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Categories: Biology: Zoology, Ecology: Sea Life
Published Are bugs bugging humans or the other way around? Study reveals a few surprises
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research has determined key factors that impact biodiversity among spiders and insects in urban areas. The response of specific groups varied significantly, surprising the researchers. The study findings can help urban planners, landscapers, builders and homeowners make choices that increase biodiversity. Dozens of species previously unknown to science came to light through the study.
Published Science confirms it: Love leaves a mark on the brain
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The brain produces more of the pleasure-inducing hormone dopamine when we're longing for or hanging out with our partner, new research suggests. But when we break up, their unique 'chemical imprint' fades away. The study centers around prairie voles, which have the distinction of being among the 3 percent to 5 percent of mammals that form monogamous pair bonds.
Published A global study reveals pathways to save threatened sharks, despite rising mortality trends
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Sharks have persisted as powerful ocean predators for more than 400 million years. They survived five mass extinctions, diversifying into an amazing variety of forms and lifestyles. But this ancient lineage is now among the world's most threatened species groups due to overexploitation in poorly regulated fisheries and the proliferation of wasteful finning practices.
Published Oldest known fossilized skin is 21 million years older than previous examples
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified a 3D fragment of fossilized skin that is at least 21 million years than previously described skin fossils. The skin, which belonged to an early species of Paleozoic reptile, has a pebbled surface and most closely resembles crocodile skin. It's the oldest example of preserved epidermis, the outermost layer of skin in terrestrial reptiles, birds, and mammals, which was an important evolutionary adaptation in the transition to life on land.
Published A tiny tattoo for a tabby
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed an alternative labeling method called 'bio-tagging', which is a microneedle array system that can safely deliver ink in the form of unique number or letter sequences for the identification of animals, which can be used for pets or livestock. This method may be useful for various applications in animal research and management.
Published Need for speed: How hummingbirds switch mental gears in flight
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Hummingbirds use two distinct sensory strategies to control their flight, depending on whether they're hovering or in forward motion, according to new research.
Published Red deer populations in Europe: More influenced by humans than by wolves and other predators
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study shows that human hunting and land use have a decisive influence on red deer density in Europe. Red deer density is only reduced when wolves, lynx and bears co-occur at the same site.
Published Focus on biological processes does not capture the whole picture
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The ocean plays a crucial role in the storage of carbon dioxide (CO2). The so-called marine biological carbon pump is an important research topic in this context. However a key component is often overlooked. Colleagues outline why it is insufficient to focus solely on biological processes when investigating the accumulation of CO2 in the ocean by the biological carbon pump.
Published Study on lamprey embryos sheds light on the evolutionary origin of vertebrate head
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have investigated lamprey embryos using cutting-edge microscopic techniques to reveal interesting insights about vertebrate head evolution, clarifying an unresolved mystery in basic science.
Published A red knot's character is formed in first year of life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In any group of red knots, respective individuals exhibit a remarkable array of distinct character types. Birds with an exploratory character are motivated to investigate their environment and readily explore unfamiliar areas. Meanwhile, birds with inactive character types are content to remain in familiar territory. Interestingly, the birds do not appear to hatch with predetermined character types. Their characters are formed later, in the first year of life, as a result of their experiences in the Wadden Sea.
Published A beating biorobotic heart aims to better simulate valves
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Combining a biological heart and a silicone robotic pump, researchers created a biorobotic heart that beats like a real one, with a focus on a valve on the left side of the heart. The heart valve simulator can mimic the structure, function, and motion of a healthy or diseased heart, allowing surgeons and researchers to demonstrate various interventions while collecting real-time data.
Published In hot water: Coral resilience in the face of climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have been studying the effects of climate change on coral reefs. Monitoring two coral species off the coast of Hawaii, one team found that local adaptations in response to near-severe heat stress allowed certain populations to endure such events.
Published Acidity of Antarctic waters could double by century's end, threatening biodiversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Without drastically reducing global emissions, the Antarctic Ocean could become too acidic for hundreds of species living there, many already endangered by rising temperatures and sea ice loss.
Published With only the pawprints, researchers study elusive bobcat
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With DNA recovered from animal tracks, scientists revealed information about the ancestry and microbial community of bobcats without having to sample the animal directly.
Published Stranger than friction: A force initiating life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As the potter works the spinning wheel, the friction between their hands and the soft clay helps them shape it into all kinds of forms and creations. In a fascinating parallel, sea squirt oocytes (immature egg cells) harness friction within various compartments in their interior to undergo developmental changes after conception.
Published Nine new snail species discovered in Papua New Guinea, a biodiversity hot spot at risk
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study describes nine new species of carnivorous land snails, all of which are so small they could fit together on a U.S. nickel. They present a rare opportunity to study a group that in many other places is disappearing fast. Worldwide, mollusks account for more than 50% of all recorded extinctions since the year 1500, and many of these were land snails from Pacific islands.
Published Rallying for a better badminton birdie
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Shuttlecocks, also known as birdies or birds, are traditionally made from duck feathers, but nylon shuttlecocks have become more widely used because of their superior durability. Their flight behavior, however, is far different from that of traditional feather birdies. Scientists have now explored the aerodynamic performance of nylon shuttlecocks at various flight speeds. Through computational analyses based on two-way fluid-structure interactions, the team coupled equations governing air flow with equations determining skirt deformation of a shuttlecock in flight.
Published Spanish butterflies better at regulating their body temperature than their British cousins
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Butterfly populations in Catalonia in northern Spain are better than their UK counterparts at regulating their body temperature by basking in the sunshine, but rising global temperatures due to climate change may put Spanish butterflies at greater risk of extinction.
Published Protecting coral 'nurseries' as important as safeguarding established coral reefs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research in the southwestern part of Hawai'i Island shows that identifying and protecting marine ecosystems both down-current and up-current of coral reefs, specifically areas where coral larvae are more likely to survive and thrive, is crucial to future coral conservation and restoration efforts -- especially as reefs face increasing pressure from the devastating effects of climate change.
Published Fastest swimming insect could inspire uncrewed boat designs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Whirligig beetles, the world's fastest-swimming insect, achieve surprising speeds by employing a strategy shared by fast-swimming marine mammals and waterfowl, according to a new study that rewrites previous explanations of the physics involved.