extinction

A study from the University of Kansas proposes that the neutral theory of biodiversity, which suggests species extinction is largely random, provides a more accurate explanation than the traditional Red Queen theory. This insight has profound implications for biodiversity conservation, highlighting the unpredictability of species extinction and the potential for understanding community-level patterns. Credit: SciTechDaily.comA new study led by the University of Kansas might resolve a mystery in the “aging process” in…

Reed: It doesn’t feel like an odd choice for us. It’s a bit disruptive and, in trust, that’s the sort of thing we’re interested in, and I think that’s the sort of thing people need and the industry needs.People need something more from nature documentaries?Reed: I think so. We're in a period where you could keep looking at the natural world in the same way, or we can look at something in a completely different way. And even if it’s not for everybody, it just makes us look at something in a different way, and that can only…

An artist’s impression of a group of G. blacki within a forest in southern China. Credit: Garcia/Joannes-Boyau (Southern Cross University)In the karst landscapes of southern China, giant apes, known as Gigantopithecus blacki, once traversed the terrain. These massive creatures, standing three meters tall and weighing about 250 kilograms, are considered distant relatives of humans. Although they vanished before humans settled in the area, the reasons for their extinction remain largely a mystery. The only evidence of their…

By University of Copenhagen - The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences February 18, 2024The study of ancient brown bear genomes reveals that their survival through the last Ice Age involved significant losses in range and genetic diversity, underscoring the importance of historical genetic studies in conservation efforts and future wildlife management. Credit: SciTechDaily.comThe brown bear is one of the largest terrestrial carnivores alive today, with a broad distribution throughout the Northern Hemisphere. In…

Scientists have uncovered unexpected biodiversity in deep-sea environments, particularly around hydrothermal vents and manganese nodules, through detailed collection and DNA analysis of marine species. The findings, indicating isolated and unique species as well as potential reproductive habitats within nodules, underscore the ecological importance of these areas. Marine ecologist Sabine Gollner stresses the need for caution in considering deep-sea mining, given the high extinction risk to these unique species. Field of…

During its nesting season, the marbled murrelet, known affectionately among bird watchers as a "strange, mysterious little seabird," lays a single egg in the thick mosses that grow on the branches of British Columbia's old-growth forest canopy.With some of those forests under threat from logging, the small black-and-brown mottled seabird is considered threatened, too.The marbled murrelet is among a growing number of migratory species animals facing a perilous future, a new UN report found.  "The solution for the marbled …

Our planet is changing. So is our journalism. This weekly newsletter is part of a CBC News initiative entitled "Our Changing Planet" to show and explain the effects of climate change. Keep up with the latest news on our Climate and Environment page.Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox every Thursday.This week: From fashion to burials: How fungi can help fight climate change 2024 has barely started and is already threatening to set temperature records World's globetrotting animals at risk due to habitat…

More than one in five migratory species officially deemed in need of international protection are now in danger of extinction. That’s according to the most comprehensive report of their populations yet, released as a United Nations wildlife conservation conference kicks off this week in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.Human activity is pushing these species to the brink. But that also means there are concrete steps people can take to safeguard their futures. The first-of-its-kind stocktake of the world’s migratory species isn’t all…

Stratigraphy and sulfur isotopes for the Meishan section, China, across the Permian-Triassic boundary. Credit: Li et al. 2024. The concept of deadly mass extinctions wreaking destruction upon Earth's ecosystems millions of years ago is something that has fascinated the public and scientists alike for decades. A groundbreaking publication by Jack…

A groundbreaking study reveals that human activities have led to the extinction of around 1,400 bird species, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect remaining avian diversity and prevent further losses.Scientists report that the loss of species is twice the current estimate, with 1 in 9 species having been lost.A new study reveals that human activities have led to the extinction of approximately 1,400 bird species, a figure that is double the earlier estimates. This has significant consequences…