Biodiversity

Amphibians' ability to predict changes in biodiversity

harminka — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:50:14 -0500

Biologists have long suspected that amphibians, whose moist permeable skins make them susceptible to slight changes in the environment, might be good bellwethers for impending alterations in biodiversity during rapid climate change.

Biodiversity in warmer world

harminka — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:42:08 -0500

Will climate change exceed life's ability to respond? Biodiversity in a Warmer World, published in the Oct. 10, 2008 issue of the journal, Science, illustrates that cross-disciplinary research fostered by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama clearly informs this urgent debate.

Researchers document world's mammals in crisis

harminka — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:56:33 -0500

From majestic African elephants to tiny and often unappreciated rodents, mammals on Earth are in a state of crisis. One in four mammal species on Earth is being pushed to extinction, according to the Global Mammal Assessment, the most comprehensive assessment of the world's mammals.

Oklahoma researchers support biodiversity in biofuels production

harminka — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 04:06:11 -0500

U.S. and European mandates for subsidies of cellulosic ethanol production and use have uncertain environmental consequences according to an international group of scientists which includes researchers from the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University.

Unraveling relationship between nutrients and biodiversity

harminka — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:34:27 -0500

The level of nutrients in soil determines how many different kinds of plants and trees can thrive in an ecosystem, according to new research published by biologists and mathematicians today (10 September) in Nature.

Rosella research could re-write ring theory

harminka — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:29:34 -0500

New research has uncovered how different crimson rosella populations are related to each other – a discovery which has important implications for research into how climate change may affect Australia’s biodiversity.

Scientists find new clues to explain Amazonian biodiversity

harminka — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:09:25 -0500

Ice age climate change and ancient flooding—but not barriers created by rivers—may have promoted the evolution of new insect species in the Amazon region of South America, a new study suggests.

Nature reserves attract humans, but at cost to biodiversity

harminka — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 01:48:37 -0500

Rather than suppressing local communities in developing nations, nature reserves attract human settlement, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.

Looming tropical disaster needs urgent action

harminka — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:35:00 -0500

A major review by University of Adelaide researchers shows that the world is losing the battle over tropical habitat loss with potentially disastrous implications for biodiversity and human well-being.

Otters reveal their identity

harminka — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:03:50 -0500

Researchers of the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research have developed two new methods, in order to be able to better estimate the numbers of European Otters (Lutra lutra) and their effects on the fish farming industry.

Biodiversity as a natural resource

harminka — Thu, 22 May 2008 08:31:53 -0500

What will the loss of biodiversity cost us in the long term? How much do national economies need to invest now in order to stop the trend? And what price will we have to pay if we do not act? These are the questions the TEEB – The Economics of Eco-systems and Biodiversity – project is seeking to answer.

Model successfully predicts large river system fish diversity

harminka — Fri, 09 May 2008 07:44:38 -0500

While scientists have developed methods to predict aspects of fish diversity in specific river locations, a model to understand what factors may drive a comprehensive suite of fish biodiversity patterns in a large and complex system of rivers has been elusive.