#Rare pattern observed in migrating common swifts

“#Rare pattern observed in migrating common swifts” Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Compared with other migratory birds, the common swift follows a very unusual pattern when it migrates from the breeding areas in Europe to its wintering locations south of the Sahara. This is what researchers have observed in a major eleven-year international study of the…

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#Pesticide-free crop protection yields up to US$ 20 billion/year benefits in Asia-Pacific

“#Pesticide-free crop protection yields up to US$ 20 billion/year benefits in Asia-Pacific” The total number of country-level introductions and first regional deployments of a given biological control agent is depicted for successive decades, over a 1918-2018 window. For instance, BIOCAT contained two introductions of the larval parasitoid Psyttalia humilis (Silvestri) against Tephritid fruit flies, i.e.,…

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#The northern quoll: An amazingly versatile survivor?

“#The northern quoll: An amazingly versatile survivor?” Credit: Nellie Pease The northern quoll, one of Australia’s most adorable and endangered native carnivores, appears to be adapted to dramatically different landscapes—which may be key to the species’ survival. University of Queensland Ph.D. candidate Pietro Viacava co-led a study that found similarities between northern quoll skulls across…

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#Study of Asia’s hillstream loaches reveals keys to fish family’s land-walking abilities

“#Study of Asia’s hillstream loaches reveals keys to fish family’s land-walking abilities” High-resolution computed tomography reconstruction of Cryptotora thamicola (MARNM 6183). This reconstruction was colorized to show high- and low-density areas. Credit: Zach Randall, Florida Museum of Natural History. In a study published in the Journal of Morphology, a team of researchers from New Jersey…

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#Changing ties that naturally bind: How information, disease, and social evolution are linked

“#Changing ties that naturally bind: How information, disease, and social evolution are linked” Social animals such as humans or these macaques balance the risks of spreading disease with the benefits of sharing useful information. Credit: Kyoto University/Andrew MacIntosh Animals use social information for a variety of reasons, including identifying new foraging areas or of threats…

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#Conceptual model shows why changes in rain may matter more than temperature changes to tropical animals

“#Conceptual model shows why changes in rain may matter more than temperature changes to tropical animals” A male Violaceous Trogon in a rainstorm in Costa Rica. Credit: Cristian Bonilla Poveda Precipitation patterns, along with temperature, dictate where tropical forests are distributed around the world. Surprisingly, though, scientists know very little about the direct effects of…

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#Species competition and cooperation influence vulnerability to climate change

“#Species competition and cooperation influence vulnerability to climate change” Burying beetles, Nicrophorus Nepalensis, in motion. Credit: Shipher Wu (CC BY 4.0) Organisms need to work together to adapt to climate change, especially in the presence of competitors, suggests a new study published today in eLife. The findings show that some species can maximize their fitness…

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#Crickets disperse seeds of early-diverging orchid Apostasia nipponica, suggesting an ancient association

“#Crickets disperse seeds of early-diverging orchid Apostasia nipponica, suggesting an ancient association” Schematic diagram of internal seed dispersal mutualism: In return for these seed dispersal services, many plants provide nutritional rewards to their seed dispersers in the form of fleshy fruits. Credit: Kenji Suetsugu Associate Professor Suetsugu Kenji (Kobe University Graduate School of Science) has…

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