Category: Plants & Animals
-
Fish Are Made Of Forests, And Forests Are Disappearing
We found fish that had almost 70% of their biomass made from carbon that came from trees and leaves instead of aquatic food chain sources
-
Koalas Hug Trees To Cool Off
Thermal imaging has revealed koalas cope with extreme heat by resting against cooler tree trunks.
-
Sneaky plants and gullible ants.The Magic of elaiosomes
Seed dispersal by ants is a worldwide phenomenon involving more than 11,000 plant species (4.5 percent of all plants) across multiple ecosystems. In fact, myrmecochory is a key evolutionary driver for flowering plant diversity.
-
With Larger Primates Hunted Out, Can Smaller Take on Seed Dispersal?
Early results from seedfall traps and census plots had shown that seed movement and tree regeneration were being impacted along a gradient of hunting intensities
-
Can Non-Native Animals Be Good For Native Plants?
Native fruit-eaters have developed strong affinities for or against consumption of native fruit species making our native communities vulnerable to loss of key bird species. However, the exotic species are more than happy to make equal use of all the fruits available, thereby spreading their benefit more widely
-
Oily Orchids A Treat For Specialized Bees
Specialized hairs on the legs or abdomen (but not the mouthparts) of oil-gathering bees are used to collect oils, and the latter are then used as food for larvae.
-
Chimpanzees Shop Carefully For Sleeping Trees and Have Favored Species
Our results suggest that the ideal sleeping platform tree species might well possess multiple advantages, perhaps possessing antipredator, antivector, thermoregulatory and comfort- maximizing qualities all at once. C. alexandri has all of these properties, suggesting that chimpanzees are keen observers of physical properties of trees, including stiffness, strength and leaf surface area, and that they select species that provide the widest range of advantages, including predator avoidance, postur
-
You Can Do Anything With Bamboo. Anything
In recent years, bamboo has been used to make items never before associated with the plant – from shampoo and insect repellent, to socks, gloves, and even roasted peanuts
-
Has The Reintroduction Of Wolves Really Saved Yellowstone?
We now know that elk are tougher, and Yellowstone more complex, than we gave them credit for. By retelling the same old story about Yellowstone wolves, we distract attention from bigger problems, mislead ourselves about the true challenges of managing ecosystems, and add to the mythology surrounding wolves at the expense of scientific understanding.
-
The Language Of Plants: Adjusting Scents to Manipulate Insect Visitors
Plants are able to adjust their scent bouquet to their needs at any given time and, in this way, to attract partner or useful insects in a more targeted manner.