The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, August 20, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, August 20, 2012

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The wasp that never cries wolf (August 19, 2012) -- European paper wasps (Polistes dominula) advertise the size of their poison glands to potential predators. The brighter the color, the larger the poison gland. Aposematism is used by many different animals to warn potential predators that they are poisonous. Usually this takes the form of distinctive coloration or patterns which predators quickly learn to avoid. ... > full story

Meddling with male malaria mosquito 'mating plug' to control an epidemic (August 19, 2012) -- Using information about the unique mating practices of the male malaria mosquito - which, unlike any other insect, inserts a plug to seal its sperm inside the female - scientists are zeroing in on a birth-control drug for Anopheles mosquitoes, deadly carriers of the disease that threatens 3 billion people, has infected more than 215 million and kills 655,000 annually. ... > full story

Massachusetts butterflies move north as climate warms (August 19, 2012) -- A new study shows that, over the past 19 years, a warming climate has been reshaping Massachusetts butterfly communities. Subtropical and warm-climate species -- many of which were rare or absent in Massachusetts as recently as the late 1980s -- show sharp increases in abundance. At the same time, more than three quarters of northerly species -- species with a range centered north of Boston -- are now declining in Massachusetts, many of them rapidly. ... > full story

'DNA wires' could help physicians diagnose disease (August 19, 2012) -- Scientists have found that Mother Nature uses DNA as a wire to detect the constantly occurring genetic damage and mistakes that can result in diseases like cancer. DNA wires are potentially useful in identifying people at risk for certain diseases. ... > full story

Improving water quality can help save coral reefs (August 19, 2012) -- Researcher have found that an imbalance of nutrients in reef waters can increase the bleaching susceptibility of reef corals. Corals are made up of many polyps that jointly form a layer of living tissue covering the calcareous skeletons. They depend on single-celled algae called zooxanthellae, which live within the coral polyps. The coral animal and the associated zooxanthellae depend on each other for survival in a symbiotic relationship, where the coral supplies the algae with nutrients and a place to live. In turn, the algae offer the coral some products of their photosynthesis, providing them with an important energy source. High water temperatures can block photosynthetic reactions in the algal cells causing a build-up of toxic oxygen compounds, which threaten the coral and can result in a loss of the zooxanthellae. ... > full story

Good mood foods: Some flavors in some foods resemble a prescription mood stabilizer (August 19, 2012) -- New evidence reveals the possibility of mood-enhancing effects associated with some flavors, stemming at least in part from natural ingredients bearing a striking chemical similarity to valproic acid, a widely used prescription mood-stabilizing drug, scientists have reported. This effect joins those previously reported for chocolate, teas and some other known comfort foods. ... > full story

Artificial intelligence allows automated worm sorting (August 19, 2012) -- Scientists have demonstrated an automated system that uses artificial intelligence and cutting-edge image processing to rapidly examine large numbers of individual nematodes -- a species widely used in biological research. ... > full story

Excessive summertime heat can shorten gestation time for beef cattle (August 17, 2012) -- New research indicates that excessively hot summertime temperatures can shorten the gestation length of beef cows, altering animal management requirements. ... > full story

As smart electric grid evolves, engineers show how to include solar technologies (August 17, 2012) -- Scientists have developed an economically feasible way to store solar energy in existing residential power networks. ... > full story

Bats evolved more than one way to drink nectar (August 17, 2012) -- A team of evolutionary biologists compared the anatomy and genes of bats to help solve a persistent question in evolution: Why do analyses of different features of an organism result in conflicting patterns of evolutionary relationships? ... > full story

Studies shed light on why species stay or go in response to climate change (August 17, 2012) -- Two new studies provide a clearer picture of why some species move -- and where they go -- in response to climate change. One found a dramatic decline in populations of a mountain ground squirrel, except where humans lived. Another paper finds that precipitation is an underappreciated driving force for species' response to climate change. ... > full story

Writing the book in DNA: Geneticist encodes his book in life's language (August 17, 2012) -- Using next-generation sequencing technology and a novel strategy to encode 1,000 times the largest data size previously achieved in DNA, a geneticist encodes his book in life's language. ... > full story

Two new owl species discovered in the Philippines (August 17, 2012) -- Two new species of owls have been discovered in the Philippines. The first owl, the Camiguin Hawk-owl, is found only on the small island of Camiguin Sur, close to northern Mindanao. The second new discovery was the Cebu Hawk-owl. This bird was thought to be extinct, as the forests of Cebu have almost all been lost due to deforestation. ... > full story

Urine based 'potion' can act as CO<sub>2</sub> absorbent (August 17, 2012) -- Absorbing the large quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases present in cities would require millions of tons of some naturally occurring substance. Urine could be the reactive agent. As a resource available across all human societies, it is produced in large quantities and is close to the pollution hubs of large cities. ... > full story

Iconic Darwin finch genome sequenced (August 17, 2012) -- Scientists have sequenced the genome of one of the iconic Galapagos finches first described by Charles Darwin. he genome of the medium ground finch (Geospiza fortis) is among the first of a planned 100 genomes of vertebrate species to be sequenced and released by an international collaboration. ... > full story

Spider version of Bigfoot emerges from caves in the Pacific Northwest (August 17, 2012) -- The forests of the coastal regions from California to British Columbia are renowned for their unique and ancient animals and plants, such as coast redwoods, tailed frogs, mountain beavers and the legendary Bigfoot (also known as Sasquatch). Whereas Bigfoot is probably just fiction, a huge, newly discovered spider is very real. ... > full story

Flu vaccine research: Overcoming 'original sin' (August 17, 2012) -- Scientists studying flu vaccines have identified ways to overcome an obstacle called "original antigenic sin," which can impair immune responses to new flu strains. ... > full story

Wild pollinators support farm productivity and stabilize yield (August 17, 2012) -- Most people are not aware of the fact that 84% of the European crops are partially or entirely dependent on insect pollination. While managed honeybees pollinate certain crops, wild bees, flies and wasps cover a very broad spectrum of plants, and thus are considered the most important pollinators in Europe. ... > full story

New player in immune response? The strange case of UCP2 (August 17, 2012) -- Uncoupling proteins present a paradox. They are found within mitochondria and serve to prevent the cell’s powerhouses from exploiting the charge differential across their membranes to generate ATP, which the body uses as an energy source. When uncoupling proteins are active, mitochondria produce heat instead of ATP. This may be useful under certain circumstances, such as when an animal is hibernating, but it seems unlikely that helping bears through the winter is the only function of uncoupling proteins, especially as non-hibernating animals also have them. ... > full story

Report card shows Australia's oceans are changing (August 16, 2012) -- The 2012 Marine Climate Change in Australia Report Card shows climate change is having significant impacts on Australia's marine ecosystems. ... > full story

Virus throws a wrench in the immune system (August 16, 2012) -- The cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a member of the herpesvirus family. Although most people carry CMV for life, it hardly ever makes them sick. Researchers have now unveiled long term consequences of the ongoing presence of CMV: later in life, more and more cells of the immune system concentrate on CMV, and as a result, the response against other viruses is weakened. ... > full story

Organisms cope with environmental uncertainty by guessing the future (August 16, 2012) -- In uncertain environments, organisms not only react to signals, but also use molecular processes to make guesses about the future, according to a new study. The authors report that if environmental signals are unreliable, organisms are expected to evolve the ability to take random decisions about adapting to cope with adverse situations. ... > full story

High-altitude drop tests Rocket U. engineers (August 16, 2012) -- An experimental payload went 25,000 feet higher than planned during a recent test flight but still performed well and will be the basis for a larger flight test next year. ... > full story

Triage for plants: Scientists develop and test rapid species conservation assessment technique (August 16, 2012) -- Faced with a host of environmental threats, many of the world's plant species are believed to be at risk of extinction. But which species? To answer that question, scientists have developed a streamlined method for assessing the conservation status of large numbers of species. Evaluating the flora of Puerto Rico, they found that 459 species -- 23 percent of the flora -- should be classified as "At Risk." The process could help focus conservation efforts where they are most needed. ... > full story

Pan-fried meat increases risk of prostate cancer, new study finds (August 16, 2012) -- New research indicates that how red meat and chicken are cooked may influence risk of prostate cancer. Men who ate more than 1.5 servings of pan-fried red meat per week increased their risk of advanced prostate cancer by 30 percent. Men who ate more than 2.5 servings of red meat cooked at high temperatures were 40 percent more likely to have advanced prostate cancer. ... > full story

Common parasite may trigger suicide attempts: Inflammation from T. gondii produces brain-damaging metabolites (August 16, 2012) -- A parasite thought to be harmless and found in many people may actually be causing subtle changes in the brain, leading to suicide attempts. New research adds to the growing work linking an infection caused by the Toxoplasma gondii parasite to suicide attempts. ... > full story

Researchers improve soil carbon cycling models (August 16, 2012) -- A new carbon cycling model better accounts for the carbon dioxide-releasing activity of microbes in the ground, improving scientists’ understanding of the role soil will play in future climate change. ... > full story

2,4-D resistance found in weeds could limit the herbicide’s future usefulness (August 16, 2012) -- Even as crops resistant to 2,4-D herbicide are being developed, populations of weeds are also developing a resistance. A 2,4-D–resistant variety of the waterhemp weed has been found, and its spread could lessen the impact of an herbicide widely used in grassland and crop production. Despite worldwide use of 2,4-D since the 1940s, only 17 weeds were previously known to be resistant to it. ... > full story

Evolutionary increase in size of the human brain explained: Part of a protein linked to rapid change in cognitive ability (August 16, 2012) -- Researchers have found what they believe is the key to understanding why the human brain is larger and more complex than that of other animals. The human brain, with its unequaled cognitive capacity, evolved rapidly and dramatically. Why? research indicates that what drove the evolutionary expansion of the human brain may well be a specific unit within a protein -- called a protein domain -- that is far more numerous in humans than other species. ... > full story

Democracy works for Endangered Species Act, study finds; Citizen involvement key in protecting and saving threatened species (August 16, 2012) -- In protecting endangered species, the power of the people is key, an analysis of listings under the US Endangered Species Act finds. The analysis compares listings of "endangered" and "threatened" species initiated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency that administers the Endangered Species Act, to those initiated by citizen petition. Researchers found that citizens, on average, do a better job of picking species that are threatened than does the FWS. ... > full story

Clear links found between inflammation, bacterial communities and cancer (August 16, 2012) -- In a study with inflammation-prone mice, researchers have found a mechanism for the development of colorectal cancer wherein inflammation fosters a change in the gut microbiome including reduced bacterial diversity but also the increased presence of E. coli and related pathogens. Further mouse studies show genes carried by an E. coli variant can cause cancer development. The suspect bacterial genes are found in a high percentage of human colorectal cancer patients. ... > full story

Mineral can reduce pollution from diesel engines by almost half (August 16, 2012) -- A catalyst that can replace platinum in diesel engines has been shown to reduce pollution by up to 45 percent. The catalyst, mullite, is from the family of minerals known as oxides. The finding opens new possibilities to create renewable, clean energy technology without precious metals. ... > full story

Bioremediation of toxic metals using worms: Earthworms soak up heavy metal (August 16, 2012) -- Earthworms could be used to extract toxic heavy metals, including cadmium and lead, from solid waste from domestic refuse collection and waste from vegetable and flower markets, according to researchers. ... > full story

Polar bears dying in zoo from virus that jumped from zebras (August 16, 2012) -- Zoos bring together different animal species that would never encounter each other in the wild. On occasion, this can have unforeseen consequences. When in 2010 at the Wuppertal Zoo one polar bear died and another fell severely ill, zoo veterinarians were at a loss as to the cause of the symptoms. It has now been shown that the bears were infected with a recombinant zebra-derived virus that had jumped into other species. ... > full story

Turmeric stopped potentially deadly Rift Valley fever virus from multiplying in infected cells (August 16, 2012) -- Curcumin, found in the popular spice turmeric, stopped the potentially deadly Rift Valley Fever virus from multiplying in infected cells, a new study shows. ... > full story

Poxviruses defeat antiviral defenses by duplicating a gene (August 16, 2012) -- Poxviruses, which are responsible for smallpox and other diseases, can adapt to defeat different host antiviral defenses by quickly and temporarily producing multiple copies of a gene that helps the viruses to counter host immunity. ... > full story

Climate and drought lessons from ancient Egypt (August 16, 2012) -- Ancient pollen and charcoal preserved in deeply buried sediments in Egypt's Nile Delta document the region's ancient droughts and fires, including a huge drought 4,200 years ago associated with the demise of Egypt's Old Kingdom, the era known as the pyramid-building time. ... > full story

Bird louse study shows how evolution sometimes repeats itself (August 16, 2012) -- Birds of a feather flock together and -- according to a new analysis -- so do their lice. A study of the genetic heritage of avian feather lice indicates that their louse ancestors first colonized a particular group of birds (ducks or songbirds, for example) and then "radiated" to different habitats on those birds -- to the wings or heads, for instance, where they evolved into different species. ... > full story

A GPS in your DNA (August 16, 2012) -- Scientists have devised a method for more precisely determining the geographical location of a person's ancestral origins based on a model of genetic traits for every coordinate on the globe. He says that the method also has the potential to reveal new information about the migration patterns of many different human and animal populations. ... > full story

Tibetan Plateau may be older than previously thought (August 16, 2012) -- The growth of high topography on the Tibetan Plateau in Sichuan, China, began much earlier than previously thought, according to an international team of geologists who looked at mountain ranges along the eastern edge of the plateau. ... > full story

Sunflowers inspire more efficient solar power system (August 16, 2012) -- A field of young sunflowers will slowly rotate from east to west during the course of a sunny day, each leaf seeking out as much sunlight as possible as the sun moves across the sky through an adaptation called heliotropism. It’s a clever bit of natural engineering that inspired imitation from an electrical and computer engineer, who has found a way to mimic the passive heliotropism seen in sunflowers for use in the next crop of solar power systems. ... > full story

'Dinosaur bends' caused by prolonged diving (August 16, 2012) -- Dinosaur-like creatures may have injured themselves during leisurely deep-sea diving trips and not from resurfacing too quickly, as previously thought. ... > full story

Invasive brittle star species hits Atlantic Ocean (August 16, 2012) -- Coral Reefs has published online a study about an invasive species of brittle star. The species was previously restricted to Pacific waters, but surprisingly, growing populations have established themselves at distant points in the Atlantic. Its presence near Brazilian and Caribbean ports indicates that O. mirabilis could have been spread by shipping. ... > full story

Finding the nano-needle in the haystack: Radioactivity used to trace nanoparticles in the environment (August 16, 2012) -- Scientists have used radioactivity to trace nanoparticles in experimental animals and the soil. Their findings have made it easier to identify any negative environmental impact of nanoparticles, which are found in an increasing number of products. ... > full story

Global warming causes more extreme shifts of the Southern Hemisphere's largest rain band, study suggests (August 16, 2012) -- South Pacific countries will experience more extreme floods and droughts, in response to increasing greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new article. ... > full story

Some like it hot: Cold-blooded tropical species 'not as vulnerable' to climate change extinction (August 16, 2012) -- In the face of a changing climate, many species must adapt or perish. Ecologists studying evolutionary responses to climate change forecast that cold-blooded tropical species are not as vulnerable to extinction as previously thought. The study considers how fast species can evolve and adapt to compensate for a rise in temperature. ... > full story

Landslide fatalities are greater than previously thought (August 15, 2012) -- Landslides kill ten times more people across the world than was previously thought, according to new research. ... > full story

Climate change will have profound effects on northeast U.S. forests, report says (August 15, 2012) -- A new report by US and Canadian scientists analyzes decades of research and concludes that the climate of the Northeast has changed and is likely to change more. The report outlines the effects of climate change on multiple aspects of forests in the northeastern corner of the United States and eastern Canada and concludes with recommendations on adaptive and mitigating strategies for dealing with future effects. ... > full story

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