http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/mating_and_breeding/ Animal and plant breeding and reproduction. Read some surprising research on sexual behavior, mating rituals, gestation, and plant propagation. Photos. en-us Fri, 16 May 2008 15:05:01 EDT Fri, 16 May 2008 15:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/mating_and_breeding/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512113508.htm The most attractive male birds attract more females and as a result are most successful in terms of reproduction. This is the starting point of many studies looking for factors that influence sexual selection in birds. However, is it reasonable to assume that birds see what we see? Researchers now show that our human vision is not an adequate instrument. Thu, 15 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512113508.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080515120810.htm When it comes to winning mates, larger horns are an asset for male Soay sheep. But those that grow them may be putting their young lives on the line. Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080515120810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512094446.htm People diet to look more attractive. Fish diet to avoid being beaten up, thrown out of their social group and getting eaten as a result. Researchers have discovered that subordinate gobis deliberately diet to avoid posing a challenge to their larger rivals by consistently remaining 5-10% smaller. Once a subordinate fish grows to within 5-10% of its larger rival, it provokes a fight which usually ends in the smaller goby being expelled from the group. Tue, 13 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512094446.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508174651.htm Scientists used to think that hermaphrodites, due to their low position in the evolutionary scale, did not have sufficiently developed sensory systems to assess the "quality" of their mates. A new work has shown, however, that earthworms are able to detect the competition by fertilizing the eggs that is going to find its sperm, tripling its volume when there is rivalry. This ability is even more refined as they are able to transfer more sperm to more fertile partners. Mon, 12 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508174651.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105625.htm Male seagulls may be more vulnerable to their environment during embryonic development than females. Until now, the sex differences in developmental rate and susceptibility to unfavorable conditions during the embryonic stage in birds have received little attention. Thu, 08 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507083952.htm In a study published in the May 7 issue of the journal PLoS ONE, Anthony Little of the University of Stirling and colleagues show that measurements of symmetry and sexual dimorphism from faces are related in humans, both in Europeans and African hunter-gatherers, and in a non-human primate. In all samples, symmetric males had more masculine facial proportions and symmetric females had more feminine facial proportions. Thu, 08 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507083952.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501125508.htm Scientists have found the first evidence of an animal using ultraviolet B (UVB) rays to communicate with other members of its species. In a series of mate choice experiments with the Chinese jumping spider (Phintella vittata), the researchers found that female spiders would rather mate with males that reflect UVB than those that do not. Tue, 06 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501125508.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501125451.htm Male seahorses are nature's real-life Mr. Moms -- they take fathering to a whole new level: pregnancy. Although it is common for male fish to play the dominant parenting role, male pregnancy is a complex process unique to the fish family Syngnathidae, which includes pipefish, seahorses and sea dragons. Fri, 02 May 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501125451.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424210747.htm Divorce is widespread, not only in humans, but also in socially monogamous birds like the blue tit. Behavioural ecologists have found divorce rates of up to 50% in a long-term study of this species. But why do partners split up? To answer this question, it helps to know who suffers and who benefits from the separation. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424210747.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428080356.htm A study into one of the world's rarest seabirds provides knowledge that could help avoid extinction. Molecular analysis of the Critically Endangered Magenta Petrel Pterodroma magentae (also known as the Chatham Island Taiko) discovered that 95% of non-breeding adults were male. This suggests that critically low population levels may be causing male birds difficulty in attracting a mate. Their calls are too spread out to attract the infrequent females which pass by. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428080356.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422203305.htm "Don't eat the green parts of tomatoes, cut the green off the potatoes." Any child would know that eating these parts of vegetables is a bad idea. The reason behind this is that they contain secondary plant compounds which may have detrimental effects on the consumer. Each night, tropical fruit-eating bats ingest large amounts of secondary plant compounds with their food. This may become particularly problematic for pregnant or lactating bat mothers, since secondary plant compounds may damage the embryo or the juvenile. Biologists have now found evidence that fruit-eating bats take up large amounts of mineral rich water and clay from so-called mineral licks to detoxify the secondary plant compounds they ingest in fruits. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422203305.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423104031.htm Female Australian painted dragon lizards are polyandrous, that is, they mate with as many males as they can safely get access to. Research has shown that this preference could therefore contribute to the maintenance of both male types within the population. Female painted dragons possess the remarkable ability to store sperm inside their reproductive tract that remain viable for a considerable amount of time, so that the sperm of different males actually compete with each other to fertilize her eggs. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423104031.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130603.htm Female mice can steer clear of inbred males on the basis of their scent alone. Biologists found that female mice chose to associate with males producing a greater diversity of major urinary proteins. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130603.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130555.htm While males and females might sometimes act as though they come from different planets, a new study in flies suggests they are both equipped with a largely unisex brain. By artificially triggering the neurons responsible for singing -- normally a male only activity -- the researchers made female flies play their first tune. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417130555.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415210626.htm The fittest males don't always get the girl, biologists report. Study tackles a paradox in species from fruit flies to humans: If warriors win the spoils, why don't males evolve towards super-aggressiveness? Female fruit flies sometimes choose males who win fights, sometimes choose males who do not fight, and sometimes choose males for no obvious reason, say biologists. Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415210626.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410153643.htm Female penguins mate with males who bring them pebbles to build egg nests. Hummingbirds mate to gain access to the most productive flowers guarded by larger males. Now new research shows that even affluent college students who don't need resources will still attempt to trade sexual currency for provisions. Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410153643.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410124650.htm Researchers have identified a mating mechanism that possibly could be adapted to prevent female mosquitoes from spreading the viruses that cause dengue fever, second only to malaria as the most virulent mosquito-borne disease in the tropical world. Specifically, they have discovered 63 proteins that male mosquitoes transfer to mosquito females during mating and are thought briefly to change the females' physiology and behavior, in particular suppressing the female's appetite for mammalian blood. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410124650.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080405092526.htm Just like people who are looking for a perfect place to live, some female bees search for the ideal place to build their nests. Entomologists are discovering more about the "nesting cues" that influence wild bees' house-hunting decisions. It's information that may help entice more of the hardworking pollinators to take up residence in new, ready-to-occupy nesting structures that growers and beekeepers provide. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080405092526.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080403125426.htm According to a new report by the Wildlife Conservation Society, several species of rare waterbirds from Cambodia's famed Tonle Sap region have staged remarkable comebacks, thanks to a project involving a single team of park rangers to provide 24-hour protection to breeding colonies. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080403125426.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331222115.htm New research finds fresh evidence that urbanization in the United States threatens the populations of some species of migratory birds. But the six-year study also refutes one of the most widely accepted explanations of why urban areas are so hostile to some kinds of birds. Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331222115.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080402071547.htm Scientists have long known that emotions and other personality traits and disorders run together in families. But finding which genes are most important in controlling emotions has proven difficult. Researchers have noted that male mice make high-frequency vocalizations during sexual interactions with female mice. These high-frequency calls are associated with approach behaviors, and with genes that control positive emotions. In the courtship phase, before mounting, males usually made simple whistles or modulated calls. After mounting the females, however, the males shifted to more complex "chirp-like" vocalizations. The male vocalizations increased in number and complexity as intensity increased. Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080402071547.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401122149.htm For decades, scientists have viewed octopuses as unromantic loners, with mating habits nearly devoid of complex behavior. But new research has found that at least one species of octopus engages in such sophisticated lovemaking tactics as flirting, passionate handholding and keeping rivals at arms' length. Biologists witnessed an array of complex mating behaviors as they snorkeled two meters or less above the shallow reefs of northern Sulawesi in Indonesia. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401122149.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080327172119.htm One species of armed beetle is proving that size doesn't necessarily matter when it comes to finding a mate. The creature uses rather effective "pulling techniques." Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080327172119.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080325171745.htm International investigations of an organism that has been referred to in the past as "silly little green scum" have led to key insights into the basic mechanisms of reproduction. The findings may help explain why species can almost never interbreed, and also point to a possible way to thwart the spread of malaria, a disease that kills about 1 million people each year, primarily children in sub-Saharan Africa. Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080325171745.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080325203447.htm The beaches of French Guiana constitute a major reproduction site for leatherback turtles. This sea turtle, although a protected species, is threatened by human activity. Female turtles return to the same beach every two to three years to lay their eggs; what happens in the interval remains a mystery. In a new study a group of French and Belgian scientists found that the turtles segregate into two distinct feeding units. Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080325203447.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318203313.htm The song of passerine birds is a conspicuous and exaggerated display shaped by sexual selection in the context of male-male competition or mate attraction. At the level of the individual, song is considered an indicator of male 'quality'. Researchers found an association between individual song diversity and the viability of the population as a whole, as measured by the annual rate of population change. Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318203313.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080319093106.htm A new tool for rice genetics allows rice breeders to surgically inactivate genes that confer unwanted properties. Imagine you are a rice breeder and one day within a large field you discover a plant that has just the characteristics you have been looking for. You happily take your special plant to the laboratory where you find out that the spontaneous, beneficial event was due to inactivation of a single gene. This is a great observation; however, there are many different strains grown in different parts of the world, well adapted to the particular region they grow in. How can you now transfer the inactivated gene to other strains of rice? Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080319093106.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080320163106.htm The 2008 giant panda mating season began March 18, at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Female Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) and male Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN) attempted to mate throughout the day Tuesday. Zoo staff carefully observed each mating and, because satisfactory mating did not occur, Zoo scientists and veterinarians performed a nonsurgical artificial insemination Wednesday morning. Both pandas were anesthetized, allowing Zoo scientists to collect sperm from Tian Tian and insert it directly into Mei Xiang's uterus. Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080320163106.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080320150025.htm Paleontologists studying ancient fossils they excavated in the South Australian outback argue that Earth's ecosystem has been complex for hundreds of millions of years -- at least since around 565 million years ago. In describing Funisia dorothea, a tubular organism seen in the fossils, the researchers found that the organism had multiple means of growing and propagating -- similar to strategies used by most invertebrate organisms for propagation today. Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080320150025.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318084359.htm Male songbirds produce a subtly different tune when they are courting a female than when they are singing on their own. Now, new research offers a window into the effect this has on females, showing they have an ear for detail. The finding provides insights not only into the intricacies of songbird attraction and devotion but also into the way in which the brain develops and responds to social cues, in birds -- and humans. Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318084359.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318094610.htm The major egg yolk genes, those that express vitellogenins, appear to have progressively lost their functionality during mammalian evolution, probably due to the emergence of the mammalian-specific developmental nourishment resources, lactation, and placentation. Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318094610.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318122331.htm A random telephone survey of adults' opinions about whether the HPV vaccine should be mandatory for middle school students reveals an "ambivalence about sexuality in our culture," similar to debates surrounding contraception and sex education. Parents face a real dilemma. They want to protect their children, but they're fearful of the protective methods, note the researchers. Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318122331.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080314160222.htm Endangered sea turtles are victims of sloppy logging practices in the west central African country Gabon, according to a new study. Sea turtle nesting attempts are impeded by lost or abandoned logs that accumulate along the country's coastal beaches. Logs are floated downriver from forests to coastal lumberyards in the Gabonese Republic, but some float out to sea and then wash ashore, where they form large tangles. Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080314160222.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080317094851.htm Fungi do not have sexes, just so-called mating types. A new study shows that there are great similarities between the parts of DNA that determine the sex of plants and animals and the parts of DNA that determine mating types in certain fungi. This makes fungi interesting as new model organisms in studies of the evolutionary development of sex chromosomes. Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080317094851.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311103904.htm Far from being a model of social cooperation, the ant world is riddled with cheating and corruption -- and it goes all the way to the top. Ants have always been thought to work together for the benefit of the colony rather than for individual gain. But new research has shattered this illusion. Mon, 17 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311103904.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080312160247.htm One of the world's most endangered species -- a North Island brown kiwi -- has just hatched at the Smithsonian's National Zoo Bird House. Keepers had been incubating the egg for five weeks, following a month long incubation by the chick's father, carefully monitoring it for signs of pipping: the process in which the chick starts to break through the shell. The chick remained in an isolet for four days and is now in a specially designed brooding box. Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080312160247.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311163628.htm Katydid (or didn't she?) respond to the mating call of her suitors. According to scientists, one species of katydid may owe its ecological success and expanded habitat range to the ability of male katydids to adjust their mating calls to attract females. Female katydids prefer mates 'cool' in winter and 'hot' in summer. Sun, 16 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311163628.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080312102430.htm Competing against older brothers and sisters can be tough work, as any youngest child will tell you. But a biologist shows that when it comes to some birds, you should reserve any underdog sympathies for the first born -- or rather, first laid -- siblings as well. Sun, 16 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080312102430.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311093345.htm The larvae of pollinating wasps in the inner flowers of figs are safe from parasitic wasps. Parasites may contribute to stability in the fig-pollinator mutualism because outer flowers avoided by pollinators tend to develop into seeds. Thu, 13 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311093345.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311151203.htm There's new evidence supporting the idea that bigger brains are better. A study of a tropical wasp suggests that the brainpower required to be dominant drives brain capacity. Researchers have found that key processing regions in the brains of both males and females of one wasp species not only increased in size with age but were also associated with being dominant. Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311151203.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080310131535.htm When exotic species invade new territory, they often present a major threat to the other plants and animals living there--that much is clear. In addition to their destructive tendencies, invasive species can also have a surprisingly "creative" side. Researchers discovered that an invasive population of the freshwater snail harbors a tremendous amount of genetic variation for key life-history traits, such as fecundity, juvenile size, and age at first reproduction. And that means they have a remarkably large potential for evolutionary change. Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080310131535.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080307082022.htm From rabbits to horses to cows, many animals love alfalfa. America's premier pollinator of that crop, the alfalfa leafcutting bee (Megachile rotundata), is vulnerable to a deadly fungal disease called chalkbrood. But the bees might be best protected from chalkbrood if their leafy nests are sprayed with an iprodione fungicide. Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080307082022.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080303163445.htm People who suffer from egg allergies may soon be able to have their quiche and eat it too. Chemists have developed a new process that greatly reduces allergens in eggs and may lead to safer, more specialized food products for individuals with egg allergies. Although unusual in adults, egg allergies are among the leading food allergies in infants and children. These allergies can cause severe stomach aches, and rashes. In extremely rare cases, death may occur. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080303163445.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080225213731.htm Like any species that aspires to rule the world, the honey bee invades new territories in repeated assaults. A new study demonstrates that when these honey bees arrive in a place that has already been invaded, the newcomers benefit from the genetic endowment of their predecessors. Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080225213731.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080219132149.htm If you're a land owner and animals such as coyotes or wild pigs are driving you hog wild, help may soon be on the way to control their numbers in a humane way -- in the form of a birth control pill for animals. The need is apparent: According to the American Humane Society, about 7 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year at animal shelters. One female cat can lead to the production of 420,000 offspring in her lifetime. Mon, 25 Feb 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080219132149.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080218134545.htm New research uncovers the social dynamics of yellow jackets, which includes multiple sex partners, extreme cooperation and a caste system. Results show that shown that multiple mating does not cause conflict within a colony, but instead creates a more successful colony. The researchers also found that certain genes are turned on or off to create the different castes. Sun, 24 Feb 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080218134545.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080214144429.htm NOAA researchers and their international partners in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands are using satellite transmitter technology to track the endangered leatherback sea turtle across the Pacific Ocean. Transmitters attached to the carapace of the turtle send signals to satellites providing researchers with information on the animals' geographic location, diving behavior, and sea temperatures. Tue, 19 Feb 2008 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080214144429.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080214130505.htm When it comes to deciding what harvester ant daughters will be when they grow up, mother queens hold considerable sway, according to a new study. The researchers report evidence that eggs are predetermined to become workers or queens from the moment they are lain. Sat, 16 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080214130505.htm