Uncovering hidden intelligence of collectives
Scientists discover that information processing in animal groups occurs not only in the brains of animals but also in their social network.
Read moreWild Animals
New report deepens understanding of wind-wildlife interactions
An increase in the generation of wind energy is a key component of the U.S. strategy to reduce carbon emissions from the power sector. Approximately 97 gigawatts of wind energy production capacity are currently installed in the U.S., and in 2018, wind energy supplied about 6.5% of the nation's electricity. Scenarios developed by various groups, including U.S. Department of Energy, indicate that a four- to five-fold expansion over current levels of electricity produced by wind is needed by the year 2050 to help meet U.S. carbon emission reduction goals.
Read moreHuman pressures on mammals in protected areas of West Africa
When a wildlife ecologist started her multiyear camera survey of West African wildlife, she sought to understand interactions between mammals and people in protected areas such as national parks.
Read morePlanned roads would be 'dagger in the heart' for Borneo's forests and wildlife
Malaysia's plans to create a Pan-Borneo Highway will severely degrade one of the world's most environmentally imperiled regions, says a research team.
Read moreCoastal birds can weather the storm, but not the sea
Coastal birds survive because their populations can absorb impacts and recover quickly from hurricanes — even storms many times larger than anything previously observed.
Read moreEcologists find strong evidence of fishing down the food web in freshwater lake
Research by ecologists shows strong evidence in a freshwater lake of 'fishing down the food web' – the deliberate shift away from top predatory fish on the food chain to smaller species closer to the base. While the effect has historically been observed almost exclusively in marine ecosystems and ocean fisheries, there has been little evidence of the effect in freshwater ecosystems.
Read moreGuppies teach us why evolution happens
New study on guppies shows that animals evolve in response the the environment they create in the absence of predators, rather than in response to the risk of being eaten.
Read moreGenomic migration analysis shows antibiotic resistance moving from humans to animals
New results show that human-acquired antibiotic resistance genes are being transmitted to livestock, companion animals and wildlife. Researchers analyzed a global set of 901 genome sequences of the bacteria Streptococcus agalactiae (aka group B Strep) from nine different host species — humans, cows, dogs, fish, frogs, gray seals, dolphins, goats and a camel — to better understand the transmission process. Streptococcus agalactiae can cause life-threatening illnesses.
Read moreNot the hairstyle, but the content: Hair indicates whether wild animals were 'stressed'
Scientists have now demonstrated that the 'stress' hormone cortisol is deposited in hair of wild mongooses in Portugal and determined baselines for cortisol in these carnivores. It is now possible to investigate whether different habitats and changed living conditions, such as the return of the Iberian lynx, place a particular burden on the mongooses.
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