https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/drought/ Drought Research. Read where droughts are predicted, and what can be done about them. en-us Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:19:49 EDT Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:19:49 EDT 60 https://www.sciencedaily.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/drought/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260407193923.htm Early wheat didn’t just grow—it fought. When humans began cultivating fields, plants that could outcompete their neighbors for sunlight and space quickly took over, evolving upright leaves and aggressive growth. These ancient “warrior” traits helped wheat thrive for millennia. Ironically, modern farming now favors less competitive plants, prioritizing yield over survival battles. Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:51:27 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260407193923.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260406192917.htm Earth may have won a cosmic chemistry lottery. Researchers found that during the planet’s earliest formation, oxygen had to be in an extremely narrow “Goldilocks zone” for two life-essential elements, phosphorus and nitrogen, to stay where life could use them. Too much or too little oxygen, and those ingredients could be lost or trapped deep inside the planet. This could reshape the search for life by showing that water alone is not enough. Mon, 06 Apr 2026 23:36:59 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260406192917.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260315001841.htm Scientists studying crops irrigated with treated wastewater discovered that trace pharmaceuticals often collect in plant leaves. Tomatoes, carrots, and lettuce absorbed medications such as antidepressants and seizure drugs during the experiment. However, the edible portions of tomatoes and carrots contained much lower levels than the leaves. The findings help researchers understand how crops process contaminants as wastewater reuse becomes more common. Sun, 15 Mar 2026 02:28:20 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260315001841.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260311213435.htm Decades of data from over 80,000 great tits reveal that extreme weather can shape the fate of baby birds. Cold snaps soon after hatching and heavy rain later in development shrink nestling body mass and reduce survival odds. But moderate warm spells can actually help chicks grow by boosting insect activity and feeding opportunities. Birds that breed earlier in the season seem better protected from these weather shocks. Thu, 12 Mar 2026 19:34:52 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260311213435.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260302030650.htm Even in the ultra-dry Atacama Desert, tiny soil-dwelling nematodes are thriving in surprising diversity. Scientists found that biodiversity increases with moisture and altitude shapes which species survive. In the most extreme zones, many nematodes reproduce asexually — a possible survival advantage. The discovery suggests that life in arid regions may be far richer, and more fragile, than once believed. Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:49:03 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260302030650.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260206012221.htm Fossils from a Moroccan cave have been dated with remarkable accuracy to about 773,000 years ago, thanks to a magnetic signature locked into the surrounding sediments. The hominin remains show a blend of ancient and more modern features, placing them near a pivotal branching point in human evolution. These individuals likely represent an African population close to the last common ancestor of Homo sapiens, Neandertals, and Denisovans. Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:58:14 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260206012221.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260124073929.htm Locust swarms can wipe out crops across entire regions, threatening food supplies and livelihoods. Now, scientists working with farmers in Senegal have shown that improving soil health can dramatically reduce locust damage. By enriching soil with nitrogen, crops become less appealing to the insects, leading to fewer locusts, less plant damage, and harvests that doubled in size. Sat, 24 Jan 2026 08:08:59 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260124073929.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260115220612.htm New research shows tropical forests can recover twice as fast after deforestation when their soils contain enough nitrogen. Scientists followed forest regrowth across Central America for decades and found that nitrogen plays a decisive role in how quickly trees return. Faster regrowth also means more carbon captured from the atmosphere. The study points to smarter reforestation strategies that work with nature rather than relying on fertilizers. Thu, 15 Jan 2026 22:31:47 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260115220612.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260104202809.htm CO2 can stimulate plant growth, but only when enough nitrogen is available—and that key ingredient has been seriously miscalculated. A new study finds that natural nitrogen fixation has been overestimated by about 50 percent in major climate models. This means the climate-cooling benefits of plant growth under high CO2 are smaller than expected. The result: a reduced buffer against climate change and more uncertainty in future projections. Mon, 05 Jan 2026 04:46:45 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260104202809.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251226045324.htm Environmental change doesn’t affect evolution in a single, predictable way. In large-scale computer simulations, scientists discovered that some fluctuating conditions help populations evolve higher fitness, while others slow or even derail progress. Two populations facing different kinds of change can end up on completely different evolutionary paths. The findings challenge the idea that one population’s response can represent a whole species. Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:57:09 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251226045324.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251211100633.htm New research shows that crops are far more vulnerable when too much rainfall originates from land rather than the ocean. Land-sourced moisture leads to weaker, less reliable rainfall, heightening drought risk. The U.S. Midwest and East Africa are particularly exposed due to soil drying and deforestation. Protecting forests and improving land management could help stabilize rainfall and crop yields. Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:20:47 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251211100633.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251210092024.htm Researchers have uncovered surprising evidence that the deep ocean’s carbon-fixing engine works very differently than long assumed. While ammonia-oxidizing archaea were thought to dominate carbon fixation in the sunless depths, experiments show that other microbes—especially heterotrophs—are doing far more of the work than expected. This discovery reshapes our understanding of how carbon moves through the deep ocean and stabilizes Earth’s climate. Wed, 10 Dec 2025 11:23:29 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251210092024.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251209043038.htm Scientists discovered a small protein region that determines whether plants reject or welcome nitrogen-fixing bacteria. By tweaking only two amino acids, they converted a defensive receptor into one that supports symbiosis. Early success in barley hints that cereals may eventually be engineered to fix nitrogen on their own. Such crops could dramatically reduce fertilizer use and emissions. Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:39:24 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251209043038.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251123115435.htm UC Davis researchers engineered wheat that encourages soil bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen into plant-usable fertilizer. By boosting a natural compound in the plant, the wheat triggers bacteria to form biofilms that enable nitrogen fixation. This breakthrough could cut fertilizer use, reduce pollution, and increase yields. It also offers huge potential savings for farmers worldwide. Mon, 24 Nov 2025 05:00:24 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251123115435.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251118220054.htm Massive Sargassum blooms sweeping across the Caribbean and Atlantic are fueled by a powerful nutrient partnership: phosphorus pulled to the surface by equatorial upwelling and nitrogen supplied by cyanobacteria living directly on the drifting algae. Coral cores reveal that this nutrient engine has intensified over the past decade, perfectly matching surges in Sargassum growth since 2011. By ruling out older theories involving Saharan dust and river runoff, researchers uncovered a climate-driven process that shapes when and where these colossal seaweed mats form. Wed, 19 Nov 2025 03:56:56 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251118220054.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251115095918.htm Scientists discovered that a week of full submergence is enough to kill most rice plants, making flooding a far greater threat than previously understood. Intensifying extreme rainfall events may amplify these losses unless vulnerable regions adopt more resilient rice varieties. Sat, 15 Nov 2025 09:59:18 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251115095918.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251109032410.htm In Death Valley’s relentless heat, Tidestromia oblongifolia doesn’t just survive—it thrives. Michigan State University scientists discovered that the plant can quickly adjust its photosynthetic machinery to endure extreme temperatures that would halt most species. Its cells reorganize, its genes switch on protective functions, and it even reshapes its chloroplasts to keep producing energy. The findings could guide the creation of crops capable of withstanding future heat waves. Sun, 09 Nov 2025 04:01:43 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251109032410.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251101000412.htm For decades, Paranthropus robustus has intrigued scientists as a powerful, big-jawed cousin of early humans. Now, thanks to ancient protein analysis, researchers have cracked open new secrets hidden in 2-million-year-old tooth enamel. These proteins revealed both sex and subtle genetic differences among fossils, suggesting Paranthropus might not have been one species but a more complex evolutionary mix. Sat, 01 Nov 2025 05:21:59 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251101000412.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250924012230.htm Rice, a staple for billions, is one of the most resource-hungry crops on the planet—but scientists may have found a way to change that. By applying nanoscale selenium directly to rice plants, researchers dramatically improved nitrogen efficiency, boosted yields, and made grains more nutritious while reducing fertilizer use and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Wed, 24 Sep 2025 01:22:30 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250924012230.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250908175430.htm Tiny diatoms and their bacterial partners act as nature’s nutrient factories, fueling insects and salmon in California’s Eel River. Their pollution-free process could inspire breakthroughs in sustainable farming and energy. Mon, 08 Sep 2025 18:26:15 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250908175430.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250813083614.htm Over 15 years of fossil excavations in Tanzania and Zambia have revealed a vivid portrait of life before Earth s most devastating mass extinction 252 million years ago. Led by the University of Washington and the Field Museum, scientists uncovered saber-toothed predators, burrowing herbivores, and giant amphibians, offering rare insight into southern Pangea s ecosystems just before the Great Dying. Wed, 13 Aug 2025 08:36:14 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250813083614.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250724232415.htm A groundbreaking study has revealed that the mass administration of ivermectin—a drug once known for treating river blindness and scabies—can significantly reduce malaria transmission when used in conjunction with bed nets. Sat, 26 Jul 2025 12:09:34 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250724232415.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250715043403.htm Scientists have discovered that a protein once thought to be just a cellular "courier" actually helps plants survive drought. This motor protein, myosin XI, plays a critical role in helping leaves close their pores to conserve water. When it's missing, plants lose water faster, respond poorly to drought, and activate fewer protective systems. The finding could open the door to hardier crops that can withstand a warming, drying world. Wed, 16 Jul 2025 02:25:01 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250715043403.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250709091658.htm Climate change is silently sapping the nutrients from our food. A pioneering study finds that rising CO2 and higher temperatures are not only reshaping how crops grow but are also degrading their nutritional value especially in vital leafy greens like kale and spinach. This shift could spell trouble for global health, particularly in communities already facing nutritional stress. Researchers warn that while crops may grow faster, they may also become less nourishing, with fewer minerals, proteins, and antioxidants raising concerns about obesity, weakened immunity, and chronic diseases. Wed, 09 Jul 2025 09:16:58 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250709091658.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250706225819.htm Kenyan fig trees can literally turn parts of themselves to stone, using microbes to convert internal crystals into limestone-like deposits that lock away carbon, sweeten surrounding soils, and still yield fruit—hinting at a delicious new weapon in the climate-change arsenal. Sun, 06 Jul 2025 23:54:49 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250706225819.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250606231257.htm Frogs, salamanders, and other amphibians are not just battling habitat loss and pollution they're now also contending with increasingly brutal heat waves and droughts. A sweeping 40-year study shows a direct link between the rise in extreme weather events and the growing number of species landing on the endangered list. Europe, the Amazon, and Madagascar have become danger zones, with amphibians unable to adapt quickly enough. But there s hope scientists are calling for focused conservation efforts like habitat restoration and micro-refuges to help these vulnerable creatures survive. Fri, 06 Jun 2025 23:12:57 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250606231257.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250602155328.htm Some microbes living on sand grains use up all the oxygen around them. Their neighbors, left without oxygen, make the best of it: They use nitrate in the surrounding water for denitrification -- a process hardly possible when oxygen is present. This denitrification in sandy sediments in well-oxygenated waters can substantially contribute to nitrogen loss in the oceans. Mon, 02 Jun 2025 15:53:28 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250602155328.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250602154719.htm New research shows that the presence of solar panels in Colorado's grasslands may reduce water stress, improve soil moisture levels and -- particularly during dry years -- increase plant growth by about 20% or more compared to open fields. Mon, 02 Jun 2025 15:47:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250602154719.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250529140125.htm A new study reveals that the aerobic nitrogen cycle in the ocean may have occurred about 100 million years before oxygen began to significantly accumulate in the atmosphere, based on nitrogen isotope analysis from ancient South African rock cores. These findings not only refine the timeline of Earth's oxygenation but also highlight a critical evolutionary shift, where life began adapting to oxygen-rich conditions -- paving the way for the emergence of complex, multicellular organisms like humans. Thu, 29 May 2025 14:01:25 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250529140125.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250529124740.htm A professor of crop sciences and of plant biology describes research efforts to 'future-proof' the crops that are essential to feeding a hungry world in a changing climate. Long, who has spent decades studying the process of photosynthesis and finding ways to improve it, provides an overview of key scientific findings that offer a ray of hope. Thu, 29 May 2025 12:47:40 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250529124740.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250521124247.htm Researchers developed a way to extend the shelf life of vegetables by injecting them with melatonin using biodegradable microneedles. Wed, 21 May 2025 12:42:47 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250521124247.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250519131556.htm People have assumed climate change solutions that sequester carbon from the air into soils will also benefit crop yields. But a new study finds that most regenerative farming practices to build soil organic carbon -- such as planting cover crops, leaving stems and leaves on the ground and not tilling -- actually reduce yields in many situations. Mon, 19 May 2025 13:15:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250519131556.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250519131545.htm Fertilizer might be stronger than we thought. A new international study found that fertilizer can help plants survive short-term periods of extreme drought, findings which could have implications for agriculture and food systems in a world facing climate stressors. Mon, 19 May 2025 13:15:45 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250519131545.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250514164325.htm Scientists are using artificial intelligence to determine which genes collectively govern nitrogen use efficiency in plants such as corn, with the goal of helping farmers improve their crop yields and minimize the cost of nitrogen fertilizers. Wed, 14 May 2025 16:43:25 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250514164325.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250507130511.htm Across the globe, monsoon rainfall switches on in spring and off in autumn. Until now, this seasonal pattern was primarily understood as an immediate response to changes in solar radiation. A new study shows that the atmosphere can store moisture over extended periods, creating a physical memory effect. It allows monsoon systems to flip between two stable states. Disrupting this delicate balance, would have severe consequences for billions of people in India, Indonesia, Brazil and China. Wed, 07 May 2025 13:05:11 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250507130511.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250429162215.htm Researchers have shown they can inexpensively nanomanufacture silk microneedles to precisely fortify crops, monitor plant health, and detect soil toxins. Tue, 29 Apr 2025 16:22:15 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250429162215.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250428222135.htm New research has revealed that expected, extreme changes in India's summer monsoon could drastically hamper the Bay of Bengal's ability to support a crucial element of the region's food supply: marine life. The scientists examined how the monsoon, which brings heavy rains to the Indian subcontinent, has influenced the Bay of Bengal's marine productivity over the past 22,000 years. Mon, 28 Apr 2025 22:21:35 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250428222135.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250421163222.htm Millions of years ago, a fiery plume rising from Earth’s mantle reshaped continents, closing ancient seas and lifting land that would forever change life on our planet. This upheaval forged a bridge between Africa and Asia, allowing elephants, giraffes, cheetahs—and even the ancestors of humans—to cross into new worlds. The timing was everything: if the connection had formed even a million years later, evolution might have taken a different course, and our story could have unfolded along an entirely different path. Mon, 21 Apr 2025 16:32:22 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250421163222.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250417144856.htm A new study has investigated how the relationship between mean annual precipitation (MAP) and grassland biomass changes when one or more nutrients are added. The authors show that precipitation and nutrient availability are the key drivers of plant biomass, while the effects of plant diversity are minimal. Thu, 17 Apr 2025 14:48:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250417144856.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250411110037.htm Earth's rocky layers are mysteriously low in nitrogen compared with carbon and argon. A scientific team explored our planet's molten youth using advanced quantum mechanical simulations, revealing nitrogen's secret: under extreme pressure, it chose to hide in the iron core 100 times more than the mantle. This solved why Earth's volatile ratios involving nitrogen look odd. The findings suggest the necessary ingredients for developing a habitable world may have been settled in the early Earth. Fri, 11 Apr 2025 11:00:37 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250411110037.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250409114653.htm A new study reveals the modern arid desert between Africa and Saudi Arabia was once regularly lush and green with rivers and lakes over a period of 8 million years, allowing for the occupation and movements of both animals and hominins. Wed, 09 Apr 2025 11:46:53 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250409114653.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250407114252.htm The vast desert of the Arabian Peninsula was not always an arid landscape. A recent study reveals that this region was once home to a vast lake and river system. These favorable conditions fostered grasslands and savannahs, enabling human migration -- until drought returned, forcing populations to move. This research highlights the impact of climate cycles on landscapes and human societies. Mon, 07 Apr 2025 11:42:52 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250407114252.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250327141734.htm The reuse of human urine would allow for the production of sustainable fertilizers for urban agriculture, with significant environmental benefits, a new study concludes. The research evaluates the environmental impact of nitrogen recovery from the yellow waters of buildings. In addition to promoting sustainable agriculture, it would reduce carbon dioxide emissions and water consumption. Thu, 27 Mar 2025 14:17:34 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250327141734.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250326123531.htm A new study has revealed that African Elephants have an extraordinary ability to meet their colossal food requirements as efficiently as possible. Data from over 150 elephants demonstrated that these giants plan their journeys based on energy costs and resource availability. Wed, 26 Mar 2025 12:35:31 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250326123531.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250317164454.htm A new study has found that fortified enclosures also benefit nearby livestock keepers by preventing carnivore attacks. Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:44:54 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250317164454.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250313130329.htm A nine-year study comparing a typical two-year corn and soybean rotation with a more intensive three-year rotation involving corn, cereal rye, soybean and winter wheat, found that the three-year system can dramatically reduce nitrogen -- an important crop nutrient -- in farm runoff without compromising yield. Thu, 13 Mar 2025 13:03:29 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250313130329.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250312125006.htm A critically endangered new species of killifish sampled from an ancient forest in Kenya in 2017 and 2018 has now been described. Nothobranchius sylvaticus, from the Latin meaning 'pertaining to the forest', is also the first known endemic killifish to persist in a forest. Wed, 12 Mar 2025 12:50:06 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250312125006.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250312123852.htm Large, undisturbed forests are better for harboring biodiversity than fragmented landscapes, according to recent research. Ecologists agree that habitat loss and the fragmentation of forests reduces biodiversity in the remaining fragments. But ecologists don't agree whether it's better to focus on preserving many smaller, fragmented tracts of land or larger, continuous landscapes. The study comes to a clear conclusion. Wed, 12 Mar 2025 12:38:52 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250312123852.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250304114055.htm A new study offers a more precise picture of exactly where and how warming will affect our ability to grow food. Tue, 04 Mar 2025 11:40:55 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250304114055.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250303191256.htm The amount of nitrogen fertilizer needed to maximize the profitability of corn production in the Midwest has been increasing by about 1.2% per year for the past three decades, a trend driven by higher yields and wetter springs, according to a new study. Mon, 03 Mar 2025 19:12:56 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250303191256.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250227165419.htm The discovery of a powerful 'weapon' used by many disease-causing fungi to infect and destroy major food crop staples, such as rice and corn, could offer new strategies to bolster global food security. Like humans, many fungi rely on plants as a food source. This impacts the yield of food crops. It's estimated farmers lose between 10 to 23 per cent of their crops to fungal disease every year. Thu, 27 Feb 2025 16:54:19 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250227165419.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250224111812.htm The gut bacteria of giraffes are not primarily determined by what they eat, but by the species they belong to. This is shown in a new study in which researchers have analyzed the link between diet and gut flora in three giraffe species in Kenya. The study also provides new knowledge that can help secure the food supply of endangered giraffe species. Mon, 24 Feb 2025 11:18:12 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250224111812.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250224111758.htm New analysis of ancient fossilized rocks known as stromatolites, preserved in southern Zimbabwe, suggests strong links to hydrothermal nutrient recycling, 'meaning that early life may in part have been fueled by volcanic activity'. Mon, 24 Feb 2025 11:17:58 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250224111758.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250219190827.htm Nitrogen is essential for all life on Earth. In the global oceans, however, this element is scarce, and nitrogen availability is therefore critical for the growth of marine life. Some bacteria found in marine waters can convert nitrogen gas (N2) to ammonia (known as N2 fixation), and thereby supply the marine food web with nitrogen. Wed, 19 Feb 2025 19:08:27 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250219190827.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250217160330.htm Animals are not just inhabitants of the natural world -- they are its architects. A new study has revealed how hundreds of species shape the landscapes we depend on, from vast termite mounds visible from space to hippos carving drainage systems and beavers creating entire wetlands. Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:03:30 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250217160330.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250210153724.htm Kelp is being negatively impacted by climate change. Warming ocean temperatures have led to shorter growing and harvesting seasons, including for sugar kelp, one of the most commonly farmed kelp species. The loss of kelp populations can significantly impact ecosystems, and potentially the growing demand for sustainably farming food, feed, fertilizer, medicine, and cosmetics. To give kelp a chance against climate change, scientists have identified kelp species with natural adaptations to cope with heat. Mon, 10 Feb 2025 15:37:24 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250210153724.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250129115226.htm Grasslands in Asia and North America differ in their responses to drought, according to a new article. The findings show that differences in the dominant grasses and lower species diversity in the Eurasian Steppe grasslands may make it more vulnerable to drought than the North American Great Plains. Wed, 29 Jan 2025 11:52:26 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250129115226.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250128124310.htm Research with smallholder farmers in Kenya shows that tree-planting schemes must account for complex local issues and preferences. Tue, 28 Jan 2025 12:43:10 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250128124310.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250123193112.htm While climate change is likely to present significant challenges to agriculture in coming decades, it could also mean that crops such as chickpeas, soyabeans and oranges are widely grown across the UK, and home-produced hummus, tofu and marmalade are a common sight on our supermarket shelves by 2080. A new study predicts that future warmer temperatures in this country would be suitable for a variety of produce such as oranges, chickpeas and okra that are traditionally grown in warmer parts of the world. Thu, 23 Jan 2025 19:31:12 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250123193112.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250123002104.htm In addition to being hypoallergenic, camel milk could potentially protect the gut from harmful enzymes and create healthier digestion. Thu, 23 Jan 2025 00:21:04 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250123002104.htm