What happens to switchgrass when food reserves are depleted?
As potential for biofuel, switchgrass is a perennial plant that is of great interest to researchers. Scientists from the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory Walker lab are looking at how these plants regrow, even when regrowing with less than its usual.....»»
Studying the journey, not the destination, provides new insight into songbird migrations
Migration is an adaptive phenomenon, typically triggered by a change of season, that is vital to ecosystem health. Animals may journey thousands of miles, in some cases, in search of food, better living conditions, or to find a mate. Conversely, huma.....»»
Nighttime light data shows inequities in restoring power after Hurricane Michael
Among the many devastating impacts in the aftermath of a hurricane are power outages, which can take days or even weeks to restore. Communities grappling with the loss of electricity may encounter obstacles in accessing vital services, including food.....»»
Fish in Greenland consume more jellyfish than previously assumed, researchers discover
For a long time, scientists assumed that jellyfish were a dead-end food source for predatory fish. However, a team from the Alfred Wegener Institute together with the Thünen Institute has now discovered that fish in Greenland waters do indeed feed o.....»»
Expansion of agricultural land threatens climate and biodiversity, land-use model finds
By 2030, global cultivation areas are expected to expand by 3.6%, increasing global agricultural production by 2%. This projection comes from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Organization for Economic Cooperat.....»»
Changing food consumers" choices may help cut greenhouse gases
Planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions associated with the global food supply chains induced by diets could fall by 17% if people change their food choices towards more plant-based diets, a new study reveals......»»
New forest condition monitor shows dynamic changes in forests resulting from extreme climate change events
According to the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), large parts of the German forest show an increase in damage as a result of the extreme drought period in Germany during recent years. However, hardly any data is available captu.....»»
Best refrigerator deals: new freezer and fridge as low as $600
We've rounded up the best refrigerator deals to help you keep your food cool on the cheap......»»
How farmers and tech teamed up to better test crops
For over a decade, farmers across the world have been working hand-in-hand with researchers at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and their collaborators to develop a better way to test new crop varieties and improve food security in t.....»»
A new mechanism for animal food caching behavior discovered
New research from Hebrew University proposes a novel, non-memory-based mechanism for how animals cache and retrieve food. Instead of relying on memory, the researchers suggest that animals use a neural mechanism similar to hash functions in computing.....»»
Predicting metabolic potential in bacteria from limited genome data
How bacteria eat food, and what kinds of products they can make from that food, is dictated by the metabolic network of enzyme patterns encoded in their genomes. Using computational methods to learn these patterns across a large number of known bacte.....»»
Lemurs use long-term memory, smell, and social cues to find food
How do foraging animals find their food? A new study by New York University researchers shows that lemurs use smell, social cues, and long-term memory to locate hidden fruit—a combination of factors that may have deep evolutionary roots......»»
Disaster plant pathology: Solutions to combat agricultural threats from disasters
An often-overlooked component of natural and human-driven disasters is their potential to affect plant health and thus food security at domestic and international scales. Most disasters have indirect effects on plant health through factors such as di.....»»
Biotech potential set to soar with the help of digital technology
Microbes and fungi have long been nature's helpers in producing fine food, drinks and medicine, but new digital technologies could unlock far greater potential for the European biotech sector......»»
Study shows renewables raise food prices
As countries including Aotearoa New Zealand embrace renewable energy production, a recent study sheds light on some overlooked impacts of this transition......»»
Nanomaterials may enhance plant tolerance to high soil salt levels
Soil salt concentrations above the optimal threshold for plant growth can threaten global food security by compromising agricultural productivity and crop quality. An analysis published in Physiologia Plantarum has examined the potential of nanomater.....»»
Elephants on the move: Mapping connections across African landscapes
Elephant conservation is a major priority in southern Africa, but habitat loss and urbanization mean the far-ranging pachyderms are increasingly restricted to protected areas like game reserves. The risk? Contained populations could become geneticall.....»»
Groundwater reserves in southwestern Europe more stable overall than previously thought
Groundwater is a vital resource, sustaining plants and ecosystems, ensuring agricultural production and serving as a core component of drinking water supplies. However, climate change and anthropogenic pressures can threaten groundwater availability,.....»»
Microplastics are everywhere, but are they harming us?
Microplastics have been found in the ocean and the air, in our food and water. They have been found in a wide range of body tissues, including the heart, liver, kidneys and even testicles......»»
Wheat waste: A phosphorus crisis?
Experiments published in Food and Energy Security by scientists at Queen Mary University of London and Royal Botanic Gardens suggest that we are globally wasting huge amounts of phosphorus......»»
Streetlights running all night makes leaves so tough that insects can"t eat them, threatening the food chain
Light pollution disrupts circadian rhythms and ecosystems worldwide—but for plants, dependent on light for photosynthesis, its effects could be profound. Now scientists writing in Frontiers in Plant Science have found that exposure to high levels o.....»»