Category: Ecosystems
-
A New Generation of American Chestnut Trees May Redefine America’s Forests
Before an exotic fungus nearly wiped them out in the late 1800s, abundant chestnut trees shaped the forest ecosystem, providing food and shelter for numerous other species. In coming decades Chestnut trees engineered to battle the fungus could restore these lost relationships
-
New online tool tracks tree loss in ‘near real time’
From now on, the bad guys cannot hide and the good guys will be recognized for their stewardship.
-
As part of a groundbreaking study, researchers built a greenhouse "time machine"
To Decode the Mystery of Corn, Smithsonian Scientists Recreate Earth as it Was 10,000 Years Ago
-
World’s Largest Trees Help Explain California Forests’ Bald Spots
But until now, scientists didn't realize how strongly rock type controlled forest growth patterns in the Sierras. Though the mountains may look like one massive granite blob, sharp boundaries mark chemical variations within the range. It turns out that even California's famed giant sequoias, the largest living trees on Earth, grow only in soil topping rocks with the right chemical composition
-
A Rain Forest Begins With Rain, Right? Is This A Trick Question?
I ask, because the answer is so going to surprise you. It's not what you think.
-
Phragmites australis management in the United States: 40 years of methods and outcomes
We suggest that Phragmites management needs to shift to watershed-scale efforts in coastal regions, or larger management units inland. In addition, management efforts should focus on restoring native plant communities, rather than simply eradicating Phragmites stands.
-
Yellowstone Wolves Protect Grizzlies
The return of wolves to Yellowstone National Park may be helping imperiled grizzly bears to survive by keeping elk herds on the move and preventing them from destroying berries that are a staple food for grizzlies, according to a new study.
-
Rafflesias: Giant Foul-Smelling Flower With A Secret
The Rafflesia flower seems like something straight out of Plants vs. Zombies.
-
How A Small Brown Snake Is Changing The Forest
The invasive brown tree snake has wiped out virtually all birds on the tiny Pacific island. A research team will examine how the loss of fruit-eating birds affects the distribution of 16 tree species in Guam's forests. There's a concern that Guam's forests may become filled with open areas and start to look more like Swiss cheese than a closed canopy forest.
-
Overhunting Seed Dispersers Is Decimating Forests
Hunting and poaching has decimated many mammal and bird populations across the tropics, and according to two new studies the loss of these important seed-disperser are imperiling the very nature of rainforests.