Articles tagged with Extinction
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A team of researchers found that the last woolly mammoths on Wrangel Island survived for another 7,000 years without significant changes in their diet or environment. However, when they finally died out, it was due to extreme weather events and potentially human activity.
A major impact event around 466 Mya may have triggered cooling and biological diversification, leading to late Ordovician glaciation. Cosmic dust enrichment in the stratosphere is believed to be a key factor in this process.
Researchers used fine-grain analyses and new technologies to study past extinctions, gaining insights into animal populations' responses to climate change and other external drivers. The findings inform present approaches to ecosystem management and may even aid in species rewilding efforts.
A new review highlights the role of advanced methods in understanding megafaunal extinctions, which occurred during dramatic climatic change and human dispersal. The study emphasizes the importance of combining different approaches to gain detailed insights into climate change, extinction chronologies, and species responses.
A new study suggests that restoring habitat connectivity can increase plant diversity by nearly 14% in fragmented ecosystems. By reconnecting disparate habitat fragments, plant extinctions are reduced by 2% per year and colonization from new species is increased by 5% per year.
Mackerel shark diversity peaked in the Early Late Cretaceous period but declined over the last 20 million years. Cooler temperatures and clade competition with ground sharks drove this decline.
A recent study published in Science explores how humans shaped species coexistence and biodiversity loss in North America, leading to the mass extinction of giant carnivores and herbivores.
A new study suggests that chronic ear infections caused by a flat Eustachian tube angle may have led to the demise of the Neanderthals. This condition would have been a lifelong threat to their health and survival, making it difficult for them to compete with Homo sapiens for resources.
Over 1,600 scientists endorse letter calling on Congress to fully fund conservation programs to stem biodiversity decline. Funding would accelerate species recovery and ensure a stable Earth.
A study by Macquarie University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found that the extinction of giant mammal species like mammoths led to a decline in their interactions with smaller mammals, such as deer and coyotes. The loss of these large species altered ecosystems, potentially making them more vulnerable to future extinctions.
New maps reveal that over 3 million square kilometers of wilderness have been lost since the 1990s, threatening species extinction. However, conserving these areas can halve the world's extinction risk, according to a recent study published in Nature.
A University of Queensland and CSIRO study finds that wilderness areas reduce species extinction risk by half, highlighting the urgent need for protection. Vital 'at-risk' wilderness areas require immediate conservation efforts to prevent loss of biodiversity and ecosystem disruption.
A study published in Molecular Biology and Evolution reveals that the Icelandic walrus went extinct shortly after Norse settlement around 870 AD, likely due to commercial hunting and ivory trade. The research used ancient DNA analyses and C14-dating to demonstrate the existence of a unique population of Icelandic walruses.
Scientists have confirmed a new mass extinction event occurred 260 million years ago, affecting life on land and in the seas. The event is correlated with massive flood-basalt eruptions, similar to those causing other known severe mass extinctions.
A team of researchers, including Northwestern University professor Gary Galbreath, analyzed the physical condition of the antlers and confirmed they belonged to a Schomburgk's deer. The antlers showed signs of being fresh, despite being excised from the deer's head, suggesting the deer may still be alive today.
A Tel Aviv University study reveals that coral spawning synchrony has broken down in the Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba, leading to reduced recruitment and stagnant aging populations. The researchers attribute this decline to ocean warming and endocrine-disrupting pollutants, posing a threat to the long-term survival of coral species.
Changes to environmental conditions may be causing corals to lose their synchronized mass-spawning strategy, which could drive aging populations to extinction. This desynchronization poses a previously unnoticed threat to coral survival, with implications for global reef health.
An international study has investigated the extinction of two New Zealand songbirds, revealing that habitat loss and introduced mammalian predators were key factors. The research, published in Biology Letters, used ancient DNA to reconstruct the birds' population history, indicating a rapid decline prior to their extinction.
Historical analysis of 9,000 records reveals associations between human disturbance, climate change and local mammalian extinction. Large mammals experienced earlier and larger population declines, highlighting the impact of global cooling and warming on habitat sizes.
A 420 million-year-old mass extinction event, one of the most dramatic ever recorded, was caused by rapid and widespread depletion of oxygen in global oceans. The study provides a mechanism for the step-wise extinction event, driven in part by sulfidic ocean conditions.
A recent study from Uppsala University and Polish Academy of Sciences describes the contents of three Jurassic pterosaur coprolites, revealing a diet rich in foraminifera, small shells, and polychaete worms. The findings suggest that these Late Jurassic pterosaurs were filter feeders, similar to modern flamingos.
According to a study published in Current Biology, 79 plants have been confirmed extinct from South Africa's three biodiversity hotspots since 1700, representing 45.4% of all known plant extinctions from 10 world hotspots. The main drivers for these extinctions are agriculture, urbanisation, and invasive species.
Researchers estimate that it would take approximately 50 million years to recover the number of bird species lost since humans first colonized New Zealand. The conservation initiatives currently underway in New Zealand may prevent millions of years of evolution from further loss.
Researchers found that competition for prey among carnivores wasn't a cause of megafaunal extinction. Instead, climate change and human arrival led to the demise of giant predators like saber-toothed cats. Today's apex predators in North America are smaller animals that took advantage of the extinction.
A University of Liverpool study reveals that wild animals adjust their social preferences with the weather, affecting extinction risk. The research found that species alter their grouping patterns between wet and dry seasons, influenced by factors like migration and feeding preferences.
A UBC-led study found that Indigenous-managed lands have the highest levels of biodiversity worldwide, with even protected areas coming in second. The research highlights the importance of collaborating with Indigenous communities to protect species and conserving biodiversity beyond traditional conservation boundaries.
Researchers examine the potential and uncertainties of genetic rescue, a conservation approach that aims to alleviate genetic problems in isolated populations. The study highlights the need for further research on the effectiveness and limitations of genetic rescue, including its impact on habitat fragmentation and biodiversity.
A new study predicts that up to a quarter of the world's conifer species will face extinction by 2070 due to climate change. Species native to smaller islands are most at risk, with some expected to be pushed out of their fundamental niche and tolerance range.
Researchers propose a 'first-strike' and 'second-strike' strategy to tackle metastatic cancer. The approach aims to eliminate the entire cancer population by sequencing drugs, rather than relying on maximum tolerated dose therapy. This could lead to better outcomes for patients with widespread disease.
Researchers have discovered a universal pattern in the fossil record, showing that extreme events of diversification and extinction occur more frequently than expected. The study used superstatistics to describe fluctuations within clades, finding effective adaptive strategies and valleys of uninhabited space.
Researchers propose a new method to identify the key relationships between people and nature that underpin environmental problems. This approach can help find new solutions to complex social-ecological interdependencies.
A new study reveals that Antarctic marine life took over 320,000 years to recover after the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs. It wasn't until up to one million years later that the number of species on the sea floor returned to pre-extinction levels.
The global consumption of food and natural resources drives primate habitat loss and degradation, threatening species with extinction. Researchers suggest changing consumer habits, creating an environmental fund, and holding corporations accountable to mitigate the impact of commodities trade.
A new study finds that New World monkeys are highly vulnerable to climate change, with many species facing substantial temperature increases and habitat changes over the next 30 years. The research suggests urgent action is needed to mitigate the effects of climate change on primate populations.
A new model suggests that declining fertility rates in young Neanderthal women could have contributed to the population's decline and eventual extinction. The study used demographic modeling to explore possible scenarios, finding that a decrease in fertility rates of just 2.7 percent could have led to extinction within 10,000 years.
Researchers found that considering mutual dependencies between species increases the number of threatened species due to climate change. In Mediterranean regions, this effect is particularly high, with up to three times the predicted local extinctions when considering co-extinction.
Researchers suggest that large, slow-breeding animals require 'demographic safe spaces' to maintain non-negative population growth rates. Conservation efforts for Asian elephants and other species can focus on enhancing survival of females and calves to prevent extinction.
The IPBES Global Assessment Report reveals an alarming rate of species extinction, with 1 million threatened, and ecosystem degradation worsening. Human activities, including land use changes, climate change, pollution, and invasive species, are driving these declines.
Researchers used ecological and evolutionary attributes to model extinction risk for data-deficient amphibians, finding over 1,000 species threatened with extinction. Half of these species are likely Endangered or Critically Endangered, primarily in the Neotropics and Southeast Asia.
A Yale-led study reveals that 1,012 additional amphibian species are at risk of extinction, with many found in South America and Southeast Asia. The study predicts that more than half of these species are 'Endangered' or 'Critically Endangered',
A study analyzed 57 indigenous communities' knowledge of palm trees, revealing that the network is fragile and minimal loss has significant consequences. The researchers highlighted the importance of cultural factors and transdisciplinary collaboration to strengthen indigenous resilience.
A new study led by York University reveals the American Bumblebee is critically endangered due to a 70% reduction in its area of occurrence and an 89% decrease in relative abundance. Immediate conservation action may save the species from extinction, similar to the fate of the Rusty-patched Bumblebee.
A new study finds that evolution is the key to understanding the 'speed limit' of recovery after mass extinctions, with a minimum time of 10 million years for species diversity to return. This finding has implications for ongoing extinction events driven by climate change.
Scientists studied planktic foraminifera fossil record, finding that global recovery took around ten million years after the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction. The study suggests that it will take an extremely long time, likely millions of years, to recover from current climate crisis.
Researchers argue that eliminating the entire tsetse fly family is not ethically justified due to its intrinsic value. Targeted elimination campaigns are proposed as a compromise to minimize harm while promoting human and animal well-being.
Neuroscientists identify 'extinction neurons' in the hippocampus that suppress fearful memories, but can also lead to relapse when activated. This discovery may help explain why exposure therapy sometimes stops working and could lead to new treatment options.
A global study found that a fungal disease has caused dramatic population declines in more than 500 amphibian species, resulting in 90 extinctions. Chytridiomycosis is present in over 60 countries and is considered one of the most damaging invasive species worldwide.
The study reveals Bd as one of the most destructive invasive species, causing at least 501 amphibian species decline. Despite this, some species show recovery and host resistance.
Two isolated mountain lion populations in southern California are threatened by low genetic diversity and mortality, which can be addressed through conservation strategies focused on connectivity and coexistence. Research suggests that connecting these populations could help prevent extinction within the next 50 years.
Researchers have discovered evidence of a major cosmic impact event in southern Chile, dating back to around 12,800 years ago. The impact is believed to have caused rapid climatic changes, biomass burning, and the extinction of megafauna, with similar effects observed in North America and Western Europe.
A Yale University study predicts that human land-use will increase the extinction risk for 1,700 species by 2070. This is due to habitat loss and fragmentation, particularly in Central and East Africa, Mesoamerica, South America, and Southeast Asia.
A new study by UCL researchers finds that alien species are the primary cause of recent global extinctions, responsible for 126 extinctions. Many plant and animal species, including mammals and birds, have been affected, with some species, such as rats and cats, being major contributors.
Researchers discovered a DNA modification that enhances fear extinction, enabling the brain to rapidly adapt to changing conditions. They found adenosine modifications in neurons involved in fear extinction, which increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and promote new non-fearful memories.
Research suggests that indigenous hunters play a crucial role in maintaining food webs in the Australian desert. The absence of human activity allowed invasive species to flourish, leading to extinctions of native animals. Traditional landscape burning practices also had a significant impact on the ecosystem.
Researchers revised the megalodon shark's extinction timeline, finding evidence of genuine fossil occurrences until 3.6 million years ago. The team proposes that competition with great white sharks led to megalodon's demise, rather than a supernova or marine mass extinction.
At least 200 large animal species are declining in population and over 150 are under threat of extinction due to humans' meat consumption habits. Megafauna populations are experiencing a 70% decline, with 59% facing extinction.
A study led by Theresa Cole found that modern penguin diversity is driven by islands, which created new opportunities for isolation and speciation. The research suggests human-caused extinctions have also played a role in shaping penguin diversity.
A Puerto Rico-based neuroscience lab, supported by NIH's National Institute of Mental Health, fosters intellectual growth and diversity among its young trainees through journal clubs, lab meetings, one-on-ones, and philosophy retreats. The lab has published over 80 papers and generates more than 2,000 citations annually.
The Threatened Species Recovery Hub has identified the top 100 Australian plant species facing extinction, with ground orchids topping the list. Urbanization, inappropriate fire regimes and introduced plant diseases are major drivers of these extinctions, highlighting the need for urgent conservation efforts to save these unique species.
Researchers found that sharks can become giants by evolving two possible pathways: mesothermic adaptation for self-temperature control or filter-feeding pathway for plankton consumption. However, these giant sharks face risks such as prey scarcity and toxic microplastics threatening their extinction.