More naturally occurring trees and less clustering could benefit urban forests
Excessive clustering of tree species in urban forests and overreliance on introduced species may make urban forests more vulnerable to pests or disease and reduce their ecosystem benefits, a study published today in eLife shows......»»
Species diversity found to be directly correlated with productivity in eastern US forests
When scientists and policymakers make tough calls on which areas to prioritize for conservation, biodiversity is often their top consideration. Environments with more diversity support a greater number of species and provide more ecosystem services,.....»»
What your fruit bowl reveals about climate breakdown
Spring arrived in style on March 26 2021 in Kyoto, Japan, as cherry trees reached the peak of their bloom. This marked the earliest recorded date when most flowers have opened in a series of annual records dating back to 812 AD—over 1,200 years......»»
Tasmania"s tall eucalypt forests will be wiped out by heat waves unless we step in to help them
Tasmania's tall eucalypt forests are globally significant. They accumulate carbon faster than any other natural forest ecosystem in the world......»»
An account of Australia"s oldest, boldest trees
Every state and territory in Australia has got big things. Consider the big Merino ram, big chooks, big Ned Kelly, or even the big golden guitar......»»
Elucidating urban "ecosystems" and creating regional diversity
What is a city? What are the geographical conditions and social factors that lead to the concentration of population in an area, and how does urbanization progress? And what is needed to create urban environments that meet the diversifying lifestyles.....»»
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.....»»
Research reveals global wildfire risk trends in wildland–urban interface areas
Wildfires present complex socio-economic and ecological challenges, as they devastate vegetation, endanger communities, and cause extensive environmental, wildlife, and human health impacts. These consequences include severe air pollution and soaring.....»»
"Modern-day redlining": Research investigates Wall Street-backed rental market
Carol Camp Yeakey, the Marshall S. Snow Professor of Arts & Sciences and founding director of Washington University in St. Louis's Center on Urban Research & Public Policy, is leading a two-year national study to examine the surge of corporate invest.....»»
People Hate the Idea of Car-Free Cities—Until They Live in One
Removing cars from urban areas means lower carbon emissions, less air pollution, and fewer road traffic accidents. So why are residents so resistant?.....»»
Increased risk of major bark beetle outbreaks in Norway
The European spruce bark beetle has killed several hundred million spruce trees in Sweden and Central Europe in the last five years. A warmer climate will ultimately result in more damage also in Norwegian spruce forests. Fewer spruce trees and softe.....»»
Nvidia’s AI game demo puts endless dialogue trees everywhere
Nvidia's impressive AI-driven game characters were showed up in a playable demo -- but it just amounts to more endless dialogue trees......»»
Cacao plants" defense against toxic cadmium unveiled
Researchers from the University Grenoble Alpes (UGA), France, together with the ESRF, the European Synchrotron located in Grenoble, France, used ESRF's bright X-rays to unveil how cacao trees protect themselves from toxic metal cadmium. This knowledg.....»»
Harnessing hyperspectral imaging and machine learning for rubber tree nutrient management
Rubber trees are essential for natural rubber, and require precise nutrient management. Traditional methods for assessing nutrient levels are expensive and destructive, but near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral techniques offer a promising nondestructive.....»»
Transforming wood waste for sustainable manufacturing
Lignin, a complex organic polymer, is one of the main components of wood, providing structural support and rigidity to make trees strong enough to withstand the elements. When transforming wood into paper, lignin is a key ingredient that must be remo.....»»
Keeping in touch: Why businesses are cultivating relationships with former employees
For many people, leaving a job can be like leaving a family—and because of the personal and professional bonds they've forged, many naturally stay in touch with their former coworkers and keep apprised of what's happening in the organization......»»
Magpies under siege from climate and man-made noise
The combined impact of climate change and human-generated noise are proving double trouble for wild urban-dwelling bird species, changing their behavior in ways that could threaten their survival......»»
Urban greening can lead to an increase of rodent-borne zoonotic pathogens
Wild rodents can host a great diversity of zoonotic pathogens. Rodents that live close to humans increase the likelihood of the transfer of such pathogens. "Changes in the environment, such as urban greening, can increase the presence of rodents and.....»»
The hands-on drive for sustainable living in Europe
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment......»»
Searching for the decay of nature"s rarest isotope: Tantalum-180m
Tantalum is one of the rarest elements and has multiple stable isotopes. The least abundant tantalum isotope, Ta-180 is found naturally in a long-lived excited state, a feature unique to this isotope. In excited states, a nuclei's protons or neutrons.....»»
City mouse or country mouse? Biologist collects mice from homes to study how they got so good at urban living
Dusty barns, gleaming stables and damp basements. These are all places where you might find a house mouse—or a member of my research team......»»