//www.koonmotors.com/news/earth_climate/invasive_species/ Learn how invasive species threaten ecosystems. Read current research on biodiversity loss due to introduced species and more. en-us Mon, 28 Aug 2023 18:54:01 EDT Mon, 28 Aug 2023 18:54:01 EDT 60 //www.koonmotors.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png//www.koonmotors.com/news/earth_climate/invasive_species/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230825122014.htm A study on 'canopy soils' on old trees in Costa Rica shows they are important habitats and carbon stores that cannot easily be replaced. Fri, 25 Aug 2023 12:20:14 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230825122014.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165355.htm A new study of cavity-nesting birds in Ecuador shows the influence of deforestation on their habitat and reproductive success. Nest boxes could help. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:53:55 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165355.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122613.htm Climate impacts such as dry, hot summers reduce the growth and increase the mortality of trees in the Black Forest because they negatively influence the climatic water balance, i.e., the difference between precipitation and potential evapotranspiration. That is the central finding of a long-term study of the influence of climate and climate change on trees in the Black Forest. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 12:26:13 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122613.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122546.htm Researchers combined human and ecological factors to analyze the global scale of non-native tree species invasions. Human activity in hotspots of global trade, such as maritime ports, is linked to an increased likelihood of non-native tree species invasions. However, a high diversity of native tree species can help to curb the intensity of such invasions. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 12:25:46 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122546.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230822111709.htm New research has revealed Australia's iconic grasstrees -- known as 'yaccas' -- play a critical role in protecting wildlife from deadly weather extremes, thereby ensuring their survival. But the grasses themselves are under threat due to back burning, clearing and disease. Tue, 22 Aug 2023 11:17:09 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230822111709.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230822111645.htm Birds native to the tropical Andes are threatened by increasing agricultural development in the region. A new study combines a meta-analysis of papers on birds across the Andes with five years of fieldwork in Peru, revealing that open farmlands result in up to a 60% decline in the number of species in an area. The study documents how specific species are affected and provides tailored guidance for conservationists trying to protect them. Tue, 22 Aug 2023 11:16:45 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230822111645.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230809130700.htm Dam constructions have flooded over 1.13 million acres of tribal land in the U.S., contributing to the historic and ongoing struggle against land dispossession for Indigenous peoples in the United States. New research has identified that a region of tribal land larger than the state of Rhode Island has been submerged by dams in the U.S. The findings raise concerns about the destruction of ecosystems, cultural heritage, and livelihoods. Wed, 09 Aug 2023 13:07:00 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230809130700.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230808110948.htm City life favors species that are adaptable and not too fussy about what they eat, among other characteristics. A worldwide consortium of scientists calls the resulting collection of traits an 'Urban Trait Syndrome.' Tue, 08 Aug 2023 11:09:48 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230808110948.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230808110934.htm Current efforts to protect and restore native biodiversity is being threatened by difficulties in identifying wild and domestic cats, and categorization is likely to remain fraught for the foreseeable future, experts have warned. Tue, 08 Aug 2023 11:09:34 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230808110934.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230807121910.htm A new study reveals how a succession of strategies can take control of an invasive species population. Mon, 07 Aug 2023 12:19:10 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230807121910.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230803141706.htm Tropical forests can harbor hundreds of species of trees in one square mile. Researchers reveal key factors in the spatial distribution of adult trees. Thu, 03 Aug 2023 14:17:06 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230803141706.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230802162517.htm Wildfires are an ancient force shaping the environment, but they have grown in frequency, range and intensity in response to a changing climate. Scientists are working on several fronts to better understand and predict these events and what they mean for the carbon cycle and biodiversity. Wed, 02 Aug 2023 16:25:17 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230802162517.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230801163248.htm A newly published study describes the response to sea level rise by the silver rice rat, an endangered species only found in the Florida Keys. Tue, 01 Aug 2023 16:32:48 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230801163248.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731215334.htm It's an elegant solution: Remove the habitat of a parasite-carrying aquatic snail and reduce the level of infection in the local community; all while generating more feed and compost for local farmers. Mon, 31 Jul 2023 21:53:34 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731215334.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731215218.htm Researchers have revealed the unique 'cheating' strategy a New Zealand insect has developed to avoid being eaten -- mimicking a highly toxic species. Mon, 31 Jul 2023 21:52:18 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731215218.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731132829.htm Major government and private funding is being invested in planting trees as a powerful tool to fight climate change. But new research shows a troubling bottleneck that could threaten these efforts: U.S. tree nurseries don't grow close to enough trees--nor have the species diversity needed--to meet ambitious planting and restoration goals. Mon, 31 Jul 2023 13:28:29 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731132829.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230727211659.htm Ancient pathogens that escape from melting permafrost have real potential to damage microbial communities and might potentially threaten human health, according to a new study. Thu, 27 Jul 2023 21:16:59 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230727211659.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230727144204.htm Over 60 animal species in three days. That is how many mammals, birds and amphibians researchers found DNA traces from in the air in a Danish forest. The results can pave the way for a new and innovative way of mapping biodiversity. Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:42:04 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230727144204.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230727143937.htm The link between tree diversity and spider populations can help homeowners and other land managers better plan tree plantings to naturally mitigate the effects of climate change. Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:39:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230727143937.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230726171303.htm When oleander aphids infested tropical milkweed, monarch butterflies laid fewer eggs on the plant, and the caterpillars developing on those plants were slower to mature. Wed, 26 Jul 2023 17:13:03 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230726171303.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230726171300.htm All plants and lichens listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act are sensitive to climate change but there are few plans in place to address this threat directly, according to new research. Wed, 26 Jul 2023 17:13:00 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230726171300.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230725123111.htm Miyako Islands are home to various native species of snake and lizards. How these species came to call these islands home has long puzzled scientists. A group of researchers have compiled the latest geological and biological data, proposing that an island once facilitated migration between Okinawa and Miyako Islands. Tue, 25 Jul 2023 12:31:11 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230725123111.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230725123037.htm Lower parasitism and predation in urban habitats may contribute to the invasion success of brown widow spiders, according to new research. Tue, 25 Jul 2023 12:30:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230725123037.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230721113246.htm An exquisitely preserved fossil forest from Japan provides missing links and helps reconstruct a whole Eurasia plant from the late Miocene epoch. Fri, 21 Jul 2023 11:32:46 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230721113246.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230718164231.htm Researchers analyzed more than 500,000 motion-sensor camera trap images taken at a Northern California reserve in the years before and after the Mendocino Complex Fire to understand how the blaze impacted small- and medium-sized mammals. The study is one of the first to compare wildlife observations made before and after a megafire, and is also one of a limited number of studies to focus on the impacts of megafires on California's oak woodlands. Tue, 18 Jul 2023 16:42:31 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230718164231.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230718105733.htm Without intervention, the colorful but devastating Japanese beetle could make its way across the evergreen state within two decades, according to a study of their potential dispersion. The iridescent, green-and-copper beetles damage plants by 'skeletonizing' their leaves, chewing up all the soft green parts between the veins. They eat over 300 plants and pose a serious threat to Washington agriculture as some of their favorite crops include grapes, hops and cherries. The study found that Japanese beetles would most likely thrive in the dry, agriculture-rich southeastern part of the state, where the first individuals were found three years ago. If they were to escape the quarantines in place in those areas, modeling shows they would likely spread throughout the region from Yakima to the Tri-Cities and north past Moses Lake. While the Cascades are a barrier, there are large areas of Western Washington that also have highly suitable habitat for Japanese beetles. Tue, 18 Jul 2023 10:57:33 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230718105733.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230714163216.htm Oceanic islands provide useful models for ecology, biogeography and evolutionary research. Many ground-breaking findings -- including Darwin's theory of evolution -- have emerged from the study of species on islands and their interplay with their living and non-living environment. Now, an international research team has investigated the flora of the Canary Island of Tenerife. The results were surprising: the island's plant-life exhibits a remarkable diversity of forms. But the plants differ little from mainland plants in functional terms. However, unlike the flora of the mainland, the flora of Tenerife is dominated by slow-growing, woody shrubs with a 'low-risk' life strategy. Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:32:16 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230714163216.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230714131126.htm Many landscapes in the tropics consist of a mosaic of different types of land use. How people make use of these different ecosystems, with their particular plant communities, was unclear until now. Researchers, many of them from Madagascar, have now investigated this. When considering biodiversity, forests often get the most attention. But this research shows that rural households use a wide range of plant species and services provided by many nearby ecosystem types. Fri, 14 Jul 2023 13:11:26 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230714131126.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230713142107.htm Small-winged and lighter colored butterflies likely to be at greatest threat from climate change. The family, wing length and wing colour of tropical butterflies all influence their ability to withstand rising temperatures, say ecologists. The researchers believe this could help identify species whose survival is under threat from climate change. Thu, 13 Jul 2023 14:21:07 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230713142107.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230713141927.htm ecosyst生物入侵是一个主要的威胁ems, biodiversity, and human well-being, resulting in ecosystem degradation and causing economic costs in the multi-trillions of euros globally. A study sheds light on the stark economic cost resulting from biological invasions in the European Union (EU). Thu, 13 Jul 2023 14:19:27 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230713141927.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230711133240.htm Algorithms can predict what movies or songs you might like, but they can also predict which species a predator would most likely eat. Researchers have been using machine learning to identify species interactions, and can predict which species are most likely to go extinct, so that intervention can be planned before this happens. Tue, 11 Jul 2023 13:32:40 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230711133240.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230711133147.htm Humans began altering environments long before records were kept of the things that lived in them, making it difficult for scientists to determine what healthy ecosystems should look like. Researchers show the recent fossil record preserves a reliable snapshot of marine environments as they existed before humans. Tue, 11 Jul 2023 13:31:47 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230711133147.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230710180448.htm Researchers have found toxins in the venom of asp caterpillars are completely different to anything they have seen before in insects. Toxins in the caterpillar venom punch holes in cells the same way as toxins produced by disease-causing bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. Venoms are rich sources of new molecules that could be developed into medicines of the future, pesticides, or used as scientific tools. Mon, 10 Jul 2023 18:04:48 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230710180448.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230710133054.htm America's forests have a tough time in store for them. Climate change is increasing temperatures and decreasing moisture levels across the country, not a winning combination for trees. Mon, 10 Jul 2023 13:30:54 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230710133054.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230710113929.htm A study has identified genes involved in development of stone cells -- rigid cells that can block a nibbling insect from eating budding branches of the Sitka spruce evergreen tree. The insect's attack has stunted the growth of these forest giants. Mon, 10 Jul 2023 11:39:29 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230710113929.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230710113854.htm Financial payments made by land developers to offset their impacts on threatened species may fall short, according to new research. Mon, 10 Jul 2023 11:38:54 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230710113854.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230707153844.htm 一项新的研究发现,蜱虫可以港传动ble amounts of the protein particle that causes Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), implicating the parasites as possible agents in the disease's spread between deer in Wisconsin. Fri, 07 Jul 2023 15:38:44 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230707153844.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230706231337.htm Research has revealed that Queensland native forestry, including timber harvesting, could actually help conserve biodiversity and mitigate climate risks. Thu, 06 Jul 2023 23:13:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230706231337.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230706152402.htm Researchers are using a new model to clarify why millions of years ago more animal species from Asia made the leap to the Australian continent than vice versa. The climate in which the species evolved played an important role. Thu, 06 Jul 2023 15:24:02 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230706152402.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230706124606.htm The invasive Asian clam is more common in the lower Columbia River than its native habitat of southeast Asia, according to a study of the clam's abundance in the river. The findings don't bode well for potential future invasions by the even more destructive quagga and zebra mussels. So far, the Columbia is one of the only major U.S. rivers to remain free of these notorious ecology-destroying, equipment-clogging bivalves. Thu, 06 Jul 2023 12:46:06 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230706124606.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230704110939.htm Analysis of global tracking data for 77 species of petrel has revealed that a quarter of all plastics potentially encountered in their search for food are in remote international waters -- requiring international collaboration to address. Tue, 04 Jul 2023 11:09:39 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230704110939.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230630123217.htm 鸟需要适应气候变化,但是evolution is a slow process. Model species such as the great tit are an indispensable yardstick for our ability to predict the impact of climate change on nature. Using innovative methods, a team from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) took a sneak peek into the birds' future. Fri, 30 Jun 2023 12:32:17 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230630123217.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230629125737.htm The mosquito species Culex modestus has been found in Finland for the first time. In Southern Europe it is known to spread West Nile virus, but it is highly unlikely for the disease to occur in Finland. Culex modestus has become the 44th mosquito species found in Finland, and the northernmost record of the species in Europe. The previous findings closest to Finland, but further south, have been made in the Leningrad Province in Russia and in Skåne in Sweden. Thu, 29 Jun 2023 12:57:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230629125737.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230629125706.htm A new study that included millions of tree-year observations worldwide for the first time documents and analyzes the intricate balance between seed defense and dispersal by forest trees at a global scale. Thu, 29 Jun 2023 12:57:06 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230629125706.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230621003059.htm New research explores how a warming world could impact ecosystems and derail the development of new species. Wed, 21 Jun 2023 00:30:59 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230621003059.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230614220543.htm New research indicates the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) could be devastating to amphibian biodiversity if introduced to North America. Wed, 14 Jun 2023 22:05:43 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230614220543.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230612200428.htm Initial choices about fertilization and grass seeding could have a long-lasting effect on how plants and their associated microbes break down pollution in petroleum-contaminated soils. Mon, 12 Jun 2023 20:04:28 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230612200428.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230608120921.htm Ecological scientists have long sought ways to measure and predict how specific plant communities will fare over time. Which species in a diverse population will persist and coexist? Which will decline? What factors might contribute to continuing biodiversity? Researchers report on a new method for determining whether pairs or groups of plant species are likely to coexist over time. Thu, 08 Jun 2023 12:09:21 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230608120921.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230606111658.htm A study of the relationship between the growth rate of tropical trees and the frequency of genetic mutations they accumulate suggests that older, long-lived trees play a greater role in generating and maintaining genetic diversity than short-lived trees. Tue, 06 Jun 2023 11:16:58 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230606111658.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230605181342.htm Night-time pollinators such as moths may visit just as many plants as bees, and should also be the focus of conservation and protection efforts, a new study suggests. Mon, 05 Jun 2023 18:13:42 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230605181342.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230605181255.htm The accelerating loss of biodiversity and increasing rate of species extinction is a major threat to ecosystems around the globe. And yet, quantifying those losses at a large scale hasn't been possible, in large part due to a lack of the required infrastructure. But a new study shows that a major source for such information already exists in the form of environmental DNA (eDNA), which has been inadvertently collected in filters by thousands of ambient air quality monitoring stations in countries around the world for decades. Mon, 05 Jun 2023 18:12:55 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230605181255.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230605181213.htm Researchers show that an evolutionary change in the length of lizards' legs can have a significant impact on vegetation growth and spider populations on small islands in the Bahamas. This is one of the first times, the researchers say, that such dramatic evolution-to-environment effects have been documented in a natural setting. Mon, 05 Jun 2023 18:12:13 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230605181213.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230601155920.htm Tropical forest birds, which tend to have wings that are short and round relative to their body length and shape, are more sensitive to habitat fragmentation than the long-, slender-winged species common in temperate forests. Thu, 01 Jun 2023 15:59:20 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230601155920.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230523123834.htm Though prescribed burns reduce wildfire threats and even improve habitat for some animals, new research shows these fires also spread stinknet, an aptly named weed currently invading superblooms across the Southwestern U.S. Tue, 23 May 2023 12:38:34 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230523123834.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230522145851.htm Droughts can be good for trees. Certain trees, that is. Contrary to expectation, sometimes a record-breaking drought can increase tree growth. Why and where this happens is the subject of a new article. Mon, 22 May 2023 14:58:51 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230522145851.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230522131409.htm A new study has identified the bee's knees of bumble bee dietary options in Ohio and the Upper Midwest. By viewing almost 23,000 bumble bee-flower interactions over two years, researchers found that these bees don't always settle for the most abundant flowers in their foraging area -- suggesting they have more discerning dietary preferences than one might expect. Mon, 22 May 2023 13:14:09 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230522131409.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230517122115.htm 一种微小的、色彩斑斓的跳蛛雇佣了two lines of defense to avoid being eaten: camouflaging with plants and walking like an ant. Researchers report that this combination of camouflage and movement mimicry helps the spiders evade spider-eating spiders but does not deter hungry praying mantises. Wed, 17 May 2023 12:21:15 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230517122115.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230515132022.htm Deforestation is the biggest threat to the planet's ecosystems, and new research has now mapped out exactly what happens when agriculture replaces forestry. Mon, 15 May 2023 13:20:22 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230515132022.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230510120556.htm A tiny flightless midge which has colonized Antarctica's Signy Island is driving fundamental changes to the island's soil ecosystem, a study shows. Wed, 10 May 2023 12:05:56 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230510120556.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230509122120.htm The theory that water-breathing animals such as fish will shrink due to global warming has been called into question by a new study. Tue, 09 May 2023 12:21:20 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230509122120.htm