ScienceDaily: Plants & Animals News

Falcons have natural 'eye makeup' to improve hunting ability

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 04:41 PM PDT

Dark 'eyeliner' feathers of peregrine falcons act as sun shields to improve the birds' hunting ability, a new scientific study suggests. Scientists have long speculated that falcons' eye markings improve their ability to target fast-moving prey, like pigeons and doves, in bright sunlight. Now research suggests these markings have evolved according to the climate; the sunnier the bird's habitat, the larger and darker are the tell-tale dark 'sun-shade' feathers.

Turning the tables -- how table corals are regenerating reefs

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 01:50 PM PDT

New research shows table corals can regenerate coral reef habitats on the Great Barrier Reef decades faster than any other coral type. The research suggests overall reef recovery would slow considerably if table corals declined or disappeared on the Great Barrier Reef.

Prototype of robotic device to pick, trim button mushrooms

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 01:50 PM PDT

Researchers have developed a robotic mechanism for mushroom picking and trimming and demonstrated its effectiveness for the automated harvesting of button mushrooms.

How best to focus efforts on classifying new species to prevent their extinction?

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 12:20 PM PDT

Many organisms in need of conservation are still unknown or lumped in with similar species, which potentially interferes with conservation efforts. Researchers present a new 'return-on-investment' approach to best direct efforts to identify new species before they are lost.

Parasites may accumulate in spleens of asymptomatic individuals infected with malaria

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 12:20 PM PDT

Malaria, a disease caused mainly by the parasites Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, is associated with over 400,000 deaths each year. Previously, the spleen was assumed to mostly play a role in parasite destruction, as it eliminates malaria parasites after antimalarial treatment. A new study suggests that in chronic P. vivax infections, malaria parasites survive and replicate via a previously undetected lifecycle within the spleen.

Revealing the mysteries of stonefish venom

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 10:58 AM PDT

Scientists working to unlock the mysteries Australia's deadly stonefish have made a discovery which could change how sting victims are treated in the future.

It's never too early to begin healthy eating habits

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 10:58 AM PDT

Researchers found that when health workers were trained to promote infant healthy feeding practices to pregnant women their children consumed less fats and carbohydrates at 3 years of age and had lower measures of body fat at the age of 6. The study is the first to show that the roots for obesity start in the first year of life, after mothers stop breastfeeding.

How the major Swedish forest fire of 2014 affected the ecosystem

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 10:57 AM PDT

Researchers have spent four years gathering data from the areas affected by the major forest fire of 2014. In their study of how the ecosystem as a whole has been altered, they could see that water quality in watercourses quickly returned to normal, while forested areas continued to lose carbon for many years after the fire.

Trust among corvids

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 10:57 AM PDT

Corvids use social information to protect themselves against deception by conspecifics from neighboring territories.

Taking a bite out of tooth evolution: Frogs have lost teeth more than 20 times

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 10:57 AM PDT

Researchers analyzed CT scans of nearly every living amphibian genus to reveal that frogs have lost teeth over 20 times during their evolution, more than any other vertebrate group.

Is the U. S. understating climate emissions from meat and dairy production?

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 09:18 AM PDT

Methane emissions from North American livestock may be routinely undercounted, a new analysis finds. The work also notes that in developing countries, where animal agriculture is becoming increasingly industrialized, methane emissions could rise more than expected.

How do plants hedge their bets?

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 09:18 AM PDT

In some environments there is no way for a seed to know for sure when the best time to germinate is. So how does a plant make sure that all of its offspring are not killed at once by an ill-timed environmental stress following germination?

Western Australia's natural 'museums of biodiversity' at risk

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 09:17 AM PDT

Up to three quarters of the biodiversity living on Western Australia's iconic ironstone mountains in the State's Mid West (known as Banded Iron Formations) could be difficult or impossible to return quickly to its previous state after the landscape has been mined, a study has found.

Light-shrinking material lets ordinary microscope see in super resolution

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 07:07 AM PDT

Engineers have developed a technology that turns a conventional light microscope into what's called a super-resolution microscope. It improves the microscope's resolution (from 200 nm to 40 nm) so that it can be used to directly observe finer structures and details in living cells.

Infection with human papillomavirus linked to higher risk of preterm birth

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 07:07 AM PDT

Women carrying human papillomavirus (HPV) run an elevated risk of preterm birth, a new study shows. A connection can thus be seen between the virus itself and the risk for preterm birth that previously has been observed in pregnant women who have undergone treatment for abnormal cell changes due to HPV.

Unraveling DNA packaging

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 07:07 AM PDT

Researchers report how high-speed atomic force microscopy can be used for studying DNA wrapping processes. The technique enables visualizing the dynamics of DNA-protein interactions, which in certain cases resembles the motion of inchworms.

Scientists identify protein that activates plant response to nitrogen deficiency

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 07:07 AM PDT

Researchers have identified a plant enzyme that is key to activating a nitrate uptake mechanism in response to nitrogen starvation. This finding explains how plants meet their needs in challenging environments, opening doors to improving agriculture in such environments.

The secret to stickiness of mussels underwater

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 07:06 AM PDT

Mussels survive by sticking to rocks in the fierce waves or tides underwater. Materials mimicking this underwater adhesion are widely used for skin or bone adhesion, for modifying the surface of a scaffold, or even in drug or cell delivery systems. However, these materials have not entirely imitated the capabilities of mussels.

Adaptability of 158 butterfly species to urbanization

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 07:06 AM PDT

Expanding urban habitats are likely to endanger a large number of butterfly species in the long term. Generalists that tolerate large temperature fluctuations and feed on different plants are most likely to benefit from human-modified habitats. In order to preserve biodiversity, urban and spatial planning should take the needs of specialized butterfly species into account, the authors recommend.

Small 'snowflakes' in the sea play a big role

Posted: 01 Jun 2021 07:06 AM PDT

In the deep waters that underlie the productive zones of the ocean, there is a constant rain of organic material called 'marine snow.' Marine snow behaves similarly to real snow: large flakes are rare and fall quickly while abundant smaller flakes take their time. Scientists have now discovered that precisely those features explain why small particles play an important role for the nutrient balance of the oceans.

Duetting songbirds 'mute' the musical mind of their partner to stay in sync

Posted: 31 May 2021 12:32 PM PDT

Researchers say that the auditory feedback exchanged between wrens during their opera-like duets momentarily inhibits motor circuits used for singing in the listening partner, which helps link the pair's brains and coordinate turn-taking for a seemingly telepathic performance. The study also offers fresh insight into how humans and other cooperative animals use sensory cues to act in concert with one another.

Using fossil plant molecules to track down the Green Sahara

Posted: 31 May 2021 12:32 PM PDT

Researchers have developed a new concept to explain the phenomenon known as Green Sahara. They demonstrate that a permanent vegetation cover in the Sahara was only possible under two overlapping rainy seasons.