Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, in the seas are as vital to the survival of life on earth as the oxygen producing plants are on land. But marine bacteria are attacked by viruses, which can seriously affect their life-sustaining abilities. Scientists have now discovered that these viruses don’t work in the dark, according to research presented today (Monday, 04 April 2005) at the Society for General Microbiology’s 156th Meeting at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.
Our earth
A project to map the presence of whales and dolphins off the North East coast has recorded sightings of no fewer than 614 individual creatures in the space of 12 months.
The Newcastle University project was led by Joanna Stockill, of the University’s Dove Marine Laboratory, at Cullercoats, which is located on the coast near Tynemouth.
Joanna enlisted the help of local fishermen and members of Royal Northumberland Yacht Club to carry out the study, as part of a project
The herbicide Roundup® is widely used to eradicate weeds. But a study published today by a University of Pittsburgh researcher finds that the chemical may be eradicating much more than that.
Pitt assistant professor of biology Rick Relyea found that Roundup®, the second most commonly applied herbicide in the United States, is “extremely lethal” to amphibians. This field experiment is one of the most extensive studies on the effects of pesticides on nontarget organisms in a na
The development of a huge observing network to monitor ocean currents and temperature and understand the conditions that bring rain – and drought – to nearly two thirds of the world’s population is underway in the Indian Ocean.
The development of a huge observing network to monitor ocean currents and temperature and understand the conditions that bring rain – and drought – to nearly two thirds of the world’s population is underway in the Indian Ocean.
“This is
Several companies are extracting black gold – petroleum – from the North Sea. But scientists are questioning this activity and asking if this activity has environmental consequences. By law, these companies are obliged to carry out annual analyses.
At the request of the companies, a number of researchers at the Science Faculty of the University of the Basque Country have analysed what type of contaminants are released as a result of extraction of crude oil in the North Sea a
A landmark study released today reveals that approximately 60 percent of the ecosystem services that support life on Earth – such as fresh water, capture fisheries, air and water regulation, and the regulation of regional climate, natural hazards and pests – are being degraded or used unsustainably. Scientists warn that the harmful consequences of this degradation could grow significantly worse in the next 50 years.
“Any progress achieved in addressing the goals of poverty and
Engineers at the University of Liverpool are conducting research to reduce the threat posed to homes and property by ocean waves.
Approximately 10% of people in England live in areas at risk from flooding or coastal erosion. In the absence of man-made defences such as sea walls, the annual damage to property and roads in these areas would exceed £2 billion.
Terry Hedges, from the University’s Department of Civil Engineering has produced a computer model to assess volum
The innumerable benefits provided by the Earth – everything from fresh water and clean air to productive soils, wild fisheries, and genetic resources – have been depleted at an unprecedented rate in the past 50 years, and in many cases humans are living on borrowed time unless they wake up, a group of scientific experts said today.
In presentations made jointly in 12 cities around the world, authors of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment delivered a major report on the grim sta
For the first time, a group of scientists has accomplished the daunting task of evaluating the status of all of the ecosystems on Earth, and the outlook is troubling.
Commissioned by the United Nations in 2001, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment program will issue its primary report on March 30 during press conferences in London, Washington, D.C., Tokyo, Beijing, New Delhi, Brasilia, Cairo, Nairobi and Rome. More than 2,000 scientists from 95 countries participated in the
Economic assistance to areas surrounding Africa’s rain forest parks does not, as currently applied, contribute to their health, suggests an extensive survey of park scientists and managers. Rather, the survey found the most successful parks are those with public support and strong law enforcement. The survey’s authors also said that their findings indicate that careful ecological and compliance monitoring and stable long-term funding are key to park success.
The survey
Siberian researchers have developed a biologically active sorbent of a new generation. The sorbent provides for the 100-percent efficient water purification from microorganisms and bacteriophages. Microbiological researches were performed with partial support of the U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) grant.
Specialists of the Tomsk Polytechnical University and Scientific Research Institute “Microorganism Culture Collection” (VECTOR State Research Center
Contradicting previous assumptions, new fisheries research shows that allocating catch among vessels reduces the amount of fish discarded at sea.
The study in Canada’s British Columbia waters compared so-called individual transferable quotas with a previously used system of trip limits where vessels are only allowed to land a certain quantity of each species every two months.
The findings come at a time when individual transferable quotas are being considered for
The recent killer tsunami has highlighted once more the importance of coastline protection. In natural conditions, this function is taken up by mangroves, forests thriving at the edge of land and sea that are ecologically and socio-economically important for local people in tropical countries on all continents. Using biology, geography, hydrology, socio-economic interviews, and 18th-century history, an international team led by Dr. Farid Dahdouh-Guebas has demonstrated that in the recent past an
Surveys for other countries underway
Climate change and the threat of global warming are poorly understood by the U.S. public, and taking action to reduce their impact is not a high priority, according to a recent MIT survey.
These results suggest that change in U.S. climate policy will not be led by public opinion. Elected officials will have to provide leadership–a task they will find difficult because achieving significant reduction of the greenhouse gases linked to cl
World Water Day – 22 March 2005
South America’s giant Pantanal wetlands, one of the world’s most bio-diverse ecosystems, is at growing risk from intensive peripheral agricultural, industrial and urban development – problems expected to be compounded by climate change, United Nations University experts warn.
Covering more than 165,000 square kilometers – an area roughly equal to Florida – in the heart of South America, the Pantanal is the world’s largest freshwater we
Faculty of 1000 Biology, a revolutionary literature awareness service for the life sciences, today announce the launch of a new faculty – ecology. The ecology faculty expands the coverage of Faculty of 1000 Biology, adding to the existing offering of 15 faculties covering subject areas from biochemistry to structural biology.
Harold Mooney, Professor of Environmental Biology at Stanford University is one of three Heads of Faculty for ecology. He warmly welcomes the expansion of t
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