All Ecology articles – Page 3
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NewsHow tiny cave shrimps grazing on microbes power the underworld of the Yucatan
Because they convert microbial growth in sinkholes beneath the Yucatan Peninsula into animal biomass, Typhlatya shrimps act as “keystone species”, introducing essential nutrients into the cave’s food web. They serve as a crucial initial link that larger subterranean predators feed on.
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News To thwart pathogens, researchers are giving beneficial microbes what they really want
Researchers have developed a new method that allows precise modification of any microbiome with prebiotics, helping beneficial organisms outcompete dangerous pathogens.
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NewsSeasonal cycles - even in the depths - sustain ocean microbial biodiversity
Oceanographers discovered that microbial communities–from the sunlit surface to extreme depths–in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre exhibit robust seasonal cycles. The study provides new insight into how high levels of biodiversity are maintained in the open ocean.
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NewsStudy finds warmer streams may weaken river food webs
Rising stream temperatures may be weakening the foundation of river food webs by altering how carbon moves through these watery ecosystems. When water temperatures increase, microbes and aquatic insects process fallen leaves, twigs and bark more rapidly, but a smaller fraction of that leaf litter supports their growth.
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NewsViruses found in Antarctic air, including some new to science
It may seem stark and lifeless, but the air around the remote sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia contains viruses, including some that are new to science. Using metagenomics, researchers discovered that South Georgia harbours a diverse and dynamic airborne viral community.
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NewsSelf-propulsion or slow diffusion: How bacteria, cells, and colloids respond to stimuli
One enables them to quickly leave an environment; the other helps them move toward where they are needed. In microorganisms, as well as in artificial structures, these are the movements triggered in response to incoming and outgoing signals.
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NewsFunctional traits, not phylogeny, drive gut microbial assembly in estuarine fish
By examining the gut microbiota of 61 sympatric fish species within the ecologically diverse Pearl River Estuary, researchers utilized this “natural laboratory” to disentangle complex biological drivers without the interference of geographical variation.
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NewsLonger-term plankton species diversity is independent of ocean mixing
A new study identifies correlations between turbulence, plankton diversity and aggregate abundance in marine coastal regions over longer time periods, providing new insights into marine ecosystems.
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NewsTiny plankton have big impact on harmful algal bloom predictions
While some computer models can forecast potential algal blooms, their accuracy is limited.. A new study shows that coupling three models and accounting for how different algae species interact can significantly improve predictions.
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NewsHow microbes survive in the plastisphere
Trillions of persistent plastic particles of varying sizes are scattered throughout the world’s oceans, where they often accumulate in ocean gyres known as ‘garbage patches’. Two of these regions were the focus of research expeditions.
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NewsBird flu spread could be impacted by where waterfowl like to live
The movement patterns of waterfowl, including ducks, swans and geese, may affect the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in bird populations. Researchers found that birds travel much shorter distances in areas with human activity.
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NewsMicroscopic coils and coffee trees lead to an amazing new fungal discovery
A new study has revealed two novel species of Neohelicomyces fungi: Neohelicomyces coffeae and Neohelicomyces puerensis. While studying the fungi that live on Coffea arabica, researchers spotted these unique organisms growing on dead coffee branches.
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NewsFungi hold the key to boosting urban soil health with biochar and compost
A new study reveals that combining biochar and compost can restore soil health in urban green spaces, but only under the right conditions, and fungi play a decisive role in determining success.
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NewsHow gossiping mushroom networks share your public urination secrets
Researchers showed evidence of electrical information flow across mushrooms by attaching electrodes to 37 mushrooms of ectomycorrhizal fungi, then measured the response to various applications of either water or urine.
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NewsClimate change may produce ‘fast-food’ phytoplankton
Scientists report that as sea surface temperatures rise over the next century, phytoplankton in polar regions will adapt to be less rich in proteins, heavier in carbohydrates, and lower in nutrients overall.
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NewsWastewater harbors high-risk antimicrobial resistance genes
Researchers found evidence of genetic material from two major bacterial groups, commonly known to exhibit high-risk resistance profiles, in wastewater samples from a large South Africa city.
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NewsGetting a glimpse of viral dances in the dark in the Sargasso Sea
In a new study of viral abundance over a short time frame in the Sargasso Sea, researchers found that almost all viruses with cyclical changes in abundance were most active at night – a somewhat surprising find.
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NewsTides supercharge biochar’s carbon capture power in coastal wetlands
A new field study suggests that adding biochar to costal wetlands could significantly boost their carbon storage capacity, with tidal forces playing a surprisingly beneficial role.
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NewsDifferent plastics, different threats: Tracking antibiotic resistance on riverborne debris
While traditional plastics steadily accumulate antibiotic resistance genes over time, biodegradable plastics can trigger short-lived but intense spikes in pathogens and resistance during degradation.
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NewsDiet determines the bacteria present in microbial gardens cultivated by ants
Researchers studying leafcutter ants have demonstrated how bacteria in the colonies respond to different diets provided by ants to the fungi they cultivate. The study paves the way for a better understanding of how colonies function and may lead to the discovery of new molecules for biotechnological use.