Another casualty of climate change will likely be shoreline recreational fishing, according to new research. The study finds some regions of the U.S. may benefit from increasing temperatures, but those benefits will be more than offset by declines in fishing elsewhere.
Read moreGroundwater is the world's largest source of freshwater and it is of vital importance for food production. Increasing extraction of groundwater in recent decades has resulted in sinking water tables worldwide. A study by a hydrologist shows that almost 20 percent of the catchments areas where groundwater is pumped suffer from a flow that is too low to sustain freshwater ecosystems. This number is expected to increase to 50 percent by 2050.
Read moreA new songbird study that shows memories can be implanted in the brain to teach vocalizations — without any lessons from the parent.
Read moreBy rearing frogs with parents — or foster parents — of different colors, biologists discovered that behavior in response to color may be more important than genetics in the evolution of new species.
Read moreResearchers sequenced the genomes of the two Varroa mite species that parasitize the honey bee. They found that each species of mite used its own distinct strategy to survive in its bee host, potentially overwhelming the bees' defenses. In addition to pointing to how scientists might vanquish these deadly intruders, the findings also shed light on how parasites and hosts evolve in response to one another.
Read moreAs climate change accelerates, recording shifts in plant flowering times is critical to understanding how changes in climate will impact ecosystem interactions. To help measure these shifts, researchers have introduced a new quantitative measure of phenological status, called the 'phenological index,' that improves scoring of developmental stage in herbarium specimens, and predicts a higher degree of phenological advancement in response to climate change.
Read moreAs the Earth's temperature warms, its hydrological cycle kicks into overdrive – wet years get wetter, and dry years get drier. According to a new study, these increased rainfall extremes could have dire consequences for the semi-arid forests of the western U.S.
Read moreA non-invasive approach could help marine biologists monitor coral health in the face of climate change.
Read moreUnderstanding the causes and consequences of Late Quaternary megafaunal extinctions is increasingly important in a world of growing human populations and climate change. A review highlights the role that cutting-edge scientific methods can play in broadening the discussions about megafaunal extinction and enabling insights into ecosystems and species-specific responses to climate change and human activities.
Read moreNew research shows that beetles have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to reproduce despite warmer temperatures. They have evolved mechanisms that allow their sperm and eggs to quickly cope with increasing environmental temperature variation. And this could help species buffer themselves against climate change.
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