White, Woolly, and Worrisome: Detecting the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid with eDNA
Original article: Kirtane, A., Dietschler, N.J., Bittner, T.D., Lefebvre, M.B., Celis, S., O’Connor, K., Havill, N. and Whitmore, M.C., 2022.
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Author: Maria Marlin
Wimpy or Willful Wasps? The Effect of Heat on a Parasitoid’s Survival
Article: Moore, M.E., Hill, C.A. and Kingsolver, J.G., 2022. Developmental timing of extreme temperature events (heat waves) disrupts host–parasitoid interactions. Ecology
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A Tale of Two Fungi: Wheat Rust and Its Parasite
Wheat is crucial to the global food supply. However, pathogenic fungi, such as rusts, can destroy wheat crops by depleting nutrients. In order to reduce damage caused by rusts, biological control measures are under investigation. Here, we see evidence that another fungus can actually prey on the rust fungus, reducing the rust’s ability to cause disease in wheat.
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Matriarch Madness: Mechanism of Social Parasitism and Colony Takeover in Ants
Carpenter ants play an important role in an ecosystem; they break down wood into smaller pieces that will ultimately become part of the soil. But a parasitic ant can rapidly take over and destroy a colony by simply disguising herself through chemical means.
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Beyond Expelling Organs at Predators: What Else Are Sea Cucumbers Hiding?
Featured image caption: Sea cucumbers are echinoderms that live on the ocean floor worldwide. Some species are also edible and
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Is the Bark Stronger Than the Bite? The Use of Models to Predict Bark Beetle-Induced Tree Mortality
Bark beetles can cause widespread tree mortality by disrupting the flow of water and nutrients. These trees are critical in sequestering carbon from greenhouse gas emissions. By accounting for beetle phenology as well as tree physiology, modeling can help predict bark-beetle induced tree mortality that can result from climate change.
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Cyanobacteria: Can they Survive and Thrive in the Presence of Glyphosate?
Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microbes that produce a variety of ecosystem services. They can not only tolerate, but grow prolifically in the presence of toxic compounds, such as glyphosate.
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Is it a Bird? Is it Batman? Filtering and Extracting DNA from the Air Can Provide a Clue
Environmental DNA or eDNA is DNA that has been released by organisms into their surroundings. This article presents a fascinating discovery: sampling air for eDNA can ultimately show what terrestrial vertebrates are nearby. Long-range monitoring of vertebrate biodiversity is explored as well.
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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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Marvelous Mold: The Untold Story of Your Incredible Occasional Refrigerator Fungal Guest
As industrialization continues to increase, so does pollution and contamination of our environment. In this article, learn about a surprising source of potential help. Penicillium polonicum, a mold, can reduce the concentration of toxic lead ions in solution. This might be an avenue humans can pursue to help clean our earth.
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