In the study, connectivity particularly impacted herbivorous reef fish groups, which are most critical to coral reef resilience, providing evidence that decision-makers should incorporate connectivity into how they prioritise conservation areas.
Millions in the U.S. may rely on groundwater contaminated with PFAS for drinking water supplies
Approximately 71 to 95 million people in the Lower 48 states -- more than 20% of the country's population -- may rely on groundwater that contains detectable concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, for their drinking water supplies.
Human actions likely cause insect color change
New Zealand's native stoneflies have changed colour in response to human-driven environmental changes, new research shows. The study provides arguably the world's most clear-cut case of animal evolution in response to change made by humans.
Study Linking Climate Change to Increased Burning is ‘Game-Changer’ for Understanding Wildfire Risk
Climate change has significantly increased the amount of land burned by wildfires across the world, according to the most robust study of its kind.
Study: Marshes Provide Cost-Effective Coastal Protection
Images of coastal houses being carried off into the sea due to eroding coastlines and powerful storm surges are becoming more commonplace as climate change brings a rising sea level coupled with more powerful storms. In the U.S. alone, coastal storms caused $165 billion in losses in 2022. Now, a...
Assessing the Real Climate Costs of Manufacturing
Producing materials such as steel, plastics and cement in the United States alone inflicts $79 billion a year in climate-related damage around the world, according to a new study by engineers and economists at the University of California, Davis.
Evaluating the link between chemicals and declining insect populations
Employing a library of more than 1,000 chemicals, scientists investigated how agrochemicals affect insect populations. The scientists found that exposure to non-fatal amounts of 57 percent of the chemicals altered behavior in fruit fly larvae, while higher levels compromised long-term survival after acute exposure. These observations were worsened when the...
Beneficial gut microbe has surprising metabolic capabilities
Researchers discovered potentially far-reaching effects of a particular gut bacterium that was linked to better growth in Bangladeshi children receiving a therapeutic food designed to nurture healthy gut microbes. A strain of the bacterium harbored in the children's gut microbial communities possessed a previously unknown gene capable of producing and...
An individual’s reward-seeking strategy reflects responses to nicotine
Individualistic reward-seeking strategies predict responses to nicotine among mice living in a micro-society, according to a new study.
Maternal antibodies interfere with malaria vaccine responses
Maternal antibodies passed across the placenta can interfere with the response to the malaria vaccine, which would explain its lower efficacy in infants under five months of age, according to new research. The findings suggest that children younger than currently recommended by the WHO may benefit from the RTS,S and...