Ways to reduce errors in wildlife surveys
Researchers are working to identify less error-prone methods for performing wildlife surveys.
Read moreEnvironmental Awareness
Are humans changing animal genetic diversity worldwide?
Human population density and land use is causing changes in animal genetic diversity, according to new research. The research show that environmental changes caused by humans are leading to changes in genetic variation in thousands of species of birds, fish, insects, and mammals. The evidence for human impacts was most clear for insects and fish species.
Read moreNew study underpins the idea of a sudden impact killing off dinosaurs and much of the other life
Fossil remains of tiny calcareous algae not only provide information about the end of the dinosaurs, but also show how the oceans recovered after the fatal asteroid impact.
Read moreFish more tolerant than expected to low oxygen events
Fish may be more tolerant than previously thought to periods of low oxygen in the oceans, new research shows.
Read moreClimate warming promises more frequent extreme El Niño events
New research, based on 33 historical El Niño events from 1901 to 2017, show climate change effects have shifted the El Niño onset location from the eastern Pacific to the western Pacific and caused more frequent extreme El Niño events since the 1970's. Continued warming over the western Pacific warm pool, driven by anthropogenic climate change, promises conditions that will trigger more extreme events in the future.
Read moreGenBank can be trusted, study shows
Scientists working to identify coral reef organisms analyzed more than 4.7 million animal DNA sequences from GenBank, the most commonly used tool used to identify environmental DNA, and discovered that animal identification errors are surprisingly rare — but sometimes very funny.
Read moreHumpback whale population on the rise after near miss with extinction
A new study finds that the western South Atlantic humpback population has grown to 25,000 whales. Researchers believe this new estimate is now close to pre-whaling numbers.
Read moreLead pollution from Native Americans attributed to crushing galena for glitter paint
A new study of Native American use of galena increases understanding of how they were using the land and its resources.
Read moreLarge-scale afforestation of African savannas will destroy valuable ecosystems
Scientists from around the world argue that the suggested afforestation of large areas of Africa to mitigate climate change will destroy valuable ecological, agricultural, and tourist areas, while doing little to reduce global CO2 levels.
Read moreNo place like home: Species are on the move, but many have nowhere to go
Since the 1970s, insects in the warmer half of Britain have been flying, hopping and crawling northwards at an average rate of around five metres per day. However, a new study has analysed 25 million recorded sightings of 300 different insect species and found there is huge variation in the rates at which they are moving and that not all species are able to keep pace with the warming conditions.
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