https://phys.org/biology-news/plants-animals/ en-us The latest science news on plants and animals Trust in others and prior experience with feral hogs were significant factors in whether landowners would commit effort and dollars to controlling the destructive animals, two studies have found. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-landowner-feral-hog.html Plants & Animals Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:20:01 EST news692019968 The tall black-and-white residents of Antarctica, who waddle around its icy landscape, are in peril thanks to the rapidly warming global climate. Emperor penguins go through an annual transformation called catastrophic molting, during which they replace all of their feathers over a short period. This process begins in December and is usually completed before the end of February. During this time, the penguins depend on stable ice to stay warm and dry because the protective coat that normally makes them waterproof and cold-proof is still growing in. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-satellite-images-uncover-threat-emperor.html Plants & Animals Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:40:01 EST news692012583 Mammals are not especially diverse. Roughly 6,800 mammal species are known to exist, compared with about 8,800 species of amphibian, 11,000 species of bird and 12,500 of reptile. Yet when most people picture biodiversity, they often think of charismatic mammals first: pandas, orangutans, elephants or tigers. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-tous-genus-mammal.html Plants & Animals Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:00:04 EST news692011013 If you follow media coverage of koalas, you could be forgiven for feeling confused. Recent stories describe a "koala paradox": endangered in the north of Australia, abundant in the south; genetically diverse in some regions, genetically depleted in others. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-thought-inbred-koalas-extinction-upends.html Plants & Animals Fri, 06 Mar 2026 07:10:01 EST news691999081 Thousands of birds, including beloved purple martins, died in "The Great Texas Freeze" of 2021. A study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution led by biologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, reveals not only the extent of the die-off—up to 27% of the birds' breeding population in Texas and Louisiana—but that recovery may take decades, and that we can expect weather-driven mass mortality events, increasingly common in the era of global climate change, may increasingly wreak havoc on animal populations. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-great-texas-thousands-purple-martins.html Plants & Animals Fri, 06 Mar 2026 05:00:01 EST news691923121 Wild animal species respond very differently to human development, and as a result, they use ecological corridors in agricultural and urban areas in distinct ways. This emerges from research in Botswana by ecologist Marlee Tucker of Radboud University published in Integrative Conservation. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-elephants-humans-baboons-waterbucks-antelopes.html Plants & Animals Thu, 05 Mar 2026 20:20:02 EST news691927179 Certain species of wasps and frogs share a pain and inflammation peptide similar to one found in vertebrates to help defend against predators—a discovery that contributes to a shifting view of how evolution works, say researchers. Their paper is published in the journal Science. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-toxic-evolution-wasps-frogs-mimic.html Plants & Animals Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:40:01 EST news691949282 Can the bend of a banana give us insight into cancer? What does the shape of a rice grain have to do with infertility? The proteins that give plants their shape and structure are also involved in human disease. A team led by researchers at the University of California, Davis, has mapped out the structure of a key player, augmin, in exhaustive detail. Their work is published in the journal Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-cell-key-cancer-therapies-crops.html Plants & Animals Thu, 05 Mar 2026 18:40:03 EST news691948082 The growth form of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) is composed of shoots known as stipes instead of branches. From one parent holding fast to the hard bottom might come as many as 150 stipes. Typically, the tips of the biggest kelp bob at the ocean surface and calm the waters, appearing as patches of gold visible from land—a sign of the good health of the ecosystem that it anchors. But the kelp, as San Diego knows it, is in trouble. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-marine-biologists-family-history-san.html Plants & Animals Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:20:03 EST news691947061 Woodpeckers are well known for striking tree trunks with remarkable force and precision. These birds deliver thousands of high-speed impacts per day, generating mechanical loads that would destabilize the skulls of most other birds. For decades, this performance has often been attributed primarily to shock absorption mechanisms or unusually resistant skull tissues. A new study led by researchers from the National University of La Plata and Johns Hopkins University suggests that this explanation is more complex than previously thought. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-woodpeckers-rarely-rattled-skulls-built.html Plants & Animals Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:40:05 EST news691940106 The European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) was once widespread in the North Sea. However, overfishing, habitat destruction and infectious diseases pushed the species to the brink of extinction in some regions nearly one hundred years ago. In particular, infections with the pathogen Bonamia ostreae have caused repeated major losses since the 1970s. The parasite infects the oysters' immune cells and initially causes no symptoms, but after several months the infection can become systemic—a condition known as bonamiosis—ultimately leading to the oyster's death. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ocean-currents-disease-oyster-reefs.html Plants & Animals Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:20:01 EST news691939141 Drones flying above the waters of Shetland have captured rare footage of harbor porpoises gathering in unusually large groups and engaging in mating behavior. The footage, gathered between 2019 and 2023, provides one of the most detailed records of harbor porpoise mating behavior ever documented in UK waters. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-drones-capture-rare-harbor-porpoise.html Plants & Animals Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:20:01 EST news691935421 Little Punch, a seven-month-old Japanese macaque living in the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, has captured hearts on the internet. Abandoned by his mother in the first few days of his life and raised by the keepers at the zoo, he has had some trouble integrating into the group of around 60 Japanese macaques. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-wild-macaques-dont-abandon-babies.html Plants & Animals Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:50:01 EST news691938002 Fish that live in rivers, ditches, and streams are better able to withstand warming water than fish in the sea. This is the conclusion of research by ecologist Wilco Verberk of Radboud University. "It is important not to group freshwater and marine fish together when predicting the consequences of climate-change-driven warming." https://phys.org/news/2026-03-freshwater-fish-resilient-temperatures-marine.html Plants & Animals Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:10:06 EST news691927021 Japanese red elder plants safeguard their own survival when they drop fruits infested by Heterhelus beetle larvae, as well as the survival of these larvae. A Kobe University study changes the narrative on how a plant and its pollinator can keep benefits balanced. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-japanese-red-elder-fruit.html Plants & Animals Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:00:03 EST news691858861 Punch the baby orphan macaque is outgrowing the orangutan plushie that comforted him through early rejection from his mother and other monkeys. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-orphan-macaque-outgrowing-plushie-friends.html Plants & Animals Thu, 05 Mar 2026 04:40:20 EST news691907989 In 2009, a scandal was exposed at a cemetery just outside of Chicago. Workers at Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois, were accused of exhuming old graves, dumping the remains elsewhere on the cemetery grounds, and reselling the burial plots. When the case went to trial in 2015, one key piece of evidence was a tiny clump of moss. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-moss-grave-mystery.html Plants & Animals Wed, 04 Mar 2026 21:00:02 EST news691835102 When a coastal carpet python was brought into a wildlife hospital in South East Queensland in August 2024, vets were confronted with something they didn't recognize. The python had damaged scales, crusted lesions across its body and a mysterious fungal infection that defied explanation. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-lethal-fungal-diseases-wild-australian.html Plants & Animals Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:00:01 EST news691839302 Scientists have discovered that a widely recognized Amazonian antbird is not one, but five distinct species—including two completely new to science. This revelation of hidden biodiversity was achieved by integrating artificial intelligence, vocal analysis, and traditional museum work, demonstrating how cutting-edge technology can transform our understanding of life in Earth's richest ecosystems. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-vocal-analysis-ai-uncover-amazon.html Plants & Animals Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:40:03 EST news691860376 Paleobiologist Geerat Vermeij is enthralled with mollusks. Their shells line the surfaces and fill the cabinets and drawers in his office on the second floor of the Earth and Planetary Sciences Building at UC Davis. But Vermeij's deep study of these organisms isn't just about the animals themselves, it's an avenue for deeper insights about the principles governing evolution and history. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-evolution-physical-traits-mollusks-declined.html Plants & Animals Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:10:01 EST news691864741 A new study shows how climate and light conditions interaction affect the early growth in abarco, a highly valued tropical timber species, offering critical guidance for reforestation and sustainable forest management in the face of climate change. Abarco—a native South American tree prized for its timber and ecological importance—shows strong early growth and survival but also sensitivity to air humidity and sunlight intensity, according to researchers from the University of Eastern Finland and AGROSAVIA—Colombia. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-years-field-climate-early-growth.html Plants & Animals Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:20:04 EST news691863181 For the first time, research shows that a key social trait in honey bees is linked to measurable physiological advantages that can improve colony survival. A study published in PLOS One uncovers how hygienic honey bee colonies mount stronger individual immune defenses against Nosema ceranae, a widespread pathogen that threatens honey bee health worldwide. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-adult-hygienic-honey-bees-unique.html Plants & Animals Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:10:07 EST news691862941 If a tree falls in the forest, it can create an opening for more incoming light, and that makes a significant impact on the surrounding environment, according to new research. An international science team has used supercomputer simulations to model forest population dynamics of tree diversity in tropical forests. The researchers hope their work will help support forest management efforts and aid in conservation. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-forest-simulations-tree-diversity-competition.html Plants & Animals Wed, 04 Mar 2026 14:50:01 EST news691857902 Up to half of the insects in the Amazon region could be exposed to life-threatening heat levels due to progressive, anthropogenic global warming. This is shown by a recent study by the universities of Würzburg and Bremen. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-climate-tropical-insects-limit.html Plants & Animals Wed, 04 Mar 2026 14:20:03 EST news691850277 A large-scale study led by the University of Jyväskylä revealed that human activity is consistently changing the ecosystems of Northern European lakes. The study shows that hydropower and human activity in catchment areas are altering the food webs of lakes. The study challenges the belief that subarctic and alpine lakes located far away are relatively safe from human impacts. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-salmonids-reveal-cold-truth-human.html Plants & Animals Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:40:05 EST news691850256 Scientists have discovered that, far from being solitary insects, some cockroaches appear to form an exclusive bond with a partner. And how do they get this relationship off the ground? By eating each other's wings. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-cockroaches-wings-exclusive-partners.html Plants & Animals Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:40:01 EST news691839844 Crystals have repeatedly been found at archaeological sites alongside Homo remains. Evidence shows that hominins have been collecting these stones for as long as 780,000 years. Yet, we know that our ancestors did not use them as weapons, tools, or even jewelry. So why did they collect them at all? https://phys.org/news/2026-02-chimps-crystals-ancestors-fascination-stones.html Plants & Animals Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:00:02 EST news691403281 For decades, scientists have relied on tree rings to estimate how long trees can live. But new research suggests that this widely used method may have been underestimating the lifespan of many flowering trees—sometimes by centuries. A new international study published in Radiocarbon shows that radiocarbon dating can dramatically extend the known maximum age of broadleaved trees, revealing that many species live far longer than previously thought. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-radiocarbon-dating-rewrites-angiosperm-trees.html Plants & Animals Tue, 03 Mar 2026 19:40:05 EST news691776283 For decades, the basics of plant growth have been taught in grade school: Plants make their food out of water from the soil, light from the sun and carbon dioxide from the air in a process called photosynthesis. What gets less attention is that plants release some of that carbon dioxide back into the air in a parallel process called photorespiration. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-bloom-newly-biochemical-pathway-key.html Plants & Animals Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:40:01 EST news691772881 In most plants and animals, including humans, mitochondria are inherited exclusively, or nearly exclusively, from the mother. By contrast, paternal transmission is observed only occasionally, and the mechanisms behind this phenomenon have remained largely unknown. In a study published in Nature Plants, researchers established a genetic screening system in tobacco plants that allowed them to detect paternal mitochondrial inheritance. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-paternal-mitochondria-defective-maternal-dna.html Plants & Animals Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:30:16 EST news691780922