//www.koonmotors.com/news/earth_climate/ecology/ Learn about recent research into biodiversity reduction and how it affects ecosystems. Read news articles on coral bleaching, deforestation and wetland ecology. en-us Fri, 08 Sep 2023 12:54:28 EDT Fri, 08 Sep 2023 12:54:28 EDT 60 //www.koonmotors.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png//www.koonmotors.com/news/earth_climate/ecology/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907105857.htm New research shows that, in addition to trees, humble grasses also play an essential role in capturing carbon. Thu, 07 Sep 2023 10:58:57 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230907105857.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905202502.htm Scientists identify ways landowners in rural Brazil can find win-win situations with biodiversity and farming. Tue, 05 Sep 2023 20:25:02 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905202502.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905125052.htm Invasive alien species are animals that may pose a threat to biodiversity, but it's time to deal with that threat in a more ethical way. Tue, 05 Sep 2023 12:50:52 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905125052.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905124952.htm Elephants, buffaloes and other heavy herbivores are effective against invasive plants. This is the conclusion of a new study that used Indian data, including data from the world's largest survey of wildlife based on camera traps. But smaller animals can do the same: you don't need elephants to get the same effect, the researchers point out. Tue, 05 Sep 2023 12:49:52 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230905124952.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230904151038.htm Diversified farming is an important complement to forest protections for reversing tropical biodiversity declines. Mon, 04 Sep 2023 15:10:38 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/09/230904151038.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831121626.htm New research found that marine heat waves -- prolonged periods of unusually warm ocean temperatures -- haven't had a lasting effect on the fish communities that feed most of the world. The finding is in stark contrast to the devastating effects seen on other marine ecosystems cataloged by scientists after similar periods of warming, including widespread coral bleaching and harmful algal blooms. Thu, 31 Aug 2023 12:16:26 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230831121626.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230829124431.htm In northern Yellowstone National Park, saplings of quaking aspen, an ecologically important tree in the American West, are being broken by a historically large bison herd, affecting the comeback of aspen from decades of over-browsing by elk. Tue, 29 Aug 2023 12:44:31 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230829124431.htm //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/2023/08/230823165528.htm Fresh research suggests that national parks enhance bird diversity inside their borders. Large parks also support higher diversity of both birds and mammals in nearby unprotected areas. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:55:28 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165528.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165400.htm An interdisciplinary team of researchers demonstrated that coral can be preserved through a new technique called isochoric vitrification. This process takes the selected coral fragments through the stages of cryopreservation and subsequent revival. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:54:00 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823165400.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/2023/08/230823122636.htm Researchers have identified a new pathway by which sugar is released by symbiotic algae. This pathway involves the largely overlooked cell wall, showing that this structure not only protects the cell but plays an important role in symbiosis and carbon circulation in the ocean. Wed, 23 Aug 2023 12:26:36 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230823122636.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/2023/08/230822111421.htm Researchers demonstrate that a vast multitude of birds and mammals can be detected by simply swabbing the DNA left behind by animals from leaves. They showcased the power of this approach in an ecosystem that hosts a ton of wildlife and where detecting animals has historically proven extremely challenging -- the tropical rainforest. Tue, 22 Aug 2023 11:14:21 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230822111421.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230817164011.htm Conventional wisdom among ecologists holds that the more species there are inhabiting an ecosystem, the less vulnerable any one species will be to a threat like a parasite. A new study of tadpoles illustrates how overlapping biological and environmental factors can complicate how we value protecting diverse animal communities. The researchers found that environmental pollutants like road salt influence whether increased biodiversity helps or hinders disease outbreaks in wildlife, which can complicate how we value protecting diverse animal communities. Thu, 17 Aug 2023 16:40:11 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230817164011.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230816114146.htm In the waters off the Hawaiian Islands, rates of calcification were measured in the deepest coral colonies. Wed, 16 Aug 2023 11:41:46 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230816114146.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230816114144.htm 鸟很聪明的见解关于共存in popular habitats -- especially as climate change looms. Scientists peel back layers of big data to tease out real-life answers. Wed, 16 Aug 2023 11:41:44 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230816114144.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230808151259.htm In-water monitoring shows hard coral cover across the Great Barrier Reef remains at similar levels to that recorded in 2022, with small decreases in the Northern, Central and Southern regions. AIMS' Annual Summary Report on Coral Reef Condition for 2022/23 found that while some reefs continued to recover, their increased hard coral cover was offset by coral loss on other reefs. Most reefs underwent little change in coral cover. Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:12:59 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230808151259.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/2023/08/230808110908.htm The activity level of six bat species was significantly reduced at solar farm sites, researchers have observed. Tue, 08 Aug 2023 11:09:08 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230808110908.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/2023/08/230804123807.htm Ecologists examined the distribution patterns of canopy soils, and their soil properties, across Costa Rican forests. The researchers suggest canopy soil may store more carbon than previously thought. Consideration of the time needed for reforestation of system with tree canopies should include the time needed for canopy mat regrowth. Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:38:07 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230804123807.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/2023/08/230802105839.htm Human-caused climate change has also caused extreme ocean temperatures and conditions with detrimental impacts on marine ecosystems and ocean-related ecology. A new study explores ocean temperature data along California's Coast, finding that certain environmental conditions and the state of the ocean led to an enhanced risk for marine heatwaves and cold spells, conditions that scientists and environmental managers will need to monitor to preserve and protect vital ecosystems critical to the California ocean economy, known as the Blue Economy. Wed, 02 Aug 2023 10:58:39 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230802105839.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731144137.htm Scientists found that trout from lakes stocked decades ago in the Wind River Mountains have higher numbers of gill rakers, which are bony or cartilage structures in the gullets of fish that act as sieves to retain zooplankton and nourish the trout. The difference is likely a result of the trout adapting to the food sources of the once-fishless high-mountain lakes -- a change that has taken place in a relatively short period of time and at a rate that is generally consistent with the historic timing of stocking for each of the lakes. Mon, 31 Jul 2023 14:41:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230731144137.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/2023/07/230726134205.htm Some of the world's most distinct and ancient animal species, which play crucial roles in our planet's ecosystems, are exploited for the wildlife trade across large parts of the world, according to new research. Wed, 26 Jul 2023 13:42:05 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230726134205.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230726113056.htm About 15 years ago, researchers reported that the timing of spring in high-Arctic Greenland had advanced at some of the fastest rates of change ever seen anywhere in the world. But, according to new evidence, that earlier pattern has since been completely erased. Instead of coming earlier and earlier, it seems the timing of Arctic spring is now driven by tremendous climate variability with drastic differences from one year to the next. Wed, 26 Jul 2023 11:30:56 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230726113056.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230725135923.htm 研究人员modelin反转一个经典的方法g food webs. Instead of trying to replicate stable, complex ecosystems using simplistic representations of species interactions, the authors' novel inverse method assumes the ecosystems exist and works backward to characterize food webs that support that assumption. Their work represents a significant step toward addressing a fundamental ecological question of how biodiversity promotes ecosystem stability. The findings offer insights into how nature may respond to growing anthropogenic disturbances. Tue, 25 Jul 2023 13:59:23 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230725135923.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230725123108.htm Scientists found that fires in America's dry conifer forests are burning hotter and killing more trees today than in previous centuries. The main culprit? Paradoxically, a lack of fires. Tue, 25 Jul 2023 12:31:08 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230725123108.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230725123009.htm For lakes in areas with light to moderate road density, the authors found that holding road salt application rates steady could help lakes stabilize below 230 mg/l of chloride per liter of water, the threshold designated by the EPA to protect aquatic life. Reducing application could yield additional environmental and economic benefits without threatening road safety. Tue, 25 Jul 2023 12:30:09 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230725123009.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230724200741.htm Scientists have determined how the Earth responds as it heats up due to climate change. Their study is the first to find the temperature-carbon dioxide release relationship at the landscape level. Plants that currently take up a quarter to a third of humanity's carbon emissions might not be able to maintain the rate of carbon dioxide removal. Mon, 24 Jul 2023 20:07:41 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230724200741.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230719221529.htm Researchers have created the first tool to map and visualize the areas where human settlements and nature meet on a global scale. The tool could improve responses to environmental conflicts like wildfires, the spread of zoonotic diseases and loss of ecosystem biodiversity. Wed, 19 Jul 2023 22:15:29 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230719221529.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230719112722.htm In our modern era of larger, more destructive, and longer-lasting fires -- called the Pyrocene -- plants and animals are evolving quickly to survive. By synthesizing the wide body of research about rapid animal evolution in response to fire, a multidisciplinary team of ecology experts hopes to leverage what we already know to help foster evolution-informed conservation plans. In this way, they suggest, we can try to harness the ways in which fire impacts animals to protect vulnerable species -- working with evolution instead of against it. Wed, 19 Jul 2023 11:27:22 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230719112722.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230718225631.htm 俗话说,“生活中没有什么是免费的,”then corals might pay a price for being resilient to climate change. Indeed, the prevailing belief among scientists has been that corals must suffer reduced growth or other tradeoffs when they partner with symbiotic algae that help them tolerate warmer water. Yet, new research demonstrates that certain corals can have their cake and eat it too, and as a result, these coral-symbiont partnerships may come to dominate reef ecosystems in a climate-changed future. Tue, 18 Jul 2023 22:56:31 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230718225631.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230717175944.htm The space laser GEDI has allowed researchers to 3D map Earth's rainforests for the first time ever, helping us understand the forest canopy and providing vital information for understanding Earth's carbon cycle and how it is changing. Mon, 17 Jul 2023 17:59:44 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230717175944.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230717115828.htm In a new study, researchers have found that the restoration efforts of the critically endangered species elkhorn coral depend largely on the animal's location, microbiome, and the right conditions to provide an abundance of food. Mon, 17 Jul 2023 11:58:28 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230717115828.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230714163216.htm 海洋岛屿生态提供有用的模型,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 Biological invasions are a major threat to ecosystems, 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/2023/07/230712165119.htm 一个开创性的研究还揭示了关键verely understudied factor of salinity changes in ocean and coastlines caused by climate change. Wed, 12 Jul 2023 16:51:19 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230712165119.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230712124616.htm A project involving 79 researchers belonging to the international Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) finds that concentrations of plastic found in freshwater environments are actually higher than those found in so-called 'garbage patches' in the ocean. Wed, 12 Jul 2023 12:46:16 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230712124616.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/2023/07/230711133226.htm A team has developed a technique to study how different fish species interact with each other in a coastal region, a breakthrough that helps explain the complex relationships among marine species and how global warming impacts fish populations. Tue, 11 Jul 2023 13:32:26 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230711133226.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/2023/07/230710133054.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/2023/07/230707153844.htm A new study finds that ticks can harbor transmissible 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/2023/07/230703133037.htm An international team of researchers developed an innovative new strategy for choosing a set of key coral species that will best maintain ecosystem functions critical for reef health. Their hedging approach provides a simple framework for aiding restoration practitioners in selecting target species for their projects, depending on spatial scale and resources. Mon, 03 Jul 2023 13:30:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230703133037.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230703133018.htm Increasing opportunities for up-close encounters with sharks and other animals are making wildlife tourism one of the fastest growing tourism sectors -- leading ecology experts to venture to one of the world's main sites to investigate the effects of tourism on endangered whale sharks. At Oslob in the Philippines, Flinders University's Southern Shark Ecology Group and Global Ecology Lab joined local Filipino researchers to measure how the daily feeding regimes for resident whale shark population might have affected their behaviour and physiology by assessing their activity and metabolic requirements. Mon, 03 Jul 2023 13:30:18 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230703133018.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230627123414.htm Governments and companies planning to pursue the circular economy need to involve scientists more directly, states a new report. Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:34:14 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230627123414.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230626164317.htm Many of the world's largest aquatic food producers are highly vulnerable to human-induced environmental change, with some of the highest-risk countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa demonstrating the lowest capacity for adaptation, a landmark study has shown. Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:43:17 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230626164317.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230626164153.htm Sagebrush reduction strategies, including mowing and herbicide application, are often employed to enhance habitat for the greater sage grouse and other sagebrush-dependent species. Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:41:53 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230626164153.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230626163854.htm Similar to the expeditions of a hundred or two hundred years ago, the Tara Pacific expedition lasted over two years. The goal: to research the conditions for life and survival of corals. The ship crossed the entire Pacific Ocean, assembling the largest genetic inventory conducted in any marine system to date. The team's 70 scientists from eight countries took around 58,000 samples from the hundred coral reefs studied. Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:38:54 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230626163854.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230626163159.htm The largest long-term standardized camera-trap survey to date finds that human activity impacts tropical mammals living in protected areas and sheds light on how different species are affected based on their habitat needs and anthropogenic stressors. Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:31:59 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230626163159.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230622120908.htm If we want to face up to the challenges posed by climate change and other global environmental changes, we need to bring complexity science into the mix with ecology and biodiversity conservation. Thu, 22 Jun 2023 12:09:08 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230622120908.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230621105442.htm Caribbean seagrasses provide about $255 billion in services to society annually, including $88.3 billion in carbon storage, according to a new study. The study has put a dollar value on the many services -- from storm protection to fish habitat to carbon storage -- provided by seagrasses across the Caribbean, which holds up to half the world's seagrass meadows by surface area and contains about one-third of the carbon stored in seagrasses worldwide. Wed, 21 Jun 2023 10:54:42 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230621105442.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230620113805.htm New research has revealed that well-functioning ecosystems are crucial to human health and wellbeing, with human-biodiversity interactions delivering wellbeing gains equating to substantial healthcare cost-savings, when scaled-up across populations. Tue, 20 Jun 2023 11:38:05 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230620113805.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230620113803.htm To conserve precious and fragile biodiversity hotspots, a crucial step is knowing how the fruit eaters are doing. To assist in that, scientists and students have supersized a database to keep track of such animals and birds. Tue, 20 Jun 2023 11:38:03 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230620113803.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230607004104.htm Research suggests warming temperatures will see nearly 80 per cent of coral in reefs diseased in the next 80 years. Wed, 07 Jun 2023 00:41:04 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230607004104.htm