Scottish forests protective forts for red squirrels
Twenty natural strongholds would protect red squirrels in Scotland even if grey squirrels were to run rampant across the country, a new study shows......»»
Solving the strength-toughness dilemma in superhard ceramics with a chemically tuned solid solution approach
Materials with superior mechanical strengths are crucial to many areas of modern industries and the scientific enterprise by providing cutting and drilling tools, structural components, protective coatings, and abrasives that find wide applications......»»
Under the canopy: Researchers study beech leaf disease in Pennsylvania forests
In the woods of the northeastern U.S., a strange disease is creeping through the canopies. Spreading quickly, it causes leaves and branches to wither and, in many cases, the tree to eventually die......»»
Caribbean seagrasses provide services worth $255B annually, including vast carbon storage, study shows
Discussions of valuable but threatened ocean ecosystems often focus on coral reefs or coastal mangrove forests. Seagrass meadows get a lot less attention, even though they provide wide-ranging services to society and store lots of climate-warming car.....»»
Can a new forest alliance change nature finance for the better?
Conserving tropical forests is not cheap. Even though studies have shown that every $1 spent protecting or restoring tropical forests can return up to $7 in economic benefits, deforestation continues in most tropical rainforest countries......»»
Protective molecules facilitate molybdate anion binding to create novel silver nanoclusters
Silver nanocluster synthesis, or the binding of a silver atom to negatively charged anions, is often plagued by stability, sizing uniformity and surface composition issues. Protective molecules that bind the surface of silver nanoclusters, called lig.....»»
Japan"s subtropical forests home to a newly discovered beetle species
A new weevil species was discovered in Japan's pristine subtropical forests on Ishigaki Island and Yanbaru National Park in Okinawa......»»
Boreal forests may be on verge of contraction: New study
The vast northern forests of Canada and Alaska are shifting northwards as a result of climate change. What's more, the shift is faster at the southern boreal boundaries than the northern ones. This mismatch indicates that boreal forests are contracti.....»»
Plant ecology study shows dominant influence of climate on vegetation
For several years, ecological research has argued that climate often has no determining influence on the distribution of forests and savannas in tropical regions. However, an international research team led by Prof. Dr. Steven Higgins at the Universi.....»»
Facing unprecedented fire season, Canada confronts logistical challenge
Larger and more powerful wildfires than ever have scorched millions of hectares of Canadian forests and displaced tens of thousands of residents. With so many fires out of control and no relief in sight, the nation is facing a logistical nightmare......»»
Birds and bats enhance yields for cacao farmers in northern Peru, study finds
Healthy bat and bird populations don't only help to keep the endangered tropical dry forests of northern Peru in equilibrium. For the region's farmers of cacao—the main ingredient in chocolate—these predators are worth almost $1,000 per hectare o.....»»
Canada braces for possible worst wildfire season ever
Canada is facing a dire wildfire situation through the coming months, officials warned on Monday after vast swaths of forests and grasslands from its Pacific to Atlantic coasts have been scorched......»»
Underwater forest"s recovery offers hope for marine restoration across the globe
Human activity has degraded ecosystems and damaged biodiversity around the world, but ecosystem restoration offers hope for the future. Scientists studying the restoration of underwater seaweed forests which provide other species with food and shelte.....»»
Short-lived solutions for tall trees in Chile"s megadrought
For more than a decade, forests across much of Chile have been experiencing a megadrought, its effects overprinted on an already warming and drying climate. High in the Andes, stands of giant Nothofagus obliqua trees, also known as roble or southern.....»»
Research is the first to unlock the secret of microbial slime
The slimy outer layer of fungi and bacteria known as the "extracellular matrix," or ECM, has the consistency of jelly and acts as a protective and envelope layer. But, according to a recent study in the journal iScience, led by the University of Mass.....»»
Improving precision of planning results in resilient forests
A new dissertation on forest industrial production systems, from researcher Per Nordin at Linnaeus University, reveals that successful regeneration measures are crucial for sustainable forestry. To ensure successful plant establishment, it is importa.....»»
What happens when conflicting priorities collide and potentially compromise trees, woodland and forests?
A tree is not just a tree. It is also fuel, paper, furniture, livelihood, and industry......»»
Warming Arctic could put chill on squirrel "date nights"
As Alaska's bleak winter sets in, arctic ground squirrels burrow deep into the ground to begin an eight-month-hibernation before popping up again in spring, famished and eager to breed......»»
Collective property rights spark spirit of cooperation that extends beyond managing land
When people come together to manage collectively owned natural resources like forests, they may become more cooperative and trusting overall, according to recent research led by CU Boulder......»»
The future is uncertain for our last old-growth boreal forests
Driving along the Trans-Canada Highway, with its endless succession of spruce, aspen, fir and birch trees, it's easy to assume that our country is bursting with forests......»»
Food forests and urban farms hold promise of addressing numerous problems at once
What if you could grow fresh food where it is most needed, cost-effectively reduce heat-related deaths, and create green space for the local community? What if you could also reduce flooding and help mitigate climate change? These questions and more.....»»