https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Large phytoplankton blooms north of the Hawaiian Islands have been seen in satellite imagery as vast swirls of color nearly every summer, but their origin and ecosystem dynamics have remained mysterious. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-anatomy-phytoplankton-bloom-revealed-north.html Ecology Tue, 16 Dec 2025 07:58:38 EST news685094282 What do deep-sea crustaceans munch on? A new study titled "A deep-sea isopod that consumes Sargassum sinking from the ocean's surface," published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, sheds light on a remarkable isopod species named Bathyopsurus nybelini, a deep-sea isopod that consumes Sargassum sinking from the ocean's surface. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-crustacean-food-source-deep-ocean.html Plants & Animals Wed, 11 Sep 2024 12:05:05 EDT news645275102 Researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno have completed one of the most extensive river resilience studies, examining how river ecosystems recover following floods. They developed a novel modeling approach that used data from oxygen sensors placed in rivers to estimate daily growth in aquatic plants and algae. The researchers then modeled the algal and plant biomass in 143 rivers across the contiguous U.S. to quantify what magnitude of flooding disturbs the biomass and how long the rivers take to recover from floods. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-river-resiliency.html Ecology Fri, 16 Feb 2024 09:25:24 EST news627297916 A study led by Simon Fraser University researchers finds that mining companies are staking claims on future salmon habitats as glaciers retreat. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-industry-salmon-rivers-glaciers.html Plants & Animals Fri, 24 Nov 2023 09:43:08 EST news620041385 In an attempt to rescue a rare darter in the lower Susquehanna River, a Penn State research team, working with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, has determined that the fish is a distinct subspecies found nowhere else. And that makes the effort to restore its population even more important, the researchers say. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-one-of-a-kind-fish-local-susquehanna.html Plants & Animals Fri, 23 Jun 2023 14:08:03 EDT news606748081 With each passing year, climate change alters characteristics and increases temperatures of mountain streams all over the world. These changing conditions impact mountain-dwelling organisms in a number of direct and indirect ways, and the fate of many will be determined by their ability to adapt and evolve before they become extinct. https://phys.org/news/2023-02-salmonflies-mountain-streams.html Evolution Wed, 08 Feb 2023 16:56:04 EST news595097761 California firefighters made gains against the state's deadliest and largest wildfire of the year just as an eastern Washington town was evacuated Thursday because of a blaze that was burning homes. https://phys.org/news/2022-08-california-crews-gains-washington-town.html Environment Fri, 05 Aug 2022 04:32:31 EDT news578892745 As any gardener or farmer can tell you, nitrogen and phosphorus are chemical elements found in soils and fertilizers that plants need to grow. They also know different ratios of nitrogen and phosphorus are ideal or detrimental for different types of plants and crops. https://phys.org/news/2022-07-nutrient-imbalance-flathead-lake.html Ecology Tue, 12 Jul 2022 14:27:04 EDT news576854821 They're in our oceans and rivers. They're in the food we eat and the water we drink. They've even been detected inside the human body. They're called microplastics—particles of plastic so small they can't be seen by the naked eye. While researchers have known for years that these microplastics exist in Flathead Lake, the concentrations and origins of the microplastic pollution have remained a mystery. https://phys.org/news/2022-06-um-microplastic-pollution-flathead-lake.html Environment Thu, 23 Jun 2022 16:53:12 EDT news575221985 Invasive alien species (IAS) are a leading contributor to biodiversity loss, and they cause annual economic damage in the order of hundreds of billions of US dollars in each of many countries around the world. Smartphone apps are one relatively new tool that could help monitor, predict, and ideally prevent their spread. But are they living up to their full potential? https://phys.org/news/2022-03-invasive-alien-species-isnt-app.html Plants & Animals Wed, 02 Mar 2022 10:39:33 EST news565439970 Camouflaged by a layer of silty mud, most people probably wouldn't notice the large flat oysters lurking beneath shallow water in Australia's coastal estuaries. These are remarkable "leaf oysters," and they can form reefs, produce mauve pearls, and reach the size of a dinner plate. https://phys.org/news/2022-01-leaf-oysters-unsung-heroes-estuaries.html Plants & Animals Wed, 19 Jan 2022 08:20:02 EST news561802400 Invasive species cause biodiversity loss and about $120 billion in annual damages in the U.S. alone. Despite plentiful evidence that invasive species can change food webs, how invaders disrupt food webs and native species over time has remained unclear. https://phys.org/news/2021-11-montana-lake-reveals-invasive-species.html Plants & Animals Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:54:00 EDT news555260037 Is increased human visitation to backcountry areas impacting water quality? Investigators analyzed water samples from a suite of backcountry lake outlets in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Area of Montana for fecal contamination. Combining a traditional fecal bacterial assay and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), researchers found fecal contamination, but in most cases the source does not appear to derive from human feces. The new method and results are reported in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, published by Elsevier. https://phys.org/news/2021-09-fecal-contamination-popular-montana-backcountry.html Environment Thu, 23 Sep 2021 10:20:01 EDT news551610648 Andrew Rypel grew up fishing on Wisconsin's pristine lakes and rivers. With just a worm on his hook, he caught suckers, gar, sunfish and other native fish he never saw in his game fishing magazines. https://phys.org/news/2021-09-fish-junk-bias-native-species.html Plants & Animals Thu, 16 Sep 2021 12:00:40 EDT news551012433 Summer came to an abrupt halt in parts of the Rocky Mountains on Tuesday as temperatures reaching into the 90s plunged about 60 degrees in less than 24 hours, with a powerful surge of cold air from Canada unleashing snow and damaging winds in several states. https://phys.org/news/2020-09-weird-weather-colorado-solar-polar.html Environment Tue, 08 Sep 2020 12:07:10 EDT news518785627 In a new study published in the scientific journal Ecology, researchers from the University of Montana's Flathead Lake Biological Station may have unlocked a mystery surrounding unique aquatic insects in the Flathead watershed. https://phys.org/news/2020-07-mystery-subterranean-stoneflies.html Plants & Animals Wed, 01 Jul 2020 15:18:42 EDT news512835517 Glaciers are retreating in Glacier National Park and across the globe due to climate change. Researchers have long predicted that the shrinkage and disappearance of glaciers will reduce biodiversity in mountain ecosystems as species that live in habitats influenced by glacier meltwater are lost. https://phys.org/news/2020-05-persistence-meltwater-biodiversity-glacier-loss.html Earth Sciences Mon, 18 May 2020 15:00:08 EDT news509009619 Washington state, land of sprawling rainforests and glacier-fed rivers, might soon become the first in the nation to ban water bottling companies from tapping spring-fed sources. https://phys.org/news/2020-02-lawmakers-groundwater-bottled-companies.html Environment Fri, 14 Feb 2020 10:00:01 EST news500896147 The middle of the Earth's oceans are filled with vast systems of rotating currents known as subtropical gyres. These regions occupy 40% of the Earth's surface and have long been considered remarkably stable biological deserts, with little variation in chemical makeup or the nutrients needed to sustain life. https://phys.org/news/2019-08-uncover-ocean-iron-mystery.html Earth Sciences Fri, 30 Aug 2019 03:39:53 EDT news486355182 Stormwater retention ponds, a ubiquitous feature in developed landscapes worldwide, are not a significant source of climate-warming nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, a new Duke University-led study finds. https://phys.org/news/2018-07-stormwater-ponds-major-source-greenhouse.html Environment Mon, 09 Jul 2018 16:25:52 EDT news450372341 Kodiak brown bears are abandoning salmon-their iconic prey-due to climate change, according to a new study. https://phys.org/news/2017-08-climate-luring-kodiak-iconic-salmon.html Ecology Wed, 23 Aug 2017 12:33:34 EDT news422710403 New research by scientists at the University of Montana's Flathead Lake Biological Station has documented the first example of freshwater consumers using ancient methane-derived carbon and the most extensive example of a methane-derived carbon contribution to a river ecosystem. https://phys.org/news/2016-11-document-ancient-methane-derived-carbon-stoneflies.html Environment Thu, 10 Nov 2016 15:58:10 EST news398015882 A UTS study on how seahorses are faring in no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) in NSW has revealed that where finishing is prohibited, seahorses aren't doing as well. https://phys.org/news/2014-09-no-take-marine-reserves-no-win-seahorses.html Ecology Mon, 01 Sep 2014 10:11:45 EDT news328785098 A new report from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) calls for completing the legacy of Wilderness lands on the Flathead National Forest in Montana. The report identifies important, secure habitats and landscape connections for five species—bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout, grizzly bears, wolverines, and mountain goats. These iconic species are vulnerable to loss of secure habitat from industrial land uses and/or climate change. https://phys.org/news/2014-06-flathead-national-forest.html Ecology Mon, 23 Jun 2014 18:29:40 EDT news322766951 On a quest to learn more about fires in the Northern Rockies, Montana State University, Salish Kootenai College and federal researchers are looking to the trees, lakes and oral tradition for insights they can share with land managers. https://phys.org/news/2014-06-teams-clues-ancient.html Environment Tue, 17 Jun 2014 06:20:02 EDT news322203730 (Phys.org) —Scientists with Montana State University have confirmed the presence of the invasive grass medusahead on the Flathead Indian Reservation in southeastern Sanders County, a first in Montana. https://phys.org/news/2013-12-invasive-grass-medusahead-montana.html Ecology Sun, 29 Dec 2013 14:18:09 EST news307549080 Using Montana's fast-growing Flathead County as a template, a Washington State University researcher has found that moderately restrictive land-use policies can significantly curb the potential damage of rural wildfires. However, highly restrictive planning laws will not do much more. https://phys.org/news/2013-10-rural-policies-curb-wildfire-risksto.html Environment Tue, 08 Oct 2013 09:40:01 EDT news300442906 A new report from the Wildlife Conservation Society Canada (WCS Canada) creates a conservation strategy that will promote wildlife resiliency in the Southern Canadian Rockies to the future impacts of climate change and road use. The report's "safe passages and safe havens" were informed in part by an assessment of six iconic species—bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout, grizzly bears, wolverines, mountain goats and bighorn sheep—five of which were ranked as highly vulnerable to projected changes. https://phys.org/news/2013-03-climate-smart-strategies-spectacular-us-canadian-landscape.html Ecology Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:49:18 EST news281897352 (PhysOrg.com) -- In late June, curly-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus), one of Montana's Priority 1 noxious weeds, was found near Bozeman in several ponds along the East Gallatin River drainage system. Priority 1 noxious weeds have limited presence in the state, and require eradication or containment where they are present, with prevention encouraged in areas not yet infested. https://phys.org/news/2010-07-curly-leaf-pondweed-bozeman-montana.html Ecology Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:10:57 EDT news198248911 Natural barriers like waterfalls play an important role in preventing lake trout from spreading through Glacier National Park, so maintaining those barriers should be a priority, Montana State University researchers said after conducting a four-year study in the park. https://phys.org/news/2008-04-ways-lake-trout-invasion-glacier.html Environment Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:11:18 EDT news128268678