Articles tagged with Ecology
A new study reveals that land-use change was the primary cause of biodiversity loss on Mount Kilimanjaro's lower slopes over the last century. Human activities such as population growth and economic development led to a decline in plant species diversity, with up to 75% lost per square kilometer.
A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in the Western Weddell Sea uncovered extensive maintained fish nesting grounds, revealing patterns and organization, which are thought to be a survival strategy. The discovery provides critical insights into Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems and their importance for biodiversity.
A new study reveals that climate change is driving many native Australian reptiles toward extinction. The research uses fossil evidence and genetic data to show how the endangered Australian Mountain Dragon has responded to major environmental changes in the past.
The EU-funded SpongeBoost project invites applications for its 'SpongeBooster of the Year' award, recognizing initiatives that strengthen natural water retention and climate resilience. Eligible projects focus on outdoor restoration and rewetting activities in eligible countries.
A study by University of Groningen researchers found that enclosed camera traps are more effective in detecting small mustelids like weasels and stoats. Camera traps placed inside boxes with tubes, also known as Mostelas, proved to be the most successful method.
Researchers at the University of Missouri are exploring the use of extracellular vesicles to target lung cancer. By manipulating these tiny messenger particles, scientists can deliver specific instructions to kill cancer cells while sparing healthy ones.
Research analyzing over half a million social media posts found that charismatic animals like cats and hippos generated the highest engagement. Meanwhile, plants, which comprise 57% of endangered species, received disproportionately limited attention in online discourse.
A collaborative research team analyzed historical museum specimens of the Asian honeybee, revealing a significant decline in genetic diversity and a potential link to pesticide use. The study suggests that pesticide exposure may be driving rapid evolutionary changes in the species.
This study found that Japanese plantain plants utilize interplant cueing, exchanging adaptive information via shoot and root systems to cope with salt stress. The study revealed differences in the effectiveness of below-ground cueing based on genetic relatedness, suggesting genetically specific root-metabolites are involved.
The 2023 marine heatwave caused widespread coral mortality in Florida's Coral Reef, leading to the functional extinction of critically endangered Acropora species. Researchers found that between 97.8 and 100% of coral colonies had died by March 2024, highlighting the urgent need for interventions to maintain these populations.
Research from UC Riverside found that fit mice increased voluntary running activity when deprived of water. The study suggests that physical fitness may provide a physiological buffer against dehydration, which could be beneficial for humans in a warming world and individuals working in physically demanding outdoor occupations.
The European Long-Term Ecosystem, Critical Zone and Socio-Ecological Research Infrastructure has released its first policy brief on scaling carbon removal. The publication emphasizes the need for both natural and technological approaches to achieve climate neutrality and stabilize global temperatures.
A recent study found that extinction rates in plants and animals peaked around 100 years ago and have declined since then. The researchers argue that past extinctions are not reliable predictors of current and future threats due to changing drivers such as habitat loss and climate change.
University of Missouri researchers are helping farmers prevent disease outbreaks by teaching biosecurity practices, such as hand sanitizing and wearing farm-dedicated shoes. They also provide guidance on safe composting methods to dispose of dead livestock, reducing the risk of disease spread.
A team of Kyoto University researchers investigated life-history variation in masu salmon to understand their ability to adapt to changing environments. They found that fast-life individuals dominated downstream reaches, while slow-life individuals were more prevalent upstream. However, within-habitat variation was found to be more imp...
A study by Politecnico di Milano reveals China's increasing demand for animal proteins sustains the consumption of natural resources in Brazil. The research shows that soybean imports to China have a significant impact on Brazilian land use, water resources, and deforestation.
Researchers found that certain gobies overexpress genes inhibiting growth, keeping them miniaturized. They also discovered that miniature gobies have used the same genetic pathways since the Eocene to regulate their size.
A new peer-reviewed analysis challenges the 2025 study on Yellowstone's wolves, finding claims of a 'world-leading' trophic cascade are unsupported. The re-analysis highlights circular reasoning and modeling assumptions violations, suggesting a more modest response to predator recovery.
A new international study reveals that nitrogen fixation occurs beneath Arctic sea ice, increasing available nitrogen for algae and potentially boosting marine life. This discovery could also impact carbon absorption in the Arctic Ocean.
The winners of the Applied Microbiology International Horizon Awards 2025 have been recognized for their groundbreaking contributions to global challenges through applied microbiology. The awards celebrate excellence across various domains, including drug discovery and sustainable agriculture.
An international research team proposed a new sustainable management concept for krill stocks in the Southern Ocean, integrating fishing activities with closely-meshed scientific monitoring. This approach aims to ensure the long-term protection of the ecosystem and align commercial interests with conservation goals.
The National Champion Tree Program at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture has compiled a compilation of more than 80 years of big tree history. The program marks two years at the university after moving in 2023 and is still taking nominations for potential trees through December 1.
Research findings from the International Drought Experiment reveal that consecutive extreme drought years lead to significant declines in ecosystem productivity, with some sites experiencing a 2.5-fold reduction in productivity over four years. This cumulation is attributed to species mortality, failed establishment, and changes in com...
A global research effort by Colorado State University reveals that extreme, prolonged droughts in grasslands and shrublands result in more than twice the loss of plant productivity compared to moderate droughts. The study suggests that these ecosystems lose their ability to recover over time under prolonged dry conditions.
Researchers found that communities with green infrastructure systems like rain gardens saw a notable reduction in cadmium, copper, nickel, and zinc being sent into local waterways. Implementing more of these systems can improve water quality, make cities cooler, and enhance ecosystem services.
Researchers found that biochar improves soil health by increasing microbial diversity, capturing carbon, and enhancing nutrient cycling. Biochar acts as a long-lasting carbon sink, storing carbon for hundreds to thousands of years.
A new study reveals that microplastics and heavy metals can disrupt organ development and hormone balance in higher-level species through the food chain. The study found delayed growth in zebrafish exposed to combined pollutants, highlighting the hidden risks of pollutant mixtures in real-world environments.
Research on threespine stickleback populations in lakes with and without sculpins reveals that ecological differences trigger the evolution of new species. The study shows that adaptation to different habitats plays a crucial role in speciation, even in geographically isolated populations.
Two muriqui species, largest primates in the Americas, face significant habitat loss due to climate change. By 2090, up to 61% of their suitable habitats may be reduced, mainly confined to coastal regions of the Atlantic Forest.
A recent study found that light color affects phytoplankton growth and nutrient cycling in lake ecosystems. The researchers discovered that the less light available to microalgae, the more important the color of light became for their growth.
A new study reveals that greater noctule bats capture and consume migrating birds in flight, employing unique aerial handling techniques. The bats use echolocation to spot prey, then execute high-speed chases before capturing their quarry, often consuming it during prolonged flights.
Low to moderate-severity fires boost bird populations with effects lasting up to 35 years, contrary to traditional fire suppression practices. Forest managers can use controlled burns and pyrodiversity to benefit majority of birds in the forest.
Researchers at William & Mary's Batten School and VIMS have successfully restored bay scallop populations to their former range along the Eastern Shore of Virginia, with an average density of 0.114 scallops per square meter. The population is expected to double in less than 1.5 years, potentially leading to a future recreational fishery.
A new study found that fire can have varying impacts on global bee populations, with some species thriving in post-fire conditions and others declining or disappearing. The review highlights the need for tailored fire management strategies to support biodiversity, particularly in Australia's unique ecosystems.
Researchers developed ECODATA, an open-source tool for exploring animal movements in the wild by creating animations that help ecologists study animal movement, climate change and conservation efforts. The software combines direct wildlife location observations with complex remote sensing data to create customizable maps.
A two-year field study reveals that biodegradable microplastics, often considered eco-friendly, are reshaping farmfield soils in unexpected ways. Bioplastics PLA reduced stable carbon compounds by 32% while boosting microbial necromass and fungal-dominated soil ecosystems.
Researchers found that seabirds use different strategies to find food, with scent-tracking birds benefiting visually hunting birds. This study provides insights into complex systems and crowd behavior, informing conservation strategies for procellariiform seabirds.
Research from Umeå University reveals that natural barriers shape the flow of water and hinder plant dispersal in rivers shaped by the last Ice Age. The study found no clear correlations between drainage area and channel width, or consistent increase in plant species diversity downstream.
Wildfire disasters worldwide have become markedly more burdensome over the last 40 years, tripling in fatality events and increasing economic losses fourfold since 1980. The escalation is driven by intensifying climate conditions and human activities such as land-use shifts and fire suppression policies.
Research by Tour du Valat and University of Turku reveals that ignoring historical declines shifts the baseline for at least 40% of waterbird and seabird species. Restoration policies should be based on a century-long perspective to be truly ambitious.
Researchers mapped bacterial growth in 195 environments, revealing consistent links between growth patterns and ecological traits like habitat and distribution. The study's findings suggest that controlled experiments can uncover mechanisms of ecological and evolutionary adaptation.
A new study by Florida Atlantic University researchers found that heat does not significantly affect the cognitive ability of sea turtle hatchlings. However, higher incubation temperatures negatively impact their physical traits, including shorter incubation durations, lower hatching success, and more frequent scute anomalies. The stud...
A new species of the genus Leucothoe was identified on Sugashima Island, Japan. The discovery was associated with a specific type of limid bivalve, highlighting the unique biodiversity found in this region.
A new study traces the transformation of mammal communities across six continents over 50,000 years, finding that farming and hunting reshaped ecosystems. Only a handful of domesticated species, including cattle and horses, spread globally, altering native mammal populations.
A new framework for flexible data collection has been developed by Masumi Hisano, allowing for counts to take place in various settings, including cities and daily routines. This approach can help increase sample size and provide valuable insights into bird species assemblage datasets linked to landscape characteristics.
Researchers have identified chemical fossils in ancient rocks that suggest the ancestors of modern-day demosponges were among the first animals to evolve. The discovery, made by a team of MIT geochemists, builds on previous findings and provides strong evidence for the early origins of life on Earth.
Insect pollinators like bees and butterflies require more natural habitat with diverse flora to thrive, according to a new study analyzing over 178,000 individual pollinators from 19 countries. The research found minimum habitat requirements vary between species, ranging from 6% for hoverflies to 37% for butterflies.
Termites cultivate fungus in specialized combs, but invasive fungi like Pseudoxylaria threaten their crops. Fungus-farming termites employ flexible behaviors to suppress weeds, isolating infected areas with soil boluses enriched with microbial allies.
A global field experiment found that camouflage and warning coloration are effective antipredator strategies under different ecological conditions. The study suggests that predator competition is a key factor shaping the evolution of these strategies, with camouflage potentially being less stable than warning coloration.
A recent study suggests that teddy bears play a crucial role in shaping our early conception of nature. By analyzing morphometric and colorimetric data, researchers found that traditional teddy bears diverge significantly from their real-world counterparts. This gap may lead to warped or incomplete mental representations of animals and...
Researchers found shortfin mako sharks possess unique thermoregulation abilities, allowing them to rapidly warm up before diving into cold water and maintain higher body temperatures. This adaptation enables them to stay longer in prey-rich deep waters, giving them a competitive edge as apex predators.
Researchers found that common waterborne amoebae can ingest and protect human viruses, extending their environmental persistence. The viruses can enter and persist within the amoebae's cells, potentially bypassing water treatment methods.
A new study analyzing the dietary choices of wild woodrats reveals that individual diets may not be as diverse as previously assumed. The research suggests that the costs of specializing on one food source or diversifying one's diet have a strong impact on an animal's ability to survive and thrive.
An international team has published a new framework for studying 'Earth engineers' who have fundamentally altered ecosystems globally. The framework distinguishes between engineering behaviors with local and planetary scale effects, offering insights into how humans and other organisms have shaped the planet.
Researchers develop biohybrid synthesis systems that combine living cells with advanced materials to produce valuable chemicals from CO2, water, and sunlight. These systems leverage various energy sources and have shown significant progress in recent years.
A University of the Sunshine Coast researcher has documented the world's first recorded and scientifically observed three-way mating between two male and one female leopard sharks. The video provides valuable insights into the species' natural mating behavior and informs conservation strategies.
A new study investigates how rapid urbanization affects subjective well-being in China, finding that ecological improvements bolster lower well-being populations while social factors have a stronger impact on higher groups.
Two new species of black bass, Bartram’s and Altamaha bass, have been documented by UGA ecologists. These fish have distinctive physical characteristics, such as patterned dark brown blotches on their sides and carmine-red eyes with a black pupil ringed by a thin gold margin.
Researchers at the University of Göttingen argue that creating diverse landscapes with various habitats is necessary for biodiversity preservation. Habitat diversity can include arable land, natural areas, and structures like nesting sites, promoting species movement and reduced extinction risk.
The book, 'Understanding the Tree of Life,' offers a fresh perspective on evolution as a continuous, branching process where all organisms are interconnected cousins. It challenges outdated views that place humans at the pinnacle of evolution or label certain species as primitive, emphasizing shared traits alongside unique adaptations.