Posts Tagged ‘ecology’
Earth & Environment - Dec 15, 2009 10:48 - 0 Comments
Atlantic Coast sea level rises at faster pace
U. PENN (US)—Sea level along the Atlantic Coast is rising faster now than at any time in the past 4,000 years. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Dec 14, 2009 17:29 - 7 Comments
Don’t blame cows for climate change
UC DAVIS (US)—Consuming less meat and dairy products will not help stop climate change, says Frank Mitloehner, despite claims by sources ranging from the United Nations to music star Paul McCartney. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Dec 10, 2009 19:38 - 0 Comments
Good laws turn bad recyclers around
VANDERBILT (US)—A large national study of economic behavior finds effective recycling laws encourage reluctant recyclers to become committed recyclers. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Dec 9, 2009 11:16 - 1 Comment
Mercury may threaten polar bears
U. MICHIGAN (US)—As concerns grow about the effect melting sea ice may have on polar bears, scientists say there may be another danger lurking—mercury pollution. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Dec 7, 2009 13:35 - 1 Comment
CSI: Shark edition
U. FLORIDA (US)—Hit-and-run attacks by sharks can be solved with forensics that identify the culprits by the unique chomp they put on their victims, similar to using fingerprints to solve a crime. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Dec 4, 2009 11:22 - 1 Comment
Birds shout out to friends and enemies
UC DAVIS (US)—Birds’ alarm calls serve both to alert other birds to danger and to warn off predators. And some birds can pull a ventriloquist’s trick, singing from the side of their mouths. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Dec 1, 2009 11:19 - 3 Comments
Jumbo shellfish rule in acidic oceans
UNC CHAPEL HILL (US)—As the world’s seawater becomes more acidic due to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide, some—but not all—shelled marine creatures may become bigger and stronger, according to a new study. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Nov 13, 2009 12:41 - 0 Comments
Warming planet threatens desert plants
CORNELL (US)—As the climate gets warmer, arid soils lose nitrogen as gas, which may lead to deserts with even less plant life than they sustain today. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Nov 3, 2009 14:54 - 1 Comment
As wolves age, killer instincts fade
U. MINNESOTA (US)—Young wolves are leaders of the pack as far as the ability to kill elk is concerned. However, a new study of wolves in Yellowstone National Park finds wolves are in their hunting prime at the ages of 2 and 3, but after that, their skills deteriorate steadily. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Nov 2, 2009 11:35 - 0 Comments
Beetles point to habitat’s role in biodiversity
VANDERBILT (US)—Tiny leaf beetles that flit among the maple and willow trees in a Vermont town have provided some of the clearest evidence yet that environmental factors play a major role in the formation of new species. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Oct 29, 2009 11:31 - 0 Comments
Global shellfish dip linked to acidic oceans
STONY BROOK (US)—Relatively minor increases in ocean acidity brought about by high levels of carbon dioxide have significant effects on the growth and survival of hard clams, bay scallops, and Eastern oysters, new research finds. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Oct 28, 2009 15:26 - 1 Comment
Hidden costs of modified crops
PENN STATE (US)—Genetically modified squash plants that are resistant to a debilitating viral disease become more vulnerable to a fatal bacterial infection, according to biologists. (more…)
Science & Technology - Oct 27, 2009 11:54 - 0 Comments
Different color, same genetics
U. MICHIGAN (US)—Despite having different color pigmentation, members of the same species have the same genetic makeup, a new study finds. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Oct 13, 2009 18:46 - 0 Comments
Cuckolds with evolutionary know-how
YALE (US)—Evolutionary biology theory predicts that males usually won’t invest a lot of time raising offspring when there is a good chance they are not the fathers. Researchers have found a notable exception—a male fish in the Mediterranean that is more likely to be paternal when there is grave doubt about the offsprings’ parentage. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Oct 8, 2009 16:42 - 0 Comments
Big job for oceans’ tiny ammonia eaters
U. WASHINGTON (US)—It’s not every day you find clues to the planet’s inner workings in aquarium scum. But that’s what happened when researchers cultured a tiny organism from the bottom of a Seattle Aquarium tank and found it can digest ammonia. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Sep 17, 2009 19:58 - 5 Comments
Photo reveals Africa’s cryptic cat
“It is a very cryptic animal. Almost nothing is known about it,” says Gary Aronsen.
Earth & Environment - Sep 1, 2009 6:00 - 0 Comments
This ant’s just not in the mood
“Animals that are completely asexual are relatively rare, which makes this is a very interesting ant,” says Christian Rabeling about an ant variety without any males. (Credit: Alex Wild)
Earth & Environment - Aug 28, 2009 10:25 - 0 Comments
Clues to feather’s technicolor past
Researchers have discovered evidence that prehistoric feather fossils from in Germany were once vividly iridescent. The finding could help scientists reconstruct the colorful features of other fossils. “Of course, the ‘Holy Grail’ in this program is reconstructing the colors of the feathered dinosaurs,” says lead author Jakob Vinther. (Credit: Jakob Vinther/Yale University)
