Study models spatial patterns of “grazing halos” around reefs. In coral reefs throughout the world, visually striking bands of bare sand surrounding reefs are often visible in satellite imagery but their cause remains a mystery. One theory is fear. Parrotfish and other herbivores will leave a reef’s shelter to eat algae or the surrounding seagrass, but their fear of being gobbled up by predators may keep them from roving too far or eating too much, creating, what’s known as “grazing…

Endemic to China’s Yangtze River, the Yangtze finless porpoise is known for its intelligence and charismatic appearance; it looks like it has a perpetual smile on its face. To track how this critically endangered porpoise’s habitat range has changed over time, a team of biodiversity and conservation experts compiled 724 ancient Chinese poems referencing the porpoise from historic collections across China. Publishing in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on May 5, their results show that the porpoise’s range has…

Many of the fish we eat play a key role in maintaining the seabed – and therefore our climate, new research shows. Convex Seascape Survey scientists assessed the role of fish in bioturbation (churning and reworking sediments) in shallow UK seas. The Atlantic cod – a staple in chip shops – jointly topped the list of these important “ecosystem engineers” (along with Atlantic hagfish and European eel). In total, 185 fish species were found to play a role in bioturbation…

Some red algae exhibit structural color that gives their growth tips a blue hue and the rest of their bodies including their fruiting structures a white hue. Moreover, since the color-producing structures are located together with anti-herbivory chemicals, the Kobe University discovery is the first to suggest that red algae use colors for inter-species communication. Red algae are red due to the pigments they use to collect light. Kobe University phycologist KAWAI Hiroshi says: “Being a diver, I have long…

Is it extinct, or does it still roam somewhere deep in the misty highland forests of Vietnam and Laos? It has been nicknamed the Asian unicorn due to its almost mythical rarity, and it is the most recently discovered large land mammal, becoming known to science as late as in 1992. Even then, it was already endangered. Today, even the most optimistic estimates say fewer than 100 saola individuals (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) remain, but it could also be extinct by now….

Increasing overlap of fire weather between Australia and North America complicates international firefighting efforts Climate change is increasing the risk of wildfires in many regions of the world. This is due partly to specific weather conditions – known as fire weather – that facilitate the spread of wildfires. Researchers from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and Australian colleagues have found that fire weather seasons are increasingly overlapping between eastern Australia and western North America. The research team examined…

FAU joins first-ever global effort to map microplastics’ path through critical ocean systems Marine plastic pollution is a global crisis, with 9 to 14 million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean every year. Tiny fragments called microplastics – ranging from 1 micron to 5 millimeters – make up the vast majority of plastic pieces found and pose serious risks to ocean health. Most research has focused on surface waters, usually sampling just the top 15 to 50 centimeters using…

Analysing lava flows that solidified and then broke apart over a massive crack in the Earth’s crust in Turkey has brought new insights into how continents move over time, improving our understanding of earthquake risks. New research by Curtin University has revealed the Tuz Gölü Fault Zone – a more than 200-kilometre-long geological structure visible from space – is slowly pulling apart, providing a rare glimpse into the forces that shape Earth’s crust when tectonic plates collide. Lead Australian author…

Thornless, disease-resistant, and tastier blackberries could be on the horizon — thanks to new genetic research from the University of Florida. New UF blackberry varieties could provide a boon for farmers looking to rebound after the decline of Florida citrus and who see an opportunity to meet the growing demand for blackberries, which have soared in popularity in recent years. “Overall, this study not only advances our understanding of blackberry genetics, but it sets the stage for significant improvements in…

New Curtin University research has revealed that a massive meteorite struck northwestern Scotland about 200 million years later than previously thought, in a discovery that not only rewrites Scotland’s geological history but alters our understanding of the evolution of non-marine life on Earth. Previously believed to have occurred 1.2 billion years ago, the impact created the Stac Fada Member, a layer of rock that holds vital clues to Earth’s ancient past, including how meteorite strikes may have influenced the planet’s…

A new study published by researchers at the University at Albany has presented the first documented evidence that Adirondack surface waters made a near full recovery from metal pollution since the enactment of the Clean Air Act. Originally passed in 1963 and amended in subsequent decades, the Clean Air Act was one of the first major pieces of environmental legislation in the U.S., intended to reduce and control air pollution nationwide. The Adirondack Park was a prime target for the…

Discovered genes provide strategies to protect rice crops against climate change and to domesticate wild relatives that can grow in currently unproductive habitats A new study, seen in Nature Genetics and led by researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST; Saudi Arabia) and Wageningen University & Research (the Netherlands), provides new insights on rice evolution, showing how the DNA of this valuable crop has changed across species. The findings are expected to not only help with improving…

After examining 22,000 years of rainfall patterns, Rutgers researchers warn that climate conditions may reduce fish stock New research involving Rutgers professors has revealed that expected, extreme changes in India’s summer monsoon could drastically hamper the Bay of Bengal’s ability to support a crucial element of the region’s food supply: marine life. The study, published in Nature Geoscience, was conducted by scientists from Rutgers University, the University of Arizona and collaborators from India, China and Europe. To reach their conclusions,…

Chinese scientists have discovered that fragile swamp forests in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region suddenly collapsed around 2.1 thousand years ago (ka)—with human activity as the cause. The study, led by researchers from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry and the Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, sheds new light on the role of human activity in ecosystem collapse. Published in Science Advances, the study focuses on Glyptostrobus pensilis (G. pensilis), a critically endangered species of Chinese swamp cypress that once…

By analyzing DNA from different cells in nearly 200 lines of maize plants, research led by the University of Michigan has revealed insights that could help growers better adapt their crops to a fast-changing environment. The new study led by Alexandre Marand reveals previously hidden information about the activity of genes inside different cell types. This provides essential context that helps better understand how the molecular biology of a lineage connects to its readily visible traits, or its phenotype. This…

Honeybees are essential pollinators for agriculture and natural ecosystems. Stressors like climate change, habitat loss and pesticide exposure threaten their ability to forage for pollen, a critical resource for colony survival. Researchers in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology demonstrate that an artificial intelligence (AI)-based monitoring system combined with a computer model can link the exposure of neonicotinoid pesticides on individual honeybees to the health of the whole colony. Neonicotinoid pesticides are widely used in agriculture. Plants absorb and distribute neonicotinoids throughout…