Researchers from iDiv and MLU found that species with extreme body size shifts have a higher risk of extinction on islands. The study analyzed over 1,200 extant and extinct island mammals and found a correlation between human colonization and increased extinction rates.
Research reveals island-dwelling mammal species face higher extinction risks, with those experiencing extreme size changes being particularly endangered. Human arrival on islands multiplies the probability of extinction by 16, contributing to a 'protracted extinction event' spanning over 100,000 years.
Researchers analyzed island mammal species, finding that those with extreme body size shifts are at higher risk of extinction. Conservation efforts should prioritize protecting insular giants and dwarfs, the last evolutionary marvels of island life.
Researchers developed a new label-free UV microscopy technique that provides superior contrast for cellular-scale biological research. The method uses c-band ultra-violet (UVC) light to enhance image contrast and extract quantitative information from biological samples.
A recent study analyzed marine ecosystems before, during, and after the Permian-Triassic extinction event, revealing that biodiversity loss led to ecological destabilization. The researchers found that functional redundancy, or the presence of multiple species performing similar functions, was critical in maintaining ecosystem stability.
A massive trove of global fossil data revealed variations in elasmobranch species recovery after the K-Pg mass extinction. Species with restricted ranges and old shark species showed higher extinction rates.
A comprehensive report on 'Extinct in the Wild' (EW) species synthesizes data on plant and animal species at risk. Most EW populations are small with low genetic diversity, making conservation efforts crucial.
A well-preserved fossil assemblage from China reveals a rapid recovery of the marine ecosystem after the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. The Guiyang Biota provides an unprecedented snapshot of a highly diversified marine ecosystem only one million years after the extinction event, forcing scientists to rethink their interpretations.
A 250.8 million-year-old fossil find reveals complex marine ecosystems on Earth just one million years after the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, contradicting long-held theories. The discovery provides insights into life's rapid recovery from extreme crises and necessitates a re-evaluation of early Triassic ocean conditions.
A team of researchers has found a definitive link between mercury isotopes and the Latest Permian Mass Extinction, the largest extinction event in Earth's history. The study suggests that massive volcanic eruptions in Siberia led to rapid warming and climate change, which contributed to the extinction event.
Australian scientists developed virtual models to reveal a crucial link between natural flooding and the extinction risk of endangered southern bell frogs. The study found that modern river regulation dramatically increases extinction risk in smaller wetlands.
Scientists detected compounds in 250 million-year-old pollen grains that function like sunscreen, suggesting UV-B radiation played a key role in the end-Permian mass extinction event. The discovery supports the theory of palaeoclimate emergency triggered by volcanic eruptions and global warming.
Fossil pollen contains compounds that function like sunscreen, protecting plants from UV-B radiation. The discovery supports the theory of a collapse of the Earth's ozone layer contributing to the end-Permian mass extinction event.
The ERC Red Cardinal project aims to shed light on the mysterious phase of star formation extinction in massive galaxies. The team, led by Sirio Belli, will use James Webb Space Telescope observations to test a hypothesis predicting two distinct modes of stellar extinction.
A new study by the University of Bath suggests that diving birds like penguins and puffins are more prone to extinction than non-diving birds. The research found that diving evolved independently 14 times and led to a loss of evolutionary diversity in these species.
A new study provides insights into which pressures cause damage to plant species, revealing that agricultural activities pose a significant threat across diverse ecosystems. The transformation of production practices can mitigate this risk, reducing extinction rates by up to 54% in Norway.
Researchers at UC challenge current timeline for mammoth extinction, citing limitations in dating environmental DNA. The team suggests that the slow decomposition of animals in arctic regions could explain how mammoth DNA is showing up thousands of years later than expected.
A new study by Imperial College London found that the most unique birds on the planet are also the most threatened. The researchers analyzed the extinction risk and physical attributes of 99% of all living bird species, revealing a significant link between uniqueness and threat status.
A new study suggests that human activities such as burning forests for introduced grazing species led to the disappearance of Madagascar's large animals. The researchers found a drastic increase in charcoal and domesticated species like zebu cattle around 1,000 years ago, coinciding with the extinction of megafauna.
Scientists discovered that the first complex, multicellular life forms on Earth were wiped out 550 million years ago due to oxygen loss in the oceans. The researchers used nearly every known Ediacaran animal's environment and habits to disprove previous explanations for their disappearance.
New research from Florida State University reveals a significant decline in molybdenum across the planet's oceans approximately 183 million years ago, preceding a mass extinction event that wiped out up to 90% of marine species. The study suggests a much larger organic carbon burial than previously estimated.
A new study suggests that rapid changes in marine oxygen levels coincided with the Late Ordovician mass extinction, which eliminated 85% of marine species. The research team found that oxygen levels fluctuated rapidly, leading to a decline and eventual recovery, affecting marine ecosystems.
A new study suggests that ray-finned fish diversified earlier than previously thought, accumulating small changes before the Carboniferous period. The fossil specimen Palaeoneiros clackorum shows features typical of younger species, indicating a more complex picture of species diversification.
Researchers developed a global indicator to measure marine biodiversity based on extinct fish populations, revealing worsening extinction risk since the 1950s. Implementing management measures can reduce fishing mortality and recover tunas and billfishes, but sharks continue to face threats due to overfishing.
Ocean biodiversity is declining, with shark populations on the rise in danger despite successful conservation efforts for tunas and billfishes. Effective management has allowed tuna and billfish to recover over the past decade, but sharks remain undermanaged.
A new study by Virginia Tech geobiologists reveals that a major loss of diversity occurred during the Ediacaran Period, resulting in an 80% extinction of animals. The researchers attribute this event to decreased global oxygen availability, suggesting that environmental controls played a role in shaping animal life on Earth.
Researchers analyzed the survival mechanisms of snail species during the end-Triassic mass extinction event. Over half of other gastropod species were affected, with some species exhibiting adaptations that allowed them to thrive.
A recent study predicts that over half of lesser-known species are in danger of disappearing. The researchers used machine learning to calculate the risk of extinction for thousands of data-deficient species, finding that as many as 85% of amphibians and around half of mammals and reptiles face an uphill battle.
A study co-authored by Amelia Villaseñor reveals that the extinction of megafauna in North America more than 10,000 years ago resulted in a reorganized, vulnerable ecosystem. The research found that surviving mammal communities were affected, with vacant niches and changes in dietary habits.
Researchers found evidence of declining dinosaur diversity in central China, with only three species of eggs and low number of dinosaurs for the last 2 million years. This decline may have been caused by global climate fluctuations and massive volcanic eruptions.
A new study reveals that brightly colored songbirds are more likely to be traded as pets and are at a greater risk of extinction. The researchers found that certain color hues, like azure and yellow, are especially common in the trade.
Research by Tohoku University scientists found that contextual fear conditioning alters genes associated with the synapse in microglia, indicating a new mechanism linking microglia and neuronal activity related to fear conditioning. This non-immune communication may play a key role in fear memory consolidation and extinction.
A study published in Biogeosciences reveals a strong relationship between global temperature changes and mass extinctions. The research, led by Professor Emeritus Kunio Kaiho, found that both marine animals and terrestrial tetrapods' extinction rates correspond to deviations in global and habitat surface temperatures.
Research predicts that bird species extinction will decrease morphological diversity among remaining birds at a rate greater than species loss alone. Birds with extreme features are most likely to be affected, including the largest and smallest species, as well as regions like the Himalayan mountains and south Vietnam/Cambodia.
Large carnivore populations show genuine improvement in extinction risk when protected by international legislation and have controlled hunting plans. Marine mammals are most likely to recover, while rays and sharks face significant threats.
Researchers found 61 out of 86 species threatened with extinction, with coastal sharks facing greatest conservation concern. Increased protections and international trade regulations are crucial to prevent extinctions among these species.
A new study suggests that dinosaurs were well adapted to cold temperatures and survived a mass extinction event caused by massive volcanic eruptions. The research found evidence of dinosaur footprints and pebbles in lake sediments at high latitudes, indicating that they thrived in conditions where other reptiles died.
Researchers found a sharp spike in wildfire activity during the end-Permian mass extinction, which led to the collapse of entire ecosystems. The study highlights the potential for wildfires as a direct driver of extinction, rather than just a symptom of climate change.
A new study reveals that bottom burrowing animals were among the first to recover after the end-Permian mass extinction. The research, led by Dr. Xueqian Feng, used ancient sea bed burrows and trails to reconstruct the recovery stages of various animal groups.
After the Permian mass extinction, life on land and in oceans experienced a 'Triassic revolution' with rapid adaptation and evolution of animals. Animals grew back faster and smarter, with predators becoming meaner and prey adapting new survival strategies.
Researchers found a sharp S-isotopic decrease coincided with the terrestrial extinction in the Sydney Basin, linked to climatic perturbations of short-term cooling and longer-term global warming. The study provides new evidence for the massive deposition of atmospheric sulfate, potentially contributing to the EPE on land.
The first international study of its kind assesses the status of all reptile species, revealing that at least 2,000 species are threatened with extinction. The study found that 50% of turtle and crocodile species face extinction threats, while 30% of forest-dwelling reptiles and 14% of arid area reptiles are in danger.
A study by researchers at the University Liège has unravelled the evolution of mosasaurs in the late Cretaceous, revealing a decline in morphological diversity and ecological innovations in certain regions. The research uses high-resolution 3D scans of mosasaur skulls to draw precise conclusions about their hunting and movement abilities.
A new machine learning tool assesses extinction risk for reptiles with limited data, revealing a higher number of threatened species than previously estimated. The study highlights the need for increased conservation efforts in regions such as Australia, Madagascar, and the Amazon basin.
Researchers found that extinct species had smaller brains than surviving ones, suggesting a link between brain size and adaptability. The study suggests that larger brains helped extant species cope with human activities and climate change.
A new genetic study suggests that inbreeding will not doom the endangered vaquita to extinction. Despite low genome-wide diversity, vaquita individuals have remained healthy and able to breed with weakly deleterious genetic mutations accumulating over time.
A large-scale international study, led by Tel Aviv University's Dr. Omri Bronstein, found that many species of echinoids, including sea urchins, survived a mass extinction event 50 million years earlier than thought. The findings suggest that estimates of evolutionary timelines may err by tens of millions of years.
A new study predicts mass extinction in oceans if climate change is not curbed, threatening marine species with extinction. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions could reduce extinction risks by up to 70%, saving ocean life as we know it
A study by Princeton University researchers predicts that unchecked global emissions will lead to a mass extinction of marine life, with tropical waters experiencing the greatest loss of biodiversity. The study found that reversing greenhouse gas emissions could reduce the risk of extinction by more than 70%.
Researchers at Tokyo University of Science identify brain regions and signaling pathways involved in fear extinction via delta receptor activation. The study suggests a potential therapeutic agent for post-traumatic stress disorders by suppressing fearful memories.
New research from The University of Manchester found that poaching combined with individual rhino's reproductive variance significantly increases the risk to black rhino survival. Reproductive skew, or variation in breeding success between females, can exacerbate extinction risk by up to 70% in small populations.
The study found that richer nations increase species extinction risk in poorer ones due to global consumption patterns. The impact of a single coffee purchase can contribute to biodiversity loss in distant countries.
A study published in Scientific Reports found that mammals with larger brains than similar-sized species were more likely to have survived extinction. The researchers investigated brain sizes of 291 living mammal species and 50 extinct species, discovering a significant correlation between brain size and survival.
Researchers analyzed Châtelperronian tools in the Iberian Peninsula, finding evidence of local Neandertal extinction and replacement even before Homo sapiens arrived. The tool complex suggests older Iberian Neandertals disappeared, replaced by new groups using Châtelperronian technology.
A new study reveals that the giant camel Camelus knoblochi lived in Mongolia with anatomically modern humans until climate change led to its extinction. The species likely competed with its critically endangered relative, the Bactrian camel, for resources.
A massive volcanic eruption at the end of the Triassic period caused a global cooling effect, leading to the mass extinction. The event paved the way for the rise of dinosaurs as their natural predators went extinct.
A new model, named FIG, has been developed to measure the impact of regional geographic features on speciation, extinction, and dispersal rates. The model successfully predicted the movement and diversification of neotropical anole lizards.
New research links high levels of stratospheric sulfur to the Chicxulub impact, which ignited widespread fires and global cooling. The unique fingerprints in sulfur aerosols provide direct evidence for catastrophic climate change and cooling.
A recent study has identified soil erosion and wildfire activity as significant contributors to the mass extinction event that occurred at the end of the Triassic period. The research found that soil erosion was a more prominent terrestrial ecological stress than intensive wildfire activity, with fire events likely being localized rath...
A team of paleogeneticists successfully sequenced the genome of the extinct Christmas Island rat, but found that key genes related to olfaction were missing. The study reveals the challenges and limitations of de-extinction across all species, highlighting the need for a more nuanced approach.