Ecology News

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Featured Research

from universities, journals, and other organizations

New Fossil Find: Precursor of European Rhinos Found in Vietnam

Mar. 12, 2014 — Scientists have recovered fossils of two previously unknown mammal species that lived about 37 million years ago. The newly described mammals show a surprisingly close relationship to prehistoric ... full story

New Species; Fossils; Early Mammals; Endangered Animals

Exotic Plant Species Alter Ecosystem Productivity

Mar. 11, 2014 — Biologists have reported an increase in biomass production in ecosystems colonized by non-native plant species. In the face of climate change, these and other changes to ecosystems are predicted to ... full story

Ecology; Exotic Species; Ecology Research; Nature

National U.S. Study Reveals How Urban Lawn Care Habits Vary

Mar. 10, 2014 — What do people living in Boston, Baltimore, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Phoenix, and Los Angeles have in common? From coast to coast, prairie to desert -- residential lawns reign. But, according to ... full story

Sustainability; Environmental Issues; Environmental Policy; Water

Serpentine Ecosystems Shed Light on Nature of Plant Adaptation, Speciation

Mar. 10, 2014 — Plants living in unusual soils, such as those that are extremely low in essential nutrients, provide insight into the mechanisms of adaptation, natural selection, and endemism. A seminal 1951 paper ... full story

Nature; Ecology; Endangered Plants; Ecology Research

Deer Proliferation Disrupts a Forest's Natural Growth

Mar. 8, 2014 — Researchers have discovered that a burgeoning deer population forever alters the progression of a forest's natural future by creating environmental havoc in the soil and disrupting the soil's natural ... full story

Seeds; Soil Types; Forest; Nature

Study Suggests Non-Uniform Climate Warming Globally

Mar. 5, 2014 — A recent study of five decades of satellite data, model simulations and in situ observations suggests the impact of seasonal diurnal or daily warming varies between global regions affecting many ... full story

Global Warming; Climate; Environmental Issues; Nature

Smoke in the Water: Understanding Effects of Smoke Compounds on Seed Germination

Feb. 28, 2014 — Wildfires, although seemingly destructive, play an important role in plant ecosystems. In ecosystems where it occurs regularly, exposure to fire may initiate seed germination or enhance plant growth. ... full story

Seeds; Wildfires; Ecology; Exotic Species

Coral Fish Biodiversity Loss: Humankind Could Be Responsible

Feb. 28, 2014 — Literal biodiversity reservoirs, coral reefs and associated ecosystems are in grave danger from natural and human-made disturbances. The latest World Resources Institute assessment is alarming with ... full story

Ecology; Ecology Research; Fish; Biodiversity

Importance of Nutrients for Coral Reefs Highlighted by Scientists

Feb. 27, 2014 — Despite the comparably small footprint that they take on the ocean floor, tropical coral reefs are home to a substantial part of all marine life forms. Coral reefs also provide numerous benefits for ... full story

Coral Reefs; Ecology; Marine Biology; Ecology Research

Microbes on Floating Ocean Plastics: Uncovering the Secret World of the 'Plastisphere'

Feb. 24, 2014 — Scientists are revealing how microbes living on floating pieces of plastic marine debris affect the ocean ecosystem, and the potential harm they pose to invertebrates, humans and other ... full story

Marine Biology; Oceanography; Fish; Ecology

Featured Videos

from AP, Reuters, AFP, and other news services

Volcanoes Could Have Helped Species Survive Ice Ages

Newsy (Mar. 11, 2014) — A new study says volcanoes provided warm areas for various species like mosses and bugs to thrive while the rest of the world was covered in glaciers. Video provided by Newsy

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CCTV Shows Baby Elephant Born at British Zoo

AFP (Mar. 11, 2014) — Video footage of the birth of a baby elephant at a British Zoo has been released. The as yet unnamed calf was born at Twycross Zoo, adding to their herd of four Asian elephants, an endangered species. Duration: 00:31 Video provided by AFP

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Scientists Hope 'fairy Penguins' Will Thrive

AP (Feb. 28, 2014) — A year after dozens of little penguins, the smallest of the penguin species, were killed by dogs, scientists in Tasmania are cautiously optimistic that the bird population is on the rise. (Feb. 28) Video provided by AP

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Romania Hopes to Curb Massive Deforestation

AFP (Feb. 28, 2014) — Deforestation is spreading at an alarming rate in South-Eastern Europe, a region hosting vast old-growth forests and home to thousands of bears, wolves and lynx. Duration: 02:35 Video provided by AFP

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All Ecology News

last updated on 2014-03-12 at 5:04 pm EDT

summaries view
headlines view

New Species;
Fossils;
Early Mammals;
Endangered Animals

New Fossil Find: Precursor of European Rhinos Found in Vietnam

Mar. 12, 2014 — Scientists have recovered fossils of two previously unknown mammal species that lived about 37 million years ago. The newly described mammals show a surprisingly close relationship to prehistoric ... full story
Geography;
Land Management;
Urbanization;
Sustainability

Land Cover Change Over Five Years Across North America Revealed

Mar. 11, 2014 — A new set of maps featured in the CEC's North American Environmental Atlas depicts land cover changes in North America's forests, prairies, deserts and cities, using satellite images from ... full story
Fungus;
Soil Types;
Organic;
Microbes and More

Soil Microbes Shift as Shrubs Invade Remnant Hill Prairies

Mar. 11, 2014 — Perched high on the bluffs of the big river valleys in the Midwest are some of the last remnants of never-farmed prairie grasslands. These patches, edged by forest, are slowly being taken over by ... full story
Ecology;
Exotic Species;
Ecology Research;
Nature

Exotic Plant Species Alter Ecosystem Productivity

Mar. 11, 2014 — Biologists have reported an increase in biomass production in ecosystems colonized by non-native plant species. In the face of climate change, these and other changes to ecosystems are predicted to ... full story
Sustainability;
Environmental Issues;
Environmental Policy;
Water

National U.S. Study Reveals How Urban Lawn Care Habits Vary

Mar. 10, 2014 — What do people living in Boston, Baltimore, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Phoenix, and Los Angeles have in common? From coast to coast, prairie to desert -- residential lawns reign. But, according to ... full story
Nature;
Ecology;
Endangered Plants;
Ecology Research

Serpentine Ecosystems Shed Light on Nature of Plant Adaptation, Speciation

Mar. 10, 2014 — Plants living in unusual soils, such as those that are extremely low in essential nutrients, provide insight into the mechanisms of adaptation, natural selection, and endemism. A seminal 1951 paper ... full story
Environmental Awareness;
Environmental Policies;
Climate;
World Development

Can the Solution to Climate Change Help Eliminate Poverty?

Mar. 10, 2014 — It is clear that climate change and poverty are two separate problems that affect all corners of the world, but can the solution to one help eliminate the other? Ecosystem-based adaptation is ... full story
Seeds;
Soil Types;
Forest;
Nature

Deer Proliferation Disrupts a Forest's Natural Growth

Mar. 8, 2014 — Researchers have discovered that a burgeoning deer population forever alters the progression of a forest's natural future by creating environmental havoc in the soil and disrupting the ... full story
Birds;
Nature;
Wild Animals;
Ecology

Deer Feeding Puts Birds at Risk, Research Shows

Mar. 6, 2014 — By comparing the fate of artificial nests close and far away from supplementary feeding sites located in the forest for ungulates, such as deer and wild boar, researchers found that those nests in ... full story
Global Warming;
Climate;
Environmental Issues;
Nature

Study Suggests Non-Uniform Climate Warming Globally

Mar. 5, 2014 — A recent study of five decades of satellite data, model simulations and in situ observations suggests the impact of seasonal diurnal or daily warming varies between global regions affecting many ... full story
Forest;
Nature;
Rainforests;
Ecology

Spanish Forest Ecosystems: Carbon Emission Will Be Higher in Second Half of Century

Mar. 3, 2014 — Spanish forest ecosystems will probably emit high quantities of carbon dioxide in the second half of the 21st century. This is the conclusion of a report that reviews the results obtained from the ... full story
Seeds;
Wildfires;
Ecology;
Exotic Species

Smoke in the Water: Understanding Effects of Smoke Compounds on Seed Germination

Feb. 28, 2014 — Wildfires, although seemingly destructive, play an important role in plant ecosystems. In ecosystems where it occurs regularly, exposure to fire may initiate seed germination or enhance plant growth. ... full story
Ecology;
Ecology Research;
Fish;
Biodiversity

Coral Fish Biodiversity Loss: Humankind Could Be Responsible

Feb. 28, 2014 — Literal biodiversity reservoirs, coral reefs and associated ecosystems are in grave danger from natural and human-made disturbances. The latest World Resources Institute assessment is alarming with ... full story
Coral Reefs;
Ecology;
Marine Biology;
Ecology Research

Importance of Nutrients for Coral Reefs Highlighted by Scientists

Feb. 27, 2014 — Despite the comparably small footprint that they take on the ocean floor, tropical coral reefs are home to a substantial part of all marine life forms. Coral reefs also provide numerous benefits for ... full story
Marine Biology;
Oceanography;
Fish;
Ecology

Microbes on Floating Ocean Plastics: Uncovering the Secret World of the 'Plastisphere'

Feb. 24, 2014 — Scientists are revealing how microbes living on floating pieces of plastic marine debris affect the ocean ecosystem, and the potential harm they pose to invertebrates, humans and other ... full story
Poverty and Learning;
Land Management;
Resource Shortage;
World Development

Ecotourism Reduces Poverty Near Protected Parks, Research Shows

Feb. 24, 2014 — Protected natural areas in Costa Rica reduced poverty by 16 percent in neighboring communities, mainly by encouraging ecotourism, according to new research. The research concluded that increased ... full story
Ecology;
Ecology Research;
Botany;
Marine Biology

Marine Algae Can Sense the Rainbow

Feb. 24, 2014 — Several types of aquatic algae can detect orange, green and blue light, according to new research. Land plants have receptors to detect light on the red and far red of the spectrum, which are the ... full story
Global Warming;
Marine Biology;
Climate;
Fish

As Climate Changes, Alaska Fisheries May Depend on Winter Survival of Plankton, Oceanographer Suggests

Feb. 24, 2014 — As the climate warms, the productivity of Alaska fisheries will be increasingly dependent on the survival rate of plankton through the winter months, new research by a large team of scientists ... full story
Life Sciences;
Animals;
Nature;
Agriculture and Food

Genetic Link Between Feeding Behavior and Animal Dispersal

Feb. 24, 2014 — New research shows that animal dispersal is influenced by a gene associated with feeding and food search behaviors. The study provides one of the first aimed at gaining a functional understanding of ... full story
Forest;
Nature;
Rainforests;
Ecology

Gauging What It Takes to Heal a Disaster-Ravaged Forest: Case Study in China

Feb. 24, 2014 — Recovering from natural disasters usually means rebuilding infrastructure and reassembling human lives. Yet ecologically sensitive areas need to heal, too, and scientists are pioneering new methods ... full story
Ecology;
Ecology Research;
Seeds;
Endangered Plants

Seed-Filled Buoys May Help Restore Diverse Sea Meadows in San Francisco Bay

Feb. 21, 2014 — Placing seedpods in a pearl net, tethered by a rope but allowed to sway with the tides, may be an especially effective way of restoring eelgrass meadows. The resulting crop of eelgrass grown for this ... full story