What does narcissism have to do with ecology?
A group of researchers from the Nicolaus Copernicus University, the SWPS University in Warsaw, and the University of Waikato in New Zealand have for some time been scientifically looking at the relationship between different types of identifications.....»»
Catnip and pea aphids came up with different ways to make the same molecule
In a new study in PNAS, a research team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, shows that both catnip and pea aphids produce the substance nepetalactone, even though the plant and the insect evolved the biosynthesis of thi.....»»
Microbial enzymes are the key to pectin digestion in leaf beetles
A research team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, shows in a new study how leaf beetles could successfully use new and previously indigestible food sources in the course of evolution. The insects acquired enzymes from.....»»
Sound reveals giant blue whales dance with the wind to find food
A study by MBARI researchers and their collaborators published today in Ecology Letters sheds new light on the movements of mysterious, endangered blue whales. The research team used a directional hydrophone on MBARI's underwater observatory, integra.....»»
Video footage provides first detailed observation of orcas hunting white sharks in South Africa
The first direct evidence of orcas killing white sharks in South Africa has been captured by both a helicopter and drone pilot, and a new open-access paper published today in The Ecological Society of America's journal Ecology presents both sets of v.....»»
Studies showcase long-term effects of drought
With the effects of climate change underway, drought is becoming an increasing problem in many parts of the world. Michael Bahn, researcher from the Department of Ecology at the University of Innsbruck, was involved in several studies on the impact o.....»»
Scientists find that wolves can show attachment toward humans
When it comes to showing affection towards people, many dogs are naturals. Now, a new study in the journal Ecology and Evolution reports that the remarkable ability to show attachment behavior toward human caregivers also exists in wolves......»»
Fungi and insect herbivores affect herb diversity depending on species traits of herbs and neighboring tree composition
The mechanisms of biodiversity maintenance have been a hot topic in ecology for decades. Fungi and insect herbivores contribute to the diversity of plants in grasslands, which has been frequently reported. However, evidence about their driving roles.....»»
US presidential narcissism linked to longer wars
U.S. wars last longer under presidents who score high on a measure of narcissism, new research suggests......»»
Keeping to a beat is linked to reproductive success in male rock hyraxes
A behavioral study published in the Journal of Animal Ecology has linked reproductive success in male rock hyraxes to their ability to maintain rhythm during courtship songs......»»
New methodology predicts coronavirus and other infectious disease threats to wildlife
The rate at which emerging wildlife diseases infect humans has steadily increased over the last three decades. Viruses, such as the global coronavirus pandemic and recent monkeypox outbreak, have heightened the urgent need for disease ecology tools t.....»»
Archaeology and ecology combined paint a fuller picture of past human-nature relationships
For decades now, archaeologists wielded the tools of their trade to unearth clues about past peoples, while ecologists have sought to understand current ecosystems. But these well-established scientific disciplines tend to neglect the important quest.....»»
Humpback whale songs spread from pod to pod across the Pacific Ocean
A team of researchers with members from the University of St Andrews, Universidad San Francisco de Quito and the CETACEA Ecuador Project's Acoustic Ecology Program has found that songs created by humpback whales in some parts of the Pacific Ocean are.....»»
Ecologists use the latest dental scanning technology to study young coral
Inspired by a trip to the dentist, Dr. Kate Quigley presents a new method for monitoring coral size and growth that reduces surveying time by 99%. The methodology and findings are published in Methods in Ecology and Evolution......»»
Behold this award-winning image of fungus making a fly its “zombie” slave
Plus eight other winning images in 2022 BMC Ecology and Evolution image competition. Enlarge / The story of a conquest: The fruiting body of a parasitic fungus erupts from the body of its victim. (credit: Roberto García-Roa/CC BY 4.0.....»»
Is brain fog limited to humans?
Is brain fog a condition limited to humans? "Infectious disease and cognition in wild populations," a recently published paper in Trends in Ecology & Evolution, answers that question. In a review of the studies, it explores whether learning, memory,.....»»
Lionfish are able to catch faster prey through persistence
A pair of researchers at the University of California's, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, has found that the slow swimming lionfish is able to catch and eat faster prey by using persistence. In their paper published in Proceedings of t.....»»
Evidence found of stingrays making noise
A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in Australia working with one colleague from Sweden and another from Spain, has obtained recorded evidence of rays generating sound. In their paper published in the journal Ecology, the resea.....»»
Researchers reveal how parasitic plants evolved
Parasitic plants are extraordinary plants with unique physiology, ecology, and evolutionary histories, and little is known about their origin and evolution. Initially, certain autotrophs evolved to be facultative hemiparasitic plants which obtained o.....»»
Study of published research suggests both brain size and brain-to-body ratio are factors in intelligence in birds
An international team of researchers has found evidence that both total brain size and the size of a brain in relation to the body are factors that determine intelligence in animals. In their paper published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolutio.....»»
Case solved: Researchers show how the poison nut tree forms strychnine
A research team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena disclosed the complete biosynthetic pathway for the formation of strychnine in the plant species Strychnos nux-vomica (poison nut). The researchers identified all genes involved.....»»