Prey or Mate – Can web-building spiders tell the difference?

After reaching maturity, male web-building spiders leave their webs in search of a mate. The real challenge occurs once the male reaches a female’s web because the female could easily mistake male vibrations for prey vibrations. Not wanting to be the female’s next meal, the male needs to produce unique vibrations to identify itself as a potential mate, not prey. The female must decipher male and prey vibrations and delay attack when a potential mate enters the web. Will this be enough to avoid tragedy? Click to find out!

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Why don’t cowbirds feed their chicks?

The brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater), a native of North America, doesn’t build a nest. It also doesn’t feed its chicks, stick around for their first flight, or comfort them during storms. How can a bird species survive when it doesn’t care for its young? The answer involves covert egg-laying, chick sabotage, and the unwitting generosity of other songbirds.

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Versatile Invaders: Exploring the movement and interactions of nonnative pine trees, fungi, and hoofed mammals in Argentina

Invasive species are a concern across the globe, and efforts are being made to stop their spread. In some cases, multiple invasive species may help each other spread and become established, adding a new layer of complexity to predicting what areas might be at risk for future invasion. How do invasive deer, fungi, and pines interact in Argentina, and how important are these relationships in helping non-native pine trees spread?

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Perennial polycultures for sustainable agriculture: Trees, shrubs, and herbs, oh my!

Many farms across the Midwestern U.S. have been designed to meet one goal: producing high crop yields. However, this is often at the expense of other important sustainability goals, like supporting pollinator populations and maintaining healthy soils. Can changing the number and types of plant species growing on farms help meet all these goals at once? Read on to find out the answer!

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More Accessible Monitoring: Using Freely-Available Aerial Photos and Software to Map Changes in River Migration and Vegetation

Riverside vegetation, or “riparian buffers”, provides wildlife habitat, maintains water quality, and reduces flood damage. Human activity can negatively affect these services, and monitoring this vegetation over time can be costly and resource-intensive. Researchers at SUNY ESF have developed a new way of mapping river channels and vegetation that uses open-source remote-sensing software, using the Genesee River in New York to develop this method. Their method greatly improves our ability to monitor this important resource over time with over 90% accuracy.

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Endophytes: Enemies or Friends?

Endophytes are microorganisms, such as fungi, that live inside plant tissue. They can benefit a plant by secreting chemicals that deter and inhibit pathogen growth. Trees are under increasing stress due to warming environmental conditions, making them more prone to disease. This study investigates whether endophytes from Scots pine have antagonistic abilities and if they can create a systemic immune response within the plant. This response could result in lower disease severity.

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