A new conservation tool has identified top priorities and projections of what species would benefit from increased conservation dollars. The algorithm considers diverse data, including land acquisition costs, development patterns, budget allocations, and threatened species, to find optimal protection opportunities.
Researchers applied job search theoretical models to study hunters' decision-making, identifying optimal stopping points and dietary trait thresholds to manage hunting pressure. The model could be used to infer changes in harvested prey communities and evaluate the efficacy of hunting regulations.
A new model investigates how human behavioral changes evolve in response to extreme climate events and affect global temperature change. Long-term, less easily reversed behavioral changes have the most significant impact in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and reducing climate change.
A new study suggests that climate change could lead to increased body sizes in certain herbivores as plants become more nutritious. This is because larger herbivores can convert the foliage to energy more efficiently than smaller competitors.
Researchers used mathematical modeling to understand maize lethal necrosis, a devastating plant disease in sub-Saharan Africa. The study found that rotating crops and controlling insects can provide effective disease control, but limited control is achievable by resource-poor farmers.
A new study from NIMBioS explores human social norms and their evolution. The model found that norm internalization readily evolves in both 'us-vs.-nature' and 'us-vs.-them' scenarios, suggesting a genetic variation in humans' ability to internalize norms.
Researchers at NIMBioS developed a more sensitive test for detecting paratuberculosis in cattle, shedding light on the early stages of the disease. The new macrophage-based assay produces reliable diagnoses and could be a game-changer for controlling the spread of the disease.
Researchers found that sharing strong negative experiences enables extreme cooperation in groups and can cause individuals to be willing to die for the group. Human evolution explains the origin of this visceral bonding over shared painful experiences.
Larger males breed first, with offspring having better survival rates and producing more newborns, suggesting a clear reproductive advantage. This study shows the complexity of sexual selection in reverse in pipefish, highlighting factors beyond size and timing.
A new study using mathematical modeling found that societies divided into multiple groups are more likely to conserve natural resources and survive than those without sub-group divisions. This is because each group can learn from the successes and failures of others, leading to better institutions for managing resources.
A mathematical model of open-heart surgery simulates oxygen levels in rat kidneys, revealing vulnerability to hypoxia during surgery. The study sheds light on the causes of kidney injury and suggests potential strategies for prevention.
A novel algorithm reduces surface-level environmental impacts from shale gas development by more than a third, at a relatively small additional cost. The study, published in Conservation Biology, found that developers can avoid significant environmental disturbances by steering development away from habitats associated with rare species.
A new study by researchers at NIMBioS reveals that consistent size structures exist across tropical rainforests, driven by competition among trees for light following a gap disturbance. The findings have significant implications for modeling tropical forests' sustainability and carbon sequestration.
A study develops new methods to detect the onset of critical transitions in infectious disease epidemics, such as malaria. The method identifies the critical slowing-down period in human cases, suggesting that eradicating the disease could be anticipated even without a full understanding of the underlying mechanisms.
A new study from NIMBioS sheds light on strategies used by creationists to influence evolution teaching in public schools. Antievolution bills show evidence of 'descent with modification,' copying recent legislation, and often tie back to creationism through statements or sponsors.
A special collection examines the evolution and function of play using computational and mathematical models. The research reveals insights into factors predicting play dynamics, occurrence, and trajectory in animals.
A new study evaluates mechanisms driving diversity in bone function, providing insight into the evolution of tetrapods and their transition to land. The tiger salamander's unique anatomy and ecology make it an ideal organism for studying this process.
A study by the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis found that monk parakeets develop an understanding of rank after about a week of interactions. They use social feedback to refine their behavior, avoiding fights with higher-ranked birds while targeting those closely matched in rank.
A new study from NIMBioS reveals that contact rates and competition play crucial roles in determining the risk of parasitic disease outbreaks in animal communities. The research found that high contact rates and strong competition can amplify parasite fitness, increasing the likelihood of disease transmission.
The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) has been awarded a two-year NSF grant to create the Quantitative Biology Concept Inventory (QBCI), an instrument to assess learning comprehension and skill development in college-level math courses with real-world examples versus abstract methods. The project ai...
Three college students developed ComFlo, an interactive website that visualizes domestic transport of commodities in the US. The tool helps identify pathways for invasive species and informs resource allocation for prevention.
Research from NIMBioS found that the timing of spawning is crucial for the survival of larval fish, with success rates higher on days when spawning is observed to occur. This study has important implications for fisheries management and conservation, highlighting the need to protect spawning aggregations.
A new study from NIMBioS found that cohesive clustering of friends of friends is key to the long-term dynamics of spotted hyena social structures. Researchers analyzed over 55,000 observations and found that this type of social bonding facilitates efficient cooperation, leading to improved fitness.
A new study from NIMBioS suggests that considering a species' selfing rate, seed dispersal distances, and reproductive type can improve seed collection effectiveness. This approach can help conserve genetic diversity and rare species, such as the Trillium tennesseense.
Scientists have devised a new method to investigate factors contributing to biological invasions of non-native species. The study successfully distinguished between two-wave and single-wave invasions using genetic data, allowing for better ecological understanding and management strategies.
A new study reveals that monk parakeets invading Europe and North America share similar genetic patterns, indicating they originated from the same small area in Uruguay. The invasive populations have lower genetic diversity compared to native populations, which is unusual for species with successful invasions.
A new study projects that the Great Barrier Reef could lose more than half of its coral cover if ocean temperatures continue to rise. The research suggests that moderate warming would lead to a high probability of coral cover declining to less than 10 percent, threatening reef growth.
A new study suggests that prehistoric conflict played a crucial role in the evolution of humans' ability to work together, overcoming costs associated with large brains. The research proposes that warfare and 'us vs. them' activities drove the emergence of high intelligence and cooperative behavior.
A new computational method suggests that Darwin's 'jump dispersal' theory is supported by strong evidence, especially for island species. The study found that jump dispersal can explain the biogeography of Hawaiian Islands and other archipelagos with a greater statistical probability than vicariance methods.
A new study on monk parakeets reveals a sophisticated social structure with layers of relationships and complex interactions. The research found that parrots form strong pair bonds and have a dominance hierarchy, requiring significant cognitive skills to manage the process.
A recent study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B analyzed the vocal sequences of seven different species and found that they appear to be generated by complex statistical processes more akin to human language. The findings suggest an intermediate step on the evolutionary path between animal communication and human language.
A new study recommends a tailored approach to seed collections, collecting from a wide area and about 25 maternal plants per population to capture genetic diversity. This method can preserve more rare genes than traditional one-size-fits-all approaches, potentially saving rare plant species from extinction.
Researchers predict ranavirus as a potential new culprit in amphibian extinctions, especially in isolated wood frog populations. The study suggests that frequent exposure to the virus can lead to extinction within five years.
Jiang and DeAngelis' theoretical paper explores how species modify their environment to gain benefits, affecting community diversity. Their work is likely to foster further research and generate hypotheses for experimental studies.
A mathematical model explains how high-rank individuals in hierarchical groups engage in seemingly altruistic behavior by competing with peers in other groups, leading to increased total group effort towards conflict. This behavior is linked to within-group hierarchy and inequality, observed in nature across various species.
A new algorithm based on the Parsons code successfully identifies individual dolphin whistles, reducing time and errors in classification. This innovation enables researchers to study dolphin social behavior and develop a better understanding of their communication.
A new study finds that climate change has shifted the centers of North American turtles' ranges by an average of 45 miles per degree, with temperate forest and grassland species being more affected. This trend indicates that many endangered turtle species face uncertain futures due to their inability to adapt to changing climates.
A mathematical model accurately matches the historical record on the emergence of complex states in ancient societies. Simulated warfare drives the formation of large-scale complex societies.
Two Tennessee high school students, Dalton Chaffee and Hayes Griffin, published their research on mate choice in the journal Evolution, shedding new light on how mate selection is influenced by sexual imprinting. The study revealed that females' ability to identify preferred mates affects the evolution of sexual imprinting.
Researchers develop mathematical model for evolution of manipulated behavior, showing that an offspring's resistance to manipulation often fails to evolve if the costs are high. The study suggests that altruistic behavior in eusocial organisms, such as ants and bees, may be coerced through manipulation.
A new study found that chronic harvesting of the African mahogany tree can alter its reproduction and drastically curtail fruit and seed yields. The research used mathematical modeling to estimate plant age from size, revealing different effects on life history traits in dry and moist regions.
A new study reveals that females tend to prefer traits linked to fitness, influencing mate choice and population divergence. This finding settles a long debate about magic traits and predicts their commonality in nature.
Researchers analyzed social bonds in rock hyrax colonies, finding that balanced triads are more common than initially thought. Structural balance theory suggests that enemies of enemies can be stable configurations, contradicting classical human relationship dynamics.
A new study from NIMBioS found that using insecticide-treated bed nets can positively affect malaria's reproduction number, leading to potential elimination. The use of ITNs could reduce the transmission of malaria by reducing mosquito density and lifespan.
A new study reveals the US Supreme Court is slightly more diverse today than ever in history, with high diversity in professional background and racial origin. However, the Court lacks educational diversity, with all justices attending either Harvard or Yale Law Schools.
A systematic review assesses the reliability of global mapping of infectious diseases, finding that only a small percentage have been mapped reliably. The study suggests using novel solutions like crowdsourcing to gather data, such as analyzing Twitter messages about disease.
Researchers found that sex-specific epi-marks can lead to homosexuality when they escape erasure and are transmitted from father to daughter or mother to son. This study solves the evolutionary riddle of homosexuality, suggesting that epigenetics is a critical factor contributing to the phenomenon.
A new study considers how to manage epidemics in information blackouts, particularly in the US where privacy laws restrict data accessibility. The researchers used land cover maps to approximate farm locations and developed a mathematical model that can provide accurate predictions about disease spread.
Researchers found that intervening on behalf of a victim can reduce bullying rates in humans' evolutionary past, leading to greater cooperation, empathy, and egalitarian moral values. This finding supports prior studies showing lower bullying rates in Scandinavian countries.
A new study demonstrates that female choice and faithfulness played a crucial role in human evolution, leading to the emergence of the modern family. The transition from promiscuity to pair-bonding was characterized by a reduction in male-to-male competition in favor of providing for females and close parental involvement.