian mountains and may represent a new species, according to a recent examination by a University of Alberta researcher. view more (2008-06-13)
Cellular organelle evolved repeatedly
NWO researchers have discovered that in the course of evolution hydrogenosomes repeatedly evolved from mitochondria. Hydrogenosomes, or 'hydrogen-forming organelles', are cell organelles that produce hydrogen and energy. They serve as an alternative energy supply in organisms that live without oxygen, such as anaerobic fungi and protozoa. The... view more... (2001-07-26)
Seeing the wood for the trees: research reveals the survival secrets of forest trees
Species extinction or `biodiversity loss` has accelerated at an alarming rate over the past century. Although much of the blame has been laid at the door of human activity, biologists are looking at the factors that influence how species-particularly similar species-co-exist, in their efforts to better understand how the balance of species can be... view more... (2002-05-30)
LSU professor discovers new species
Chris Austin, assistant curator of herpetology at LSU's Museum of Natural Science, or LSUMNS, and adjunct professor in biological sciences, recently discovered a new species of lizard while conducting field research in Borneo. view more (2006-12-12)
Great legs - rainforest birds` essential survival kit
Finely shaped legs are not just objects of beauty - some contain an important message. The legs of rainforest birds tell a story of environmental degradation. These bird's legs grow while they are in the nest being fed by their parents. When they leave the nest, they are fully grown. But the legs of some rainforest species show a curious pattern -... view more... (2002-11-12)
Why do some queen bees eat their worker bee's eggs?
Worker bees, wasps, and ants are often considered neuter. But in many species they are females with ovaries, who although unable to mate, can lay unfertilized eggs which turn into males if reared. view more (2006-12-05)
Species unique to tidal marshes face threats
Tidal marshes cover only about 45,000 square kilometers worldwide-about the area of Denmark. In comparison with other habitats, tidal marshes support few nonaquatic vertebrate species, but their unique characteristics have led to the evolution of species and subspecies that are endemic (found nowhere else). view more (2006-08-01)
Climate change could trigger 'boom and bust' population cycles leading to extinction
Climate change could trigger "boom and bust" population cycles that make animal species more vulnerable to extinction. , according to Christopher C. Wilmers, an assistant professor of environmental studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz. view more (2007-04-17)
Students discover new species of spider
As film buffs queue to watch the new Spider-man movie, geography students from the University of Sussex have gone one better by discovering a new species of spider in the wild. The second year undergraduates were taking part in a field course to the Seychelles, one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet. As part of this trip the... view more... (2002-07-04)
Why conservationists should heed Pokémon
Could you tell a Pikachu from a Pidgeotto or a Jigglypuff? The average eight-year old can identify 80 per cent of all Pokémon characters – but is much less expert at identifying real wildlife species. A team of Cambridge University scientists has, found that children were much less knowledgeable about wildlife than they were about... view more... (2002-03-27)
Study explores which carnivores are most likely to kill other carnivores
Ecologists used to think of prey as the most important factor governing the structure of predator communities. However, over the past twenty years, they have increasingly recognized the importance of interspecific killing - carnivores killing carnivores - in determining ecology and behavior. view more (2006-03-09)
Dinsaurrific!
The most comprehensive picture yet of how dinosaurs evolved has been produced by a team at Bristol University. More than 1,000 species of dinosaurs have been named since the first skeletons were dug up in the 19th century, and unravelling their patterns of evolution has been a major area of research. Since 1980, over 150 evolutionary trees of... view more... (2002-04-26)
Red List overlooks island species
The criteria of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s Red List are an essential tool for evaluating the conservation status of species around the planet, and according to these criteria all the species in the Canary Islands are endangered. view more (2009-07-27)
Extinct may not be forever for some species of Galapagos tortoises
Yale scientists report that genetic traces of extinct species of Galapagos tortoises exist in descendants now living in the wild, a finding that could spur breeding programs to restore the species, The report appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. view more (2008-09-23)
Scientists discover new species of Ebola virus
Scientists report the discovery of a new species of Ebola virus, provisionally named Bundibugyo ebolavirus, November 21 in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens. view more (2008-11-21)
Infidelity produces faster sperm
Until now, it has been difficult to prove that fast-swimming sperms have an advantage when it comes to fertilizing an egg. view more (2009-01-21)
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