Freshwater ecosystems are singing, and scientists are listening
The act of listening is an often-forgotten aspect of natural observation. When scientists listen to ecosystems, what do they learn?
Read More
Ecosystems
Benign Animal Bacteria Can Be a Potent Human Pathogen
Humans and animals have long shared the space, food, and resources in their shared ecosystems. They have also shared diseases. Recent research conducted through the One Health prism suggests that diseases previously not known to be zoonotic are finding animal hosts.
Read MoreAll those “weeds” add up to a lot of urban biodiversity
Study finds more than 300 plant species growing out of the sidewalks of a single city.
Read MoreWe love our city street trees – how do local governments make decisions about what trees to plant?
Have you ever wondered how decisions about urban trees are made? We all enjoy having trees in our cities – read on to learn more about how trees are planted to be the most successful they can be!
Read MoreA sucker for ecosystem engineers
Sonoran suckers, like other ecosystem engineers like beavers or salmon, substantially influence the spatial and temporal distribution of their environment’s resources. These fish create divots in soft sediments during their nightly feeding rounds in shallow waters far from where they seek refuge during the day. This feeding and these divots contribute heavily to shaping patterns of aquatic insects and suspended sediment in the Gila River, establishing the suckers as important ecosystem engineers in the river.
Read MoreCommunication adaptation in a changing environment: Changing language in bottlenose dolphins
Reference: La Manna, G., Rako‐Gospić, N., Sarà, G., Gatti, F., Bonizzoni, S., & Ceccherelli, G. (2020). Whistle variation in Mediterranean
Read MoreIn need of a spa day? Why whales migrate to tropical waters
Whales have long been known to undertake mega-migrations. The seasonal occurrence of these marine giants provides great excitement, opportunities for tourism and a myriad of local ecological benefits. Yet, whilst scientists have documented and mapped these journeys for many whale populations across the world, the underlying reason for such odysseys has remained elusive. New research now suggests that whales may make these epic undertakings for the benefit of their skin.
Read MoreNew Discoveries of Luminescent Life
Have you ever wanted to glow in the dark? If you are an amphibian, this power may be more common than we thought! A study from St. Cloud State University recently characterized the patterns resulting from red, blue, and green light from the bodies of salamanders from around the world!
Read MoreThe Unintended Catch: Population Declines in Greater Scaup due to Fishery Bycatch
Aquatic birds play an important role in shallow water ecosystems, affecting the diversity of their prey communities and providing an important link in the food web. Over the years, mortality has increased in many aquatic bird species due to human activity. New research on a population of Greater Scaup (Aythya marila), an aquatic bird species native to Europe, determined that fisheries contribute heavily to its mortality and gives us tools to understand how we can reduce this impact. If no action is taken, this species could become endangered within the next 30 years.
Read MoreThe five-dimensional road map: how can we foster positive human-nature interactions?
As humans, we interact with nature whether we want to or not. But the interaction and its outcome can look very different, depending on our background, and on where in the world we are. A new paper sets out to map the human-nature relationship, with the hope that we can better understand and foster it.
Read More