Scientists have studied the diversity of tropical parasitoid wasps for years. Parasitoid wasps are among the most species rich animal taxa on Earth, but their tropical diversity is still poorly known. Recently, the research group sampled Afrotropical rhyssine wasps, which are among the largest wasps.
Read moreIdentifying how groups of animals select where to live is important for understanding social dynamics and for management and conservation. In a recent study, researchers examined the movement of a maternity colony of big brown bats as a response to naturally occurring tree loss.
Read moreResearchers recommend additional measures to protect and conserve one of the most iconic Antarctic species — the emperor penguin (Aptenodyptes forsteri).
Read moreThe breeding season of some seabirds in Arctic regions takes place earlier as a result of the temperature rise caused by climate change, according to a new article.
Read moreA research team has now measured concentrations of the hormone corticosterone and its metabolic products in white-tailed sea eagles in northern Germany and correlated these values with potential causes of stress. They found that the levels of corticosterone in the birds' urine are higher the closer a breeding pair's nest is to paths or roads.
Read moreIsolation, extreme weather, and the possible arrival of humans may have killed off the holocene herbivores just 4,000 years ago.
Read moreResearchers report on the average life expectancy of chimpanzees in Japan. The average life expectancy of chimpanzees who reach adulthood — reported as 12-years-old in the paper — is 40 years: 41.5 years for males and 39.2 years for females.
Read moreUnderstanding the causes and consequences of Late Quaternary megafaunal extinctions is increasingly important in a world of growing human populations and climate change. A review highlights the role that cutting-edge scientific methods can play in broadening the discussions about megafaunal extinction and enabling insights into ecosystems and species-specific responses to climate change and human activities.
Read moreA team of scientists from South Africa has discovered evidence partially supporting a hypothesis that Earth was struck by a meteorite or asteroid 12,800 years ago, leading to global consequences including climate change, and contributing to the extinction of many species of large animals at the time of an episode called the Younger Dryas.
Read moreSpecies have few good options when it comes to surviving climate change — they can genetically adapt to new conditions, shift their ranges, or both. But new research indicates that conflicts between species as they adapt and shift ranges could lead experts to underestimate extinctions, and underscores the importance of landscape connectivity.
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