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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Ecology: Extinction
Published Discovery could lead to new fungicides to protect rice crops
(via sciencedaily.com) In some years, rice blast disease destroys more than one quarter of the harvest worldwide. But it's hard to fight with current methods. Researchers have now discovered how the fungus breeches the tough skin of the rice leaf and determined the structure of the enzyme secreted to puncture the leaf. They're now searching for chemical blockers that would work as a spray-on fungicide for rice and other crops.
Published Coral reefs in the Eastern Pacific could survive into the 2060s
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientists found that some reefs in the tropical Pacific Ocean could maintain high coral cover into the second half of this century by shuffling the symbiotic algae they host. The findings offer a ray of hope in an often-dire picture of the future of coral reefs worldwide.
Published Microbes that co-operate contribute more carbon emissions
(via sciencedaily.com) Communities of microbes that work together release more carbon dioxide than competitive communities, contributing more to climate change.
Published Do forest trees really 'talk' through underground fungi?
(via sciencedaily.com) The idea that forest trees can 'talk' to each other, share resources with their seedlings -- and even protect them -- through a connective underground web of delicate fungal filaments tickles the imagination. The concept is so intriguing, it's taken root in popular media -- even being raised in the popular Apple TV show Ted Lasso -- and been dubbed the 'wood-wide web,' but the science behind those ideas is unproven, cautions an expert.
Published Fossil discovery reveals complex ecosystems existed on Earth much earlier than previously thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source About 250 million years ago, the Permian-Triassic mass extinction killed over 80 per cent of the planet's species. In the aftermath, scientists believe that life on earth was dominated by simple species for up to 10 million years before more complex ecosystems could evolve. Now this longstanding theory is being challenged by a team of international researchers.
Published Bite this! Mosquito feeding chamber uses fake skin, real blood
(via sciencedaily.com) Bioengineers and experts in tropical medicine have invented a new way of studying mosquito feeding behavior using technology instead of live volunteers. Their open-source design combines automated cameras, artificial intelligence and blood-infused, 3D-printed 'synthetic skin.'
Published Endangered Bahamas bird may be lost from island following hurricane
(via sciencedaily.com) The endangered Bahama Warbler may be surviving on just one island following Hurricane Dorian's devastation in 2019, according to researchers. A new study shows the bird's distribution and ecology on Grand Bahama before the hurricane struck. But the team says that the warbler may now only survive on neighboring Abaco island, after hurricane Dorian destroyed the bird's forest habitat on Grand Bahama. The research comes from the same team that found what is thought to have been the last living Bahama Nuthatch, previously thought to have been extinct.
Published Roads, pet dogs and more may pose hidden threat to Africa's primates
(via sciencedaily.com) Simple solutions, such as not leaving out food at night, could help to protect non-human primates in Sub-Saharan Africa -- some of which are already struggling because of threats like climate change and habitat loss.
Published 'We're not all that different': Study IDs bacterial weapons that could be harnessed to treat human disease
(via sciencedaily.com) When it comes to fighting off invaders, bacteria operate in a remarkably similar way to human cells, possessing the same core machinery required to switch immune pathways on and off, according to new research.
Published Scientists develop new index based on functional morphology to understand how ancestors of modern birds used their wings
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientists have compared the relationship among the strength of flight bones, body mass, and the way modern birds fly to better understand the evolution of flight in birds and extinct animals, such as the Pteranodon.
Published Keeping SARS-CoV-2 closed for business with small molecules
(via sciencedaily.com) The infamous spike proteins on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 help it bind to and enter human cells. Because of their important role in spreading infection, these spike proteins are one of the main targets for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. But those remedies gradually lose effectiveness when certain segments of the spike proteins mutate. Now, researchers report that they have discovered small molecules that successfully target other segments that mutate less.
Published Discovery of T-cells that protect against deadly pneumococcal disease
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study reveals how resistance to bacteraemic pneumonia is provided by a unique subset of lung T regulatory cells.
Published Licorice leaf extract is a promising plant protectant for conventional and organic agriculture
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study reveals that licorice leaf extract is a potent bactericide and fungicide that can be used in conventional and organic agriculture.
Published Studies find that microbiome changes may be a signature for ME/CFS
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have found differences in the gut microbiomes of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) compared to healthy controls. Findings from two studies add to growing evidence that connects disruptions in the gut microbiome, the complete collection of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in our gastrointestinal system, to ME/CFS.
Published Loss of reptiles poses threat for small islands where humans may have caused extinctions
(via sciencedaily.com) A new examination of ancient and current species of reptiles conducted by paleobiologists reveals the serious impact of the disappearance of even a few species of reptiles in some island areas. The study has startling conclusions about how, on smaller islands in the Caribbean where human impact was greatest, extinctions have led to the loss of up to two-thirds of the supports for the ecosystem that native reptile species once provided there.
Published Wild bumblebee queens lured and killed in commercial hives
(via sciencedaily.com) While testing how well commercial bumblebees pollinate early spring crops, researchers made a surprising discovery: dead wild bumblebee queens in the hives, an average of 10 per nest box.
Published How waste-eating bacteria digest complex carbons
(via sciencedaily.com) For the first time, researchers mapped the metabolic mechanisms in a Comamonas bacterium that digests chemicals from plastic and plant waste. This new information could potentially lead to novel biotechnology platforms that harness the bacteria to help recycle plastic waste.
Published Why microbes in the deep ocean live without sunlight
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study reverses the idea that the bulk of life in the ocean is fueled by photosynthesis via sunshine, revealing that many ocean microbes in fact get their energy from hydrogen and carbon monoxide. It has always been a mystery as to how microbes growing in deepest parts of the sea survive, with no sunlight. A new study shows that a distinct process called chemosynthesis -- growth using inorganic compounds -- fuels microbes in these darkest depths.
Published Voiceless frog discovered in Tanzania
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers discovered a new species of frog in Africa that has an unusual trait: it's completely silent. The Ukaguru spiny-throated reed frog does not croak, sing or ribbit. Found in Tanzania's Ukaguru Mountains for which it is named, Hyperolius ukaguruensis is among the few frogs around the world that do not vocalize to other frogs.
Published How species partnerships evolve
(via sciencedaily.com) Biologists explored how symbiotic relationships between species evolve to become specific or general, cooperative or antagonistic.