ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, August 15, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, August 15, 2011

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Shifting Atlantic mackerel distribution linked to environmental factors, changing climate (August 15, 2011) -- Scientists have found that environmental factors have changed the distribution patterns of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus), a marine species found in waters from Cape Hatteras to Newfoundland, shifting the stock northeastward and into shallower waters. Atlantic mackerel migrate great distances on a seasonal basis to feed and spawn, and are sensitive to changes in water temperature. These findings could have significant implications for US commercial and recreational mackerel fisheries that mostly occur during late winter and early spring. ... > full story

How butterflies copy their neighbors to fool birds (August 15, 2011) -- The mystery of how a butterfly changes its wing patterns to mimic neighboring species and avoid being eaten by birds has been solved. Scientists located and sequenced the chromosomal region responsible for the wing patterns in an Amazonian butterfly. They found that three versions of the same chromosome coexist in this species, each version controlling distinct wing-pattern forms. This has resulted in butterflies that look completely different from one another, despite having the same DNA. ... > full story

Rural road maintenance may accidentally push spread of invasive plants (August 15, 2011) -- Road maintenance may accidentally spread the seeds of invasive plants, according to new research. ... > full story

Like humans, chimps are born with immature forebrains (August 14, 2011) -- In both chimpanzees and humans, portions of the brain that are critical for complex cognitive functions, including decision-making, self-awareness and creativity, are immature at birth. But there are important differences, too. Baby chimpanzees don't show the same dramatic increase in the volume of prefrontal white matter in the brain that human infants do. ... > full story

Catalyst that makes hydrogen gas breaks speed record (August 14, 2011) -- Looking to nature for their muse, researchers have used a common protein to guide the design of a material that can make energy-storing hydrogen gas. The synthetic material works 10 times faster than the original protein found in water-dwelling microbes, the researchers clocking in at 100,000 molecules of hydrogen gas every second. ... > full story

Biodiversity key to Earth's life-support functions in a changing world (August 14, 2011) -- The biological diversity of organisms on Earth is not just something we enjoy when taking a walk through a blossoming meadow in spring; it is also the basis for countless products and services provided by nature, including food, building materials, and medicines as well as the self-purifying qualities of water and protection against erosion. New findings indicate that much more biodiversity is necessary to keep ecosystems functioning in a world that is changing ever faster. The protection of diversity is thus a crucial factor in maintaining Earth's life-support functions. ... > full story

Virtual rats to help researchers study disease (August 14, 2011) -- Most lab rats have to be housed, fed and bred. But not the group one researcher has in mind for his new systems biology center. They'll be virtual. ... > full story

Hidden Baja undersea park is the world's most robust marine reserve (August 13, 2011) -- A thriving undersea wildlife park tucked away near the southern tip of Mexico's Baja peninsula has proven to be the world's most robust marine reserve in the world, according to a new study. The most striking finding is that fish communities at a depleted site can recover up to a level comparable to remote, pristine sites that have never been fished by humans. ... > full story

Arctic ice melt could pause for several years, then resume again (August 12, 2011) -- Although Arctic sea ice appears fated to melt as the climate continues to warm, the ice may temporarily stabilize or somewhat expand at times over the next few decades, new research indicates. ... > full story

Rats control appetite for poison: How rodents survive arms race with toxic plants they eat (August 12, 2011) -- Life is tough for woodrats in deserts of the US Southwest. There are few plants for food, and those plants produce poison to deter rodents, insects and other animals. A new study shows how certain woodrats put themselves on a diet to avoid poisoning: They sample a smorgasbord of toxic plants, eat smaller meals, increase time between meals and drink more water if it is available. ... > full story

Polar climate change may lead to ecological change (August 12, 2011) -- Ice and frozen ground at the North and South Poles are affected by climate change induced warming, but the consequences of thawing at each pole differ due to the geography and geology, according to a hydrologist. ... > full story

Engineered bacteria mop up mercury spills (August 12, 2011) -- Thousands of tons of toxic mercury are released into the environment every year. Much of this collects in sediment where it is converted into toxic methyl mercury, and enters the food chain ending up in the fish we eat. New research showcases genetically engineered bacteria which are not only able to withstand high levels of mercury but are also able to mop up mercury from their surroundings. ... > full story

Fossilized pregnant plesiosaur: 78-million-year-old fossils of adult and its embryo provide first evidence of live birth (August 12, 2011) -- Archeologists have determined that a unique specimen now displayed in a museum is the fossil of an embryonic marine reptile contained within the fossil of its mother. ... > full story

The flight of the bumble bee: Why are they disappearing? (August 12, 2011) -- Scientists are trying to learn exactly what is causing the decline in bumble bee populations and are also searching for a species that can serve as the next generation of greenhouse pollinators. ... > full story

Scientists copy the ways viruses deliver genes (August 12, 2011) -- Scientists have mimicked the ways viruses infect human cells and deliver their genetic material. The research hopes to apply the approach to gene therapy -- a therapeutic strategy to correct defective genes such as those that cause cancer. ... > full story

Flatworms provide new insight into organ regeneration and the evolution of mammalian kidneys (August 12, 2011) -- Our bodies are perfectly capable of renewing billions of cells every day but fail miserably when it comes to replacing damaged organs such as kidneys. Using the flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea -- famous for its capacity to regrow complete animals from minuscule flecks of tissue -- as an eloquent example, researchers have demonstrated how our distant evolutionary cousins regenerate their excretory systems from scratch. ... > full story

El Mayor-Cucapah earthquake was simple on surface, complicated at depth, new data show (August 12, 2011) -- Like scars that remain on the skin long after a wound has healed, earthquake fault lines can be traced on Earth's surface long after their initial rupture. Typically, this line of intersection between the area where the fault slips and the ground is more complicated at the surface than at depth. But a new study of the April 4, 2010, El Mayor-Cucapah earthquake in Mexico reveals a reversal of this trend. ... > full story

Route for eliciting HIV-neutralizing antibodies mapped (August 12, 2011) -- Researchers have traced in detail how certain powerful HIV neutralizing antibodies evolve, a finding that generates vital clues to guide the design of a preventive HIV vaccine, according to a new study. ... > full story

New approach to sustain 'forage' fishing (August 12, 2011) -- Reduced catches of small oceanic "forage" fish like sardines and anchovies may be required in some ocean areas in order to protect the larger predators that rely on these species for food. ... > full story

Researchers fight cholera with computer forecasting (August 12, 2011) -- Just as the rainy season is driving a new surge of cholera cases in Haiti, a new computational model could forecast where outbreaks are likely to occur. Researchers hope to target anti-cholera efforts where they are most needed in the earthquake-ravaged country. ... > full story

Unusual fault pattern surfaces in earthquake study (August 12, 2011) -- Like scars that remain on the skin long after a wound has healed, earthquake fault lines can be traced on Earth's surface long after their initial rupture. Typically, this line of intersection is more complicated at the surface than at depth. But a new study of the April 4, 2010, El Mayor-Cucapah earthquake in Baja California, Mexico, reveals a reversal of this trend. Superficially, the fault involved in the magnitude 7.2 earthquake appeared to be straight, but at depth, it's warped and complicated. ... > full story

Standing water and mosquito breeding in cities (August 12, 2011) -- Reducing mosquito populations, and the diseases they sometimes carry, in cities can be as simple as dumping out standing water on private property. However, not everyone is aware that standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes -- and some urban residents are unmotivated to dump the water even if they are aware. ... > full story

Genomes sequenced: Bugs within mealybugs; and bugs within bugs within mealybugs (August 11, 2011) -- In the case of sap-feeding insects, intimate associations with microbes offer a source for essential nutrients that their sugary diets just don't include. Now, researchers have new insight into organisms that have taken this symbiotic lifestyle to the extreme; they have sequenced the genomes of two species of bacteria that live together, one inside of the other, inside mealybugs. ... > full story

Software predicted risk in California West Nile virus epidemic (August 11, 2011) -- A computer model of the spread of West Nile virus was able to predict areas where human cases would be concentrated, especially around Sacramento in 2005. The success of the model, say researchers, depended on its focus on biological factors and on a high volume of reports from members of the public. ... > full story

Hidden soil fungus, now revealed, is in a class all its own (August 11, 2011) -- A type of fungus that's been lurking underground for millions of years, previously known to science only through its DNA, has been cultured, photographed, named and assigned a place on the tree of life. ... > full story

Urban impacts on phosphorus in streams (August 11, 2011) -- Scientists have investigated the link between human sources of phosphorus and phosphorus concentrations in rivers draining into California's Central Valley. ... > full story

Scientists discover how molecular motors go into 'energy save mode' (August 11, 2011) -- The transport system inside living cells is a well-oiled machine with tiny protein motors hauling vital cargo around the cell. A new study describes how the motors save energy, when their transport services aren't required. The solution to this molecular puzzle provides new insight into how molecular motor proteins are regulated, and may open new avenues for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's. ... > full story

Researchers decode workings of mysterious, but critical TB drug (August 11, 2011) -- A new study suggests that PZA binds to a specific protein named RpsA and inhibits trans-translation, a process that enables the TB bacteria to survive under stressful conditions. ... > full story

New technology could capture ammonia from liquid manure (August 11, 2011) -- A new method of extracting ammonium from liquid animal manure could be exciting news for both confined animal operations and environmental groups, according to an engineer. The method uses gas-permeable membrane technology that tests have shown could remove 50 percent of the dissolved ammonium in liquid manure in 20 days. ... > full story

Eating protein throughout the day preserves muscle and physical function in dieting postmenopausal women, study suggests (August 11, 2011) -- Dieting postmenopausal women who want to avoid losing muscle as they lose fat should pay attention to a new study. Adding protein throughout the day not only holds hunger pangs at bay so that dieters lose more weight, it keeps body composition -- the amount of fat relative to muscle -- in better proportion. ... > full story

Hydrogen-powered symbiotic bacteria found in deep-sea hydrothermal vent mussels (August 11, 2011) -- While intensive research efforts have gone into developing ways to harness hydrogen energy to fuel our everyday lives, a natural example of a living hydrogen-powered 'fuel cell' has gone unnoticed. Researchers have now discovered hydrogen-powered symbiotic bacteria in deep-sea hydrothermal vent mussels. ... > full story

How a particular gene makes night vision possible (August 11, 2011) -- Scientists have determined how a particular gene makes night vision possible. The study focuses on a gene called nyctalopin. Mutations in the gene result in inherited "night blindness," a loss of vision in low-light environments. ... > full story

Genetically engineered spider silk for gene therapy (August 11, 2011) -- Genetically engineered spider silk could help overcome a major barrier to the use of gene therapy in everyday medicine, according to a new study. ... > full story

Red meat linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes (August 11, 2011) -- Researchers have found a strong association between the consumption of red meat -- particularly when the meat is processed -- and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The study also shows that replacing red meat with healthier proteins, such as low-fat dairy, nuts, or whole grains, can significantly lower the risk. ... > full story

Why vertebrate intestines are so predictably loopy: Gut coils with help from its elastic neighbor (August 11, 2011) -- Between conception and birth, the human gut grows more than two meters long, looping and coiling within the tiny abdomen. Within a given species, the developing vertebrate gut always loops into the same formation -- however, until now, it has not been clear why. ... > full story

Early evidence suggests that TB jab could help fight cancer (August 11, 2011) -- Scientists have found a potential new mechanism to stimulate the body’s own ability to fight cancer using the germ commonly used to inoculate against tuberculosis. ... > full story

Antioxidant spices, like turmeric and cinnamon, reduce negative effects of high-fat meal (August 11, 2011) -- Eating a diet rich in spices, like turmeric and cinnamon, reduces the body's negative responses to eating high-fat meals, according to new research. ... > full story

Carbon sink: Up-and-coming forests replacing aging forests of Upper Great Lakes (August 11, 2011) -- The aging forests of the Upper Great Lakes could be considered the baby boomers of the region's ecosystem. The decline of trees in this area is a cause for concern among policymakers and ecologists who wonder whether the end of the forests' most productive years means they will no longer offer the benefits they are known for: cleansed air, fertile soil, filtered water and, most important to climate change analysts, carbon storage that offsets greenhouse gas emissions. Now researchers say that coming up right underneath the old forests is a new generation of native trees that are younger, more diverse and highly competitive. ... > full story

Engineers reverse E. coli metabolism for quick production of fuels, chemicals (August 11, 2011) -- In a biotechnological tour de force, engineering researchers have now unveiled a new method for converting simple glucose into biofuels and petrochemical substitutes that is up to 10 times faster than previously reported methods. Researchers have reversed one of the most efficient of all metabolic pathways -- the beta oxidation cycle -- to engineer bacteria that make biofuel at a breakneck pace. ... > full story

How an antibiotic-producing organism controls resistance to its own antibiotic (August 11, 2011) -- Working out the structure of a complex formed when a protein binds to DNA has proved to be key in understanding how an antibiotic-producing organism controls resistance to its own antibiotic, and may be an example of how other antibiotic producers regulate export to prevent self-toxicity. ... > full story

Did global methane level-off because of less dependency on oil or new farming practices? (August 11, 2011) -- Two new articles reach markedly different conclusions about why methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas, unexpectedly leveled off near the end of the 20th century. ... > full story

Poultry farms that go organic have significantly fewer antibiotic-resistant bacteria (August 11, 2011) -- Poultry farms that have transitioned from conventional to organic practices and ceased using antibiotics have significantly lower levels of drug-resistant enterococci bacteria. The findings suggest that removing antibiotic use from large-scale US poultry farms can result in immediate and significant reductions in antibiotic resistance for some bacteria. ... > full story

Working towards replacing platinum in fuel cells: Performance of iron-based catalysts improved (August 11, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new and improved iron-based catalyst capable of generating even more electric power in fuel cells for transportation applications. Previously, only platinum-based catalysts could produce similar performance. ... > full story

New fungi class formally identified (August 11, 2011) -- Scientists have cultured, characterized and formally named a new class of fungi that previously had only been identified through DNA sequencing from environmental samples. ... > full story

Hydrogen provides energy for bacteria in 'extreme' habitats (August 11, 2011) -- In deep ocean waters, some organisms can thrive in a presumably hostile type of ecosystem: hydrothermal vents, which have been the focus of extensive research for more than 30 years. Today, an international study reveals for the first time that bacteria living in association with hydrothermal mussels are capable of using hydrogen as an energy source to produce organic matter. ... > full story

Bird song-sharing like verbal sparring (August 10, 2011) -- While singing the same songs as your neighbors may sound harmonious, new research suggests that song-sharing amongst song sparrow populations is actually an aggressive behavior, akin to flinging insults back and forth. ... > full story

Deep recycling in Earth faster than thought (August 10, 2011) -- The recycling of Earth's crust in volcanoes happens much faster than scientists have previously assumed. Rock of the oceanic crust, which sinks deep into the earth due to the movement of tectonic plates, reemerges through volcanic eruptions after around 500 million years. ... > full story

Is this how simple life got complicated? (August 10, 2011) -- A new study has created an analog of what researchers think the first multicellular cooperation might have looked like, showing that yeast cells -- in an environment that requires them to work for their food -- grow and reproduce better in multicellular clumps than singly. ... > full story

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