What the Floods in The South of Brazil Can Teach Us About the Future?
In April 2024, the south of Brazil was devastated by floods. What can we do to prevent climate change events in our future?
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Cities
Avian Urbanites: Which Birds Can Make it in the Big City?
Specific traits – including longevity, small size, and having a broad diet – predict whether birds will thrive in urban environments
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Plastic Pollution Drives Crabs Crabby
Differing types of plastic may affect certain wetland species more than others.
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What’s Right with Lights at Night?
The varying effects of artificial light on the mating success of different firefly species
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Microfiber, major problem
Microfibers are getting into our lakes and oceans. With the help of new technology and a little community effort, we may be able to stop them.
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Urban Gardens Provide Stable Nectar Supply for Pollinators
Insect pollinators are in trouble, and many plants on farms or in the wild need them to be able to grow fruits and reproduce. With so much at stake for plants around the world, and the humans who depend on them, how can we stop the decline of insect pollinator populations? Urban gardens may have a role to play in supporting pollinators, especially if we plant flowers that provide a stable supply of nectar, their most important food.
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Fenced Off: What Attracts our Wild Neighbors to our Yards?
Though you may expect to only spot wildlife in natural areas such as parks, urban animal visitors are likely more common than you’d think! What kind of animals might be spotted in human-dominated areas, and how do they interact with our backyards?
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Turn the Lights Off: How Light Pollution Affects Fledgling Seabirds
Many animals, including fledgling seabirds, navigate using the moon or stars. How do increasing levels of artificial light pollution affect their ability to find their way?
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Is your garden bee-friendly? – City gardens promote bee parasites
Parasites are threatening pollinator populations worldwide, raising concerns for the future of our food security. How we manage our gardens in cities could impact parasite transmission among pollinators, especially bees. Researchers found that bee parasites decrease when we plant plenty of flowers to promote diverse pollinators. We also reduce parasites when we refrain from mulching our gardens, as mulch covers nests for ground-nesting bees. As spring approaches, will your garden be friendlier to bees or their parasites?
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Decoding the Waggle Dance: The Importance of Flowers in Urban Landscapes for Honey Bees
Bee populations are threatened due to habitat loss and fragmentation, partly due to the expansion and intensification of agriculture worldwide. By videotaping and analyzing the “waggle dances” of honey bees near London, scientists compared the distance that bees need to travel to reach nectar in urban and agricultural landscapes. Bees needed to travel less far to reach nectar and pollen in urban areas vs. agricultural areas, underscoring the importance of urban planted areas, like gardens, in supporting honey bee populations. Establishing flowering plants in agricultural landscapes could help support honey bee populations.
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