Biodiversity in crabs: More than counting species
Biodiversity is often equated with species numbers. A team led by LMU zoologist Professor Carolin Haug has shown that matters are a good deal more complicated than that. The researchers compared the shield shapes of "true" crabs (Brachyura) and "fals.....»»
Will climate change lead to the extinction of a newly discovered tarantula species?
A new species of tarantula spider, Aphonopelma jacobii, has been discovered from the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona. This small, black and gray tarantula species has fiery red hairs on its abdomen and can be found in the high-elevation.....»»
New insights on how bird flu crosses the species barrier
In recent years, public health measures, surveillance, and vaccination have helped bring about significant progress in reducing the impact of seasonal flu epidemics, caused by human influenza viruses A and B. However, a possible outbreak of avian inf.....»»
Survey of nature"s superhero, eelgrass, kicks off California bridge project
Two researchers in an inflatable boat glided out onto Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlsbad, California, August 15, looking for eelgrass, an underwater plant that provides a nursery for fish, crabs, shrimp and other sealife......»»
Crackles, clicks and pops—now we can monitor the "heartbeat" of soil
Healthy soil is teeming with life. An astonishing 59% of Earth's species live in soil. They play crucial roles in maintaining soil health and, by extension, the health of our planet......»»
Review of 400 years of scientific literature corrects the Dodo extinction record
Researchers are setting out to challenge our misconceptions about the Dodo, one of the most well-known but poorly understood species of bird......»»
Elongated tortoises exhibit minimal genetic variation, aiding conservation efforts
The genetic homogeneity of the endangered elongated tortoise aids the species' protection, as demonstrated in a study by Senckenberg researchers and an international team, published in the journal Salamandra......»»
New research shows agricultural impacts on soil microbiome and fungal communities
New research from Smithsonian's Bird Friendly Coffee program highlights a type of biodiversity that often gets overlooked: soil bacteria and fungal communities. For over twenty years, Smithsonian research has shown that coffee farms with shade trees.....»»
Islands in the sky: Could steep-sided hilltops offer safe haven to threatened species?
Species are disappearing at an alarming rate around the world. But Australia's extinction crisis is especially severe—since European colonization, we have lost about 100 species of animals and plants. The loss of 33 mammal species is largely due to.....»»
A new advanced framework to assess the impact of invasive plants on ecosystems
Researchers from the University of Freiburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen have developed a framework to better assess the impact of invasive plant species on ecosystems......»»
Researchers propose method to manage the invasive weed congress grass
The invasive North American plant species Parthenium hysterophorus, commonly known as Santa Maria feverfew and famine weed, is now present in Africa, Australia, and India, where it is locally known in English as congress grass......»»
New generation of ecological models needed to safeguard future of biodiversity, says researcher
Protecting animals, ecosystems and biodiversity is one of the big challenges of our time. With climate change dramatically impacting the planet and transformations in society such as housing development and urbanization, protecting ecosystems and the.....»»
As human activities expand in Antarctica, scientists identify crucial conservation sites
A team of scientists led by the University of Colorado Boulder has identified 30 new areas critical for conserving biodiversity in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. In a study published Aug. 15 in the journal Conservation Biology, the resear.....»»
"Monster plants": An expert guide to alien invasive species and the epic battles they win
A lot of people think of plants as pretty to look at, but defenseless and passive as far as organisms go. However, the many alien species—or "monster plants"—around us show we should never underestimate plants and the fascinating battles that go.....»»
First biogeographic map of ants reveals nine global realms
The distribution of species around the globe is not a random process but an outcome resulting from several evolutionary mechanisms as well as past and current environmental limitations. As a result, since the mid-19th century, biologists have identif.....»»
Unraveling modern bread wheat from the genes up
A genomic resource for the wild grass species Tausch's goatgrass (Aegilops tauschii) has been developed by a team of international researchers led by KAUST. This new understanding will accelerate gene discovery research and shed new light on the stor.....»»
Some solitary mammals have surprisingly social lives: What one researcher has learned from a tiny south African rodent
We probably all know someone who lives a solitary life. But not everyone realizes that there are solitary individuals in the animal kingdom, too. Examples of solitary species are some shrews, and large predators, such as black bears (Ursus americanus.....»»
Study reveals urban trees suffer more from heat waves and drought than their rural counterparts
A recently published study in Ecological Applications details how trees in New York City and Boston are more negatively impacted by heat waves and drought than trees of the same species in nearby rural forests. The finding, made by researchers at the.....»»
Scientists cook up a plan to save freshwater crocodiles from toxic cane toads
Scientists from Macquarie University working with Bunuba Indigenous rangers and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) in Western Australia have trialed a new way to protect freshwater crocodiles from deadly invasive cane.....»»
The plight of the pig-nosed turtle, one of the unlucky 13 added to Australia"s threatened species list
Australia's unique biodiversity is under siege. The national list of species threatened with extinction is growing, with eight animals and five plants added just last month......»»
New evidence from West Papua offers fresh clues about how and when humans first moved into the Pacific
In the deep human past, highly skilled seafarers made daring crossings from Asia to the Pacific Islands. It was a migration of global importance that shaped the distribution of our species—Homo sapiens—across the planet......»»