New research shows that ants inhibit at least 14 different plant diseases. The small insects secrete antibiotics from glands in the body. On their legs and body, they also host colonies of bacteria that secrete antibiotics. It is probably these substances that inhibit a number of different diseases and researchers now hope to find biological pesticides that may conquer resistant plant diseases.
Read moreRising night-time temperatures are causing woodland birds to build nests and lay eggs earlier in springtime, research shows.
Read moreA newly discovered protein turns on plants' cellular defence to excessive light and other stress factors caused by a changing climate, according to a new study.
Read moreMuscadines are also known for being hearty grapes, with a tough skin that protects them from many fungal diseases. Bunch grapes are highly susceptible to damage from plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs), which affect their health, quality, production, and maintenance. Now we know that PPNs also affect muscadines.
Read moreMicroscopic droplets on the surface of leaves give refuge to bacteria that otherwise may not survive during the dry daytime, according to a new study.
Read moreThe intensity of summer algal blooms has increased over the past three decades, according to a first-ever global survey of dozens of large, freshwater lakes. Researchers used 30 years of data from the Landsat 5 near-Earth satellite and created a partnership with Google Earth Engine to reveal long-term trends in summer algal blooms in 71 large lakes in 33 countries on six continents.
Read moreFor the first-time we can take a molecular-level look at one of the world's deadliest crop killers.
Read moreLeaves display a remarkable range of forms from flat sheets with simple outlines to the cup-shaped traps found in carnivorous plants.
Read moreIdentifying how groups of animals select where to live is important for understanding social dynamics and for management and conservation. In a recent study, researchers examined the movement of a maternity colony of big brown bats as a response to naturally occurring tree loss.
Read moreThe teeth of mammals experience constant wear. However, the details of these wear processes are largely unknown. Researchers have now demonstrated that the various areas of herbivores' teeth differ in how susceptible they are to dental wear, detailing an exact chronology.
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