ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Wednesday, February 10, 2010

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Wednesday, February 10, 2010

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Invasive plants are beneficiaries of climate change in Thoreau's woods (February 10, 2010) -- Invasive plants could become even more prevalent and destructive as climate change continues, according to a new analysis of data stretching back more than 150 years. The scientists who conducted the study say that non-native plants, and especially invasive species, appear to thrive during times of climate change because they're better able to adjust the timing of annual activities like flowering and fruiting. ... > full story

Why did mammals survive the 'K/T extinction'? (February 10, 2010) -- Picture a dinosaur. Huge, menacing creatures, they ruled the Earth for nearly 200 million years, striking fear with every ground-shaking stride. Yet these great beasts were no match for a 6-mile wide meteor that struck near modern-day Mexico 65 million years ago, incinerating everything in its path. This catastrophic impact -- called the Cretaceous-Tertiary or K/T extinction event -- spelled doom for the dinosaurs and many other species. Some animals, however, including many small mammals, managed to survive. ... > full story

Prion protein in cell culture (February 9, 2010) -- The fatal brain disease Creutzfeldt-Jakob in humans, BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) in cattle and scrapie in sheep are so-called prion diseases, whereby one of the body's normal proteins, the prion protein PrPc misfolds into a pathogenic form: PrPSc. In spite of several years of extensive research, little is still known about what actually happens in this process. ... > full story

Locust study promises new insights into limb control (February 9, 2010) -- New research into how the brain controls the movements of limbs could prompt major advances in understanding the human brain and the development of prosthetic limbs. ... > full story

Moss helps chart the conquest of land by plants (February 9, 2010) -- Clues to how the first land plants managed to avoid drying out might be provided by bryophytes, a group that includes the mosses, many of which retain remarkable drought tolerance. Some mosses can become so dry they crumble in the hand, but, if remoistened, will begin making proteins within minutes. ... > full story

Great tits: Birds with character (February 9, 2010) -- Gene variation is the reason that some great tit populations are more curious than others. In humans and animals alike, individuals differ in sets of traits that we usually refer to as personality. An important part of the individual difference in personality is due to variation in the underlying genes. One gene, the dopamine receptor D4 gene, however, is known to influence novelty seeking and exploration behavior in a range of species, including humans and birds. Researchers now show that the gene’s influence on birds’ behavior differs markedly between wild populations of great tits. ... > full story

Studies provide insight into key oat chemical (February 9, 2010) -- Agricultural scientists are helping to increase understanding about the environmental factors that regulate production of avenanthramides -- metabolites with potent antioxidant properties, in oat grain. ... > full story

Auto exhaust linked to thickening of arteries, possible increased risk of heart attack (February 9, 2010) -- Swiss, California and Spanish researchers have found that particulates from auto exhaust can lead to the thickening of artery walls, possibly increasing chances of a heart attack and stroke. ... > full story

Biologist solves mystery of tropical grasses' origin (February 9, 2010) -- Biologists have found that rainfall, not temperature, was the primary trigger for the evolutionary beginnings of C4 tropical grasses. ... > full story

Probing exoplanets from the ground: A little telescope goes a long way (February 9, 2010) -- NASA astronomers have successfully demonstrated that a David of a telescope can tackle Goliath-size questions in the quest to study Earth-like planets around other stars. Their work provides a new tool for ground-based observatories, promising to accelerate by years the search for prebiotic, or life-related, molecules on planets orbiting stars beyond our solar system. ... > full story

Marijuana ineffective as an Alzheimer's treatment (February 9, 2010) -- The benefits of marijuana in tempering or reversing the effects of Alzheimer's disease have been challenged in a new study. ... > full story

Mediterranean diet may lower risk of brain damage that causes thinking problems (February 9, 2010) -- A Mediterranean diet may help people avoid the small areas of brain damage that can lead to problems with thinking and memory, according to a new study. ... > full story

Beer is a rich source of silicon and may help prevent osteoporosis (February 9, 2010) -- A new study suggests that beer is a significant source of dietary silicon, a key ingredient for increasing bone mineral density. Beers containing high levels of malted barley and hops are richest in silicon. ... > full story

Blueberries counteract intestinal diseases (February 9, 2010) -- It is already known that blueberries are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. New research shows that blueberry fiber is important and can alleviate and protect against intestinal inflammations, such as ulcerative colitis. The protective effect is even better if the blueberries are eaten together with probiotics. ... > full story

Plant derivative could help refine cancer treatment (February 9, 2010) -- Researchers are seeking to refine cancer treatment with an anti-inflammatory plant derivative long used in Chinese medicine. ... > full story

Carcinogens form from third-hand smoke (February 9, 2010) -- Nicotine in third-hand smoke, the residue from tobacco smoke that clings to virtually all surfaces long after a cigarette has been extinguished, reacts with the common indoor air pollutant nitrous acid to produce dangerous carcinogens. ... > full story

High-altitude climbs may cause corneal swelling, but do not appear to affect vision (February 9, 2010) -- Swelling commonly occurs in the corneas of mountain climbers, but does not appear to affect vision at altitudes of up to 6,300 meters (about 20,670 feet), according to a new study. ... > full story

Will earlier springs throw nature out of step? (February 9, 2010) -- The recent trend towards earlier UK springs and summers has been accelerating, according to a new study. The research is the most comprehensive and rigorous assessment so far of long-term changes in the seasonal timing of biological events across marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments in the UK. ... > full story

How respiratory tubes and capillaries form in flies (February 9, 2010) -- Scientists in Spain report on the formation of the small-diameter respiratory tubes of the fly Drosophila -- a process that resembles the development of the finest blood vessels, the capillaries, in mammals. ... > full story

New method for measuring fluid flow in algae could herald revolution for fluid mechanics (February 9, 2010) -- Researchers in fluid dynamics have studied algae to illuminate fluid mechanics. One of the researchers said, "Nature has long inspired researchers in fluid mechanics to explore the mechanical strategies used by living creatures. Where better to look for innovative solutions to a technological challenge than to organisms that have had millions of years to devise strategies for related challenges?" ... > full story

Evolution impacts environment: Fundamental shift in how biologists perceive relationship between evolution and ecology (February 9, 2010) -- The traditional view is that ecology shapes evolution. Some research has suggested, however, that evolutionary processes reciprocate by influencing ecology in turn. Now biologists present evidence that ecology and evolution are indeed reciprocally interacting processes, presenting a fundamental shift in our understanding of the relationship between evolution and ecology. The results represent a first significant step in showing that evolution cannot be ignored when studying ecological interactions. ... > full story

'Boutique' fish farms created for Ugandans to combat Lake Victoria's depleted fish supplies (February 9, 2010) -- In a unique project to combat depleted fish supplies in Lake Victoria, researchers have established 'boutique' fish farms in small villages around the Lake's shore in Uganda. ... > full story

Complete chemokine profile of a cell (February 9, 2010) -- Chemokines are a large group of proteins whose predominant function is to direct cell migration. They regulate many physiological and pathophysiological processes, in particular in the immune system. Researchers have now developed a simple method to efficiently identify all the chemokines produced by a single cell type, something that has not been possible before. ... > full story

Method of the future uses single-cell imaging to identify gene interactions (February 9, 2010) -- Cellular imaging offers a wealth of data about how cells respond to stimuli, but harnessing this technique to study biological systems is a daunting challenge. Researchers have now developed a novel method of interpreting data from single-cell images to identify genetic interactions within biological networks, offering a glimpse into the future of high-throughput cell imaging analysis. ... > full story

Small insect with a big heart: 'Giving' aphids endangered by their selflessness (February 8, 2010) -- One of the founding principles of Darwin's theory is that biological evolution has been shaped by the survival of the fittest. Things, however, are not always that simple as researchers have discovered while analyzing the social behavior of aphids. A few aphid species have "soldiers" who stop reproducing and instead contribute to the public good. Not only do they risk their lives to defend the nest from invaders, but they also mend and clean it. ... > full story

Conservation from space: Landscape diversity helps to conserve insects (February 8, 2010) -- Rugged, hilly landscapes with a range of different habitat types can help maintain more stable butterfly populations and thus aid their conservation, according to new findings. This has implications for how we might design landscapes better to help conserve species. ... > full story

Like escape artists, rotifers elude enemies by drying up and -- poof! -- they are gone with the wind (February 8, 2010) -- They haven't had sex in some 30 million years, but some very small invertebrates named bdelloid rotifers are still shocking biologists -- they should have gone extinct long ago. Researchers have discovered the secret to their evolutionary longevity: these rotifers are microscopic escape artists. When facing pathogens, they dry up and are promptly gone with the wind. ... > full story

Agricultural scientists turn to a wild oat to combat crown rust (February 8, 2010) -- Scientists are tapping into the DNA of a wild oat, considered by some to be a noxious weed, to see if it can help combat crown rust, the most damaging fungal disease of oats worldwide. ... > full story

Bees recognize human faces using feature configuration (February 8, 2010) -- Bees can be trained to recognize human faces, so long as the insects are tricked into thinking that the faces are oddly shaped flowers, new research shows. The insects use the arrangement of facial features to recognize and distinguish one face from another. ... > full story

Argonautes: A big turn-off for proteins (February 8, 2010) -- Scientists believe they may have figured out how genetic snippets called microRNAs are able to shut down the production of some proteins. ... > full story

Virology: Some viruses use fats to penetrate a cell (February 8, 2010) -- SV40 viruses use an amazing means of communication, in order to be able to penetrate into a cell: fats, whose structure must fit like a key in a lock. ... > full story

Carbonate veins reveal chemistry of ancient seawater (February 8, 2010) -- The chemical composition of our oceans is not constant but has varied significantly over geological time. In a new study, researchers describe a novel method for reconstructing past ocean chemistry using calcium carbonate veins that precipitate from seawater-derived fluids in rocks beneath the seafloor. ... > full story

Did bacteria develop into more complex cells much earlier in evolution than thought? (February 8, 2010) -- Biochemists have described the process by which bacteria developed into more complex cells and found this crucial step happened much earlier in the evolutionary timeline than previously thought. ... > full story

Cells send dirty laundry home to mom (February 8, 2010) -- Understanding how aged and damaged mother cells manage to form new and undamaged daughter cells is one of the toughest riddles of aging, but scientists now know how yeast cells do it. In a groundbreaking study, researchers in Sweden show how the daughter cell uses a mechanical "conveyor belt" to dump damaged proteins in the mother cell. ... > full story

Biofilms: Discovery of a new mechanism of virus propagation (February 8, 2010) -- Researchers have shown for the first time that certain viruses are capable of forming complex biofilm-like assemblies, similar to bacterial biofilms. These extracellular infectious structures may protect viruses from the immune system and enable them to spread efficiently from cell to cell. "Viral biofilms" would appear to be a major mechanism of propagation for certain viruses. They are therefore emerging as new and particularly attractive therapeutic targets. ... > full story

Road mapping could be key to curing TB (February 8, 2010) -- The complex chain of metabolic events in bacteria that lead to fatal diseases such as tuberculosis may be better understood using mathematical models, according to a new article. ... > full story

Important advance in imaging of cell death (February 8, 2010) -- Scientists have made progress in using a synthetic probe to target dead and dying cells in mammary and prostate tumors in living animals. ... > full story

Novel theory for mammalian stem cell regulation (February 8, 2010) -- Researchers propose a model of mammalian adult stem cell regulation that may explain how the coexistence of two disparate stem cell states regulates both stem cell maintenance and simultaneously supports rapid tissue regeneration. ... > full story

Genetic analysis helps spot sugarcane rusts (February 8, 2010) -- Scientists have analyzed rust fungi from more than 160 sugarcane samples from 25 countries to provide a valuable resource for plant breeders and pathologists who are searching for genetic resistance to the deadly orange and brown rusts. ... > full story

Migrating insects fly in the fast lane (February 8, 2010) -- Scientists shed new light on the flight behaviors that enable insects to undertake long-distance migrations, and highlights the remarkable abilities of these insect migrants. ... > full story

Characteristics of Earthquakes that Have Caused Exceptional Ground Accelerations and Velocities (February 8, 2010) -- A new study identifies earthquakes through July 2007 that have produced 100 of the strongest peak accelerations and 100 of the strongest peak velocities ever recorded. ... > full story

How well do scientists understand how changes in Earth's orbit affect long-term natural climate trends? (February 7, 2010) -- The notion that scientists understand how changes in Earth's orbit affect climate well enough for estimating long-term natural climate trends that underlie any anthropogenic climate change is challenged by new research findings. ... > full story

First measurement of energy released from a virus during infection (February 7, 2010) -- For the first time, scientists have directly measured the energy associated with the expulsion of viral DNA, a pivotal discovery toward fully understanding the physical mechanisms that control viral infection and designing drugs to interfere with the process. ... > full story

Link between birth defect gastroschisis and the agricultural chemical atrazine found (February 7, 2010) -- New findings demonstrate a link between the birth defect gastroschisis and the agricultural chemical atrazine. Gastroschisis is a type of inherited congenital abdominal wall defect in which the intestines, and sometimes other organs, develop outside the fetal abdomen through an opening in the abdominal wall. The incidence of gastroschisis is on the rise, increasing two to four times in the last 30 years. ... > full story

Earlier glacial melt rate revised downward, but recent melt is accelerating dramatically (February 7, 2010) -- Glaciologists have shown that previous studies have largely overestimated mass loss from Alaskan glaciers over the past 40 years. Recent data from the SPOT 5 and ASTER satellites have enabled researchers to extensively map mass loss in these glaciers, which contributed 0.12 mm/year to sea-level rise between 1962 and 2006, rather than 0.17 mm/year as previously estimated. However, the spectacular acceleration in mass loss since the mid-1990s, corresponding to a contribution of 0.25 to 0.30 mm/year to sea-level rise, is not in question and proves to be a worrying indication of future sea-level rise. ... > full story

Instruments to study space weather set for NASA launch (February 7, 2010) -- A million instrument package set for launch Feb. 9 by NASA should help scientists better understand the violent effects of the sun on near-Earth space weather that can affect satellites, power grids, ground communications systems and even astronauts and aircraft crews. ... > full story

First discovery of the female sex hormone progesterone in a plant (February 7, 2010) -- In a finding that overturns conventional wisdom, scientists are reporting the first discovery of the female sex hormone progesterone in a plant. Until now, scientists thought that only animals could make progesterone. A steroid hormone secreted by the ovaries, progesterone prepares the uterus for pregnancy and maintains pregnancy. ... > full story

Biologists determine microRNA activity is suppressed in mouse ovum (February 7, 2010) -- Scientists studying RNA activity, the so-called dark matter of the biological world, may have found the first event in reprogramming a differentiated oocyte into pluripotent blastomeres of the embryo. ... > full story

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