Urban mammals adjust their daily activities to evade human encounters, altering predator-prey dynamics and increasing human overlap. This multi-species study reveals the timing of mammalian behavior changes in response to urbanization.
Human activity on Hainan Island is causing changes in the body shapes and diets of tropical birds, resulting in biotic homogenisation. Despite efforts to protect biodiversity, the island's unique ecosystem is being affected by large-scale economic and land-use changes.
Researchers at Kyoto University found that chimpanzees exhibit a preference for faces and skulls of their own species, similar to previous studies with African elephants. This suggests the presence of a face module in chimpanzee brains that detects and processes facial cues.
Researchers found that livestock grazing had no negative impact on snow leopard distribution or density, and the species can coexist due to their separate ecological niches. The study suggests a more nuanced approach to conservation and land use, prioritizing the preservation of rocky mosaics.
A team of researchers discovered that a single gene, AOP2, plays a critical role in maintaining species diversity in an ecosystem. The study found that mutations at this gene can dramatically alter the structure and function of an ecosystem.
Researchers used camera traps to monitor interactions between Panama's epiphytic Zamia pseudoparasitica and animals, revealing that a nocturnal tree-dwelling mammal called northern olingos may be responsible for seed dispersal. The study sheds light on the plant's persistence in the forest canopy.
A study found that higher doses of antibiotics are needed to eliminate bacterial infections with other microbes present. Researchers developed a model of the human airways to replicate poly-microbial infections, which often persist despite treatment in people with cystic fibrosis and other lung diseases.
Scientists at Emory University have identified Heartland virus in lone star ticks in central Georgia, confirming its active transmission within the state. The study reveals that the virus is evolving rapidly and may be confined to isolated areas, highlighting the need for further research on this emerging infectious disease.
Researchers found that kitchen sponges provide an optimal environment for microbial diversity by mimicking the separation and communal spaces found in healthy soil. This complex structure supports both solitary and diverse bacterial communities, leading to higher biodiversity levels.
Assistant Professor Emily Cohen at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science received a $750,000 NSF CAREER Award to study migrating birds as communities. This research aims to fill critical gaps in understanding animal migration by considering migratory animals as networks of ecological interactions.
Researchers found that dynamic ocean management is more effective in reducing accidental catch than permanent marine protected areas. Dynamic closures track real-time data and close smaller areas as species hotspots shift, resulting in up to 57% reduction in bycatch.
Researchers found animal-dispersed plant species' ability to adapt to climate change reduced by 60% due to bird and mammal losses. Global seed dispersal mapping revealed severe declines in temperate regions, with tropical areas at high risk if endangered species go extinct.
Researchers found dominant species in coastal sediments are copiotrophs with high growth rates, while those in ocean water are oligotrophs with low growth rates. The 'Hunger Games' hypothesis explains how nutrient supply influences microbial interactions and community structure.
Researchers discovered that California mice consume monarch butterflies, which could disrupt ecosystems due to declining western monarch populations. The study highlights the interconnectedness of species and the importance of conservation efforts to protect native animals.
Researchers found that indigenous people in Gabon possess an astonishing 732 plant and fruit-eating animal interactions, exceeding academic literature. Local knowledge is invaluable for understanding ecological processes, particularly in remote areas.
A new study reveals that widely distributed plant species are outcompeting rarer species for resources in European habitats. This shift is driven by increased nutrient levels in soils due to human activity, leading to competitive exclusion of smaller-ranged specialist species.
Researchers highlight the need for disease transmission assessments and mitigation measures to prevent pathogen spread from humans to wild animal populations. The study's recommendations include disease risk analysis to identify gaps in data and minimize the risk of disease transmission.
Researchers from Wellesley College discovered that honey bees (Apis cerana) produce unique sounds, including 'antipredator pipes', to warn fellow bees of giant hornet threats. These signals result in increased bee activity and defense actions against the attackers.
A new study from Georgia Institute of Technology reveals that increasing coral richness improves coral growth and survivorship. By 'outplanting' diverse coral species, researchers found a potential solution to restore climate-damaged reefs and support fisheries, tourism, and coastal protection.
Research in Borneo suggests that forest patches adjacent to palm oil plantations provide critical habitats for generalist species, including the Asian water monitor lizard. These refuges help maintain biodiversity in oil palm-dominated landscapes.
A Duke University-led study finds that if endangered primates disappear, up to 250 parasites could go extinct, including those with no other suitable hosts. This potential extinction cascade could have significant consequences for biodiversity and human health.
SourceDuke University·JournalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 23, 2021
A 15-year study found that the availability of beech nuts can predict bear intrusions into human habitats. The research used numerical modeling and observed beech flowering patterns to forecast bear activity, reducing direct conflicts between humans and bears.
Researchers used statistical models to study the co-evolutionary history of pierid butterflies and their host plants. They found that butterfly-plant relationships are resilient to changes in species composition but can destabilize over larger structural changes.
A study at the University of São Paulo found that bird species interacting with more plant species have higher evolutionary stability. This is because they occupy central positions in seed dispersal networks, leading to longer lifespans and increased species accumulation.
The Nesher Ramla fossils, dating back to 120,000-140,000 years ago, represent late survivors of a population of humans in the Middle East. The discovery suggests that interactions between different human species were more complex than previously believed, with genetic contributions from the Middle East into Europe during their evolution.
Researchers create unified model of direct and indirect reciprocity, demonstrating how cooperation can be a successful strategy. The study reveals that reputation and experience significantly influence willingness to cooperate, paving the way for new insights into human social norms.
A new analysis by researchers from around the world offers a deeper understanding of species interactions and their impact on ecosystem diversity. The study found that closely-related tree species interact weakly with each other, while distantly-related pairs can interact with surprising strength.
A research team at Kyoto University investigated the fossil record and evolutionary history of lagomorphs to answer why they don't rival horse sizes. They found that larger herbivore competitors and energetic disadvantage hindered their growth, with body sizes of ungulates being a key predictor.
Researcher Margarita López-Uribe will investigate the impact of artificial selection on pollinator ecology and evolution in agricultural landscapes. She aims to characterize changes in floral functional traits, pollinator foraging behavior, and genetic underpinnings of sensory system adaptations.
A decline in black cherry regeneration is reported, suggesting that environmental changes might impact other tree species in mixed forests. An increase in pathogens and reduced nitrogen deposition in soil are identified as key factors contributing to this decline.
Researchers found that artificial light at night reduces diurnal insect visits to plants that were illuminated during the nighttime. Beetles increased their visits instead. The study's findings highlight the indirect ecological effects of light pollution and call for further research to mitigate its impact.
The review article discusses modulation strategies for 2D semiconductors, including Coulomb interaction modification and influencing factors like initial photocarrier distribution and phonon-assisted relaxation. Researchers aim to provide guidance for developing robust methods tuning photocarrier relaxation behaviors.
A genomic study of over 500 common dolphins across 1,500 sq km reveals complex population structure and connectivity across state and international jurisdictions. The research emphasizes the importance of inter-jurisdictional collaboration to mitigate fisheries interactions and protect dolphin populations.
A recent study published in Communications Biology analysed the relationship between parasite dispersal capacity and genetic introgression rates. The research found that species with higher dispersal abilities present increased genomic signatures of introgression, which could have implications for understanding parasite-host dynamics.
A study in India found that human fatalities from wildlife conflict result in much higher damages than crop and livestock losses, highlighting the need to focus on reducing negative interactions with high-risk species. The researchers estimated that farmers in conflict with elephants suffer up to 900 times higher damages.
Researchers have discovered three undesired off-cycle pathways in nickel-catalysed Negishi cross-coupling reactions, including ligand scavenging, reduction-oxidation pathways and the formation of unorthodox Ni/Zn clusters. The study provides a new understanding of the inner workings of these reactions.
The decline of freshwater mussels in Japan has heightened hybridization between native and introduced bitterling fish species, threatening the native population. The loss of host mussels increases competition for breeding substrates, leading to a cascade of extinctions.
Physicists at LMU Munich identified topological phases in a biological model system, showing a strong degree of polarization in evolutionary dynamics. The study applies solid-state physics concepts to understand the emergence of such effects in biology.
Researchers used symbolic regression to explain why some species exist in certain regions and the number of species on islands increases with age, peaking at intermediate ages. This breakthrough proposes that explainable AI is a promising field for human-machine cooperation in ecology
A study on honey bees found that individual differences in social interactions lead to universal patterns of behavior across species. Genetically related bees show fewer individual differences than humans, but still exhibit some variation in interaction frequency and food sharing.
A study published in mSphere found that gut microbiota from healthy donors can improve symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through microbial transfer therapy (MTT). The research showed significant metabolic changes in plasma samples and modest alterations in fecal samples after the procedure.
Researchers propose a new framework to study coexistence in multi-species systems, showing that global dynamics can be predicted from pairwise interactions. The model uses time-scale separation and replicator equations to capture the essence of competition between multiple strategies.
New research by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and University of Exeter reveals that mountain gorilla groups are more likely to be friendly with each other when they meet again, even if they had split over a decade earlier. This behavior is similar to human friendships and may help the group share limited space and resources.
Researchers found that cats are more likely to slow blink at their owners if they have received a slow blink stimulus, and approach the experimenter after slow blinking. This technique can provide positive communication between cats and humans, enhancing the bond and potentially improving feline welfare.
European wildcats are at risk of genetic replacement by domestic cats due to hybridization, which can lead to the loss of distinct gene pools and ultimately extinction. A new study predicts that this process could occur within 200-300 years, even with conservation efforts.
Research on fences, a ubiquitous human landscape alteration, highlights profound ecosystem consequences of movement restriction. Fences have been found to isolate specialist species, alter community composition, and disrupt turtle migration patterns.
Researchers have developed a method to break down thick biomass material using microwave pulses, reducing viscosity and breaking polymer chains. The plasma-liquid interaction forms reactive species that help degrade biomass, making it easier to produce biogas.
Researchers found that herring gulls pay attention to human gaze direction, reacting faster and more aggressively when watched than when ignored. The study also confirms the bolder nature of urban gulls compared to rural ones.
A team of researchers offers new explanations for how living systems form ordered patterns through instabilities in un-patterned systems. The study revisits Turing's theory to prove mathematically how instabilities can occur through simple reactions and widely varied environmental conditions.
Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital have identified key factors influencing the success of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in treating C. difficile infection. They developed an algorithm to design personalized probiotic cocktails, which contain species effective inhibitors of C. difficile and can be administered to pat...
Researchers tracked seven whitespotted eagle rays for 119.6 hours, revealing their fine-scale movement patterns and habitat use. The study found that rays prefer shallower waters during the night and faster movement in ocean habitats.
Researchers from the University of Exeter's Living Systems Institute use light to monitor individual molecule structure and properties in real-time. The team temporarily bridges molecules together, allowing for crucial insight into their dynamics.
A new Cornell University study found that 65% of bee species and 75% of flower species carried pathogens, with diseases transmitted between bees and flowers. In simplified landscapes with more farmland, the dominant bumblebee species spread pathogens across many more flowers, reducing individual bee exposure to new pathogens.
A study of 10 tree species found significant year-to-year variation in the effect of warming on tree leafing. Warming in early spring advanced leafing more than in late spring, and climate change may lead to increased risk of mistimed leafing and altered interactions between species.
A recent study reveals that marine species are shifting their populations towards the poles in response to ocean warming, with significant implications for global biodiversity and coastal ecosystems. The research found a consistent pattern of species abundance increases at poleward edges and declines at equatorward edges.
Researchers found that smaller forest fragments result in fewer species and interactions between plants and seed-dispersing birds. This leads to a loss of ecological functions, including constant forest regeneration, with larger bird species playing a crucial role in dispersing large seeds.
The Amazon rainforest could disappear within a lifetime if a tipping point is reached, according to new research. Ecosystems dominated by single species are more stable and take longer to shift, while the loss of key species like elephants can trigger rapid changes.
A new research tool allows biologists to watch in real time the cell renewal process that keeps gut tissue healthy, as well as the interactions between bacterial species that make up the microbiome. Researchers discovered regional differences in microbiome stability that mimic the regionality of stem cell activity.
Researchers found that elephants display a generalized interest in their dead, with common behaviors including touching, approaching, and investigating carcasses. This suggests that elephants may be experiencing some form of emotional response to death, potentially related to grief or memory.
A new study shows that warmer seawater with lower pH can alter the feeding habits of the peppery furrow shell, a common clam, leading to greater tolerance among surface-dwelling invertebrates. This change affects the interaction network between porewater nutrients, primary producers, and burrowing invertebrates.