ScienceDaily: Plants & Animals News |
| Changing climate impacts biodiversity in protected areas globally Posted: 30 Apr 2022 08:37 AM PDT A recent study provides insights for developing climate-smart conservation strategies by looking at the global network of protected areas, evaluating potential for shifts in where plants and animals occur due to climate change. Findings point to the need for strategic conservation plans that transcend international borders to protect at-risk species. |
| How a soil microbe could rev up artificial photosynthesis Posted: 29 Apr 2022 03:57 PM PDT When it comes to fixing carbon, plants have nothing on soil bacteria that can do it 20 times faster. The secret is an enzyme that 'juggles' reaction ingredients. Scientists hope to optimize this process for producing fuels, antibiotics and other products from CO2. |
| Research discovers new bacteria that stick to plastic in the deep sea to travel around the ocean Posted: 29 Apr 2022 11:50 AM PDT Scientists have found new types of plastic loving bacteria that stick to plastic in the deep sea that may enable them to 'hitchhike' across the ocean. |
| A single course of antibiotics affects the gut microbiota of infants Posted: 29 Apr 2022 11:50 AM PDT A study indicates that antibiotics, which kill bacteria, boost the abundance of gut fungal microbiota. The phenomenon can be a contributing factor in the long-term adverse effects of antibiotics, such as inflammatory bowel diseases. |
| How genome organization influences cell fate Posted: 29 Apr 2022 11:50 AM PDT Research shows how a protein complex, called chromatin assembly factor-1, controls genome organization to maintain lineage fidelity. |
| New model for antibacterial mechanism Posted: 29 Apr 2022 11:48 AM PDT Biologists have discovered an aberrant protein that's deadly to bacteria. This erroneously built protein mimics the action of aminoglycosides, a class of antibiotics. The newly discovered protein could serve as a model to help scientists unravel details of those drugs' lethal effects on bacteria -- and potentially point the way to future antibiotics. |
| Anatomical study confirms: Harbor seals are good at learning calls Posted: 29 Apr 2022 11:45 AM PDT Harbor seals may sound different than expected from their body size. Is this ability related to their vocal talents or is it the result of an anatomical adaptation? An international team has now investigated the vocal tracts of harbor seals, which matched their body size. This means that harbor seals are capable of learning new sounds thanks to their brains rather than their anatomy. |
| Dolphin bycatch from fishing practices unsustainable, study finds Posted: 28 Apr 2022 01:14 PM PDT An international team of researchers have developed a method to assess sustainable levels of human-caused wildlife mortality, which when applied to a trawl fishery shows that dolphin capture is not sustainable. |
| Finding new weapons in nature's battlesites Posted: 28 Apr 2022 11:28 AM PDT Interactions between microbes and other organisms are mediated by a plethora of small molecules, also called natural products. Researchers have now performed a systematic analysis of biosynthetic 'dark matter' and biological functions, thus creating a solid basis for future discovery and refinement of natural products. |
| Research reveals the sex secrets of amphibian singing choruses Posted: 28 Apr 2022 11:27 AM PDT Researchers using an 'acoustic camera' discover how individual songs in an amphibian chorus influence mating in wood frogs. |
| Patagonian sheepdogs are the closest living representative of the ancestor of sheepdog from UK Posted: 28 Apr 2022 11:27 AM PDT Modern day Patagonian sheepdogs are the closest living relative to now-extinct varieties of herding dogs of Victorian era Britain, according to a new study. |
| Gut microbiome may alter response to cancer therapy Posted: 28 Apr 2022 09:54 AM PDT A new study captures the current understanding of the connection between the gut microbiome and therapeutic response to immunotherapy, chemotherapy, cancer surgery and more, pointing to ways that the microbiome could be targeted to improve treatment. |
| Large bodies helped extinct marine reptiles with long necks swim, new study finds Posted: 28 Apr 2022 09:54 AM PDT Scientists have discovered that body size is more important than body shape in determining the energy economy of swimming for aquatic animals. |
| A prehistoric forest grows in Brunei Posted: 28 Apr 2022 07:40 AM PDT A new study of leaf fossils conducted in the nation of Brunei on the island of Borneo has revealed that the current dominant tree group, the dipterocarps, has dominated the rainforests for at least four million years. The findings suggest that the current landscape is similar to what was present during the Pliocene Epoch, 5.3 to 2.6 million years ago, and may provide additional justification for conservation of these forests that support many critically endangered species. |
| How to balance economic development goals with environmental conservation Posted: 28 Apr 2022 07:39 AM PDT An international study gives fast-growing nations a simple, inexpensive guide to inform planning and decision-making to help balance economic development goals with environmental conservation and human well-being. |
| Decreased genetic diversity in immune system could impact endangered toad survival Posted: 28 Apr 2022 07:39 AM PDT A new study examines immune system diversity in the critically endangered Wyoming toad and finds that genetic bottlenecks could impact a species' ability to respond to new pathogens. The findings could inform captive breeding strategies for endangered animal populations. |
| From blurry to bright: AI tech helps researchers peer into the brains of mice Posted: 28 Apr 2022 07:39 AM PDT Biomedical engineers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) training strategy to capture images of mouse brain cells in action. The researchers say the AI system, in concert with specialized ultra-small microscopes, make it possible to find precisely where and when cells are activated during movement, learning and memory. |
| Giant marine reptiles at 2,800 meters above sea level Posted: 28 Apr 2022 05:58 AM PDT More than 30 years ago, researchers discovered vertebrae, ribs and a tooth in the High Alps of eastern Switzerland. The typical shape indicated that they had to originate from large marine reptiles known as ichthyosaurs, but there was a lack of corresponding comparative material. A new study has now allowed a more precise classification. According to the findings, they belong to three different ichthyosaurs of around 15 to around 20 meters in length. The tooth is particularly unusual: With a root diameter of six centimeters, it is twice as large as the largest aquatic dinosaur tooth found to date. |
| Bird populations in eastern Canada declining due to forest 'degradation,' research shows Posted: 28 Apr 2022 05:58 AM PDT Bird species that live in wooded areas are under stress from human-caused changes to forest composition, according to new research that quantifies the effects of forest 'degradation' on bird habitat. |
| Climate change could spark the next pandemic, new study finds Posted: 28 Apr 2022 05:58 AM PDT As Earth's climate continues to warm, researchers predict wild animals will be forced to relocate their habitats -- likely to regions with large human populations -- dramatically increasing the risk of a viral jump to humans that could lead to the next pandemic. |
| Genetic diversity of C. difficile, a particularly problematic pathogen Posted: 27 Apr 2022 02:14 PM PDT Researchers have used a systems biology approach to parse the genetic diversity of Clostridioides difficile, a particularly problematic pathogen, particularly in health care settings. |
| New details behind the body's response to tuberculosis could lead to a more effective vaccine Posted: 27 Apr 2022 02:14 PM PDT In a person with active tuberculosis, immune activity can promote bacterial clearance, but in some situations, bacteria persist and grow. New research in an animal model of tuberculosis reveals which cellular and molecular features are associated with these different scenarios. Developing a vaccine that targets one or more of these features may effectively combat tuberculosis, which remains a major global health threat. |
| An epigenetic cause of miscarriages is identified and cured in mice Posted: 27 Apr 2022 02:14 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a gene responsible for prenatal death when critical epigenetic instructions are missing from egg cells. The study shows that in mice, failed epigenetic suppression of an X-chromosome gene called Xist leads to miscarriage and developmental abnormalities. Forced suppression of maternal Xist rescued the failed miscarriages. |
| A refined microbiome 'fingerprint' method tracks sub-strain variants of a single gut microbe strain Posted: 27 Apr 2022 12:41 PM PDT A previously developed a microbiome 'fingerprint' method that identifies single strains of particular gut bacteria through analysis of metagenomics data from fecal samples, has been refined to include looking for single-nucleotide variants in the KEGG metabolic pathways of a particular strain. This magnified analysis shows a short-term difference in sub-strain dynamics of two Bacteroides species between healthy individuals and hospitalized COVID-19 patients. |
| Before Stonehenge monuments, hunter-gatherers made use of open habitats Posted: 27 Apr 2022 11:06 AM PDT Hunter-gatherers made use of open woodland conditions in the millennia before Stonehenge monuments were built, according to a new study. |
| How one inflammatory disorder exacerbates another Posted: 27 Apr 2022 08:58 AM PDT People with severe gum disease are at a higher risk of other inflammatory conditions, such as heart disease and arthritis, and the reverse is true as well. New research unpacks the mechanism underlying this association, demonstrating in mice that a susceptibility to arthritis can be transmitted by a bone marrow transplant if the donor has gum inflammation. |
| RNA binding proteins help T cells pick their weapons before battle Posted: 27 Apr 2022 08:58 AM PDT Researchers have identified key drivers of T cell development which promote resilience to influenza virus infection. |
| E. coli bacteria exploits Crohn's disease inflammation Posted: 27 Apr 2022 08:57 AM PDT A multi-year study of the role of E. coli gut bacteria in Crohn's disease finds that intestinal inflammation liberates chemicals that nourish the bacteria's growth and promotes their ability to cause inflammation. |
| Monitoring and evaluation of climate adaptation conservation initiatives Posted: 27 Apr 2022 08:57 AM PDT A new study offers pathways to improve monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of climate-informed conservation while revealing how practitioners are currently monitoring conservation adaptation projects. |
| Bat box design, placement matter for energy balance in endangered bats Posted: 27 Apr 2022 08:57 AM PDT New research looks at the effect of bat box design and placement on the energetic balance of endangered Indiana bats. |
| Plastic-eating enzyme could eliminate billions of tons of landfill waste Posted: 27 Apr 2022 08:57 AM PDT An enzyme variant created by engineers and scientists can break down environment-throttling plastics that typically take centuries to degrade in just a matter of hours to days. |
| 'Keto' molecule may be useful in preventing and treating colorectal cancer, study suggests Posted: 27 Apr 2022 08:57 AM PDT Beta-hydroxybutyrate, an alternative-energy molecule produced by the body in response to starvation or low-carb diets, strongly suppresses the growth of colorectal tumors in lab experiments, according to a new study. |
| Living in areas with more greenery may boost cognitive function, study finds Posted: 27 Apr 2022 08:57 AM PDT New evidence links residential exposure to greenspace, such as green vegetation, as a potential population-level approach to improve processing speed and attention, and overall cognitive function. |
| New cocoa processing method produces fruitier, more 'flowery' dark chocolate Posted: 27 Apr 2022 07:05 AM PDT Producing chocolate, one of the world's most beloved sweets, is a multistep process beginning with freshly harvested cocoa beans. People have been experimenting with chocolate-making for millennia, and even today, new methods are still being introduced. Now, researchers have found that an alternative processing step called 'moist incubation' results in a fruitier, more flowery-tasting dark chocolate than the conventional fermentation process. |
| UK wildlife watchers welcome 'ecological refugees' Posted: 27 Apr 2022 07:05 AM PDT Wildlife watchers generally welcome species that have arrived in the UK due to climate change, new research suggests. |
| Threatened South American coati found roaming in a large city Posted: 27 Apr 2022 07:05 AM PDT The South American coati is a medium-sized mammal with a wide distribution in South America. Despite this, it is endangered in southern Brazil, primarily because of the loss of forest habitats. Researchers recorded an individual at the Canoas Airbase, one of the last remaining green spaces in a densely urbanized area of a large city in southern Brazil. |
| New mechanism to transfer chirality between molecules in the nanoscale field Posted: 27 Apr 2022 07:04 AM PDT New research describes how the modulation of the geometry of a helical reactor at a macroscopic level enables controlling the sign of chirality of a process at a nanometric scale, an unprecedented discovery to date in the scientific literature. |
| Climate resilient microalgae could help restore coral reefs Posted: 27 Apr 2022 07:04 AM PDT Coral species exhibit different temperature tolerances. This is in part due to the composition of their microalgae symbionts. With a new method, researchers were able to predict how individual microalgae might behave under future temperature stress and identify more tolerant coral symbionts. In combination with forthcoming single cell selection and growth experiments, the identification of climate resilient cells provides opportunity to help mitigate the effects of coral bleaching. |
| Preventing infection with an improved silver coating for medical devices Posted: 27 Apr 2022 07:04 AM PDT According to folklore, silver bullets kill werewolves, but in the real world, researchers want to harness this metal to fight another deadly foe: bacteria. Recently, scientists have tried to develop a silver coating for implantable medical devices to protect against infection, but they've had limited success. Scientists now describe a new, long-acting silver-ion releasing coating that, in rats, prevents bacteria from adhering to implants and then kills them. |
| Lignin-based jet fuel packs more power for less pollution Posted: 27 Apr 2022 07:04 AM PDT An experimental plant-based jet fuel could increase engine performance and efficiency, while dispensing with aromatics, the pollution-causing compounds added to conventional fuels, according to new research. |
| Electronics can grow on trees thanks to nanocellulose paper semiconductors Posted: 26 Apr 2022 12:36 PM PDT A team in has created a nanocellulose paper semiconductor with both trans-scalability of structural design and wide electrical property tunability. The structure and function of the nanopaper semiconductor could be customized according to the desired use, allowing diverse applications as a wearable water-vapor-selective sensor and an enzymatic biofuel cell electrode for energy generation. This achievement is expected to open new doors for sustainable electronics that are completely derived from plant materials. |
| Six new species of tiny frog discovered in Mexico Posted: 26 Apr 2022 07:18 AM PDT Scientists have discovered six new species of frog the size of a thumbnail in the forests of Mexico, with one earning the distinction of Mexico's smallest frog. |
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