Ecology / Conservation posts
- December 21, 2015
- 12:53 PM
- 621 views
Is 2°C warming a sensible target?
by dominicwhite in Two Degrees or Under
[The] 2 °C warming target is perceived by the public as a universally accepted goal, identified by scientists as a safe limit that avoids dangerous climate change. This perception is incorrect: no scientific assessment has clearly justified or defended the...... Read more »
Knutti, R., Rogelj, J., Sedláček, J., & Fischer, E. (2015) A scientific critique of the two-degree climate change target. Nature Geoscience. DOI: 10.1038/ngeo2595
Randalls, S. (2010) History of the 2°C climate target . Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 1(4), 598-605. DOI: 10.1002/wcc.62
Ricke, K., Moreno-Cruz, J., Schewe, J., Levermann, A., & Caldeira, K. (2015) Policy thresholds in mitigation. Nature Geoscience. DOI: 10.1038/ngeo2607
- December 21, 2015
- 11:43 AM
- 819 views
Unsmellable Snake Camouflages Its Scent
by Elizabeth Preston in Inkfish
If your favorite activity is lying motionless on the ground, you'd better make sure hungry animals can't find you. Snakes and other creatures that hunt by ambush, waiting for their prey to wander past, often have impressive visual camouflage. But at least one type of viper seems to disguise itself in another way, too: its smell is undetectable to predators.
Puff adders (Bitis arietans) are big, fat vipers that move around very little while they wait for prey. They're widespread in Af... Read more »
Miller AK, Maritz B, McKay S, Glaudas X, & Alexander GJ. (2015) An ambusher's arsenal: chemical crypsis in the puff adder (Bitis arietans). Proceedings. Biological sciences / The Royal Society, 282(1821). PMID: 26674950
- December 18, 2015
- 11:24 AM
- 880 views
Beyond the headlines: clarifying the connection between healthy diets, resource use, and greenhouse gas emissions
by Jonathan Trinastic in Goodnight Earth
A recent study looking at the impact of USDA-recommended diets on the environment has received significant media attention. Some of these reports have been a bit misleading, so read here to learn the details about this important study that should impact US dietary policy!... Read more »
Tom, M., Fischbeck, P., & Hendrickson, C. (2015) Energy use, blue water footprint, and greenhouse gas emissions for current food consumption patterns and dietary recommendations in the US. Environment Systems and Decisions. DOI: 10.1007/s10669-015-9577-y
- December 18, 2015
- 08:28 AM
- 693 views
Kiss Me Under the Parasitic Angiosperm
by Stephanie Swift in mmmbitesizescience
Mistletoe is held in high regard at this time of year. No Christmas decorations are complete without a garland of cheerful mistletoe hanging on the door, or suspended prettily from the rafters as an incentive for festive romance. In nature, … Continue reading →... Read more »
Petersen G, Cuenca A, Møller IM, & Seberg O. (2015) Massive gene loss in mistletoe (Viscum, Viscaceae) mitochondria. Scientific Reports, 17588. PMID: 26625950
- December 16, 2015
- 05:00 PM
- 644 views
One Small Change Makes a Big Difference
by Jenny Ludmer in Rooster's Report
By tweaking the cooking apparatus of rural Indian villages, a University of Iowa professor has made quite a dent in the world. His one simple innovation — a cheap metal grate — requires less firewood for cooking and therefore reduces deforestation. But even more impressive, it significantly reduces smoke and soot. And that’s nothing to sneeze at!
... Read more »
Udaykumar, H. Kindig, A. Rao, S. Del Viscio, M. Kukillaya, V. Panwar, N. Sharma, D. (2015) How a Simple, Inexpensive Device Makes a Three-Stone Hearth as Efficient as an Improved Cookstove. Solutions, 6(4), 53-60. info:/
- December 16, 2015
- 10:13 AM
- 489 views
Under the surface
by sceintists from the Marine group at CEES in Marine Science blog
Friday 11 December 2015, Kristina Øie Kvile has defended her PhD about the climate effects on
Calanus finmarchicus dynamics with success.
... Read more »
Kvile, K., Dalpadado, P., Orlova, E., Stenseth, N., & Stige, L. (2014) Temperature effects on Calanus finmarchicus vary in space, time and between developmental stages. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 85-104. DOI: 10.3354/meps11024
- December 15, 2015
- 03:56 PM
- 823 views
‘Hydricity’ concept uses solar energy to produce power round-the-clock… really?
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Researchers are proposing a new "hydricity" concept aimed at creating a sustainable economy by not only generating electricity with solar energy but also producing and storing hydrogen from superheated water for round-the-clock power production.... Read more »
Emre Gencer, Dharik S. Mallapragada, Francois Marechal, Mohit Tawarmalani. (2015) Round-the-clock power supply and a sustainable economy via synergistic integration of solar thermal power and hydrogen processes. Proceedings of the natural sciences academy of the United States of America. info:/http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/12/09/1513488112.abstract
- December 14, 2015
- 11:54 AM
- 657 views
Why Are Cats Scared of Cucumbers?
by Miss Behavior in The Scorpion and the Frog
Have you seen the video of cats’ terrified responses to cucumbers? No?! Then check this out:This hilarious video has led many people to try this on their own cats… to varying degrees of success. And it has led to some curious questions: Why are these cats so terrified of a cucumber? And why isn’t my cat?The fear of something specific (like a cucumber) can either be innate (as in, you’re born with it) or learned. For many animal species, it would make sense to be born with a natural fear ........ Read more »
DeLoache, J., & LoBue, V. (2009) The narrow fellow in the grass: human infants associate snakes and fear. Developmental Science, 12(1), 201-207. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2008.00753.x
Mineka, S., Davidson, M., Cook, M., & Keir, R. (1984) Observational conditioning of snake fear in rhesus monkeys. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 93(4), 355-372. DOI: 10.1037/0021-843X.93.4.355
- December 13, 2015
- 03:34 PM
- 574 views
The world’s smallest terrorist: Virus hijacks protein machine and then kills the host
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. The name originates from the Greek ‘phagos’ which means ‘to devour’. Bacteriophages were discovered 100 years ago because of their ability to replicate in a pathogenic bacterium, kill it and thereby cure the patient. As a small spaceship landing on the moon, the microscopic particles land on the surface of the bacteria where they inject their deadly genetic material.... Read more »
Gytz H, Mohr D, Seweryn P, Yoshimura Y, Kutlubaeva Z, Dolman F, Chelchessa B, Chetverin AB, Mulder FA, Brodersen DE.... (2015) Structural basis for RNA-genome recognition during bacteriophage Qβ replication. Nucleic acids research. PMID: 26578560
- December 11, 2015
- 06:12 AM
- 649 views
Why Discussions About Global Warming Are So Boring
by Chiara Civardi in United Academics
If you have ever had a laugh or enjoyed a talk about climate change, this was probably Obama’s speech at the 2015 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. And you are not alone; just to give you some key facts:... Read more »
Capstick, S., Whitmarsh, L., Poortinga, W., Pidgeon, N., & Upham, P. (2015) International trends in public perceptions of climate change over the past quarter century. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 6(1), 35-61. DOI: 10.1002/wcc.321
White, M., & Hunter, L. (2009) Public Perception of Environmental Issues in a Developing Setting: Environmental Concern in Coastal Ghana. Social Science Quarterly, 90(4), 960-982. DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6237.2009.00672.x
Wiest, S., Raymond, L., & Clawson, R. (2015) Framing, partisan predispositions, and public opinion on climate change. Global Environmental Change, 187-198. DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2014.12.006
- December 10, 2015
- 03:22 PM
- 743 views
Eyes on Environment: where fuel goes, water cannot follow
by Jonathan Trinastic in Goodnight Earth
Water and energy policy have long been separate despite the deep link between energy production and freshwater consumption. Here we discuss a new study examining this link with policy implications about how to prevent resource scarcity.... Read more »
Holland RA, Scott KA, Flörke M, Brown G, Ewers RM, Farmer E, Kapos V, Muggeridge A, Scharlemann JP, Taylor G.... (2015) Global impacts of energy demand on the freshwater resources of nations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112(48). PMID: 26627262
- December 10, 2015
- 03:15 PM
- 685 views
Salamanders Facing Preventable Death
by Jenny Ludmer in Rooster's Report
A deadly fungus is poised to enter North America, threatening to decimate salamander populations, as it has done in Europe. Remarkably, we know its coming and everyone is on board to prevent this calamity — pet industry and owners, animal advocates, conservationists, and policymakers — and yet, one crucial piece is missing: Government. And that begs the question: will we act before it’s too late?... Read more »
Matthew J. Gray, James P. Lewis, Priya Nanjappa, Blake Klocke, Frank Pasmans, An Martel, Craig Stephen, Gabriela Parra Olea, Scott A. Smith, Allison Sacerdote-Velat.... (2015) Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans: The North American Response and a Call for Action. PLOS Pathogens. info:/10.1371/journal.ppat.1005251
- December 10, 2015
- 08:02 AM
- 906 views
The Serengeti at a crossroads
by naturallyspeakingpodcast in Naturally Speaking Podcast
Is there a better option to paving a highway through the middle of the Serengeti and disrupting the greatest land migration on Earth? The conflict between conservation and development is something we have touched on at Naturally Speaking before—here at the Institute our researchers understand that a fine balance between the two must be achieved. However, […]
... Read more »
Hopcraft, J., Bigurube, G., Lembeli, J., & Borner, M. (2015) Balancing Conservation with National Development: A Socio-Economic Case Study of the Alternatives to the Serengeti Road. PLOS ONE, 10(7). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130577
- December 9, 2015
- 01:44 PM
- 688 views
Calling All Religious Leaders
by Jenny Ludmer in Rooster's Report
Politicians aren’t exactly the most trusted leaders anymore (gee, I wonder why) and climate scientists are constantly under attack by skeptics. So, who’s left to convince the public to act? Science and religion might make strange bedfellows, but a new study suggests religious leaders are our best hope — let’s just pray they are willing to take on the role.... Read more »
Bain, P., Milfont, T., Kashima, Y., Bilewicz, M., Doron, G., Garðarsdóttir, R., Gouveia, V., Guan, Y., Johansson, L., Pasquali, C.... (2015) Co-benefits of addressing climate change can motivate action around the world. Nature Climate Change. DOI: 10.1038/nclimate2814
- December 8, 2015
- 03:28 PM
- 683 views
Self-consciousness: Beyond the looking-glass and what dogs found there
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
That man’s best friend has a conscience is what every owner would be willing to bet, without even thinking about it for a moment. This means that dogs have self-consciousness. But the problem in science is that ideas and assumptions must be demonstrated. It is not enough for someone to have an inkling of something for it to be considered a scientific fact. Self-awareness, or self-consciousness, has been studied mainly by examining the responses of animals and children to their reflection in th........ Read more »
Cazzolla Gatti, R. (2015) Self-consciousness: beyond the looking-glass and what dogs found there. Ethology Ecology , 1-9. DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2015.1102777
- December 7, 2015
- 07:30 PM
- 627 views
Seeing viruses in a new light
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Want to make a virus? It’s easy: combine one molecule of genomic nucleic acid, either DNA or RNA, and a handful of proteins, shake, and in a fraction of a second you’ll have a fully-formed virus. While that may sound like the worst infomercial ever, in many cases making a virus really is that simple. Viruses such as influenza spread so effectively, and as a result can be so deadly to their hosts, because of their ability to spontaneously self-assemble in large numbers.... Read more »
Faez, S., Lahini, Y., Weidlich, S., Garmann, R., Wondraczek, K., Zeisberger, M., Schmidt, M., Orrit, M., & Manoharan, V. (2015) Fast, Label-Free Tracking of Single Viruses and Weakly Scattering Nanoparticles in a Nanofluidic Optical Fiber. ACS Nano. DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5b05646
- December 7, 2015
- 04:00 PM
- 608 views
Global CO2 Emissions Might Be Stalling
by Jenny Ludmer in Rooster's Report
No one wants to hear the stock market is down. But, if carbon emissions slow — well, that’s something to celebrate. And according to a new study, that just might be what our world is experiencing.... Read more »
C. Le Quéré, & et al. (2015) Global Carbon Budget 2015. Earth System Science Data, 7(2), 349-396. info:/10.5194/essd-7-349-2015
Jackson, R., Canadell, J., Le Quéré, C., Andrew, R., Korsbakken, J., Peters, G., & Nakicenovic, N. (2015) Reaching peak emissions. Nature Climate Change. DOI: 10.1038/nclimate2892
- December 5, 2015
- 11:58 AM
- 611 views
Marine Protections Are Sorely Lacking
by Jenny Ludmer in Rooster's Report
As awareness has increased across the world, marine protection areas have more than quadrupled over the last decade. And yet, according to a new study, that’s not nearly enough. Indeed, scientists have identified tens of thousands of species that rely on largely unprotected regions of the sea. But, fortunately they’ve got a plan.... Read more »
Klein, C., Brown, C., Halpern, B., Segan, D., McGowan, J., Beger, M., & Watson, J. (2015) Shortfalls in the global protected area network at representing marine biodiversity. Scientific Reports, 17539. DOI: 10.1038/srep17539
- December 4, 2015
- 02:00 PM
- 625 views
Is Science Becoming Irrelevant?
by Jenny Ludmer in Rooster's Report
Aaaah…Science. It may have tortured you in school, but if you’ve managed to skip polio, enjoyed the incredible photos of Pluto, or even just appreciate the gadget you are reading this on, please show Science some love. It’s feeling a little neglected today. For, according to a new study, it only takes an ounce of doubt to discredit all of Science’s hard work.... Read more »
McCright, A., Charters, M., Dentzman, K., & Dietz, T. (2015) Examining the Effectiveness of Climate Change Frames in the Face of a Climate Change Denial Counter-Frame. Topics in Cognitive Science. DOI: 10.1111/tops.12171
- December 3, 2015
- 08:06 AM
- 557 views
Penguins in a frying pan
by sceintists from the Marine group at CEES in Marine Science blog
Penguins are highly visible species for the public. Their life has been portrayed in many movies. Unfortunately they are also species impacted by climate change. In a recent publication a team led by Charles Bost used long-term data to relate the large-scale climatic anomalies in the Southern Hemisphere to the foraging behaviour and population dynamics of the king penguin.
... Read more »
Bost, C., Cotté, C., Terray, P., Barbraud, C., Bon, C., Delord, K., Gimenez, O., Handrich, Y., Naito, Y., Guinet, C.... (2015) Large-scale climatic anomalies affect marine predator foraging behaviour and demography. Nature Communications, 8220. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9220
Le Bohec, C., Durant, J., Gauthier-Clerc, M., Stenseth, N., Park, Y., Pradel, R., Gremillet, D., Gendner, J., & Le Maho, Y. (2008) King penguin population threatened by Southern Ocean warming. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(7), 2493-2497. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0712031105
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