Ecosystem effects of biodiversity loss rival climate change and pollution

Loss of biodiversity appears to affect ecosystems as much as climate change, pollution and other major forms of environmental stress, according to results of a new study.

Ecosystem effects of biodiversity loss could rival impacts of climate change, pollution

Loss of biodiversity appears to impact ecosystems as much as climate change, pollution and other major forms of environmental stress, according to a new study. There has been growing concern that the very high rates of modern extinctions -- due to habitat loss, overharvesting and other human-caused environmental changes -- could reduce nature's ability to provide goods and services like food, clean water and a stable climate.

Were dinosaurs undergoing long-term decline before mass extinction?

Despite years of intensive research about the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs about 65.5 million years ago, a fundamental question remains: Were dinosaurs already undergoing a long-term decline before an asteroid hit at the end of the Cretaceous? A new study suggests that in general, large-bodied, "bulk-feeding" herbivores were declining during the last 12 million years of the Cretaceous. But carnivorous dinosaurs and mid-sized herbivores were not.

Impaired recovery of Atlantic cod: Forage fish or other factors?

Biologists suggest the delay in recovery of Atlantic cod on the eastern Scotian Shelf could be attributed to increased predation by grey seals or other governing factors and not the effect of forage fish as previously thought.

Science fair winner publishes new study on butterfly foraging behavior

A University of Florida lepidopterist has spent his life's work studying moths and butterflies. But it was his teenage daughter who led research on how color impacts butterflies' feeding patterns.

Twenty-four new species of lizards discovered on Caribbean islands are close to extinction

Twenty-four new species of lizards known as skinks have been discovered on Caribbean islands, half of which already may be extinct or close to extinction. The loss of many skink species can be attributed primarily to predation by the mongoose -- a predatory mammal that was introduced by farmers. Other types of human activity, especially the removal of forests, also are to blame, according to the researchers.

Seabirds, a key factor in the dispersal of parasites

Due to their capacity to travel long distances, seabirds play an important role in the dispersal and biodiversity of parasites and of the infectious agents these may transmit, a new study shows.

Can organic food feed the world? New study sheds light on debate over organic vs. conventional agriculture

Can organic agriculture feed the world? Although organic techniques may not be able to do the job alone, they do have an important role to play in feeding a growing global population while minimizing environmental damage, according to researchers. A new study concludes that crop yields from organic farming are generally lower than from conventional agriculture. That is particularly true for cereals, which are staples of the human diet -- yet the yield gap is much less significant for certain crops, and under certain growing conditions, according to the researchers.

Genetic markers for tracking species: Barcodes

Using barcodes, zoologists and botanists want to identify animal and plant species fast.

Environmental implications of artificially created organisms

New research seeks to inform a United Nations debate on whether to call a temporary halt to the release into the environment of artificially created organisms.

Palms reveal the significance of climate change for tropical biodiversity

Palm assemblages we find in the tropics today are to a large extent formed by climatic changes of the past, taking place over millions of years.

Leeches are DNA bloodhounds in the jungle

A new and revolutionary, yet simple and cheap, method for tracking mammals in the rainforests of Southeast Asia has been developed. Biologists collect leeches from tropical jungles, which have been sucking blood from mammals, and subsequently analyze the blood for mammal DNA. By using this method, the researchers can get an overview of the biodiversity of the mammals without having to find them.

Bioenergy production may reduce biological diversity, but ecological risks can be minimized

For years experts have discussed the ecological impact of the extended cultivation of energy crops. Scientists have now developed a computer model that allows assessing the impacts and comparing the effectiveness of strategies for the reduction of risks for biological diversity. Conclusion: The extension of bioenergy leads to problems with biological diversity in agrarian regions.

Mild winters are detrimental to butterflies

Mild winters, such as the one many of us just experienced, can be taxing for some butterfly or possibly other species.

Polar bears evolutionarily five times older and genetically more distinct: Ancestry traced back 600,000 years

Polar bears evolved as early as some 600,000 years ago, according to a new study. Scientists show the largest arctic carnivore to be five times older than previously thought. The new findings on the evolutionary history of polar bears are the result of an analysis of information from the nuclear genome of polar and brown bears, and shed new light on conservation issues regarding this endangered arctic specialist.

Analysis raises atmospheric, ecologic and economic doubts about forest bioenergy

A large, global move to produce more energy from forest biomass may be possible and already is beginning in some places, but scientists say in a new analysis that such large-scale bioenergy production from forest biomass is unsustainable and will increase greenhouse gas emissions.

Saving forests? Take a leaf from insurance industry's book

A group of environmental scientists say a problem-ridden economic model designed to slow deforestation can be improved by applying key concepts from the insurance industry.

Live fast, die young: Urban plants are more closely related and live shorter lives than plants in the countryside

Cities in both, the US and Europe harbor more plant species than rural areas. However, plant species of urban areas are more closely related to each other and often share similar functions. Consequently, urban ecosystems should be more sensitive towards environmental impacts than rural ecosystems.

Traffic harms Asturian amphibians

Midwife toads and palmate newts are run over and their habitats are fragmented by roads in the Trubia valley (Asturias). According to a Spanish study, alleviating traffic is not enough to minimize the impact on midwife toad populations. The roads are the main cause of fragmenting the habitats of many species, especially amphibians. The toads get run over and the species loses genetic diversity as a result.

Tackle fungal forces to save crops, forests and endangered animals, say scientists

More than 600 million people could be fed each year by halting the spread of fungal diseases in the world's five most important crops, according to new research.