111 posts · 38,402 views
Discussion of all things science with a focus on clarity, rationality and enthusiasm. Discussion topics: Natural Science, Biology, Evolution, Paleontology, Geology, Science Education
Johnny
111 posts
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- March 13, 2010
- 02:08 PM
- 42 views
Evolving from Promiscuity to Monogamy
by Johnny in Ecographica
...despite the fact that promiscuous mating systems are the prevailing strategy in nature, environmental factors can push typically promiscuous species towards monogamy... case in point, a report published in the April issue of The American Naturalist details how the ‘mimic poison dart frog’ (Ranitomeya imitator) parted ways with promiscuity to adapt a lifestyle as the first scientifically recognized genetically monogamous amphibian. ... Read more »
Brown, J., Morales, V., & Summers, K. (2010) A Key Ecological Trait Drove the Evolution of Biparental Care and Monogamy in an Amphibian. The American Naturalist, 175(4), 436-446. DOI: 10.1086/650727
- February 20, 2010
- 02:43 PM
- 76 views
How Enticing Viruses Manipulate Animals
by Johnny in Ecographica
...undermining the normal life-processes of the host’s cells, viruses are detriments to health; however, more than just illness can remain in the wake of the virus’s biological sabotage. Sometimes included with the observable symptoms of an ailment are other characteristics of viral infection that serve to promote the spread of disease. The genes that such a virus splices into a host cell’s mainframe can code for phenotypes that manipulate unwitting vectors into exposing them........ Read more »
Mauck, K., De Moraes, C., & Mescher, M. (2010) Deceptive chemical signals induced by a plant virus attract insect vectors to inferior hosts. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0907191107
- February 13, 2010
- 02:37 PM
- 98 views
How to Study Invasive Species, a Conservation and Ecological Imperative
by Johnny in Ecographica
...the invasive could theoretically replace the native with little ill effect to the ecosystem; the invasive could fill the niche left void by the out-competed native plant without disrupting the energetics of the plant community as a whole. BUT, at the same time, a newly arrived invasive species may have a distinct advantage over a native transient because it is completely foreign to the ecosystem. For example, being unrecognized by its new environment the invasive may, for a period of time, ........ Read more »
Simberloff, D. (2010) Invasions of Plant Communities – More of the Same, Something Very Different, or Both?. The American Midland Naturalist, 163(1), 220-233. DOI: 10.1674/0003-0031-163.1.220
- February 10, 2010
- 07:04 AM
- 134 views
Is the Evolution Debate Over?
by Johnny in Ecographica
A recent blog post at National Public Radio’s “Cosmos And Culture” by astrophysicist Adam Frank has raised my hackles. The post, titled “The Evolution Debate Is Over; It's Time To Move Forward,” argues that “it's time to put the prejudices that drag down discussion between science and the domains of human spiritual endeavor aside.”
... Read more »
Sedikides, C. (2009) Why Does Religiosity Persist?. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 14(1), 3-6. DOI: 10.1177/1088868309352323
- February 5, 2010
- 10:30 AM
- 46 views
How Science Suppresses the Sex Lives of Republicans
by Johnny in Ecographica
According to Utah State Representative Mike Noel, global climate change is a conspiracy theory. He insists that the whole idea of shifting climates was put together by the world’s biologists, climatologists and other scientists as an elaborate effort to control his sex life.Speaking to climate change, Republican Mike Noel (at left) explained recently that, “This is absolutely, in my mind, in fact a conspiracy to limit population not only in this country but across the globe."Being both a Rep........ Read more »
Sovacool, B., & Brown, M. (2009) Scaling the policy response to climate change. Policy and Society, 27(4), 317-328. DOI: 10.1016/j.polsoc.2009.01.003
- February 5, 2010
- 10:15 AM
- 135 views
How Science Suppresses the Sex Lives of Republicans
by Johnny in Ecographica
According to Utah State Representative Mike Noel, global climate change is a conspiracy theory. He insists that the whole idea of shifting climates was put together by the world’s biologists, climatologists and other scientists as an elaborate effort to control his sex life.
... Read more »
Sovacool, B., & Brown, M. (2009) Scaling the policy response to climate change. Policy and Society, 27(4), 317-328. DOI: 10.1016/j.polsoc.2009.01.003
- February 3, 2010
- 11:01 AM
- 91 views
Tree Plantations as Biological Deserts
by Johnny in Ecographica
If I had a nickel for every time a biologist told me that tree plantations are nothing but “biological deserts” I’d be a rich man!
Well, at least a rich-er man anyway…
... Read more »
Paquette, A., & Messier, C. (2010) The role of plantations in managing the world's forests in the Anthropocene. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 8(1), 27-34. DOI: 10.1890/080116
- February 2, 2010
- 07:27 AM
- 71 views
Buffalos and Birds: Flightless Wings from the KT Extinction to Darwin’s Dinner Plate
by Johnny in Ecographica
Birds undertake a re-conquest of the ground following the KT Extinction and ultimately find themselves on Darwin's dinner plate.... Read more »
Phillips, M., Gibb, G., Crimp, E., & Penny, D. (2009) Tinamous and Moa Flock Together: Mitochondrial Genome Sequence Analysis Reveals Independent Losses of Flight among Ratites. Systematic Biology, 59(1), 90-107. DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syp079
- January 10, 2010
- 12:35 PM
- 141 views
Insinuations of Lamarckian Evolution and a Lamenting First Impression
by Johnny in Ecographica
...the paper is saying that the introduction of ACQUIRED CHARACTERS into the germline of a lineage has lead to GENETIC NOVELTIES with the demonstrated ability to translate to the expressed PHENOTYPE of an ANIMAL, thus acting as a source of INNOVATION... Read more »
Horie, M., Honda, T., Suzuki, Y., Kobayashi, Y., Daito, T., Oshida, T., Ikuta, K., Jern, P., Gojobori, T., Coffin, J.... (2010) Endogenous non-retroviral RNA virus elements in mammalian genomes. Nature, 463(7277), 84-87. DOI: 10.1038/nature08695
- January 8, 2010
- 06:13 PM
- 154 views
Arrested Development in Socratic Parasites
by Johnny in Ecographica
An irreducibly complex rant using developmental biology (arrested development) to connect the shortfalls of the Greek Philosopher Socrates to failed creationist arguments; includes a detailed account of a parasitic worm’s lifecycle (Alaria marcianae), and of course, endangered Florida Panthers and Mexican axolotls… A well rounded post!
... Read more »
Davies, S. (2003) Developmental plasticity in schistosomes and other helminths. International Journal for Parasitology, 33(11), 1277-1284. DOI: 10.1016/S0020-7519(03)00161-9
Foster, G., Kinsella, J., Sheppard, B., & Cunningham, M. (2009) Transmammary Infection of Free-Ranging Florida Panther Neonates by Alaria marcianae (Trematoda: Diplostomatidae). Journal of Parasitology, 95(1), 238-239. DOI: 10.1645/GE-1749.1
- January 1, 2010
- 11:55 AM
- 136 views
Plants to People: the Swift Tempo of Spontaneous Mutation
by Johnny in Ecographica
Research published today... tediously analyzing the genomes from multiple generations of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana, scientists from the Max Planck... Sanger scientists published work in which the rate of mutation in humans was estimated at around...... Read more »
Ossowski, S., Schneeberger, K., Lucas-Lledo, J., Warthmann, N., Clark, R., Shaw, R., Weigel, D., & Lynch, M. (2009) The Rate and Molecular Spectrum of Spontaneous Mutations in Arabidopsis thaliana. Science, 327(5961), 92-94. DOI: 10.1126/science.1180677
- December 30, 2009
- 12:58 PM
- 160 views
The Poetry of the Convergent Lizards
by Johnny in Ecographica
Whiptails and fencers scurry and make haste,
cross White Sands their paths converge and pace.
Tho' differing by both origin and type,
their causal genotypes follow trace.
Independent mutations had aligned,
and were by adaptation refined.
... Read more »
Rosenblum, E., Rompler, H., Schoneberg, T., & Hoekstra, H. (2009) Molecular and functional basis of phenotypic convergence in white lizards at White Sands. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0911042107
- December 28, 2009
- 01:52 PM
- 173 views
Shield Pennywort - Hydrocotyle
by Johnny in Ecographica
Shield pennywort represents but one of about a hundred different species that belong to the Genus Hydrocotyle, a.k.a the ‘water pennyworts.’ Though often found listed as members of the Apiaceae Family, the Hydrocotyle group is now included in the ‘Ivy Family’ (Araliaceae). The genus as whole enjoys a worldwide distribution; however, the Facultative Wet H. verticillata is native to the Americas where can be found occupying floodplains, swamps, ditches, and just about any........ Read more »
CHANDLER, G., & PLUNKETT, G. (2004) Evolution in Apiales: nuclear and chloroplast markers together in (almost) perfect harmony. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 144(2), 123-147. DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2003.00247.x
- December 27, 2009
- 01:16 PM
- 162 views
Sexy Snails and Expensive Males
by Johnny in Ecographica
What are males good for? ... mitochondrial genomes of a freshwater snail species in order to compare the rates at which genetic mutations accumulate during sexual and asexual reproduction.
... Read more »
Neiman, M., Hehman, G., Miller, J., Logsdon, J., & Taylor, D. (2009) Accelerated Mutation Accumulation in Asexual Lineages of a Freshwater Snail. Molecular Biology and Evolution. DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msp300
- December 24, 2009
- 10:42 AM
- 199 views
Climate Change and the Velocity of the Shifting Niche
by Johnny in Ecographica
...published a letter in which other California based scientists have extrapolated the shifting niche model in order to estimate the anticipated ‘velocity’ of temperature change across different biomes...or through the advent of novel life-history strategies, the ability of an organism to accommodate ecological variability is essential.... Read more »
Loarie, S., Duffy, P., Hamilton, H., Asner, G., Field, C., & Ackerly, D. (2009) The velocity of climate change. Nature, 462(7276), 1052-1055. DOI: 10.1038/nature08649
- December 23, 2009
- 02:24 PM
- 203 views
Twisted Penises, Convoluted Vaginas and Really Ducked-up Sex
by Johnny in Ecographica
...recent experiments into the coevolution of male and female duck genitalia...provided evidence of ducks being actively engaged in a sexually antagonistic arms race...equipped with artificial duck vaginas, mineral oil and a high speed video camera. ... Read more »
Patricia L. R. Brennan, Christopher J. Clark and Richard O. Prum. (2009) Explosive eversion and functional morphology of the duck penis supports sexual conflict in waterfowl genitalia. Proc. R. Soc. B. info:/
- December 21, 2009
- 08:42 AM
- 194 views
Connecting the Fifth Ape to the Sixth Mass Extinction
by Johnny in Ecographica
Recent research conducted out of UC Berkeley and Penn State University has quantitatively demonstrated that mammal diversity in North America has plummeted since the arrival of humans about 13,000 years ago. ... Read more »
Carrasco, M., Barnosky, A., & Graham, R. (2009) Quantifying the Extent of North American Mammal Extinction Relative to the Pre-Anthropogenic Baseline. PLoS ONE, 4(12). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008331
- December 20, 2009
- 02:07 PM
- 242 views
Wetland Plant of the Week #38: Iva frutescens and hydrochory
by Johnny in Ecographica
...lineage of Iva frutescens specifically, proximity to tidally influenced waters has selected achenes with a tolerance for saltwater and a proven ability to stay afloat while in a non-dormant condition. In fact, research published just this year has shown that the achenes of Iva frutescens can stay ... Read more »
Elsey-Quirk, T., Middleton, B., & Proffitt, C. (2009) Seed flotation and germination of salt marsh plants. Aquatic Botany, 91(1), 40-46. DOI: 10.1016/j.aquabot.2009.02.001
- December 19, 2009
- 11:04 AM
- 232 views
The Splendor of a Saprotrophic Stinkhorn
by Johnny in Ecographica
While in field last week, I encountered a species of fungus with a rather unique set of morphological and ecological characteristics. The aptly named ‘stinkhorn’ fungus (Clathrus columnatus) belongs to the Phallaceae Family of fungi and produces a distinctive gelatinous spore mass that gives off a lovely perfume. Well, lovely to insects anyway, to me it reeked of rotting meat and dung. The stinkhorn’s ‘aroma’ serves as an attractant for flies and other insects vit........ Read more »
Tuno, N. (1998) Spore dispersal of Dictyophora fungi (Phallaceae) by flies. Ecological Research, 13(1), 7-15. DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1703.1998.00241.x
- December 18, 2009
- 07:10 AM
- 231 views
Rick Santorum: the High Priests of Darwinism went berserk
by Johnny in Ecographica
Another Science Lesson from Rick Santorum...
I think that I ruffled Rick Santorum’s feathers. Last week I published an article in which Christian fundamentalist and presidential hopeful Rick Santorum was used as a metaphor to dispel one of the commonly held misconceptions about biological evolution.... Read more »
Scott, E. (2009) Science Standards Evolve. Evolution: Education and Outreach, 2(3), 538-540. DOI: 10.1007/s12052-009-0153-0
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