ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Monday, September 22, 2008
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Climate Change, Human Activity And Wildfires (September 22, 2008) -- Climate has been implicated by a new study as a major driver of wildfires in the last 2,000 years. But human activities, such as land clearance and fire suppression during the industrial era (since 1750) have created large swings in burning, first increasing fires until the late 1800s, and then dramatically reducing burning in the 20th century. ... > full story
Project To Turn Plant Cells Into Medical Factories (September 22, 2008) -- A large four-year project is launching in Europe to develop methods for production of valuable pharmaceutical compounds using plant cells as a production host in an effective and controlled manner. The methods based on plant biotechnology are an alternative to chemical synthesis. By controlling the cell metabolism of a 'green factory', i.e. a living plant cell, it is possible to affect the production of desired high-value compounds. This kind of metabolic engineering also stimulates the cells towards producing completely new compounds. ... > full story
Using Novel Tool, Researchers Dig Through Cell 'Trash' And Find Treasure (September 22, 2008) -- A person's trash can reveal valuable information, as detectives, historians and identity thieves well know. Likewise, a cell's "trash" may yield certain treasures, researchers have found. Using a new technique, scientists have analyzed the cellular waste of one of the world's most-studied plants and discovered formerly hidden relationships between genes and the small molecules that can turn them off. ... > full story
Global Warming's Ecosystem Double Whammy (September 21, 2008) -- Plants and soils act like sponges for atmospheric carbon dioxide, but new research on the cover of this week's Nature finds that one abnormally warm year can suppress the amount of carbon dioxide taken up by some grassland ecosystems for up to two years. The findings followed a four-year study of 12-ton containerized grassland plots at Nevada's Desert Research Institute. Plots were extracted intact from the Oklahoma prairie and sealed inside four, living-room-sized environment chambers. ... > full story
Marine Debris Will Likely Worsen In The 21st Century (September 21, 2008) -- Current measures to prevent and reduce marine debris are inadequate, and the problem will likely worsen, says a new congressionally mandated report. ... > full story
Estrogen 'Flooding Our Rivers,' Montreal Study Finds (September 21, 2008) -- A water treatment plant from Canada's second biggest city, Montreal, is dumping 90 times the critical amount of certain estrogen products into the river. It only takes one nanogram (ng) of steroids per liter of water to disrupt the endocrinal system of fish and decrease their fertility. ... > full story
Wildlife Management: Salmon Fisheries, Yellowstone Wolf Introduction Show What Is Possible (September 21, 2008) -- The Netherlands is a densely populated nation, but could be a good example of how to practice wildlife management in the coming century. Rapid human population growth on the planet is creating pressure on wildlife populations, and many places will thus come to resemble the present situation in The Netherlands. ... > full story
Interstellar Space Molecules That Help Form Basic Life Structures Identified (September 20, 2008) -- Scientists have succeeded in identifying naphthalene, one of the most complex molecules yet discovered in the interstellar medium. The detection of this molecule suggests that a large number of the key components in prebiotic terrestrial chemistry could have been present in the interstellar matter from which the Solar System was formed. ... > full story
Emergence Of Agriculture In Prehistory Took Much Longer, Genetic Evidence Suggests (September 20, 2008) -- Researchers have found evidence that genetics supports the idea that the emergence of agriculture in prehistory took much longer than originally thought. ... > full story
Programmed Cell Death Contributes Force To Movement Of Cells (September 20, 2008) -- In addition to pruning cells out of the way during embryonic development, the much-studied process of programmed cell death, or apoptosis, has been newly found to exert significant mechanical force on surrounding cells. ... > full story
Explorers Find Hundreds Of Undescribed Corals, Other Species On Familiar Australian Reefs (September 19, 2008) -- Hundreds of new kinds of animal species surprised international researchers systematically exploring waters off two islands on the Great Barrier Reef and a reef off northwestern Australia -- waters long familiar to divers. The expeditions, affiliated with the global Census of Marine Life, help mark the International Year of the Reef. ... > full story
Fly Studies Reveal Immune Cell Responses To Tumor And Tissue Damage (September 19, 2008) -- A new report reveals the similarities between the immune response to cancer and and the immune response to tissue damage. ... > full story
Genetically Modified Crops Protect Neighbors From Pests, Study Finds (September 19, 2008) -- A study in northern China indicates that genetically modified cotton, altered to express the insecticide, Bt, not only reduces pest populations among those crops, but also reduces pests among other nearby crops that have not been modified with Bt. These findings could offer promising new ideas for controlling pests and maximizing crop yields in the future. ... > full story
Road Crossing Structures Important In Reduction Of Animal Mortality On Roads (September 19, 2008) -- Spanish highways are increasingly incorporating walkways specially designed for wild animals, or mixed use structures designed for other purposes, which connect wildlife from one side of the road to the other. Researchers have analysed 43 walkways used by vertebrates to quantify the importance of these structures, which facilitate animals’ natural movements and reduce mortality caused by vehicles and, consequently, traffic accidents. ... > full story
Novel Anti-cancer Mechanism Found In Long-lived Rodents (September 19, 2008) -- Biologists have found that small-bodied rodents with long lifespans have evolved a previously unknown anti-cancer mechanism that appears to be different from any anticancer mechanisms employed by humans or other large mammals. ... > full story
New Link To Tropical African Climate Proposed (September 19, 2008) -- Scientists have proposed a new link to rainfall and temperature patterns in southeast Africa. Examining data from African lake core sediments covering the past 60,000 years, the researchers report in this week's Science Express that the region's climate does not march in lockstep with a circulatory system known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone, as previously believed. The finding could help scientists understand how tropical Africa will respond to global warming. ... > full story
From Sugar To Gasoline: 'Green Gasoline' Crafted From Sugar And Carbohydrates (September 19, 2008) -- Following independent paths of investigation, two research teams are announcing this month that they have successfully converted sugar -- potentially derived from agricultural waste and non-food plants -- into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and a range of other valuable chemicals. ... > full story
Biologists Identify Genes Controlling Rhythmic Plant Growth (September 19, 2008) -- A team of biologists from UC San Diego, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and Oregon State University has identified the genes that enable plants to undergo bursts of rhythmic growth at night and allow them to compete when their leaves are shaded by other plants. ... > full story
Lighting Research Center Develops Framework For Assessing Light Pollution (September 19, 2008) -- Balancing public and private interests for nighttime lighting has been a difficult undertaking, as too little lighting may increase safety and security issues, while too much lighting may cause problems for the environment and for human well being. Scientists in the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed the first ever comprehensive method for predicting and measuring various aspects of light pollution. ... > full story
'Buckyballs' Have High Potential To Accumulate In Living Tissue (September 19, 2008) -- Research suggests synthetic carbon molecules called fullerenes, or buckyballs, have a high potential of being accumulated in animal tissue, but the molecules also appear to break down in sunlight, perhaps reducing their possible environmental dangers. ... > full story
New Mechanism For Cardiac Arrhythmia Discovered (September 19, 2008) -- Virus infections can cause cardiac arrhythmia. Scientists have now discovered the molecular mechanism. They have demonstrated that the receptor which the virus uses to infect heart cells is normally necessary for regular heart beat. Likewise, when the receptor is absent, arrhythmia occurs. The researchers assume that the virus infection and the autoimmune disease can block the receptor which disrupts the heart's normal rhythm. ... > full story
Genes Capable Of Regulating Stem Cell Function Identified (September 19, 2008) -- An animal model provides insight on pathways used for adult tissue maintenance and regeneration; system for studying relationship between stem cells and cancer. Scientists have developed a new system in which to study known mammalian adult stem cell disorders. This research, conducted with the flatworm planaria, highlights the genetic similarity between these invertebrates and mammals in the mechanisms by which stem cell regulatory pathways are used during adult tissue maintenance and regeneration. ... > full story
Ship-induced Waves Affect Snails, Crabs And Insect Larvae In Sandy Lakes And Rivers (September 19, 2008) -- Snails, crabs, insect larvae - the shores of rivers and lakes are populated by thousands of small animals that play an important role in the food chain of the freshwater ecosystem. They eat the leaves which fall into the water, among other things, and help keep the waters clean. Scientists are now studying the impact that ship-induced waves can have on these small animals. ... > full story
Scientists Behind 'Doomsday Seed Vault' Ready World's Crops For Climate Change (September 18, 2008) -- As climate change is credited as one of the main drivers behind soaring food prices, the Global Crop Diversity Trust is undertaking a major effort to search crop collections -- from Azerbaijan to Nigeria -- for the traits that could arm agriculture against the impact of future changes. Traits, such as drought resistance in wheat, or salinity tolerance in potato, will become essential as crops around the world have to adapt to new climate conditions. ... > full story
Doppler On Wheels Deployed At Hurricane Ike (September 18, 2008) -- The only scientific team to successfully brave Hurricane Ike's knock-down winds and swells in Galveston was the DOW, the Doppler on Wheels mobile weather radar operated by the Center for Severe Weather Research in Boulder, Colo. ... > full story
Nitrate Concentrations Of Ground Water Increasing In Many Areas Of The United States (September 18, 2008) -- A nationwide study of nitrate trends in the ground water of the United States was recently completed by scientists at the US Geological Survey. Nitrate is the most common chemical contaminant found in ground water, and is related to infant health and possible cancer risks. The study focused on 24 well networks in the US from 1988 to 2004, of which seven well networks showed statistically significant increases in concentrations of nitrate during this period. ... > full story
Small Glaciers -- Not Large -- Account For Most Of Greenland's Recent Loss Of Ice, Study Shows (September 18, 2008) -- The recent dramatic melting and breakup of a few huge Greenland glaciers have fueled public concerns over the impact of global climate change, but that isn't the island's biggest problem. A new study shows that the dozens of much smaller outflow glaciers dotting Greenland's coast together account for three times more loss from the island's ice sheet than the amount coming from their huge relatives. ... > full story
It’s All In The Hips: Early Whales Used Well Developed Back Legs For Swimming, Fossils Show (September 18, 2008) -- The crashing of the enormous fluked tail on the surface of the ocean is a "calling card" of modern whales. Living whales have no back legs, and their front legs take the form of flippers that allow them to steer. Their special tails provide the powerful thrust necessary to move their huge bulk. Yet this has not always been the case. Now newly found fossils from Alabama and Mississippi that pinpoint where tail flukes developed in the evolution of whales. ... > full story
Blanket Ban On Bushmeat Could Be Disastrous For Forest Dwellers In Central Africa, Says New Report (September 18, 2008) -- A new report from the Center for International Forestry Research, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and partners warns that an upsurge in hunting bushmeat -- including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians -- in tropical forests is unsustainable, and that it poses serious threats to food security for poor inhabitants of forests in Africa, who rely largely on bushmeat for protein. ... > full story
Almost 7 Million Pregnant In Sub-Saharan Africa Infected With Hookworms (September 18, 2008) -- A new study reveals that between a quarter and a third of pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa, or almost 7 million, are infected with hookworms and at increased risk of developing anemia. ... > full story
Scavenger Birds Chew The Fat (September 18, 2008) -- Humans aren't the only ones who like fatty foods -- bearded vultures do, too. The bearded vulture will discard less energy-dense bones and choose only the bones containing the highest fat content both for its consumption and delivery to its young. ... > full story
Researchers Suppress 'Hunger Hormone' In Pigs: New Minimally Invasive Method Yields Result As Good As Bariatric Surgery (September 18, 2008) -- Johns Hopkins scientists report success in significantly suppressing levels of the "hunger hormone" ghrelin in pigs using a minimally invasive means of chemically vaporizing the main vessel carrying blood to the top section, or fundus, of the stomach. An estimated 90 percent of the body's ghrelin originates in the fundus, which can't make the hormone without a good blood supply. ... > full story
Viral 'Magic Bullet' Targets Cancer Cells With Help Of New Compound (September 18, 2008) -- Researchers report a significant breakthrough in the use of viruses to target and destroy cancer cells, a field known as oncolytic virotherapy. ... > full story
Developing Pea Varieties Tolerant Of Drought And Effects Of Climate Change (September 18, 2008) -- New research could help breeders to develop pea varieties able to withstand drought stress and climate change. The research also shows that the composition of crops is likely to change with the climate. ... > full story
Improving Our Ability To Peek Inside Molecules (September 18, 2008) -- It's not easy to see a single molecule inside a living cell. Nevertheless, researchers are developing a new technique that will enable them to create detailed high-resolution images, giving scientists an unprecedented look at the atomic structure of cellular molecules. ... > full story
The Greening Of Sub-Saharan Africa (September 18, 2008) -- The green revolution that has led to food being far more abundant now than forty years ago in South America and Asia has all-but bypasses Sub-Saharan Africa as that region's population trebled over that time period. Now, researchers in The Netherlands point to possible causes for this disparity and offer hope of reversing the trend based on a technological approach. ... > full story
Significant Increase In Alien Plants In Europe Observed (September 18, 2008) -- The number of alien plant species has more than tripled over the last 25 years. This is the finding of a study by European scientists who evaluated the data from 48 European countries and regions. A total of 5789 plant species were classified as alien. Of these, 2843 originating outside of Europe, according to the researchers. By contrast, in 1980 only 1568 alien species were registered. ... > full story
Bovine Mastitis: Could A Vaccine Be On The Way? (September 18, 2008) -- It is the most common infectious disease in farmed animals. Around one million cases occur each year in the UK. It is painful, occasionally life threatening, and costs the dairy industry £200m every year in lost production and treatments. Within the UK alone it has been estimated that around 12m doses of antibiotic are used annually to control and treat mastitis in cattle. ... > full story
Even If Greenhouse Gas Emissions Hold Steady, Warmer World Faces Loss Of Biodiversity, Glaciers (September 17, 2008) -- Even if greenhouse gas emissions are fixed at 2005 levels, a new analysis shows that irreversible warming will lead to biodiversity loss and substantial glacial melt. ... > full story
Drinking Water: The Need For Constant Innovation (September 17, 2008) -- Most western countries' drinking water is of excellent quality, but there is no room for complacency. The challenges are growing: undesirable contaminants are found in rivers, lakes and groundwater. Climate change is also warming waterbodies, with implications for water quality, and in developing countries more and more people are reliant on groundwater containing natural contaminants. In industrialized countries water utilities are aging and need to be renewed. ... > full story
High Grain Prices Are Likely Here To Stay (September 17, 2008) -- An ethanol-fueled spike in grain prices will likely hold, yielding the first sustained increase for corn, wheat and soybean prices in more than three decades, according to new research. ... > full story
Fastest Flights In Nature: High-speed Spore Discharge Mechanisms Among Fungi (September 17, 2008) -- Microscopic coprophilous (dung-loving fungi) make our planet habitable by degrading the billions of tons of feces produced by herbivores. But the fungi have a problem: survival depends upon the consumption of their spores by herbivores and few animals will graze on grass next to their own dung. Evolution has overcome this obstacle by producing mechanisms of spore discharge whose elegance transforms a cow pie into a circus of microscopic catapults, trampolines and squirt guns. ... > full story
Giant Grass Offers Clues To Growing Corn In Cooler Climes, Researchers Report (September 17, 2008) -- A giant perennial grass used as a biofuels source has a much longer growing season than corn, and researchers think they've found the secret of its success. Their findings should help develop cold-tolerant corn, significantly boosting per-acre yields. ... > full story
Roman York Skeleton Could Be Early TB Victim (September 17, 2008) -- The skeleton of a man discovered by archaeologists in a shallow grave on the site of the University of York's campus expansion could be that of one of Britain's earliest victims of tuberculosis. ... > full story
Houses Made Of Hemp Could Help Combat Climate Change (September 17, 2008) -- Houses made of hemp, timber or straw could help combat climate change by reducing the carbon footprint of building construction, according to researchers at the University of Bath. ... > full story
Breakthrough In Energy Storage: New Carbon Material Shows Promise Of Storing Large Quantities Of Renewable Electrical Energy (September 17, 2008) -- Engineers and scientists have achieved a breakthrough in the use of a one-atom thick structure called "graphene" as a new carbon-based material for storing electrical charge in ultracapacitor devices, perhaps paving the way for the massive installation of renewable energies such as wind and solar power. ... > full story
Fantastic Photographs Of Fluorescent Fish (September 17, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered that certain fish are capable of glowing red. Research in BMC Ecology includes striking images of fish fluorescing vivid red light. ... > full story
Is Re-emerging Superbug The Next MRSA? (September 17, 2008) -- Physicians are issuing a warning that Clostridium difficile, a virulent strain of an intestinal bacteria, is currently plaguing hospitals and now rivals the superbug Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus as a top disease threat to humans. The little-known bacteria appears to be the next emerging disease threat, killing 1,000s in the United States. ... > full story
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