All Ecology articles
-
News
Climate impacts on European soils predicted by scientists
New research has revealed how tiny soil microbes are impacted by extreme weather events, offering new insights into the risks posed by climate change.
-
News
Arctic viruses in the surface microlayer help their hosts to survive extreme temperatures
Arctic viruses employ specialized mechanisms, including cryoprotective genes, to thrive in harsh environmental conditions despite limited host availability, reveals Dr Janina Rahlff from our Ocean Sustainability Advisory Group.
-
News
Infections with parasites affect the local flight behaviour of swallows
Swallows infected with parasites move less and in smaller ranges than healthy ones – with detrimental effects on their foraging success and their survival.
-
News
Deep-sea corals are home to previously unknown bacteria with extremely small genomes
Scientists have discovered two highly unusual bacterial species in the tissue of deep-sea corals from the Gulf of Mexico. The previously unknown coral symbionts have an extremely reduced genome and lack the ability to obtain energy from carbohydrates.
-
News
Breakthrough study shows coral reefs will transform but can persist, if carbon is curbed
In a breakthrough study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers in the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) at the University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Mānoa have shown that, contrary to most projections, coral reefs are not inevitably doomed, but have the potential to ...
-
News
Native fungus could offer biocontrol for invasive autumn olive
Researchers are studying a native fungus that potentially could kill the invasive autumn olive with minimal human interaction.To remove the autumn olive currently, the plant needs to have its underground root system removed in addition to the destruction of the plant itself, but this fungus could make this process much easier.
-
News
Researchers to deploy fungus to combat devilishly invasive tree-of-heaven
Researchers are examining if a natural fungus that kills the highly invasive tree-of-heaven could be spread to other trees-of-heaven by the spotted lanternfly, in turn reducing populations of this pest insect as well.
-
News
Plankton balloon to six times their size in newly discovered mode of oceanic travel
Researchers describe a species of bioluminescent phytoplankton, called Pyrocystis noctiluca, that balloons to six times their original size of a few hundred microns, showcasing a unique strategy for long-distance ocean travel.
-
News
Scientists have successfully bred corals to improve their heat tolerance
A new study has shown that selective breeding can lead to a modest rise in coral heat tolerance. The study documents the world’s first effort to selectively breed adult corals for the ability to survive intense marine heatwaves.
-
News
Crews sample lichens in ‘dress rehearsal’ for Martian exploration
During simulated extra-vehicular activities, Mars 160 mission specialists wearing simulated spacesuits scouted out various habitats in two Mars analog stations, seeking out lichen species growing in various microhabitats.
-
News
Hidden trails of marine snow can affect how the ocean stores carbon
A new study reveals never-before seen mucus ‘parachutes’ produced by microscopic marine organisms that significantly slow their sinking, putting the brakes on a process crucial for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
-
News
Hibernating ribosomes flip upside down in starving yeast cells
Scientists have discovered a curious way in which cells adapt to starvation – a mechanism with potential cancer implications.
-
News
Organisms in Neptune grass compost release oxygen, unlike land compost
Researchers studying the fate of the material produced by Posidonia seagrass meadows showed that the dead leaves accumulate in shallow areas, where they break down like a compost, remineralising the organic matter.
-
News
Zooplankton go ‘Eew!’ to cleaning feces-contaminated water
Scientists were recently surprised to find that the natural community of zooplankton — tiny, aquatic animals known to graze on bacteria — present in freshwater and saltwater do not clean water that is contaminated with fecal microorganisms.
-
News
Scientists boost denitrification of wastewater with biochar-based substrate
An innovative study has unveiled a substantial development in wastewater treatment technology. The innovative approach to improving denitrification in constructed wetlands uses a novel biochar-based substrate.
-
News
Good nutrition boosts honey bee resilience against pesticides and viruses
In a new study, researchers investigate how nutritional stress, viral infections and exposure to pesticides together influence honey bee survival. By looking at all three stressors together, the scientists found that good nutrition enhances honey bee resilience against the other threats.
-
News
Ramie rhizosphere study unveils secrets of the volcano
Volcanic soil plays a key role in the formation of microbial community diversity and subsequently influences the diversity of microorganisms residing in the rhizosphere of Boehmeria nivea L.
-
News
Soil pH is driver of microbial community composition - and need to address toxicity shapes the community
Researchers have determined through both statistical analysis and in experiments that soil pH is a driver of microbial community composition – but the need to address toxicity released during nitrogen cycling ultimately shapes the final microbial community.
-
News
Scientists unveil how the oceans’ most abundant bacteria impact global nutrient flows
A new paper has revealed how key bacterial proteins contribute to global carbon, sulfur and other nutrient cycles.
-
News
Microorganisms can travel long distances in the troposphere
Air samples taken at altitudes up to 3,000 metres over Japan unveil the presence of a wide array of microbes, some of which are potentially pathogenic to humans, transported thousands of kilometers by aerosols originating in northeast China.