Birds tend to move in response to unfavorable climateSeptember 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study by biologists at the University of California, Berkeley, has determined that if the climate is not quite right, birds will move rather than stick around and sweat it out. The findings reveal that 48 out of 53 bird species studied in California's Sierra Nevada mountains have adjusted to climate change over the last century by moving to sites with the temperature and precipitation conditions they favored.
Early birds may not catch the worm, thanks to climate changeSeptember 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Reports indicate that climate change may affect critical water resources that support prey for 75 migratory bird species in the Great Basin in the US. As climate change either freshens wetlands or drier weather makes them saltier, the distribution and availability of waterbird prey species may impact which waterbirds can use the wetlands and when.
Plants' internal clocks may improve climate change scenariosJuly 3rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new study, scientists have suggested that the internal clock in plants can help make climate change scenarios and CO2 level figures more accurate. The study was done by an international team of researchers led by the University of Castilla-La-Mancha (UCLM) in Spain.
How climate change might impact species' geographic rangesJune 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study by a team of researchers has provided insights into how climate change might impact geographic ranges of species. The study, by researchers led by Jessica Hellmann, assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Notre Dame, offers interesting insights into how species may, or may not, change their geographic range - the place where they live on earth - under climate change.
Genes that affect aggression in fruit flies identifiedJune 11th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists have identified a set of genes that affect aggression in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. By studying male flies from a large panel of lines, which each carry a mutation in a single gene but are otherwise genetically identical, researchers identified particularly angry and particularly placid insects, uncovering 59 mutations in 57 genes that affect aggressive behaviour.
Different genes cause loss of body parts in similar fishJune 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new research has shown that different genes can cause loss of body parts in similar fish, by comparing how 2 species of sticklebacks lost pelvises and body armor. The research, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF)'s Divisions of Environmental Biology and Integrative Organismal Systems, shows that when two species of stickleback fish evolved and lost their pelvises and body armor, different genes in each species caused the changes.
Soon, virtual book of all life on EarthJune 2nd, 2009 LONDON - An international team of scientists is writing a virtual book of all life on Earth, an online reference work that will create a detailed world map of flora and fauna and track changes in biodiversity. According to a report by BBC News, the database, dubbed a "macroscopic observatory", will be populated with data about local species gathered by members of the public.
A network of wildlife areas can help species survive future climate changeJune 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new research has demonstrated that a network of wildlife areas can be a crucial tool to help biodiversity survive future climate change. The research team, led by Durham University, including BirdLife International and the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) looked at the effects of climate change on 815 bird species of conservation concern in sub-Saharan Africa and on the network of sites designated for them (termed Important Bird Areas).
Now, effects of changing climate on sheep can be mathematically predictedMay 31st, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new research, it has been proven that the effects of a changing climate on a population of bighorn sheep can be mathematically predicted. Researchers from Germany, the US, and Mexico studied a population of bighorn sheep introduced to Tiburon island, Mexico, in 1975.
Ancient refuges could be key to saving biodiversity under threat from climate changeMay 30th, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian researchers have said that ancient refuges could be the key to saving the country's unique biodiversity under threat from climate change. According to a report by ABC News, the researchers are mapping areas they believe could remain untouched, despite climate change, in an effort to save species from extinction.
Rapid climate change forces scientists to evaluate extreme conservation strategiesMay 26th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists are, for the first time, objectively evaluating ways to help species adapt to rapid climate change and other environmental threats via strategies that were considered too radical for serious consideration as recently as five or 10 years ago. Among these radical strategies currently being considered is so-called "managed relocation."
Managed relocation, which is also known as "assisted migration," involves manually moving species into more accommodating habitats where they are not currently found.
Old genes can learn new tricksMay 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Indiana University Bloomington researchers have challenged the age-old belief among evolutionary biologists that fundamental genes do not acquire new functions, reporting that two ancient genes were "co-opted" to help build a new trait in beetles - the fancy antlers that give horned beetles their name. Biologist Armin Moczek and research associate Debra Rose say that the genes, Distal-less and homothorax, touch most aspects of insect larval development, and have, therefore, been considered off-limits to the evolution of new traits.
Genes that protect against aging identifiedApril 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - University of Liverpool researchers have developed a novel method to help scientists identify genes that can help protect the body during the ageing process. The team developed a method of analysing genes in multiple ageing tissue types in both animals and humans.
How plant cells in oceans react to climate changeApril 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A team of biologists is studying a tiny and diverse group of marine organisms to find how plant cells, that live in the oceans and serve as the basic food supply for many of the world's sea creatures, react to climate change. The team, from the University of Iowa (UI), includes Debashish Bhattacharya, professor of biological sciences in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Genes from tiny algae shed light on carbon management in world's oceansApril 10th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new study, scientists have decoded genomes of two algal strains, highlighting the genes enabling them to capture carbon and maintain its delicate balance in the oceans. The team of scientists was from two-dozen research organizations led by the U.S.
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