Articles tagged with Extinction
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A study analyzing 588 fossil land vertebrate specimens from the Karoo Basin, South Africa, found high extinction rates initially co-occurred with low origination rates. The ancient mammal relative Lystrosaurus experienced population peaks both before and after the end-Permian extinction event.
A new study reveals that gray wolves adapted their diet over thousands of years, shifting from a reliance on horses during the Pleistocene to caribou and moose today. The researchers found that horses accounted for half of the ancient wolf diet, while modern diets consist mainly of caribou and moose.
A new metric, STAR, measures the impact of human activities on biodiversity, revealing that conserving 9% of land could reduce global extinction risk by half. By abating threats in key areas, companies and countries can report reductions in species loss and contribute to the global biodiversity target.
A University of Guam review finds conservation projects have lacked publishable results, revealing the need for adaptive management. The study highlights the importance of including published research scientists in funded conservation projects to generate new knowledge and inform decisions.
The Pyrenean Ibex's decline was driven by a combination of hunting and infectious diseases, which further reduced its already low genetic diversity. The species' eventual extinction highlights the importance of historical biological collections for genetic analyses of extinct species.
Researchers found that climate change poses a significant extinction threat to Tidestrom's lupine, a plant with only seven known populations. A 1°C temperature increase is projected to reduce individual plants by 90%, with local extinction likely for one population.
A global summary of species functions revealed that more than half of species perform less than 20% of the group's functions, with only a few species performing unique roles. This study highlights the importance of conserving functionally unique species to maintain ecosystem services and human well-being.
Researchers propose that plants evolved for long-distance seed dispersal and rapid growth as adaptations for megafaunal mutualisms. These traits allowed them to thrive in human-dominated landscapes, contributing to the global dominance of certain plant families. The study suggests that exaptation traits played a key role in the domesti...
A review of 126 marine mammal species reveals that accidental capture, climate change, and pollution are driving declines. Conservation efforts have saved some species, but many more are at risk, including the vaquita porpoise and North Atlantic right whale.
Researchers have found that Oldowan and Acheulean stone tool technologies are likely to be tens of thousands of years older than previously thought. Using statistical modeling techniques, the study estimates the origins of these early stone tools at 2.617-2.644 million years ago for Oldowan and 1.815-1.823 million years ago for Acheulean.
The review paper highlights extinction risks of cycad species in U.S. controlled lands due to geopolitical boundaries. Coordinating conservation measures across multiple governments and countries is necessary to mitigate these risks.
A study published in Nature Communications reveals that even if ecosystem services themselves aren't directly threatened, they can become vulnerable to secondary extinctions when surrounding species go extinct. This highlights the need to protect key species that support these services to mitigate indirect threats.
A new report finds that western US butterfly populations are declining rapidly due to fall warming trends, which induce physiological stress and affect development and hibernation preparation. Conservation efforts in urban areas with constant water flow will be crucial in preventing further declines and extinction.
The study reveals that despite local coral loss, global extinction risk is lower for most species due to broad geographic ranges and huge population sizes. The researchers estimate that only a few dozen of the 80 considered species are threatened with extinction.
Researchers have found asteroid dust inside a Chicxulub impact crater, confirming the link between asteroid impacts and dinosaur extinction. The discovery seals the deal, with elevated levels of iridium and other asteroid elements matching those in geologic layers worldwide.
The study documents the discovery of Purgatorius fossils, which are estimated to be 65.9 million years old, providing insight into primates' evolution and diversification after the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event. The findings suggest that primates likely emerged by the Late Cretaceous period and lived alongside large dinosaurs.
Researchers have developed a new type of photonic crystal fiber with a hybrid Kagome-tubular lattice structure, achieving ultralow loss and single-mode operation. The fiber's cladding design significantly reduces confinement loss and ensures robust single-mode performance.
New research suggests climate change, not overhunting by humans, led to the extinction of mammoths and other megafauna in North America. The findings, based on a new statistical modelling approach, show that drastic temperature swings around 13,000 years ago initiated the decline and extinction of these massive creatures.
Three of five sawfish species are critically endangered due to easily caught rostra in fishing nets and valuable fins in the shark fin trade. Conservation efforts focus on eight countries where protections can save the species; adequate protections exist in Australia and the US for some remaining populations.
Researchers use innovative 3D imaging technology to analyze joint mobility in living animals and apply patterns to reconstruct extinct dinosaurs' walking and running cycles. The study provides new perspectives on understanding animal biomechanics and its applications in evolutionary transitions.
A recent study reveals Florida's delayed response to a coral disease epidemic resulted in massive coral deaths, with key findings highlighting the importance of early intervention and effective management strategies.
A new study led by Universität Bayreuth researchers found that future climate-related species extinction could be less severe than predictions based only on current global warming trends. The research team used palaeobiological and climate science models to investigate how long-term temperature trends and short-term changes affect spec...
A global team of scientists warns that humans face a catastrophic future due to environmental degradation, population growth, and political inaction. The researchers highlight the urgent need for concrete changes to mitigate these threats, including ending fossil fuel use and empowering women.
A team of researchers studied over 3,500 leaf fossils from Patagonia, Argentina, and found a surprising 92% species-level extinction rate in the region. The study suggests that despite high extinction rates, South American plant families largely survived and grew more diverse during the Paleogene period.
Researchers found that mass extinctions of land-dwelling animals, including amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds, coincide with major asteroid impacts and devastating volcanic outpourings of lava. The study suggests that these periodic events may be triggered by comets and are linked to the Earth's orbit in the Galaxy.
A new study using AI to examine the fossil record found that mass extinctions rarely create productive periods of species evolution, or 'radiations,' contrary to traditional ideas. Instead, the study suggests that many remarkable times of evolutionary radiation occurred when life entered new environments.
A clear goal is needed to stop human-driven species extinctions, but current drafts risk failure. Scientists propose an ambitious, unambiguous goal with quantifiable elements to measure progress and prevent perverse outcomes.
Researchers report a shift towards endemism in Tasmanian devil facial tumor disease (DFTD), a fatal transmissible cancer threatening the species' extinction. The study suggests DFTD may go extinct or coexist with populations, reducing the threat of extinction.
A team of researchers has rediscovered the Endodonta christenseni land snail, previously presumed extinct, on the remote Hawaiian island of Nihoa. The discovery highlights the need for conservation efforts to protect this species and its habitat from human disturbances and climate change.
A study led by UCL researchers found that flightlessness evolved in birds at least four times as often as expected. With 166 extinct species lacking flying ability, the findings show how human-driven extinctions have biased our understanding of evolution, altering most ecosystems worldwide.
A University of Stirling study found a decrease in self-reported sea turtle egg consumption and poaching of adult sea turtles after a community-based campaign. However, the increase in anti-poaching law enforcement may have impacted results.
Climate change was a major factor in the extinction of 38 genera of large mammals in North America at the end-Pleistocene glacial-interglacial transition. The species' histories and adaptive tolerances were critical in their survival during earlier transitions, but not at the last transition when humans arrived.
Researchers found that plankton species shifted from relying on sunlight to capturing food and eating it after the asteroid impact, allowing them to survive. This adaptation suggests that the lack of light played a crucial role in killing off some species, but others adapted to thrive.
A new study found that climate change is driving plant extinctions in the German Black Forest, with two species already extinct and many more declining. The researchers predict that 10 more specialist species will disappear by 2045 if conditions progress as expected.
Researchers used fossil records to estimate extinction risk in marine bivalves, finding that many harvested species are widespread and tolerant of environmental changes. However, the study highlights the need for more complete data on human impact to inform conservation efforts.
A new gene expression study by McLean Hospital researchers identifies CREB as a molecular switch regulating fear and extinction. Targeting this gene in neurons may provide new insights and treatments for anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
A three-year $591,000 NSF grant will help geoscientist Ben Gill solve the riddle of the Triassic mass-extinction event. The study aims to determine the longer-term timeline of changes in life and environment before and after the extinction, as well as assess the role of oxygen content changes in the oceans.
A new study reconstructs the Permian-Triassic boundary event, revealing that massive volcanic activities in Siberia triggered the extinction of 95% of ocean life. The team used fossil brachiopod shells to analyze isotopes and simulate Earth's processes, concluding that warming and acidification led to catastrophic consequences.
A recent study suggests that heightened human activities and a severe region-wide aridity spell contributed to the megafauna collapse in Madagascar. The researchers analyzed paleoclimate records from the Mascarene islands, revealing a 'double whammy' of stressors that may have doomed the extinct species.
A recent study combining climate modeling and fossil records reveals that climate change played a major role in the extinction of past Homo species. Despite technological advancements, these ancient humans were unable to adapt to changing temperatures, leading to their demise.
Research by Arizona State University professor Andrew Smith finds that American pikas are adapting well to warm temperatures, with healthy populations across their range. The species is able to tolerate a broader set of habitat conditions than previously understood, coping with heat by retreating to underground habitats.
Scientists have developed a world-first method to detect 'novel' communities of species, which are associated with increased extinction rates. Novel ecological communities are characterized by unique combinations of species that differ from past observations at the same site.
Researchers found that the loss of grasslands was instrumental in the extinction of many megafauna, including ancient humans like Homo erectus. Tropical forests dominated the region from present-day Myanmar to Indonesia, but began to give way to savannah environments around a million years ago.
Researchers found that the formation of the Isthmus of Panama led to a significant reduction in native South American mammal diversity, allowing North American immigrants to thrive. The resulting asymmetry has lasting effects on modern species distribution.
A study on fossils reveals that native South American mammals were disproportionately extinct, leading to a higher number of North American ancestors in the region. This biotic exchange event resulted from the formation of the Isthmus of Panama.
An automated assessment approach using machine learning algorithms identifies over 4,300 potentially threatened orchid species, highlighting conservation priority areas such as Madagascar, East Africa, and South-east Asia.
A new study warns that climate change could drive Komodo dragons to extinction due to habitat loss and sea-level rise. The research suggests that conservation strategies are not enough to protect the species in the face of global warming.
A recent study published in Conservation Letters reveals that conservation efforts have prevented the global extinction of at least 28 bird and mammal species since 1993. The species include the Puerto Rican Amazon, Przewalski's Horse, and Iberian Lynx, among others.
A new study finds that human impact is responsible for 96% of all mammal extinctions over the last 126,000 years. The research suggests that mammals were resilient to extreme fluctuations in climate and that current climate change poses a significant threat to species
The extinction of mites, crucial to ecosystems worldwide, is occurring at an alarming rate, threatening environmental health and species survival. Human activities such as habitat destruction and climate change exacerbate the issue.
American mastodons moved north from southern ranges in response to warming climate conditions and melting ice sheets. Genetic analysis suggests that these massive increases in territory made northern populations more vulnerable to extinction.
A recent study found that only 80 primate studies investigated the effectiveness of conservation interventions, highlighting a severe lack of evidence for effective conservation. The authors propose several actions to improve the evidence base, including increasing resources for intervention-effectiveness testing and publication.
Researchers have assembled a comprehensive checklist of Panama's tree species, including their estimated geographic ranges, providing a quantitative basis for assessing extinction risk and guiding conservation efforts. The study found that 16.2% of Panama's tree species had ranges less than 20,000 km2, signaling endangered status.
Researchers sequenced ancient DNA from 14 woolly rhinoceroses and found that the species remained stable and diverse until temperatures rose too high for them, leading to extinction around 18,500 years ago. Genetic mutations helped the animals adapt to colder weather, but climate change ultimately contributed to their demise.
A new study of over 44,000 species reveals herbivores have consistently faced the highest threat of extinction in modern times, past decades, and the late Pleistocene era. The research also shows that ocean predators are facing greater existential pressures than their land-dwelling counterparts.
A global study by Utah State University researchers suggests that plant-eaters, including megaherbivores, are the most at-risk group for extinction. Human activities have led to the disproportionate extinction of herbivores compared to predators since the late Pleistocene.
A new mouse lemur species, Microcebus jonahi, has been identified in northeastern Madagascar with a divergent lineage and smallest primate size. The discovery emphasizes the urgent need to address deforestation and habitat loss threatening Madagascar's unique biodiversity.
A new native Hawaiian land snail species has been discovered after a decade-long survey of the islands. The discovery brings a glimmer of hope for conservation efforts, with scientists describing a small candy-striped snail that shows pronounced variation in coloring and is less than two-tenths of an inch long.
Thanks to a decade-long collaboration, the global population of the critically endangered Chinese crested tern has more than doubled, from fewer than 50 adults to over 100. The project used social attraction techniques to lure adult seabirds to restoration sites with suitable nesting habitat.
Researchers reconstructed paleoclimate conditions from stalagmites in Apulia, Italy, finding minimal significant climate fluctuations. The findings challenge the climate change hypothesis as a cause of Neanderthal extinction.