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Categories: Archaeology: General, Ecology: Invasive Species
Published Yeast speeds discovery of medicinal compounds in plants
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have harnessed the power of baker's yeast to create a cost-effective and highly efficient approach for unraveling how plants synthesize medicinal compounds, and used the new method to identify key enzymes in a kratom tree.
Published Orchid without bumblebee on island finds wasp, loses self
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Because the bumblebee that an orchid relies on for pollination does not exist on a remote island, the plant gets pollinated by an island wasp. Researchers found that this came at the cost of being hybridized with another orchid species adapted to being pollinated by the wasp. The finding showcases how plants in ecological relationships adapt to changing circumstances.
Published Critical step made for managing brushtail possums
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers say mapping the genetic code of the brushtail possum will benefit those working to both conserve and control the animal.
Published How to help save plants from extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Now is the time to identify the conditions that cause plants to die. Doing so will allow us to better protect plants by choosing conservation targets more strategically, botanists argue.
Published Study reveals our European ancestors ate seaweed and freshwater plants
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers say they have found 'definitive' archaeological evidence that seaweeds and other local freshwater plants were eaten in the mesolithic, through the Neolithic transition to farming and into the Early Middle Ages, suggesting that these resources, now rarely eaten in Europe, only became marginal much more recently.
Published AI models identify biodiversity from animal sounds in tropical rainforests
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Animal sounds are a very good indicator of biodiversity in tropical reforestation areas. Researchers demonstrate this by using sound recordings and AI models.
Published Endemic malaria found in high, dry northwestern Kenya
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Turkana County in northwestern Kenya was thought to be too dry for the mosquitoes that harbor malaria-causing parasites. But that assumption may have been wrong, according to a new study by malaria researchers. The arrival of a new mosquito and a more pernicious species of parasite could reverse the progress East Africa has made in controlling malaria.
Published Bouldering in south-central Madagascar: A new 'rock-climbing' gecko species of the genus Paroedura
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new Paroedura gecko species was reported at two small forest sites, Anja Reserve and Tsaranoro Valley forest, in the south-central plateau of Madagascar. Thanks to the recently collected samples, it was described and named after its preferred habitat, the boulders surrounded by the last remaining forests at these sites. Its conservation status was evaluated as Critically Endangered given its tiny distributional range.
Published Tropical ecosystems more reliant on emerging aquatic insects, study finds, potentially putting them at greater risk
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have found that tropical forest ecosystems are more reliant on aquatic insects than temperate forest ecosystems, making them more vulnerable to disruptions to the links between land and water. This is a significant finding, as tropical forests play a vital role in global biodiversity and climate regulation. The study's authors warn that any disruption to the land-water connections in these ecosystems could have serious consequences for their health and resilience.
Published Meadow Spittlebug's record-breaking diet also makes it top disease carrier for plants
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research fueled in part by citizen scientists reveals that the meadow spittlebug—known for the foamy, spit-like urine released by its nymphs—can feed on at least 1,300 species of host plants, more than twice the number of any other insect.
Published Extreme fires and heavy rainfall driving platypuses from their homes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Australia's emerging pattern of severe mega bushfires and heavy rainfall may be driving platypuses from their homes, a new study has shown. Analysis of platypus DNA in rivers and creek water samples collected before and after the Black Summer 2019-2020 megafires suggest Australia's beloved semi-aquatic monotremes might be abandoning severely bushfire-affected areas for up to 18 months after a fire, especially if heavy rainfall has followed the fire.
Published Honeybees are more selective in their choices for nutrition than previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An international research group examined which plants honeybees favor when collecting nectar and pollen. The choices honeybees make have an impact on their health and also on humans, as honeybees pollinate important crop plants.
Published Carbon-capture tree plantations threaten tropical biodiversity for little gain, ecologists say
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The increasingly urgent climate crisis has led to a boom in commercial tree plantations in an attempt to offset excess carbon emissions. However, authors argue that these carbon-offset plantations might come with costs for biodiversity and other ecosystem functions. Instead, the authors say we should prioritize conserving and restoring intact ecosystems.
Published Scientists investigate Grand Canyon's ancient past to predict future climate impacts
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team explores relationship between warming post-Ice Age temperatures and intensifying summer monsoon rains on groundwater reserves.
Published Timing plant evolution with a fast-ticking epigenetic clock
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Recent discoveries in the field of epigenetics, the study of inheritance of traits that occur without changing the DNA sequence, have shown that chronological age in mammals correlates with epigenetic changes that accumulate during the lifetime of an individual. In humans, this observation has led to the development of epigenetic clocks, which are now extensively used as biomarkers of aging. While these clocks work accurately from birth until death, they are set back to zero in each new generation. Now, an international team shows that epigenetic clocks not only exist in plants, but that these clocks keep ticking accurately over many generations.
Published New research reveals dynamic factors shaping biodiversity at small scales
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers studying arboreal ants in a Florida forest explore the fundamental question of how resource availability and competition shape biodiversity.
Published How to save plants from climate change? Just ask them
(via sciencedaily.com) Climate change and a range of human-caused factors have disrupted the habitats of many California native trees and other plant species. Efforts to protect or relocate plant species would be bolstered by understanding which habitats are best suited for each species. A new study identified a range of characteristics from more than 100 types of plants that can be analyzed to determine each species' preferred temperature and rainfall amount.
Published Decreasing biodiversity may promote spread of viruses
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source How are environmental changes, loss of biodiversity, and the spread of pathogens connected? The answer is a puzzle. Researchers have now described one piece of that puzzle, showing that the destruction of tropical rainforests harms the diversity of mosquito species. At the same time, more resilient species of mosquitoes become more prevalent -- which also means the viruses they carry are more abundant. If there are many individuals of a given species, those viruses can spread quickly.
Published Caribbean parrots thought to be endemic are actually relicts of millennial-scale extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For the first time, researchers have extracted ancient DNA from Caribbean parrot fossils and archaeological specimens, showing that species thought to be endemic to particular islands were historically more widespread and diverse.
Published Pollen analysis suggests peopling of Siberia and Europe by modern humans occurred during a major Pleistocene warming spell
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study appearing in Science Advances compares Pleistocene vegetation communities around Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia, to the oldest archeological traces of Homo sapiens in the region. The researchers use the 'remarkable evidence' to tell a compelling story from 45,000-50,000 years ago with new detail: how the first humans migrated across Europe and Asia.