Glyphosate pesticide does not cause mortality in bumble bees
Glyphosate is the most commonly used pesticide in the world, and is widely used in agriculture. While glyphosate has been deemed 'bee-safe' by regulators, some emerging evidence studies suggest that it has negative effects on bees. For that reason, d.....»»
Investigating coal emissions reductions and mortality in China
In 2012, China was the largest consumer of coal in the world. In 2013, the State Council of China issued the "China National Action Plan on Air Pollution Prevention and Control," aiming to reduce emissions from coal combustion. The plan included reno.....»»
Most bees don"t die after stinging—and other surprising bee facts
Most of us have been stung by a bee and we know it's not much fun. But maybe we also felt a tinge of regret, or vindication, knowing the offending bee will die. Right? Well, for 99.96% of bee species, that's not actually the case......»»
Sugar gums have a reputation as risky branch-droppers but they"re important to bees, parrots and possums
I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne's Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for many decades. It was a fine tree—tall and dominating. Less than a year after my retirement, it shed a couple of major l.....»»
Researchers help migrating salmon survive mortality hot-spot
When Kevin Ryan and the other hardworking volunteers at Mossom Creek Hatchery in Port Moody, B.C. release young coho smolts into the ocean, they're never quite certain how many will return as adults......»»
Honey bees experience multiple health stressors out in the field
It's not a single pesticide or virus stressing honey bees, and affecting their health, but exposure to a complex web of multiple interacting stressors encountered while at work pollinating crops, new research from York University has found......»»
Bumblebees don"t care about pesticide cocktails: Research highlights their resilience to chemical stressors
Bumblebees appear to be quite resistant to common pesticides. This is shown by a new study, the results of which have now been published by scientists from Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) in the journal Environment International......»»
How do trees survive dry and hot summers? Leaf lifespan and growth recovery are key
Climate change has an effect on forests and trees. They suffer from heat waves and periods of drought. But although we see tree mortality increase as a result, much is still unknown about the underlying mechanisms......»»
Deforestation harms biodiversity of the Amazon"s perfume-loving orchid bees
A survey of orchid bees in the Brazilian Amazon state of Rondônia, carried out in the 1990s, is shedding new light on the impact of deforestation on the scent-collecting pollinators, which some view as bellwethers of biodiversity in the neotropics......»»
Single-crop farming has potential to harm bees, study finds
Mass-blooming, monoculture crop fields don't seem to reduce the microbial diversity in a bee's gut, University of Oregon researchers have found in a study of sunflower farms, but they do amplify the spread of infectious parasites......»»
Automated bioacoustics: Researchers are listening in on insects to better gauge environmental health
Recent research led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst evaluates how well machine learning can identify different insect species by their sound, from malaria-carrying mosquitoes and grain-hungry weevils to crop-pollinating bees and sap-suckin.....»»
Direct and indirect consumption activities drive urban-rural inequalities in air pollution-related mortality in China
Household consumption in China is associated with substantial PM2.5 pollution through activities directly (i.e., fuel use) and/or indirectly (i.e., consumption of goods and services) causing pollutant emissions. Urban and rural households exhibit dif.....»»
Mexico delays ban on controversial herbicide
The Mexican government has postponed a ban on the use of glyphosate, saying it has not found an alternative for the controversial weed killer......»»
Behavior of ant queens found to be shaped by their social environments
The queens in colonies of social insects, such as ants, bees, and wasps, are considered the veritable embodiment of specialization in the animal kingdom......»»
Research finds honey bees may be at risk for colony collapse from longer, warmer fall seasons
The famous work ethic of honey bees might spell disaster for these busy crop pollinators as the climate warms, new research indicates......»»
Rose essential oil: A safe pesticide for organic agriculture
Plant-derived essential oils (EOs) find applications in various industries, such as detergents, cosmetics, pharmacology, and food additives. Moreover, EOs have an exceptional safety profile, and their numerous bioactivities greatly benefit human heal.....»»
Researchers use an edible blue-green algae to protect honey bees against viruses
Scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have developed an edible antiviral treatment that can be used to protect honey bees against deformed wing virus (DWV) and other viruses, according.....»»
Good news for gray whales: "Unusual mortality event" declared over
It was a worrisome few years for North Pacific gray whales, with hundreds washing up dead on shorelines along the West Coast leading to an estimated 30% decline in their population......»»
Pesticide-free as a new pathway for agriculture
A new approach is gaining momentum in European agriculture: a "third way" that lies between conventional production and organic farming systems. Here farmers must forego synthetic pesticides only—which is simpler to implement than a switch to organ.....»»
New starting point discovered in the fight against P. aeruginosa
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen responsible for life-threatening infections that are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Researchers from TWINCORE, the Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Re.....»»
Study finds increasing frequency and scale of mass mortality events among farmed salmon since 2012
The frequency and scale of mass mortality events—events where large numbers of organisms die in short periods of time—among farmed salmon have increased since 2012, according to a study published in Scientific Reports......»»