A collaborative team of researchers developed a framework to integrate scientific understanding of fire and its effects on ecosystems and human communities with an understanding of the human values that ultimately determine what people care about. The study emphasizes the need for community members, policy makers, and land managers wor...
Researchers connected big data marketing tools to land conservation efforts, identifying landowners more likely to install riparian buffers. The study found that using microtargeting techniques could increase the impact of conservation programs and reduce outreach costs.
Researchers studied viruses that infect pathogenic bacteria called bacteriophages to develop a vaccine against bacterial infection. They found that some bacteriophages induce an anti-viral response in humans, which can hinder the clearance of bacterial infections.
A University of Montana study found that climate change limits tree regeneration following wildfires in low-elevation forests, potentially leading to abrupt forest loss. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, examined post-fire regeneration of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir trees.
Researchers reconstructed fire activity using lake-sediment records, finding extensive burning occurred after mature forests developed. They also saw increased fire activity with rising temperatures, particularly in the past 100 years.
Three University of Montana researchers are developing new tools to predict tree recruitment declines in Western semi-arid forests. They will use a combination of NASA Earth observation data, forest inventory data, and a coupled ecohydrologic model to simulate drought stress and lethal surface temperatures for conifer seedlings.
The University of Montana has been awarded a $10 million contract to develop a universal flu vaccine. The project aims to improve both seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines by utilizing a synthetic dual-TLR adjuvant combination system called TRAC-478.
Researchers found that polymers in airway mucus physically push on bacterial cells, causing stress responses that make them tolerate higher levels of antibiotics. This stress response is triggered by mild DNA damage, slowing down bacterial growth and making it harder to kill with antibiotics.
Researchers will explore how smooth muscles control feathers and aid birds in flight, a novel approach that could reveal the role of smooth muscle in limb control for the first time. By studying body contour feathers and wing movement, they aim to transform our understanding of bird flight.
A UM Associate Professor is awarded a $1.45 million grant to study interactions between climate, water availability and land-use decisions made by small farmers in the US and Brazil. The research aims to understand the dynamic feedbacks between production choices, regional climate and water variability.
Researchers from the University of Montana used a flying laboratory to collect data on chemical composition of smoke and its changes over time and travel. The study aims to better predict air quality downwind and understand how fire smoke impacts the climate system.
University of Montana researchers discovered that ecosystems' carbon balance depends on water availability and annual precipitation thresholds. The study suggests climate models need improvement to accurately predict terrestrial carbon dynamics.
Researchers found that wolves prefer to hunt bulls who have already shed their antlers, suggesting that antlers serve as a deterrent against wolf predation. This discovery provides insight into the evolution of elk antler retention time and challenges previous assumptions about the role of antlers in elk behavior.
A University of Montana researcher found that trees surviving a recent outbreak of mountain pine beetles had a distinct genetic makeup, differing from the susceptible population. This discovery suggests that resistance to the beetles may be heritable and provides hope for managing forest adaptation.
A University of Montana researcher found that species diversity can have both a dilution effect and an amplification effect on disease transmission. In areas with more diverse rodent communities, hantavirus prevalence among deer mice decreases, but as rodent species diversity increases, infection spreads faster
A University of Montana ecology professor and researchers have tracked shifting North American habitats to identify climate corridors. The study found routes along north-south trending passes and mountain ranges, which are often circuitous and poorly captured by existing conservation strategies.
Researchers at The University of Montana are investigating the bacterium that causes Lyme disease using $449,998 in NIH funding. They will explore the regulatory mechanisms of Borrelia burgdorferi to improve diagnostic and treatment strategies for the disease.
Researchers at the University of Montana found that snowshoe hares' winter coats are determined by a single pigmentation gene activated during autumn molt. This discovery highlights the importance of hybridization in adapting to changing environments, particularly as snow cover decreases due to climate change.
A team of scientists led by University of Montana cell biologist Mark Grimes has identified networks in lung cancer cells that will help understand the disease and develop targeted treatments. The study used large-scale data analysis and mathematical approaches to define signaling pathways in lung cancer cells.
A new study reveals increased risks for Alzheimer's disease and suicidal tendencies among children and young adults living in polluted cities. Researchers detected abnormal proteins indicative of the disease as early as infancy, highlighting the need for preventative measures.
A recent study at Lake Abert found that low water levels and high salinity affect the availability of brine shrimp, a key food source for waterbirds. The lake's surface area has decreased by nearly 200 football fields since 1986, resulting in a 82% decline in bird sightings during periods of low water and high salinity.
The University of Montana has earned a $2.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study precision medicine targeted at Native peoples. Dr. Erica Woodahl will lead the project, which aims to build on existing community and university partnerships with tribal communities in Alaska and Montana.
A study has identified areas where animals can adapt to changing climates through a process called evolutionary rescue. These zones, known as polymorphic zones, allow both brown and white individuals to coexist in winter, promoting rapid evolution towards winter brown coat colors.
Bacterial diversity may have a much longer lifespan than previously thought, according to University of Montana researchers. They found that some specialized cells called heterocysts can produce different kinds of bacteria, which has been preserved for tens of millions of years.
Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery at the cellular level, studying the unique adaptations of bacteria living inside cicada insects. These tiny organisms lost nearly all their genes to survive within their insect hosts and now rely on multiple types of bacteria working together to provide essential amino acids and vitamins.
A new study found significant decreases in tree regeneration following 21st century wildfires, highlighting the loss of forest resilience. The research team analyzed data from over 1,500 sites across five states, measuring seedlings growing in areas burned by wildfires during the past three decades.
Researchers found that recreational use values may remain stable over decades, providing a reliable basis for policy changes on public lands. The study replicated a 1985 survey and explored the stability of value estimates over three decades.
Research reveals high degrees of wealth-based inequality led to unstable ancient societies, contrasting with modern expectations.
Brandon Cooper, a new University of Montana faculty member, has received a $1.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the effects of Wolbachia bacteria on insect physiology and fitness. The study aims to understand how these bacteria spread within and between host species.
Researchers will use genomic technologies to understand genetic basis of traits influencing wildlife and plant survival in changing environments. The project aims to advance understanding of how organisms cope with environmental challenges and develop guidelines for genomic interventions.
Research by University of Montana postdoctoral fellow Shane Campbell-Staton found significant increases in cold tolerance at the species' southern limit. Gene expression in southern survivors shifted toward patterns characteristic of northern populations, revealing rapid phenotypic, regulatory and genomic shifts.
A new study by University of Montana scientists found that slow-growing ponderosa pines have a greater chance of survival during mountain pine beetle outbreaks, contradicting previous findings. The research suggests that fast growth may be costly and is often detrimental to tree survival in such scenarios.
A UM chemist will lead a three-year research project studying the chemical composition and evolution of western wildfire smoke. The study aims to improve understanding of the impact of VOCs on air quality, climate, and human health.
Researchers will drill boreholes to study firn layer's structure and temperature, shedding light on heat absorption and sea level rise implications.
Eric Palm, a University of Montana doctoral candidate, has received the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship to study animal movement using ecosystem-scale models for caribou. The research aims to understand consequences of land-use and climate change on caribou habitat and populations in the arctic-boreal region.
New research from the University of Montana suggests that climate-change driven increases in rainfall in warm, wet forests will cause increased plant growth. This is a positive outcome for reducing global carbon dioxide levels, as it removes CO2 from the atmosphere through plant growth.
Researchers propose regional networks to link remote camera data globally, mirroring the success of standardized weather stations. This collaboration aims to monitor biodiversity trends and track wildlife populations in real-time, facilitating evidence-based conservation decisions.
A recent study by University of Montana researcher Ashley Ballantyne and former doctoral student William Smith found that land ecosystems take up less carbon during periods of rapid warming and more during periods of slower warming. This slowing-down is attributed to reduced plant respiration, not increased photosynthesis.
A new study reveals that soil fungi play a crucial role in protecting tree seedlings from pathogens, with different fungal groups offering varying levels of protection. This has significant implications for forest community patterns and overall biodiversity.
Scientists at the University of Montana's Flathead Lake Biological Station have documented ancient methane-derived carbon in stonefly biomass across four river floodplains. The research reveals that up to 67% of the carbon in stonefly tissue came from methane, with millennial-aged and ancient carbon sources identified.
The University of Montana's Flathead Lake Biological Station has been awarded a $2 million grant to explore the diversity of insects, crustaceans, and other arthropods in river floodplains. The project aims to assess the genetics, populations, and functional trait diversity among floodplain arthropods using novel genomic tools and mode...
Researchers propose a new method to model how fast and where organisms will need to move in response to climate change. They find that even short movements in mountainous areas expose organisms to large climate differences, preventing them from maintaining suitable climates.
A recent study published by the University of Montana forest ecology professor Andrew Larson estimated that burned white fir forests in Yosemite alone could produce an average crop of over 1 million morels per year. The research provides concrete data on morel abundance, supporting park rules allowing personal use picking.
Researchers at the University of Montana discovered a previously unknown second fungus that is part of the symbiotic relationship between an alga and a fungus in many common lichen species worldwide. The findings, published in Science, suggest that the definition of lichen should be revised to include multiple fungal partners.
Joanna Kreitinger, a University of Montana graduate student, has been awarded a prestigious immunology fellowship to study immune cell development and contribute to understanding lung diseases. Under Professor David Shepherd's leadership, her research aims to develop new drugs to treat diseases of the immune system.
Researchers found that more than 1.2 million acres of U.S. federal and tribal wildlands were sprayed with about 200 tons of herbicide in 2010, equivalent to 930,630 football fields. Glyphosate was the most commonly used active ingredient, posing a higher risk to native plants.
Research by University of Montana scientists reveals the importance of gravel-bed river floodplains to entire ecosystems, supporting over half the plant life and 70% of bird species in the Yellowstone to Yukon region. These habitats provide complex food webs and essential connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic organisms.
A University of Montana researcher has contributed to a groundbreaking study on the complexity of earthquakes and their forecastability. The research found that smaller and larger quakes contribute to the movement of the Himalayas, increasing the frequency but reducing the impact of earthquakes in the region.
Researchers found that Alaskan brown bears migrate between shallow spawning grounds to exploit varying salmon spawn times, allowing them to access the resource over a longer period. This 'surfing the salmon red wave' behavior showcases sophisticated foraging behaviors in wildlife.
Researchers will identify and overcome barriers to using biomass from fuels-reduction and forest-restoration treatments. The goal is to sustainably use forest-based feedstocks to offset fossil fuels, improving environmental sustainability and human health while minimizing costs.