New specimens and species of the Oligocene toothed baleen whale Coronodon
A new study published in the journal PeerJ by Robert W. Boessenecker (CofC), Brian L. Beatty (NYIT), and Jonathan H. Geisler (NYIT) reports a wealth of new fossils of the early toothed baleen whale Coronodon from Oligocene (23-30 million years old) r.....»»
Red-cockaded woodpeckers" recovery in southeast leads to status change from endangered to threatened
The red-cockaded woodpecker, an iconic bird in southeastern forests, has recovered enough of its population to be downlisted from an endangered species to a threatened one, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Thursday......»»
Molecular study of newly discovered tardigrade species helps explain ability to withstand high doses of radiation
A team of biologists affiliated with several institutions in China has learned more about the means by which tardigrades are able to withstand high doses of radiation. In their study, published in the journal Science, the group focused on a newly fou.....»»
An Indian village became Amur falcons" biggest protectors—how conservationists can harness the power of persuasion
Wildlife conservation is an exercise in human persuasion. It may seem counterintuitive that we hold the keys to the survival of wildlife, but 98% of all threatened species are threatened exclusively by human activities such as pollution, invasive spe.....»»
Biologists discover a new fossil species of prehistoric fish
What do the ginkgo (a tree), the nautilus (a mollusk) and the coelacanth (a fish) all have in common?.....»»
Scientists explore privilege and consequences of recreation for people and wildlife
Recreation is a luxury, and people aren't the only animals that recreate. Species great and small have a penchant for play, but the ability to recreate depends on resources. Colorado State University Professor Joel Berger and Yellowstone researcher K.....»»
"True hybrid" mice might reveal how new species emerge
Forty years ago, a postdoctoral researcher named James McGrath who would go on to spend more than three decades as a clinical geneticist and research scientist at Yale, made a discovery that advanced scientists' understanding of gene control and the.....»»
Marri trees are a lifeline for many native bee species in a biodiversity hotspot
New Curtin University-led research has revealed that Marri trees are critical to the survival of more than 80 species of native bee in Western Australia's South West region, which is one of the world's most biologically rich but threatened biodiversi.....»»
Broadcasting sounds of healthy coral reefs encourages coral larvae growth, study shows
Coral reefs worldwide are in trouble. These ecosystems support a billion people and more than a quarter of marine species. Still, many have been damaged by unsustainable fishing and tourism, coastal construction, nutrient runoff, and climate change......»»
Ground nesting birds declining faster than any other bird species in Europe
Ground-nesting bird populations are more likely to be in decline than any other European bird species, warns new report......»»
Climate change projected to deplete food sources of endangered whale sharks
As part of her Ph.D. research at The University of Queensland, lead investigator Dr. Samantha Reynolds, now a Research Fellow from Murdoch University's Harry Butler Institute, used three future climate change scenarios from CMIP6 climate models to in.....»»
Reducing moose numbers could help protect Canadian caribou populations from wolf predation
Woodland caribou populations in Canada are declining because of habitat changes that benefit common prey species of wolves (such as moose and deer), leading to increasing numbers of wolves that kill caribou. To protect caribou, wildlife managers have.....»»
Massive biodiversity data collection improves ecosystem predictions
A team at the University of Córdoba verifies that large biodiversity databases, in which citizens record observations of flora, are capable of calibrating joint species distribution models, even when conducted individually, provided that more than 5.....»»
The case of a robot shark in a marine park raises questions about animal welfare
After five years of renovation, Shenzhen's Xiaomeisha Sea World finally opened its doors to the public. But the marine park soon found itself the object of international discussion as it was revealed their advertised real whale shark was actually a r.....»»
Right whale population grows 4% but extinction remains a threat
One of the rarest species of whale in the world has increased slightly in population, encouraging conservationists to call on the federal government and the shipping and fishing industries to do more to bring the giant animals back from the brink of.....»»
Genomic study offers hope for endangered Oriental stork
A new genomic study of the endangered Oriental stork reveals that the population's genetic health is still surprisingly strong, with high genetic diversity and low levels of inbreeding. This is an uncommon finding in most endangered species populatio.....»»
Accurately weighing costs and benefits of different methods for controlling invasive species
Invasive insect species bring a host of health, social, ecological and economic consequences, including crop damage, food insecurity, biodiversity loss, ecosystem disruption, human disease transmission and rising allergy rates......»»
Invasive flathead catfish impacting Susquehanna"s food chain, researchers find
Flathead catfish—native to the Mississippi River basin—were first detected in the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania in 2002, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In the two decades since then, the invasive species has spread throughout the ri.....»»
Fungi finding: mushroom hunters seek new species and recognition
You can't walk very far through a forest in this part of the United States without stumbling upon a mushroom, an eruption from a vast fungal kingdom that all life depends on, but about which we know very little......»»
Dolphins Are Exhaling Microplastics
New research highlights how extensive plastic pollution is—and how nonhuman species, including dolphins, are exposed......»»
Bizarre fish has sensory “legs” it uses for walking and tasting
Some sea robin species can use their legs to sense prey. Evolution has turned out bizarre and baffling creatures, such as walking fish. It only gets weirder from there. Some of th.....»»