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ScienceDaily: Plants & Animals News |
| New method for probing the bewildering diversity of the microbiome Posted: 04 Apr 2022 03:55 PM PDT Scientists describe a new method for probing the microbiome in unprecedented detail. The technique provides greater simplicity and ease of use compared with existing approaches. Using the new technique, the researchers demonstrate an improved ability to pinpoint biologically relevant characteristics, including a subject's age and sex based on microbiome samples. |
| The secret to better coffee? The birds and the bees Posted: 04 Apr 2022 12:27 PM PDT A groundbreaking study reveals that without birds and bees working together, some traveling thousands of miles, coffee farmers would see a whopping 25% drop in crop yields. Coffee is bigger and more plentiful when birds and bees team up to protect and pollinate coffee plants. The study is also the first to show, with real-world experiments, that the contributions of nature -- ie. from bees and birds -- are larger combined than their individual contributions. This suggests researchers may be underestimating how much the environment benefits society. |
| Cutting palm trees to harvest fruit? Better to let trees grow Posted: 04 Apr 2022 09:05 AM PDT Scientists have shown for the first time the widespread harm caused in Peru by cutting down the palm tree Mauritia flexuosa in order to harvest its fruit. The scientists examined where and why the trees were felled, producing detailed maps and analysis to reveal the extent of the environmental and economic damage caused by cutting down the palms. |
| Two-faced protein both inhibits and activates B cell receptor signaling Posted: 04 Apr 2022 09:04 AM PDT Researchers have found that restoration of B cell function in BCR signaling deficiencies involves the interaction of CD22, normally an inhibitory factor, with binding partners on the same cell, which results in upregulation of BCR expression and paradoxically increased BCR signaling. These findings suggest that CD22 could be a novel target for the treatment of patients with B cell signaling deficiencies such as X-linked agammaglobulinemia. |
| Urban agriculture in Detroit: Scattering vs. clustering and the prospects for scaling up Posted: 04 Apr 2022 07:57 AM PDT Despite Detroit's reputation as a mecca for urban agriculture, a new analysis of the city's Lower Eastside, which covers 15 square miles, found that community and private gardens occupy less than 1% of the vacant land. |
| Using gene scissors to specifically eliminate individual cell types Posted: 04 Apr 2022 07:57 AM PDT With the help of the CRISPR/Cas molecular scissors, genetic information in a plant can be modified to make the latter more robust to pests, diseases, or extreme climatic conditions. Researchers have now developed this method further to eliminate the complete DNA of specific cell types and, thus, prevent their formation during plant development. This will also help researchers better understand development mechanisms in plants. |
| Spotted hyenas adjust their foraging behavior in response to climate change Posted: 04 Apr 2022 07:57 AM PDT Spotted hyenas adjust to a decreased presence of migratory prey in their territories induced by climate change. Researchers investigated the relationship between rainfall volume and migratory herbivore presence in hyena clan territories in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, and the responses of lactating hyenas to recent changes in the climate-prey relationship. |
| In food safety study, 25% of participants contaminated salad with raw chicken Posted: 04 Apr 2022 07:56 AM PDT In a study aimed at assessing the impact of washing poultry on kitchen contamination, researchers found that more than a quarter of study participants contaminated salad with raw poultry -- including many study participants who did not wash the poultry. The study highlights the importance of hand-washing and cleaning and sanitizing the kitchen in order to reduce the risk of foodborne illness when cooking at home. |
| Freshwater mussels can inhibit bacterial diseases Posted: 04 Apr 2022 06:30 AM PDT Researchers have found brown trout better survived a Flavobacterium disease outbreak if the fish had larvae of freshwater pearl mussel in their gills. In another study, duck mussels were observed to filter and remove Flavobacterium from the water. |
| T. rex's short arms may have lowered risk of bites during feeding frenzies Posted: 01 Apr 2022 06:48 AM PDT Extinct for 66 million years, T. rex still inspires speculation about its anatomy, behavior and fierce physique. One conundrum: its peculiarly short forelimbs, which have relatively limited mobility. While scientists have suggested explanations, a paleontologist puts the proposals to the test and finds them wanting. He hypothesizes that the arms reduced in size to limit damage, possibly fatal, when a pack of T. rexes descended on a carcass with their bone-crunching teeth. |
| Stormwater harvesting benefits city trees Posted: 31 Mar 2022 07:15 AM PDT Reports of tree canopy coverage dwindling across city suburbs raise pressure on local government and other authorities' efforts to improve the health of urban street trees. New research has found stormwater interception and infiltration that allows water to soak into tree root zones is proving effective for a shady tree canopy in concrete urban environments where extreme heat occurs regularly. |
| Aromatic amines in pet feces and urine may signal threats to human health Posted: 31 Mar 2022 07:15 AM PDT Dogs and cats may be exposed in their homes to a potentially toxic group of chemicals, with their discovery in the pets' stool being a sign of health issues for humans living with them, a new study shows. |
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