New Ardisia species found in Yunnan
Ardisia (coralberry or marlberry) is the largest genus of flowering plants in Myrsinoideae, Primulaceae, distributed mainly in tropical and subtropical Asia. Several revisions based on morphology have attempted to clarify the taxonomy and systematics.....»»
Human mouth bacteria reproduce through rare form of cell division, research reveals
One of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet is closer than you think—right inside your mouth. Your mouth is a thriving ecosystem of more than 500 different species of bacteria living in distinct, structured communities called biofilms. Nearly.....»»
New marine species found "hidden" in plain sight
An international team of researchers delved into museum collections and discovered new species of sponge-associated zoantharian, a small colonial organism similar to anemones......»»
Understanding how human activity impacts zooplankton is essential for managing and protecting lakewater
Freshwater ecosystems are impacted by human activities, including climate change, pollution and invasive species......»»
New species of Antarctic dragonfish highlights its threatened ecosystem
A new species of Antarctic dragonfish, Akarotaxis gouldae or Banded Dragonfish, has been discovered in waters off the western Antarctic Peninsula by researchers at William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). The species, named in ho.....»»
Number of fish species at risk of extinction five-fold higher than previous estimates according to new prediction
Researchers predict that 12.7% of marine teleost fish species are at risk of extinction, up five-fold from the International Union for Conservation of Nature's prior estimate of 2.5%......»»
Spectroscopy study reveals electrons in cocatalyst periphery drive photocatalytic hydrogen evolution
Synchronizing periodic excitations of photocatalysts with a Michelson interferometer on operando FT–IR spectroscopy, researchers led by Toshiki Sugimoto succeeded in observing and identifying the reactive electron species for photocatalytic hydroge.....»»
Machine-learning models can predict colonization outcomes of complex microbial communities
Microbial communities are constantly exposed to the invasion of exogenous species, which can significantly alter their composition and function. The capacity of a microbial community to resist invasion is regarded as an emergent property resulting fr.....»»
Larger ant colonies drive the evolution of worker castes: Division of labor is key to life"s complexity, says study
Just like human societies, ant societies have a division of labor. Within a colony, some individuals feed the young while others are soldiers who protect the colony from intruders. New research across 794 ant species, published in Nature Ecology & Ev.....»»
Extreme weather threatens survival of seabirds and seals
Scientists have identified the Australian and Antarctic marine predators most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and it will help focus conservation efforts for species under threat......»»
Citizen scientists can help save Australia"s threatened species if given more direction
Across Australia and around the world, citizen scientists are protecting species by recording sightings, surveying landscapes and collecting samples. No job is too big or too small. As wildlife ecologists, we are indebted to this army of volunteers......»»
A price on their heads? Implications of international trade for African hornbills in Cameroon
Tropical birds known for their massive bills, hornbills include 32 Asian and 27 African species in the avian family Bucerotidae. Many hornbills have a casque on their upper mandible, which in some species is spectacularly colorful. Many species also.....»»
Moving beyond the pathology of policies pushing species toward extinction
A James Cook University researcher says scientists need to learn how to play the "politics game" if they don't want conservation goals to be continually ignored......»»
Moths may use disco gene to regulate day/night cycles
How does one species become two? If you're a biologist, that's a loaded question. The consensus is that, in most cases, the process of speciation occurs when individuals from a single population become geographically isolated. If they remain separate.....»»
Rare whale species observed during recent Antarctic expedition
Research by Wageningen Marine Research and partners on the relationship between sea ice and the Southern Ocean food web investigates various components of that food web, including the so-called "top predators," or seabirds and marine mammals. To map.....»»
Population genetic insights into the conservation of common walnut (Juglans regia) in Central Asia
Understanding species distribution, differentiation and the factors affecting genetic diversity is important for sustainable conservation and effective management, as well as the rational utilization of species germplasm......»»
Are Earth"s missing millions of undescribed insect species extinction-prone?
In new research, Griffith ecologists have highlighted the millions of insects that remain undiscovered and unnamed by scientists were likely to be more vulnerable to extinction than named species......»»
Satellites reveal ecosystems most vulnerable to drought
More severe droughts that will also last longer: this will primarily be a problem for irrigated croplands, as discovered by environmental scientist Qi Chen. Mixed forests with a variety of plant species will be the least vulnerable. Chen compared the.....»»
Volunteers record bee biodiversity and discover new species in Pennsylvania
Community scientists in Pennsylvania have reported multiple new species of bees never before found in the commonwealth through a monitoring program led by Penn State......»»
This bird species was extinct in Europe. Now it"s back, and humans must help it migrate for winter
How do you teach a bird how, and where, to fly? The distinctive Northern Bald Ibis, hunted essentially to extinction by the 17th century, was revived by breeding and rewilding efforts over the last two decades. But the birds—known for their distinc.....»»
Bird species are disappearing at an alarming rate in Kenya, study finds
Sub-Saharan Africa has a vast amount of uncultivated, arable land—about 2 million km2, accounting for about 50% of the global total. This land is a critical habitat for many animal species, including birds......»»