Discoveries Archive
Page 4 of 7 « First < 2 3 4 5 6 > Last »
-
Greater Fires Mean Greater Diversity
When it comes to fires, forest management practices across the U.S. have evolved considerably in recent decades, from complete fire suppression in all forests to the realization that fire plays an important role in many ecosystems. A recent study examining the impact on biodiversity of fires of varying intensity levels may lead to the next step in this evolution. Ithaca… (more)
-
Invasive Pest Knocked Out
The United States has been under assault for decades by a wide variety of alien plants and animals, and it is not often that one of these aliens faces a counterpunch. But in a collaborative project between scientists from several universities in the Northeast, researchers have scored a knockout blow. The birch leafminer (Fenusa pusilla), an insect pest that regularly… (more)
-
Lessons from the Ice Storm
On December 11 and 12, 2008, a major ice storm coated trees in New England and upstate New York with layers of limb-snapping ice. While official tree damage estimates have yet to be released, it is safe to say that hundreds of thousands of trees were damaged. Woodland owners across the affected region may find themselves staring at a woodlot… (more)
-
Sneaky Squirrels
Next time you’re watching your favorite backyard squirrel, think about this: she may be watching you, too. Scientists have discovered that gray squirrels deliberately mislead onlookers that may be after the nuts they’re hiding away for winter. The squirrels excavate and cover phony cache holes to divert attention away from the holes in which they’ve actually stored nuts. While a… (more)
-
Cascade in Still Water
Scientists have long known that high concentrations of pesticides can be toxic to frogs, toads, and salamanders. What is less well known is the effect of low, repeated doses of pesticides on these amphibians. With this in mind, Rick Relyea and Nicole Diecks, at the University of Pittsburgh, conducted a series of experiments on the matter. What they found is… (more)
-
A Song is Worth Five Stars
Would you choose to eat in a restaurant based solely on the cool jazz wafting out the windows and the hip name over the doorway? Or would you instead make a reservation based on reviews, a friend’s recommendation, or the size of the crowd inside? Most of us defer to the experience of others. After all, great food and service… (more)
-
Picky Bees Suffer Most
The plight of bees has been a hot news topic over the past few years. Scientists are still exploring a number of theories to explain why pollinator populations are crashing; it could be chemicals, parasites, stress, lack of genetic diversity, or some other factor. Whatever the cause, pollinators of all stripes – including native and non-native, feral or managed, honeybees… (more)
-
Tree Leaves Regulate Their Own Temperature
When temperatures linger around 60 degrees, most people reach for light jackets or flannel shirts; conversely, when the mercury hits 80, we don shorts and short sleeves. Seventy degrees? Well that’s just about the perfect temperature, isn’t it? It turns out we’re not alone in our admiration of the 70-degree mark. According to scientists at the University of Pennsylvania, trees… (more)
-
Amphibians Move Out
There’s no shortage of studies about the effects of timber harvesting on amphibians. And there’s not much discrepancy between studies: generally, the heavier the cut, the fewer frogs, toads, and salamanders that remain. Just why amphibians decline in cut areas, however, is not well understood. Scientists have proposed a number of mechanisms for decline following a clearcut. The frogs, toads,… (more)
-
Invasive Bullies
When a plant or animal is moved from its native homeland to a new territory, and it thrives to the detriment of native plants and animals in that territory, it’s known as an invasive species. Invasive plants in the Northeast – including common and European buckthorn, Japanese knotweed, and wild chervil – are all not invasive plants in their native… (more)