ecology

A study highlights that invasive plants can stay dormant for decades to centuries before becoming ecological threats, underscoring the importance of considering dormancy in managing invasions.Non-native species can remain dormant for decades or even centuries before they begin to spread.According to a new study led by the University of California, Davis, invasive plants can stay dormant for decades or even centuries after they have been introduced into an environment before rapidly expanding and wreaking ecological…

It was around 5 pm on March 15, and the light was fading fast, when Constantin and Tatiana were attacked by the bear. The young couple, aged 29 and 31 and identified in local media reports only by their first names, were Belarusians living in Poland. But Constantin had been working for the winter as a ski instructor in Jasná, a popular resort in neighboring Slovakia. The winter season was coming to an end, and on a day off he’d decided to go hiking with his girlfriend beneath the 4,718 foot-high peak of Na Jame, in the…

The large marsh grasshopper was once ever-present across Eastern England’s wetlands. But after decades of habitat destruction, these handsome insects are now fragmented and locally extinct, holding out in the wettest fens, valleys, and peat bogs of the New Forest and Dorset.Now, London-based Citizen Zoo is trying to bring them back—and it’s planning to do it by turning regular people into zookeepers. Reintroducing the grasshoppers to restored wetland sites across their historic range can bring huge benefits to ecosystems…

Federal authorities have closed Canada's only known live coral reef in the Pacific Ocean to all commercial and recreational bottom-contact fishing.Fisheries and Oceans Canada says the indefinite closure came into effect on Feb. 14 for the Lophelia Reef, located in the Finlayson Channel of British Columbia's Central Coast, about 500 kilometres northwest of Vancouver and 200 kilometres directly east of Haida Gwaii.The department says the reef was first discovered in 2021 and is the "first and only" known live coral reef in…

Hylaeus navai female. Found on the Viti Levu and Taveuni islands of Fiji, this species is still only known from the females, but is named in honor of Navai Village and their long-term support of Fijian bee research. Credit: James Dorey PhotographyScientists have discovered a previously unknown species radiation of masked bees, which is restricted to the tree canopies of Pacific islands.In 1934, Elwood Zimmerman, an American entomologist who was an undergraduate at Berkeley at the time, took part in the ‘Mangarevan…

Like a nice wool blanket can help a human baby stay warm and healthy, so too does a baby white spruce get protection from a blanket of snow. At the same time, by preventing the chill of winter from reaching the ground, the snow blanket helps thaw permafrost, or frozen soil packed with ancient plant material and ice. Generally, the top layer of this permafrost thaws out in the heat of summer, then freezes again in the winter. But with enough snow on top, the soil doesn't get so cold, which increases the activity of the…

Two new species of the delicate mouse have been discovered in Australia, thanks to genetic research by ANU and CSIRO, underscoring the need for specific conservation efforts and highlighting the species’ unique ecological role. Above is a picture of Pseudomys pilbarensis. Credit: Ian BoolAustralia can lay claim to two new species of native rodent thanks to a study from The Australian National University (ANU).The aptly named delicate mouse was previously thought to be a single species spanning a massive stretch of the…

Lake Tagimoucia as seen from Des Voeux Peak on Taveuni, Fiji. Both the lake and the peak have been the sites where new species were found. The Peak in particular is where the first Fijian Hylaeus were collected for this project. Credit: James Dorey PhotographyRecent scientific research conducted by Flinders University has led to the discovery of eight new bee species in the Pacific and has provided fresh insights into the behavior of birds in Fiji on Viti Levu Island.The studies, both funded by fieldwork supported by the…

A study in East Africa has found that invasive ants are altering ecosystems by reducing tree cover, affecting lions’ ability to hunt zebras. This change forces lions to adapt by targeting more formidable prey like buffaloes. The research emphasizes the unexpected impact of small species on large ecosystems and highlights ongoing efforts to find solutions to preserve the landscape.What makes the little old ant think he can disrupt the life of an African lion? Researchers say it’s more than just high hopes.In a study…

Microbe models leverage extensive genomic data to power soil-carbon simulations. Credit: Illustration by Victor O. LeshykScientists are using the DNA from soil microbes to model how they function and use carbon, ultimately helping to advance the accuracy of climate models.Climate models are essential to predicting and addressing climate change, but can fail to adequately represent soil microbes, a critical player in ecosystem soil carbon sequestration that affects the global carbon cycle. A team of scientists led by the…