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Plants & Animals news
Study reveals key role of moss crust patch size in desert soil phosphorus dynamics
Moss crusts, an advanced form of biological soil crusts, play a crucial role in stabilizing soil phosphorus levels in desert ecosystems. A recent study, published in CATENA, highlights how patch size influences soil phosphorus ...
Plants & Animals
3 hours ago
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Sea otters help kelp forests recover—but how fast depends on where they are
When sea otters were reintroduced along the coastlines of islands in Southern California and British Columbia, researchers saw kelp forests return to areas that were destroyed by sea urchins. But how slow or fast they grew ...
Plants & Animals
3 hours ago
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New techniques boost lettuce freeze tolerance
Two recent studies published in HortScience by the University of Iowa highlight advancements in sustainable agriculture, focusing on methods to enhance lettuce freeze tolerance and improve organic vegetable transplant production. ...
Plants & Animals
3 hours ago
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Caribou case study offers a new model to manage species at risk
Researchers at the University of Calgary are suggesting a more comprehensive approach for identifying at-risk wildlife populations—such as caribou—based on individual movement patterns.
Plants & Animals
3 hours ago
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New species of tiger swallowtail butterfly identified in eastern North America
A research team has identified a new species of tiger swallowtail butterfly living in eastern parts of North America. In their study, published in the journal ZooKeys, Julian Dupuis, B. Christian Schmidt, Charles J. DeRoller ...
Maple seeds' unique spinning motion allows them to travel far even in the rain, a new study shows
When wind or other disturbances detach winged maple seeds called samaras from their parent tree, they spin through the air—and can even spin when it's raining. Impacts by high-speed raindrops only briefly interrupt the ...
Plants & Animals
6 hours ago
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LA coyotes less likely to spend time in wealthy areas in their home range, study finds
Lush greenery and abundant wildlife—attributes of many affluent L.A. neighborhoods that lure people—would seemingly be draws for predators like coyotes too.
Plants & Animals
Mar 2, 2025
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Uncovering the secret life of hedgehogs
In recent years, the hedgehog population has declined. In 2021, they were redlisted. Hedgehogs are a threatened species in Norway and several other European countries.
Plants & Animals
Feb 28, 2025
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England allows wild beaver releases in 'milestone' for UK nature
Beavers will soon be released into waterways in England under a new scheme launched on Friday, signaling a return to the wild for an animal once hunted to extinction.
Plants & Animals
Feb 28, 2025
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Rat sommeliers demonstrate advanced olfactory learning in wine sniffing test
Rats successfully distinguished between two varieties of white wine, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, in a study led by researchers from the University of Trento, the University of Lincoln, the University of London, and the ...
Drone captures narwhals using their tusks to explore, forage and play
The narwhal (Monodon monoceros), an iconic whale of remote Arctic waters, is widely known for its long, spiral tusk, which is really an elongated tooth. The tusk, which is predominantly found in males and can grow up to 10 ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 28, 2025
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Why don't pandas eat more meat? Molecules found in bamboo may be behind their plant-based diet
Giant pandas have digestive systems that are typical for carnivores. Yet, bamboo is their main source of food. They have evolved several features; for example, pseudo thumbs to grasp bamboo and flat teeth that are well suited ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 28, 2025
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A burning question: How to save an old-growth forest in Tahoe
On the shores of Lake Tahoe at Emerald Bay State Park grows what some consider to be the most iconic old-growth forest in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Giant ponderosa pines—some of the last remaining in the area—share space ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 27, 2025
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Too much of a good thing: How high nitrogen levels compromise plant immunity
Even for plants, there can be too much of a good thing. When nitrogen levels are too high, for example due to excessive fertilization, plants become more susceptible to certain diseases. However, the exact reasons are not ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 27, 2025
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Botanic gardens are struggling to keep up with the biodiversity crisis. Here's what they can do
As I wander around Cambridge University Botanic Garden, a tree called the Wollemi pine often catches my eye. It's one of our rarest trees, and a distinctive looking pine, with broad needles and bark that reminds you of Coco ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 27, 2025
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World's oldest juniper shrub discovered in Finland—annual rings suggest it's 1,647 years old
Researchers from the University of Padua in Italy found a juniper at Utsjoki in Finnish Lapland, which they analyzed to be 1,647 years old by examining the annual rings. The paper is published in the journal Ecology.
Plants & Animals
Feb 27, 2025
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Conservation focusing on birds of a feather may have mixed results
Conservation strategies are turning back the doomsday clock in threatened Florida-Scrub Jays—but not without caveats, a new study published in Current Biology shows.
Plants & Animals
Feb 27, 2025
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Detailed analysis of GORK channel offers insights into plant water regulation
Stomata, microscopic pores on plant leaves, regulate gas exchange and water loss by opening or closing in response to environmental cues. Guard cells surrounding each stoma regulate this process by altering their turgor pressure ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 27, 2025
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Reptiles choose risky food sources when energy levels are low, study finds
Animals have to make strategic decisions when foraging, especially when they are very hungry. One of these decisions involves choosing between predictable (less risky) and unpredictable (more risky) sources of food, especially ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 27, 2025
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Shark removal a thorny issue for coral reefs
A new study suggests that the removal of predatory fish such as sharks from coral reefs may be a key factor driving outbreaks of coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish.
Plants & Animals
Feb 27, 2025
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More news
The imminent risks facing Sydney's koala population
Eavesdropping on whale songs sparks new discoveries in ecology
Fish teeth show how ease of innovation enables rapid evolution
Bark beetle infestation found to slow down tree growth early on
Genomic tools reveal health insights for endangered Indiana bats
How urbanization shapes coyote life in Los Angeles
Honeybee dance 'styles' sway food foraging success, study reveals
New manzanita species discovered in California, already at risk
Other news
Study uncovers the core principles of low-resistance antibiotics
How a naturally occurring mechanism hampers fertility
Uncovering the protein complex that is critical to male fertility
CRISPR-based method enhances detection of antibiotic resistance in wastewater
Breaking down corrosion to predict failure and design stronger materials
Eocene mudflat fossils reveal ancient waterbird foraging behaviors and four new species
Study reveals genetic secrets of herbicide-resistant amaranth weeds
