Most recent 40 articles: PHYS.ORG - Biology
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Researchers share road map promoting sustainable fishing - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 11) |
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May 11 · The road map, recently published in the Annual Review of Animal Biosciences, can also be used to monitor the genetic diversity of any species—not just fish. "Fishing is a very important component of our food security" said Dr. Leif Andersson, a professor in the VMBS' Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences. "The marine food chain is also very interconnected, so having low numbers of one type of fish can be detrimental for many other species. "Unfortunately, over a third of the world's fish populations are in decline due to factors like overfishing and global warming," he said. "Our road map can help the fishing industry keep a closer eye on fish ... Read more ... |
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Feral horses in Australia's high country are damaging peatlands, decreasing carbon stores - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 10) |
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May 10 · Under the right conditions, peat soils accumulate from carbon-rich, semi-decomposed plants. But if things go wrong, the carbon balance can be tipped in the other direction, releasing carbon into the atmosphere. We wanted to know if feral horse grazing and trampling is reducing the amount of carbon Australia's alpine peatlands can store. These peatlands are found in alpine and mountainous regions of Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. But they're quite rare on the mainland, restricted to areas such as those frequented by feral horses in the Snowy Mountains. In our new research, we sampled peat soils from areas with and without feral ... Read more ... |
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Researchers investigate impact of elevated CO2 concentration on subtropical trees - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 10) |
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May 10 · In a study published in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, researchers from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and their collaborators investigated the effects of elevated CO2 concentration on leaf gas exchange, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, leaf and stem hydraulic conductivity, and seedling growth of four evergreen and four deciduous tree seedlings in the Ailaoshan subtropical forest in Yunnan. After one year of treatment, they measured the leaf gas exchange, leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, leaf hydraulic conductance, and stem hydraulics of the four evergreen and four deciduous species. It was ... Read more ... |
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Getting dirty to clean up the chemical industry's environmental impact - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 9) |
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May 9 · The article, "Insulator-on-Conductor Fouling Amplifies Aqueous Electrolysis Rates," was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Most chemical reactions involving electricity and organic materials can't be done efficiently using water because the organic materials don't dissolve well, forcing industry to use fossil fuels to provide heat rather than electricity or use alternative substances to water, which add environmental and safety risks. However, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Simone Ciampi, from Curtin's School of Molecular and Life Sciences, has found chemical reactions in water can be dramatically sped up by adding a ... Read more ... |
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Nepal's nature threatened by new development push: conservationists - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 9) |
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May 9 · Nepali conservationists condemned on Thursday new regulations permitting hydropower and hotel projects in protected nature reserves, saying they threatened to damage the habitats of tigers and other endangered animals. A fifth of the Himalayan republic's total lands have been designated as protected areas established to forbid infrastructure projects that could damage the environment. Nepal has been praised worldwide for combating poachers and conserving wildlife, allowing it to bring several animal species back from the brink of local extinction. However, the government enacted an ordinance last month allowing it to approve infrastructure projects in national ... Read more ... |
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Report: There are no good or bad oil crops, only good and bad practices - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 9) |
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May 9 · Few topics have provoked as many polarized views and headlines as oil crops. These controversies span conservation, human rights, and nutrition. What does the evidence reveal? A report by the IUCN Oil Crops Taskforce dives deep into the often controversial environmental, social, economic, and nutritional impacts of vegetable oil crops. Their research shatters the myth that crops like oil palm, soybean, or rapeseed are inherently good or bad. Instead, the report reveals it's all about how these crops are grown, processed, and traded. It's the practices, not the plants, that make the difference. Palm oil and soya have particularly bad reputations. But while it's true that ... Read more ... |
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Researchers: Heat is coming for our crops - we have to make them ready - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 9) |
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May 9 · Unchecked, climate change will make it harder to produce food on a large scale. We get over 40% of our calories from just three plants: wheat, rice and corn. Climate change poses very real risks to these plants, with recent research suggesting the potential for synchronized crop failures. While we have long modified our crops to repel pests or increase yields, until now, no commercial crop has been designed to tolerate heat. We are working on this problem by trying to make soybean plants able to tolerate the extreme weather of a hotter world. What threat does climate change pose to our food? By 2050, food production must increase by 60% in order to feed the 9.8 ... Read more ... |
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Saturated soils could impact survival of young trees planted to address climate change - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 9) |
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May 9 · They have also shown that the UK's uplands could in future see significantly more annual rainfall than is currently being predicted in national climate models. Dr. Thomas Murphy, Lecturer in Environmental Sciences at the University of Plymouth, is the study's lead author. He said, "In recent years, there have been increasing calls to plant more trees as part of the global effort to combat climate change. Restoration and expansion of temperate rainforests, which are a globally rare ecosystem, is seen as one of the potential solutions. "But with our previous work also predicting an increase in future rainfall we wanted to know if the woodlands we create will support ... Read more ... |
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Study reveals changes in soil carbon and nutrient stocks in desert oasis farmland - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 9) |
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May 9 · The study is published in Geoderma. In addition, carbon and nitrogen stocks in the 0–40 cm soil layer and phosphorus stocks in the topsoil layer, stopped increasing after 60 years of conventional cultivation. This study highlighted that despite significant improvement in soil quality after desert reclamation, the long-term effectiveness of this improvement is limited by conventional management practices. Therefore, conventional management system of oasis farmland in arid regions should incorporate appropriate conservation tillage practices to ensure sustainable soil production. More information: Dengke Ma et al, Long-term conventional cultivation after ... Read more ... |
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Transformation of ocean management is underway, study finds - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 9) |
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May 9 · Despite its benefits and recognition as a keystone practice of ocean stewardship and conservation, adoption of EBM has been slow to take hold. The first mention of EBM was included in U.S. fisheries management guidance documents more than 20 years ago. Resource managers and policymakers need a proof-of-concept that this approach can occur incrementally with existing resources and tools. Previous management efforts have been implemented sector by sector focused on fisheries or navigation, but a transformation in ocean management to enable more ecosystem-based approaches is underway. To support this change in ocean management, a group of researchers and practitioners, ... Read more ... |
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Big data helps determine what drives disease risk - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 8) |
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May 8 · As the number of emerging infectious diseases in organisms across the tree of life, including humans, rises, it is becoming increasingly important to understand what drives disease spread and whether human actions are part of the cause. This information will aid in disease management strategies and predicting the potential for disease spread given a set of environmental or other changes. These efforts are important not only for diseases that could infect humans but also for diseases in other animals that can lead to human disease. Diseases in plants can also have a massive impact on agriculture and food security. Specifically, the new study published in Nature points to ... Read more ... |
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Global warming may boost mosquito habitats, study finds - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 8) |
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May 8 · "We found that all nine species in our model responded resiliently to climate change, which tells us that mosquito-borne disease will be a continued threat as the climate warms," said Morgan Gorris, a scientist in Los Alamos' Information Systems and Modeling group and lead author of the study. "Understanding how mosquito populations grow and move in response to climate change is crucial to inform public health planning." Future climate change may expand, contract, or shift the geographical ranges of mosquito species. For example, warmer temperatures may cause ranges to expand or shift toward the poles, while areas around the equator may become too hot for mosquitoes to live. ... Read more ... |
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Limited adaptability is making freshwater bacteria vulnerable to climate change - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 8) |
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May 8 · Freshwater resources are limited, accounting for only 3.5% of Earth's water, with just 0.25% accessible on the surface. Nevertheless, freshwater lakes are essential for ecosystem functioning and global carbon cycling due to their high biological productivity and microbial activity. They are critical to human survival, providing drinking water and supporting agriculture, fisheries, and recreation. However, climate change—particularly rising temperatures—threatens these habitats by disrupting microbial communities that are essential for nutrient cycling and water quality maintenance. "Considering the essential roles bacterial species play in freshwater environments ... Read more ... |
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Grizzlies are returning to Washington's North Cascades. How will that work? - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 7) |
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May 7 · Among the jagged peaks of the North Cascades, lush alpine meadows rich with berries and wildflowers blanket valleys carved by glaciers, some threaded with trickling creeks. But these idyllic landscapes are missing one big thing that had helped sustain them over the millennia: grizzly bears. That will soon change after federal officials decided last month to reintroduce grizzlies to the North Cascades, where there hasn't been a confirmed sighting of the species in nearly three decades. Endangered species around the world face heightened risks of extinction because of climate change, which is melting glaciers, warming the ocean, and causing more frequent and intense ... Read more ... |
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Study demonstrate improved root growth in radio-cesium contaminated soil - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 7) |
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May 7 · Plant resilience relies on the ability to sense and respond to the environment. From the air they breathe to the soil in which they grow, plants fine-tune their growth to thrive under specific conditions. But some changes in the environment cannot be overcome so easily. Led by Ryoung Shin, the RIKEN CSRS team is asking what we can do to help plants when their environment becomes contaminated with toxic substances like cesium. In the wake of the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster in Japan, scientists turned their attention to understanding how plants react to radio-cesium, a toxic element released into the environment after nuclear accidents. In order to grow ... Read more ... |
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Collecting live snakes in remote Amazon regions for study is no easy task - here's how we do it - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 6) |
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May 6 · In the event of a snakebite in a remote area of the Amazon, some questions become very important: what is the composition of the venom? Do commercially available serums effectively neutralize this venom? Is there a distribution of these antivenoms in the region? How can the local effects of bites be treated? To answer these questions, the first step is to study the venoms of snakes in the region. To do this, researchers need to have access to the snakes. This is where the multidisciplinary study I am coordinating comes in. A team of herpetologists and other professionals that I am part of searches for venomous snakes in forests in the state of Acre and sends the live ... Read more ... |
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How human activities are impacting one of the world's most remote whale species - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 6) |
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May 6 · Dr. Laura Feyrer, a marine biologist and adjunct faculty member at Dalhousie, reviewed existing literature on the human threats to beaked whales—a group that includes northern bottlenose, Cuvier's, Sowerby's and True's whales in Canadian waters and is characterized by deep dives, remote habitats and cryptic biology. Her findings, published recently in Royal Society Open Science, illustrate how one of the least encountered mammals on the planet cannot avoid human pressures. "This pervasive reach of human influence, particularly plastics across a wildly large number of species, suggests that virtually no area of the world's oceans is untouched by human activity," she ... Read more ... |
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The benefits of crown-of-thorns starfish control on the Great Barrier Reef - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 4) |
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May 4 · The study led by the Reef Authority in collaboration with research and delivery partners demonstrated up to a six-fold reduction in starfish numbers and a 44% increase in coral cover across regions that received timely and sufficient control effort. The research is published in the journal PLOS ONE. While crown-of-thorns starfish are native to the Reef, outbreaks can cause broadscale coral loss and reef degradation, which are another pressure on top of culminative impacts like coral bleaching and cyclones, further impacting on reef health. Reef Authority Chief Scientist Dr. Roger Beeden said this long-term data demonstrated that suppressing outbreaks of the coral-eating ... Read more ... |
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Contemporary wildfires not more severe than historically in western US dry forests: Study - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 3) |
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May 3 · I addressed this question in a new study in Sustainability. Dry forests are ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and dry mixed-conifer forests with ponderosa dominant, but other trees are common. They often occur at the lower limits of forests near woodlands, shrublands, and grasslands. Earlier, we showed these forests were historically subject to a mixture of low-, moderate- and high-severity fires, as occurred recently in a fire I photographed in a dry forest in northern New Mexico. This mixed-severity historical fire model better fits historical evidence, so the alternative low-severity fire model was rejected. A 2023 study used US Government Landfire data to show that ... Read more ... |
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NASA is helping protect tigers, jaguars, and elephants - here's how - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 3) |
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May 3 · "Satellites observe vast areas of Earth's surface on daily to weekly schedules," said Keith Gaddis, ecological conservation program manager at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "That helps scientists monitor habitats that would be logistically challenging and time-consuming to survey from the ground—crucial for animals like tigers that roam large territories." Here's how NASA and its partners help protect three of Earth's most iconic species: Trouble (and hope) for tigers Tigers have lost at least 93% of their historical range, which once spanned Eurasia. Roughly 3,700 to 5,500 wild tigers remain, up from an estimated low of 3,200 in 2010. In a recent ... Read more ... |
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NOAA reports continued drop in overfishing - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 3) |
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May 3 · Maintaining sustainable fisheries contributes significantly to the U.S. economy, provides important recreational opportunities and helps meet the growing challenge of increasing our nation's seafood supply. In 2023, U.S. fisheries data revealed that 94% of stocks are not subject to overfishing and 82% are not overfished. These numbers show slight improvements compared to the 2022 figures of 93% and 81%, respectively. Ongoing positive trends continued with the number of stocks on the overfishing list decreasing by three stocks, reaching an all-time low of 21 stocks, and the number of stocks on the overfished list decreasing by one stock, to 47. Since 2000, NOAA Fisheries ... Read more ... |
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Research explores energy and land-use practices on US golf courses - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 2) |
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May 2 · A new study appearing in HortTechnology evaluates energy practices and use of land on US golf courses. Energy usage on US golf facilities was first assessed in 2008 and then reevaluated in 2015. The findings showed that over 99% of golf facilities continued to use gasoline and diesel fuel, with no significant change from 2008 to 2015. However, there was an increase in the percentage of facilities implementing behavioral or design changes aimed at conserving energy during this period. Additionally, there was a rise in the adoption of written energy plans and the conduct of energy audits among golf facilities between 2008 and 2015. These findings indicate that US golf facilities ... Read more ... |
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Study unveils 3D printing PQD-polymer architectures at room temperature - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 2) |
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May 2 · Led by Professor Im Doo Jung from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UNIST, a recent study has introduced a cutting-edge one-stop perovskite quantum dot (PQD) additive manufacturing technology. This approach eliminates the need for heat treatment, allowing for the creation of complex 3D shapes with exceptional precision, including iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower. Traditionally, shaping QD materials in 3D required prolonged heat exposure, leading to property degradation and shape deformation. However, the newly developed PQD materials exhibit remarkable luminous efficiency and color versatility, offering a game-changing solution for advanced encryption and ... Read more ... |
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Mass fish die-off in Vietnam as heat wave roasts Southeast Asia - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 1) |
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May 1 · Hundreds of thousands of fish have died in a reservoir in southern Vietnam's Dong Nai province, with locals and media reports suggesting a brutal heat wave and the lake's management are to blame. Like much of Southeast Asia - where schools have recently been forced to close early and electricity usage has surged - southern and central Vietnam have been scorched by devastating heat. "All the fish in the Song May reservoir died for lack of water," a local resident in Trang Bom district, who identified himself only as Nghia, told AFP. "Our life has been turned upside down over the past 10 days because of the smell." Pictures show residents wading and boating ... Read more ... |
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Pet dogs and strays suffer in Asia heat wave - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 1) |
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May 1 · Soaring temperatures across Kolkata have brought life in much of the Indian megacity to a standstill, but veterinarian Partha Das cannot recall a time when he was more busy. His clinic has been swamped by distressed members of the public carrying in beloved pets suffering nosebleeds, severe skin rashes and lapses into unconsciousness in a relentless heat wave suffocating much of South and Southeastern Asia over the past week. "Many pets are also hospitalized for three or four consecutive days, and they are taking a long time to get back to normal," the 57-year-old told AFP from his surgery. "We are getting several heatstroke cases in a day. It's ... Read more ... |
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Study reveals uniqueness of naturally occurring monodominant forests in the Republic of Congo - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 1) |
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May 1 · A recent study published in the journal Plant Ecology and Evolution gives valuable insights into forest stands of Gilbertiodendron dewevrei (G. dewevrei) in the Sangha Trinational region. G. dewevrei, known as "Bemba" or "Limbali" forest by Indigenous peoples and local communities, is a tree species endemic to the Congo Basin that is unusual in forming large stands where it is almost the only species present. The study focuses on the comparative analysis of the structure and composition of this G. dewevrei forest type compared to adjacent forest types. Using data from plot inventories and herbarium specimens, researchers evaluated several parameters, including stem ... Read more ... |
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Texans encouraged to turn off nighttime lights during bird migration - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (May 1) |
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May 1 · Texas residents who look up at the night sky over the next few weeks might catch a glimpse of an avian superhighway. Migratory birds like whooping cranes and tiny songbirds are making their seasonal flights over Texas to northern breeding grounds, with peak migration occurring from April 22 to May 12, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife. Nearly two billion birds of around 400 different species travel over the state each spring. To help ensure their safe passage, the National Audubon Society is asking Texans to dim their lights as part of "Lights Out, Texas!" The biannual campaign was launched as a statewide effort in 2020 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and ... Read more ... |
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'Bloodsicles', baths keep Philippine zoo animals cool as heat wave hits - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (Apr 30) |
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Apr 30 · A Philippine zoo is giving tigers frozen treats made of animal blood and preventing lions from mating during the hottest time of the day as a heat wave scorches the country. Unusually hot weather has sent temperatures in the capital Manila to a record high in recent days and forced schools across the archipelago nation to suspend in-person classes. As people flock to air-conditioned shopping malls and swimming pools for relief from the extreme heat, animals at Manila Zoo are also trying to cool off. Preventing heat stroke, particularly among the big cats, was the "main priority", zoo veterinarian Dave Vinas told AFP on Tuesday when the mercury hit 37 degrees ... Read more ... |
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A rare and little-known group of monkeys could help save Africa's tropical forests - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (Apr 30) |
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Apr 30 · At a time when hunting of wildlife and habitat loss are driving long-term changes to ecosystems, including stark wildlife population declines and greater vulnerability to climate change and zoonotic disease transmission, the scientists identified red colobus monkeys as key indicators of tropical forest health and flagships for local and international conservation initiatives. Writing in the journal Conservation Letters, the authors focus on five priority action areas: The above actions build on the Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan, initiated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group and the ... Read more ... |
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An AI model to reduce uncertainty in evapotranspiration prediction - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (Apr 30) |
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Apr 30 · ET includes evaporation from soil and open water pools such as lakes, rivers, and ponds, as well as transpiration from plant leaves. The difference between precipitation and ET indicates the water balance available for societal needs, including agricultural and industrial production. However, measuring ET is challenging. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign presents a computer model that uses artificial intelligence (AI) for ET prediction based on remote sensing estimates. "Ground-based ET estimates capture the local fluxes of water transferred to the atmosphere but are limited in scale. In contrast, satellite data provide ET information on a global ... Read more ... |
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Climate change lengthens, intensifies the blooming of holm oak and other Quercus species: Study - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (Apr 30) |
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Apr 30 · How does climate change affect pollen allergy? Relating the effects of global warming to variations in the blooming patterns of species of the genus Quercus in Andalusia was the objective of one of the latest efforts by the Systemic and Applied Botany research group at the University of Cordoba. "We chose Quercus because it is the most representative tree in Andalusia in the natural environment, and it is an anemophilic tree (pollinated by the wind) found where there are very high concentrations of pollen in the atmosphere, so it is a good bioindicator to study the impact of climate change on blooming," said researcher Pura Alcázar, who co-authored the work with fellow ... Read more ... |
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Engineered increase in mesophyll conductance improves photosynthetic efficiency in field trial - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (Apr 30) |
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Apr 30 · CO2 faces barriers as it moves through the leaf, including its own cell walls. Researchers from the Long Lab found that by increasing permeability and slightly reducing the thickness of cell walls, they could increase CO2 diffusion and uptake in a model crop. "This is one of the few successful tests of concept showing that we can engineer an increase in mesophyll conductance and have it result in increased photosynthesis in the field," said Coralie Salesse-Smith, a postdoctoral researcher in Long Lab and lead author on a paper about the research, published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal. "Theory shows us that increasing mesophyll conductance to increase ... Read more ... |
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Four myths about vertical farming debunked by an expert - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (Apr 30) |
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Apr 30 · Typically, this soilless cultivation happens in huge greenhouses or warehouses, with plants stacked high on rows and rows of shelves. Parameters such as lighting, temperature and humidity can be controlled by computer systems, so vertical farming is sometimes called controlled environment agriculture. There are three types of vertical farming. In hydroponics, plant roots are held in a liquid nutrient solution. In aeroponics, roots are exposed to the air and a nutrient-rich mist or spray is applied to the roots. In aquaponics, nutrients from fish farm waste replace some or all of the chemical fertilizers being delivered to plants through hydroponics. There's huge scope to ... Read more ... |
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Habitats much more vulnerable for nitrogen deposition than previously thought - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (Apr 30) |
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Apr 30 · A group of researchers, led by Wageningen University & Research (WUR), show the decrease of habitat quality in relation to an increasing nitrogen deposition. In an article in Environmental Pollution, they claim the critical load for nitrogen depositions is too high. "We already knew the critical loads for nitrogen deposition for habitat types," principal investigator Wieger Wamelink explains, "but we did not know what happens with the vegetation beyond that critical load. Would the decline be quick or more gradually?" As it turns out it depends on the habitat type how quick the decline of specific plant species is, some have a very rapid decline, while others have a more ... Read more ... |
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Making seagrass restoration more resistant to rising temperatures using generalist grasses - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (Apr 30) |
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Apr 30 · Rising global temperatures combined with centuries of humans working within our seascapes has reshaped coastal ecosystems. Rebuilding or restoring coastal habitat is becoming a top priority for natural resource conservation and as an insurance policy for the provision of critical services including shoreline protection, clean water, and seafood. Yet, successful habitat restoration is still rare, and most efforts are unsustainably expensive and labor intensive. "Any gardener knows the difficulty in mastering how to grow a plant from seed or a clipping, and the same goes for restoration practitioners using habitat-forming species - discovering the perfect conditions," says Enie ... Read more ... |
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Researchers reveal mechanisms of soil organic carbon accumulation in acidified forest soils - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (Apr 30) |
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Apr 30 · Based on a long-term simulated acid addition experiment in Dinghushan, Guangdong Province, researchers from the South China Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted a study on the mechanism of SOC accumulation and stabilization in monsoon evergreen broadleaf forests under acid addition treatment. They found that in terms of carbon composition, acid addition significantly increased the accumulation of particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC). Their results were published in Plant and Soil. According to the researchers, in terms of carbon sources, acid addition significantly reduced the accumulation of microbial ... Read more ... |
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Studies on Hainan Island rubber plantations reveal secrets of soil - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (Apr 30) |
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Apr 30 · Their series of studies, conducted across Hainan Island, focused on rubber plantations—a key economic tree species in the region. The results, published in three separate journals, shed light on the complex interplay between parent material, microbes, and soil processes. In their first study published in Geoderma Regional, the researchers showed how the underlying rock layer, known as parent material, affects the balance of key nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the soil. They found that basaltic soils, formed from volcanic rock, had a higher phosphorus content but lower nitrogen levels than marine sedimentary soils. This imbalance suggests that ... Read more ... |
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Study reveals crucial role of invertebrates as eco-custodians in global forest litter decomposition - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (Apr 30) |
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Apr 30 · The study was recently published in Ecology Letters, and the results are imperative for preserving healthy ecosystems and conserving invertebrates in the wake of widespread environmental change. Litter decomposition is a crucial process in carbon cycling and nutrient turnover. Microbes, such as bacteria and fungi, are widely considered the most important decomposers in nature. However, soil invertebrates contribute a large proportion of decomposing and nutrient turnover and are therefore important for functioning and healthy ecosystems. Most previous studies on decomposition and nutrient turnover are conducted in temperate regions like Europe and North America, resulting ... Read more ... |
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Study sheds new light on how Scotland's beavers interact with the environment - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (Apr 30) |
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Apr 30 · This could diversify woodland structure into a mix of short and tall tree stems, which ought to boost biodiversity, according to researchers in the Faculty of Natural Sciences. Scientists compared the number of shoots on beaver-felled trees to standing trees and collected 156 shoots with four different combinations of beaver and deer browsing to compare their nutrient levels and physical characteristics. Beavers were hunted to extinction in Scotland about four centuries ago. A formal multi-agency program of reintroduction involving experts at the University of Stirling and the study partners—the first of its kind for a mammal species anywhere in Britain—began ... Read more ... |
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Wild bees are under threat from domestic bees, invasive species, pathogens and climate change - but we can help - PHYS.ORG - Biology  (Apr 30) |
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Apr 30 · With changes in climate, habitat loss, pesticide use and pathogen spillover, some of our native bees are in decline. The vast majority of wild bee species are rare. More than 200 species live in the habitat-rich forests, fields and neighborhoods around Hamilton and McMaster University, where they are the subjects of our research. In Ontario, there are many different types of bees, including bumblebees, carder bees, carpenter bees, cellophane bees, cuckoo bees, leaf cutter bees, long horned bees, mason bees, mining bees, sweat bees and yellow-faced bees. Many of our wild bees are solitary, highly specialized and transient from one year to the next. This makes them ... Read more ... |
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