Ecosystems – Page 2 – envirobites

Friday, April 26, 2024

The Fight for Fish Food: Invasive Armored Catfish vs. Native Fishes

October 9, 2023October 9, 2023 Julia Bebout 0 Comments community ecology, fish, invasive species, isotope analysis

Aquariums are beloved by many. Enthusiasts enjoy nurturing and viewing aquariums full of beautiful and unique fish from around the world. However, the aquarium trade contributes to lots of introductions of fish to ecosystems in which they are non-native. What does this mean for these ecosystems?

Animal behavior Ecosystems Environmental Science

Lost in Time Zones: Pandas Experience Jet-Lag in Zoos

September 28, 2023September 28, 2023 Brianne Palmer 0 Comments animals, circadian rhythm, Conservation, panda, zoo

All animals have an internal clock, called a circadian rhythm, that helps the body know when to perform key functions

Animal behavior Cities Ecosystems Sustainabililty Toxicology

Plastic Pollution Drives Crabs Crabby

September 13, 2023September 13, 2023 Cypress Novick 0 Comments ecological assessment, marine plastic pollution, microplastics, plastic pollution, Pollution, water pollution, wetlands

Differing types of plastic may affect certain wetland species more than others.

Climate Ecosystems

Giving Them a Fighting Chance: How To Save Insects from Climate Change

July 1, 2023June 23, 2023 Andrea Valcarcel 0 Comments Climate Change, climate crisis, climate resiliency, insects

Insects, as small as they are, are even more important than you may think. Sadly, climate change and warming are slowly depleting insect populations as our urban spaces grow and the use of pesticides in rural areas increases. Actions like planting native plants and decreasing the concentration of concrete-sealed spaces could help create a world where insects are more resilient to the changing environment.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Seaweeds Against Climate Change: How Algae Provide Us with Ecosystem Services

June 1, 2023June 23, 2023 Andrea Valcarcel 0 Comments algae, climate resiliency, ecosystem services, marine remediation, seaweed

If you’ve ever been near the ocean, chances are you’ve had an involuntary encounter with seaweed. It’s slimy. It’s smelly. It’s just overall not pleasant—but that doesn’t mean it isn’t useful for both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Here we’ll review some of the ecosystem services they provide so we can start looking past the inconvenience they represent and start appreciating them as the valuable organisms they are.

Astrobiology Ecosystems Environmental Science Remote Environments

What can Hawaiian Lava Tubes Teach Us about Life on Mars?

May 28, 2023May 28, 2023 Brianne Palmer 0 Comments astrobiology, mars, microbiology, Space, volcanoes

What do Hawaii and Mars have in common? They both might have suitable habitats for microbes that can survive the extreme conditions in space. Read on to learn about how scientists are using lava tubes from Hawaiian volcanoes to learn about how life might survive on Mars.

Animal behavior Ecosystems Environmental Science

Commuting to… pollinate? How bees are choosing fragmented sites to forage

May 25, 2023May 28, 2023 Lauren Otolski 0 Comments bees, Conservation, fragmentation, pollinators

Like social bees, solitary bees are important pollinators. How do they choose where to forage when their habitat is broken up?

Ecosystems Environmental Science

When Pests Infest – A new tool for identifying at-risk forests

April 14, 2023April 14, 2023 Brandi Pessman 0 Comments forests, insects, outbreaks, pathogens

Forests globally are facing threats from insect and pathogen outbreaks. In this battle, drought and unsustainable logging have weakened forests, making them more vulnerable to attacks by insects and pathogens. Luckily, scientists joined the fight and have developed a tool to help identify forests that are at risk. Still, the world’s forests are not out of the woods yet.