Ecology & Zoology

SLAC1 Discovery Could Lead To Drought-Resistant Crops

Biologists have elucidated the mechanism of a plant gene that controls the amount of atmospheric ozone entering a plant’s leaves and their finding helps explain why rising concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may not necessarily lead to great ...

Article - News Staff - Feb 27 2008 - 11:12am

RHD2 In 'Fuzzy Hairs' Help Plant Roots Know Where To Go

Scientists at the John Innes Centre in Norwich have discovered how roots find their way past obstacles to grow through soil. The discovery also explains how germinating seedlings penetrate the soil without pushing themselves out as they burrow. “The key is ...

Article - News Staff - Feb 28 2008 - 5:19pm

Shy Birds: Ski Tourism Hurts Capercaillie Breeding

Ski tourism raises stress levels among capercaillie and could harm the birds’ fitness and ability to breed successfully, write ecologists in the Journal of Applied Ecology. They warn that forests should be kept free from tourism if they are inhabited by ca ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 3 2008 - 11:05am

Migration to the Sea Relatively Recent Event for Salmon

How long have salmon been making the trek to the sea, the rivers and back again? We are all familiar with the image of salmon returning to fresh water, to the rivers of their youth, to spawn and complete their lifecycle, in fact, it is one of the staple im ...

Blog Post - Heidi Henderson - Feb 23 2009 - 4:50pm

Symbiotic Relationships

Sometimes relationships work out well. Not talking romance here. I'm thinking of the partnership that has evolved between various species who, despite great differences, do rather well together. In particular, I'm thinking about a most unlikely ...

Blog Post - Heidi Henderson - Apr 26 2009 - 3:59pm

Estrogen Pollution Turns Male Starlings Into Ladylike Singers

Considerable attention has been paid to the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals in aquatic environments, but rather less attention has been given to routes of contamination on land. A new study by researchers at Cardiff University, reveals that wild ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 4 2008 - 6:14pm

Waterproofing Plant Leaves

Plant leaves are photosynthetic organs. Their main job is to harvest energy from sunlight, and use that energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates. In addition to capturing sunlight, leaves need to be good at doing two other things- tak ...

Article - Ian Ramjohn - Apr 10 2008 - 2:04am

'Hotspots Of Evolutionary Novelty': The Upside To Invasive Species

When exotic species invade new territory, they often present a major threat to the other plants and animals living there, that much is clear, but in addition to their destructive tendencies, invasive species can also have a surprisingly “creative” side. Re ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 10 2008 - 11:44am

Snakes Versus Newts In The Evolutionary Arms Race

Snakes don't eat fugu, the seafood delicacy prepared from blowfish meat and famed for its poisonous potential. However, should a common garter snake wander into a sushi restaurant, it could fearlessly order a fugu dinner. The snakes have evolved resis ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 10 2008 - 10:48pm

Hercules Beetle Shell: Mystery Of The Strongest Creature In The World

The Hercules Beetle is remarkable not only for its strength, able to carry up to 850 times its own weight, but also the protective outgrowth of its exoskeleton, which also changes from green to black as its surrounding atmosphere gets more humid. It's ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 10 2008 - 11:45pm