All Ecology articles
-
NewsThe climate crisis threatens river microbial biodiversity
A study warns that the biodiversity and biological functions of aquatic fungi in rivers are at risk due to rising temperatures, prolonged dry periods and the loss of riparian vegetation caused by climate change.
-
NewsNatural symbiosis: How plants and microbes share vital nutrients in fragile ecosystems
Researchers using stable isotope labelling to investigate how different forms of nitrogen are used by plants and microbes in alpine heath environments found that plants and microbes use distinct strategies to access this critical nutrient.
-
NewsThe drive to protect Missouri’s $4 billion cattle industry from tick threats
A tiny parasite-carrying tick is posing an outsized threat to Missouri’s cattle. Now, researchers are stepping in to protect the state’s $4 billion cattle industry by tracking different ways the American dog tick spreads a deadly disease known as bovine anaplasmosis.
-
NewsThe greener the street view, the richer the microbiota?
A new study investigates how the Green View Index (GVI) relates to the richness and diversity of bacteria in the Taipei metropolitan area in Taiwan. The more vegetation in the area, the richer its microbial community.
-
NewsStudy reveals 45 new toxins produced by bacteria associated with foodborne infections
Researchers have discovered 45 new toxins produced by Salmonella bacteria, some of which are associated with foodborne infections. The study shows that these substances primarily act in the competition among microorganisms for space and resources.
-
NewsBiologist dives beneath Antarctica sea ice to study the impact of climate change
One biologist is studying the genetic diversity of red algae to see how this vital part of Antarctica’s underwater ecosystem is affected by climate change. Answering that question is becoming increasingly important as Earth’s warming climate causes Antarctica’s sea ice to recede farther with every passing year.
-
NewsResearcher efforts to reproduce corals shared with TV cameras
Scientists at Nova Southeastern University are sharing a rare look at a marine mission that aims to pump life back into coral reefs. Researchers waiting for coral-spawning hope the project will be a game-changer in the South Florida ecosystem.
-
NewsFrom spider silk to science: a new way to access hidden fungal diversity
A new study suggests that spider webs - particularly those incorporating environmental debris - can serve as natural, non-destructive collectors of fungal material in agricultural ecosystems. The findings show that viable fungi can be recovered from these structures, including lineages that may represent previously undocumented diversity.
-
NewsOrganized microbial ‘workforces’ keep Earth’s underground biosphere running
By studying life deep inside a former gold mine, scientists uncovered evidence that Earth’s hidden biosphere operates less like a random collection of microbes and more like an organized workforce. From site to site, the ecosystems were incredibly different from one another but largely stable through time.
-
NewsThe road to better health requires a map of the microbes in your mouth
Different parts of your mouth have entirely different bacterial communities, reveals a new microbial map. Researchers believe mapping these microbial niches will provide a census of the good bacteria present in the mouth and help to develop targeted therapies, such as probiotics, to maintain oral health and prevent disease.
-
NewsNew study uncovers why the Arctic’s rivers are rusting
Scientists have identified the two biggest reasons that once-pristine rivers across the Arctic are growing cloudy with toxic orange iron particles that smother insects and suffocate fish. As the climate warms, a layer of Arctic soil that had been frozen for millennia has begun to thaw.
-
NewsScientists map the ocean’s invisible workforce
A new study identifies a small set of “metabolic niches” — or functional roles — that help explain how marine microbes grow, compete for resources and recycle carbon around the globe. The microbes are incredibly diverse, but their behavior can be grouped into a manageable number of strategies.
-
NewsNew study suggests fish gut microbe helps regulate ocean health
New research reveals a potential link between the gut microbes of a fish and global ocean processes, offering new insight into how marine ecosystems help regulate ocean chemistry and the marine carbon cycle.
-
NewsArctic Ocean food chain disrupted as key tipping point passed
An irreversible shift in the chemical make-up of the Arctic Ocean driven by climate change is disrupting the region’s food chain, a study suggests. Widespread loss of Arctic sea ice has led to a sharp fall in levels of a key nutrient, affecting populations of plankton, fish, seabirds and marine mammals.
-
News The hidden carbon sponges: Karst reservoirs proven to be powerful climate allies
A new study provides a mechanistic explanation for why reservoirs in karst landscapes are exceptionally effective carbon sinks. The research demonstrates that these unique ecosystems not only capture vast amounts of carbon but also lock it away in a highly stable, long-lasting form.
-
NewsInternational award honors microbiology researchers for diatom research
Two microbiology researchers from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are being honored with an international award that recognizes their insights into aquatic microbes that are vital to Earth’s ecosystems.
-
NewsRattlesnakes among most vulnerable to fungal disease and parasitic lung infection
Disease in snakes could pile up following a first infection, with some species in the US particularly affected by certain pathogens, a study of wild snakes shows.
-
NewsScientists discover thriving hard-substrate fauna in Oceania’s deep sea
In the crushing darkness of the hadal zone—deep ocean trenches plunging 6,000 m to nearly 11,000 m—scientists have uncovered a hidden community. A study reports the discovery of a protist-dominated hard-substrate fauna across seven hadal regions in Oceania, highlighting an overlooked yet highly active carbon “hotspot.”
-
NewsGenes without borders: coral babies can travel vast distances across the Pacific Ocean
The offspring of a common coral branching species set up a new home up to 100 kilometres or more from their parents in one of the longest dispersal distances ever measured.
-
NewsA hypovirulent mycovirus alters stress response and virulence in Talaromyces marneffei
A new study identifies the mycovirus TmNV1 as the first narnavirus discovered in T. maneffei, functioning as a potent virulence attenuator. Coinfection with TmPV1 further amplifies these hypovirulent phenotypes.