Researchers are tracking the movements of 10 Great Shearwater seabirds in the Gulf of Maine using satellite tags, providing insights into ecosystem health and food supply changes. The birds' feeding habits and reactions to changes in their primary food source, sand lance, will inform conservation efforts.
The journal Ecosystem Services presents a special issue on mapping and modelling ecosystem services, integrating geo-biophysical processes to understand supply and ecological functions. The integration of methods like thematic mapping, GIS, and dynamic models provides insights into actual service demand and consumption.
Research found that removing even one bumblebee species from an ecosystem significantly reduces pollination effectiveness and plant seed production. The study showed that reduced competition among pollinators disrupts floral fidelity, leading to less successful plant reproduction.
The study found that removing one bumblebee species from an ecosystem reduces floral fidelity among remaining bees, leading to fewer seeds produced by larkspur wildflowers. This suggests global declines in pollinators could have a significant impact on food crops and flowering plants.
Scientists analyzed long-term data from seven sites in the US and found a substantial increase in water-use efficiency in temperate and boreal forests. This adaptation could enhance timber yields and improve water availability, but may also lead to reduced evapotranspiration and increased continental freshwater runoff.
A new study finds that adding nitrogen to grasslands initially boosts ecosystem productivity but ultimately leads to a decline due to reduced plant diversity. The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlights the significant impact of biodiversity loss on ecosystem functioning.
Researchers at the University of Leeds have created the most detailed large-scale habitat suitability maps for bats in the UK, using echolocation calls from over 15,000 bats across 120 walks in the Lake District. The maps reveal subtle changes in bat habitats due to urbanization and provide insights into ecosystem health.
A new study found that China's payments for ecosystem services programs led to significant forest growth and environmental benefits. However, the programs also had negative impacts on rural households and their livelihoods, highlighting the need for more sustainable policies.
Ecologists Monica Turner and Jiangxiao Qiu mapped ecosystem services in the Yahara River watershed, finding complex interactions between provisioning, cultural, and regulating services. The study identifies areas with high levels of multiple services, suggesting a holistic approach to land management.
Researchers found at least 1000 types of bacterial cells on plastic debris, including autotrophs, heterotrophs, and symbionts. The plastisphere may alter ocean ecosystems and transport harmful microbes, sparking concerns about its impact on marine life.
A recent study found that the presence of spiders drives up the rate of carbon uptake by plants, while also changing their storage patterns. This effect is linked to the predator-prey relationship between grasshoppers and spiders, highlighting the vital role of predators in regulating the carbon cycle.
A global cooling event, similar to recent global warming, occurred 116 million years ago, causing a marine ecosystem crisis and reducing atmospheric CO2 levels. This study highlights the link between global climate and internal earth processes, demonstrating that large-scale changes can have severe consequences for marine life.
A new study at Georgia Tech suggests that diatoms stuff more iron into their silica shells than needed, limiting its availability and reducing productivity. This can negatively affect the ecosystem, including plankton production and competition for iron.
A diverse landscape of patches, including meadows, young and old forests, and shrub lands, can provide more benefits than a single high-biodiversity patch
Accelerating species loss threatens human well-being and survival, warns IPBES Chair Zakri Abdul Hamid. Genetic diversity among livestock and crops is declining, with 22% of domesticated breeds at risk of extinction.
A recent study by Arizona State University researchers found that reforestation efforts in the Panama Canal watershed may not always increase water supply, but can enhance carbon sequestration and timber production. The research highlights the importance of understanding the spatial distribution of ecosystem services and their trade-offs.
Researchers at Michigan State University create novel index systems to measure human dependence on nature's benefits and linkages to human well-being. The studies aim to promote sustainable understanding, monitoring, and management of coupled human and natural systems.
A recent study published in Nature found that the Arctic tundra's carbon storage has remained relatively stable despite two decades of slow and steady warming. The researchers attributed this unexpected resilience to increased plant growth and changing soil conditions, which facilitated stabilizing feedbacks to offset soil carbon loss.
A new Red List system has been developed to identify ecosystems at high risk of degradation. The framework assesses multiple symptoms of risk produced by different processes of ecosystem degradation, enabling it to handle a range of different sources of information.
Sea surface temperatures in the Northeast Shelf reached a record high of 14 degrees Celsius in 2012, with significant impacts on marine life and ecosystems. The warming conditions affected fish and shellfish distributions, plankton blooms, and ocean stratification.
Researchers used pitcher plants to identify signs of ecosystem trouble, finding that nutrient overloads can trigger drastic changes. The study discovered a reliable way to create tipping points and aims to identify early warning signals.
Researchers from the University of New Hampshire have detailed how thermoelectric power plants interact with climate, hydrology, and aquatic ecosystems. Rivers serve as
A study found that the development of the sea-ice ecosystem in Antarctica possibly triggered the evolution of larger organisms like baleen whales and penguins. The researchers analyzed sediment samples from drill cores, which provided new insights into the past.
A team led by UNC Charlotte researcher Deborah Strumsky is forecasting optimal energy investments using novel methods from network theory, performance curve analysis, and ecological systems. The project aims to provide a detailed picture of the solar technology ecosystem, influencing technological progress and informing policy decisions.
A national marine biodiversity observation network is proposed to track ocean ecosystem health, monitor trends, and facilitate proactive responses to environmental pressures. The study recommends coordination of existing efforts, digitization of historical data, and establishment of regional centers to process and identify specimens.
Carnegie scientists found that plant communities are stronger predictors of ecosystem chemistry than environmental conditions. The study used a new airborne instrument to map multiple ecosystem chemicals and found that plant composition explains up to 61% of variation in plant chemical traits.
Researchers have discovered a new fossil species, Holoptychius bergmanni, in the Canadian Arctic during the Devonian period. The discovery sheds light on the evolutionary transition from finned vertebrates to limbed vertebrates and provides insights into the life of large predatory fish in this ecosystem.
Researchers found evidence of life in the deeply buried oceanic crust, which is largely supported by chemosynthesis. The study suggests that this vast ecosystem is driven by energy from reduced iron compounds, creating a unique environment for microorganisms to thrive.
Dr. Bruce J. Peterson has made seminal contributions in oceanography, limnology, biogeochemistry, ecology, and hydrology through his use of new methods and scientific publications. His research on the freshwater cycle of the Arctic has made fundamental advances in understanding land-ocean interactions.
A 10-year study found that diverse ecosystems are less likely to collapse after disturbances like climate change or pest invasion. Researchers suggest encouraging more types of plants in fields and woods to mitigate ecosystem damage.
A new study by researchers from the University of Gothenburg and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences found that mixed forests provide positive relationships to six different ecosystem services. The study suggests that promoting more varieties of trees may increase these services, including tree growth, carbon sequestration, and...
A new concept has emerged to describe the natural world's resources supplied to humans, but its application raises ethical concerns about social equity and responsibilities. The study highlights the need for considering multiple values and interests when analyzing nature's contribution to humanity.
This special issue of Evolutionary Applications delves into the evolutionary principles underlying cancer, including natural selection, mutation, and genetic drift. Key findings highlight the diversity of cancer types and how environmental factors, such as tobacco availability, contribute to our vulnerability.
Researchers analyzed 16 soil samples from around the globe and sequenced their DNA to understand the functional roles of microorganisms. The study reveals that different species perform unique jobs based on their environment, shedding light on the importance of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem services.
A recent study found that deforestation in the Amazon rainforest leads to a net loss of diversity among microbial organisms, which are crucial for ecosystem function. The research revealed biotic homogenization and reduced genetic variation in bacteria across converted forests, compromising ecosystem resilience.
A recent study found that Amazon deforestation results in a significant loss of microbial diversity, leading to reduced ecosystem resilience. The research team discovered that the conversion of rainforest to agricultural pastures causes a homogenization of bacterial communities, resulting in a net loss of diversity.
The loss of hemlock trees due to exotic pests and pathogens has an unexpected benefit: it allows hardwood species to thrive by releasing phosphorus into the soil. However, this shift also leads to increased nitrogen leaching from the soil, which can harm aquatic organisms.
A new study aims to develop fishing management guidelines for Atlantic menhaden, a crucial food source for larger fish and marine mammals. The research will help ensure the species' survival and maintain ecosystem balance.
A detailed analysis of Bonaire sediments suggests a 3,300-year-old tsunami changed the coastal ecosystem and sedimentation patterns. The study reveals overwash deposits consistent with a tsunami event, highlighting the long-term ecological significance of this single catastrophic event.
A recent study published in Bioscience highlights the importance of long-term, site-specific research to understand climate change's impact on ecosystem structure and function. Climate-driven changes affect multiple components of forest ecosystems, including hydrologic variables, phenology, and plant community composition.
The Carnegie Airborne Observatory's AToMS system is uncovering a previously invisible ecological world by combining laser and spectral imaging instrumentation to derive simultaneous measurements of an ecosystem's chemistry, structure, biomass, and biodiversity. This technology has applications ranging from mitigating climate change to ...
A recent study published in BioScience reveals surprising results on the effects of climate change on ecosystems, highlighting the value of long-term ecological research. The analysis shows how changes in temperature and precipitation affect hydrologic variables, plant and animal community composition, and ecosystem services.
A new study published in Global Change Biology explores the impact of climate change on entire forest ecosystems through changes in cloud cover. The research found that altered cloud cover can lead to increased carbon cycling and tree growth due to fog drip, which provides essential water input to the soil.
A new study reveals that climate change is altering the Northern hardwood forest ecosystem, affecting maple syrup production, wildlife health and timber resources. The research highlights the need for long-term studies to understand and manage these complex effects.
A mathematical model analyzes the impact of disease, animal migrations, and Allee effects on biodiversity. The study finds that population extinction is possible even when a healthy population is subject to small perturbations, highlighting the importance of considering global survival in ecosystem resilience.
Researchers from SDSU will examine the effect of payments for ecosystem services on the conservation of the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey in China. The project aims to understand the environmental and socio-demographic changes initiated by these payments and their sustainability.
Sea surface temperatures reached record highs on the Northeast continental shelf in 2012, exceeding 10.5 degrees C, affecting cod distribution and marine life. The annual spring plankton bloom was intense, starting earlier and lasting longer than average, with implications for species spawning at specific times of the year.
A new analysis examines the effects of widespread forest die-offs on ecosystem processes, species diversity, and human services such as water purification and real-estate property values. The study highlights the need for a multidisciplinary approach to understand the complex consequences of climate-driven forest mortality.
A recent study led by the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science provides a first-time analysis of the value of forage fish to both commercial fisheries and marine ecosystems. The research found that forage fish contribute significantly to global fisheries, with a total estimated value of $16.9 billion annually, representing 20% of g...
The University of Tennessee team will combine molecular biology, ecological analysis and environmental remediation to create mathematical models of ecosystem function and provide a strategy for Chinese government officials to balance Lake Taihu's ecosystem. They will examine all contributing organisms to toxic algal blooms and develop ...
A recent study found that native plant restoration alone is not enough to prevent non-native species invasion in Hawaii's tropical dry forests. Instead, long-term sustainability measures are needed to manage non-native species and ensure ecosystem resilience.
Researchers will assess nine ecosystem services provided by grasslands before and after woody plant encroachment in Kansas and New Mexico. The study aims to understand the ecological, economic, and social consequences of this dramatic change.
Researchers in the Yangtze basin region have created a long-term record of ecosystem health, measuring past condition and predicting future trends. The study highlights the decline in ecosystem services due to intensive farming techniques, posing a threat to local livelihoods.
Experts discuss the science underlying ecosystem services markets, weighing benefits against potential unintended consequences for non-target ecosystem attributes. The symposium aims to address tough questions about how to measure and value nature's services.
A team of scientists from the Gladstone Institutes has contributed to a groundbreaking study that mapped the human microbiome, revealing over 10,000 microorganisms that live on and inside humans. The researchers used advanced DNA-sequencing techniques to identify individual microbes and their roles in human health.
Research by Brown University ecologists finds that recreational fishing causes a trophic cascade, leading to the collapse of salt marshes along Cape Cod. The absence of top predators allows Sesarma crabs to overgraze, causing ecosystem decline.
Ecologists call for urgent action to preserve planet's remaining biodiversity, essential for natural ecosystem services like food and wood production. The 17 prominent ecologists' consensus statement highlights the critical role of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem functions and human health.
The Okavango Delta, Botswana's largest tourist draw, is vulnerable to climate change impacts on wildlife and wetlands. Climate change could jeopardize the country's $2 billion tourism sector, with over 50,000 visitors annually.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and LTER Network sites reveal that historic human activity has a profound impact on today's ecosystem. The study highlights how legacy effects from human actions continue to reverberate throughout present-day ecosystems, influencing environmental policies and land management.
Scientists from WHOI conducted a new study measuring carbon levels at various depths in the Arctic Ocean. The data will help researchers understand how carbon cycles through the marine ecosystem and respond to rising global temperatures.