ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• Color patterns in fish larvae may reveal relationships among species
• 'International beam team' solves Martian meteorite-age puzzle
• Changes proposed to New Orleans area levee systems
• Newly discovered marine viruses offer glimpse into untapped biodiversity
• Are North Atlantic right whales mating in the Gulf of Maine?
• Common agricultural chemicals shown to impair honey bees' health
• Seeing photosynthesis from space: NASA scientists use satellites to measure plant health
• Tropical ecosystems boost carbon dioxide as temperatures rises
• Full genome map of oil palm indicates way to raise yields and protect rainforest: Single gene identified whose regulation controls oil palm yield
• Cost of Arctic methane release could be 'size of global economy', experts warn
• Shifting patterns of temperature volatility in the climate system
• Heading for regeneration: Researchers reactivate head regeneration in regeneration-deficient species of planarians
• Ancient technology for metal coatings 2,000 years ago can't be matched even today
• Scientists get dirty at the Robson Glacier
• Pressurized virus blasts its infectious DNA into human cells
• Dangers to biological diversity from proliferation of global cashmere garment industry
• New species of Hero Shrew found in equatorial Africa: Most bizarre mammalian spine on Earth
• Male guppies ensure successful mating with genital claws
• Extraordinary trout has tolerance to heavily polluted water
• New study shows inbreeding in winter flounder in Long Island's bays
• Coastal Antarctic permafrost melting faster than expected: Arctic-like melt rates appearing in Coastal Antarctica
• Atmospheric rivers set to increase UK winter flooding
• An evolutionary compromise for long tooth preservation
• Low radon concentrations accurately measurable for the first time
• Watching molecule movements in live cells
• Cracking the blue-green code: Study of gene expression in blue-green algae reveals what makes it bloom, toxic
• Rapid upper ocean warming linked to declining aerosols
• Hunting pushing central African forests toward ecological collapse
• Populations of grassland butterflies decline almost 50 percent over two decades: European report
• Chemicals that break down water contaminants pass safety test

Color patterns in fish larvae may reveal relationships among species Posted: 24 Jul 2013 05:06 PM PDT Similarities in how different organisms look can indicate a close evolutionary relationship. Conversely, great differences in appearance can suggest a very distant relationship, as in many adult marine fish species. For the first time, however, a scientist has found that color patterns of different fish species in the larval stage can be very similar, revealing a closer evolutionary relationship than their adult forms would suggest.

'International beam team' solves Martian meteorite-age puzzle Posted: 24 Jul 2013 05:06 PM PDT By directing energy beams at tiny crystals found in a Martian meteorite, geologists have proven that the most common group of meteorites from Mars is almost four billion years younger than many scientists had believed -- resolving a long-standing puzzle in Martian science and painting a much clearer picture of the Red Planet's evolution that can now be compared to that of habitable Earth.

Changes proposed to New Orleans area levee systems Posted: 24 Jul 2013 05:05 PM PDT Less may mean more when it comes to the levee systems designed to protect New Orleans from hurricanes. That's the conclusion of a new study led by the co-developer of the authoritative computer model for storm surge used by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state of Louisiana to determine water levels due to hurricane surge and to design levee heights and alignments.

Newly discovered marine viruses offer glimpse into untapped biodiversity Posted: 24 Jul 2013 05:05 PM PDT Studying bacteria from the Baltic Sea, researchers have discovered an entire array of previously unknown viruses that use these bacteria as hosts. By impacting the life cycles of these bacteria, the viruses play indirect but crucial ecological roles in environments ranging from the oceans and sea ice to the human gut.

Are North Atlantic right whales mating in the Gulf of Maine? Posted: 24 Jul 2013 05:05 PM PDT Using data obtained during six years of regular aerial surveys and genetics data collected by a consortium of research groups, scientists have strengthened evidence pointing to the central Gulf of Maine as a mating ground for North Atlantic right whales, according to a new study.

Common agricultural chemicals shown to impair honey bees' health Posted: 24 Jul 2013 05:04 PM PDT Honey bees used to pollinate crops are exposed to many agricultural chemicals, including common fungicides which impair their ability to fight off a potentially lethal parasite, according to a new study.

Seeing photosynthesis from space: NASA scientists use satellites to measure plant health Posted: 24 Jul 2013 12:52 PM PDT NASA scientists have established a new way to use satellites to measure what's occurring inside plants at a cellular level. Plants grow and thrive through photosynthesis, a process that converts sunlight into energy. During photosynthesis, plants emit what is called fluorescence -- light invisible to the naked eye but detectable by satellites orbiting hundreds of miles above Earth. NASA scientists have now established a method to turn this satellite data into global maps of the subtle phenomenon in more detail than ever before.

Tropical ecosystems boost carbon dioxide as temperatures rises Posted: 24 Jul 2013 12:45 PM PDT NASA scientists and an international team of researchers have found tropical ecosystems can generate significant carbon dioxide when temperatures rise, unlike ecosystems in other parts of the world.

Full genome map of oil palm indicates way to raise yields and protect rainforest: Single gene identified whose regulation controls oil palm yield Posted: 24 Jul 2013 10:42 AM PDT A multinational team of scientists has identified a single gene, called Shell, that regulates yield of the oil palm tree. The fruit and seeds of the oil palm are the source of nearly one-half of the supply of edible vegetable oil worldwide, and provide one of the most promising sources of biofuel.

Cost of Arctic methane release could be 'size of global economy', experts warn Posted: 24 Jul 2013 10:42 AM PDT Researchers have warned of an "economic time-bomb" in the Arctic, following a ground-breaking analysis of the likely cost of methane emissions in the region. Economic modelling shows that the methane emissions caused by shrinking sea ice from just one area of the Arctic could come with a global price tag of 60 trillion dollars -- the size of the world economy in 2012.

Shifting patterns of temperature volatility in the climate system Posted: 24 Jul 2013 10:42 AM PDT In recent decades there has been increased variability in yearly temperature records for large parts of Europe and North America, according to a new study.

Heading for regeneration: Researchers reactivate head regeneration in regeneration-deficient species of planarians Posted: 24 Jul 2013 10:40 AM PDT Rabbits can't do it, neither can frogs, but zebrafish and axolotls can and flatworms are true masters of the craft: regeneration. Why some animals can re-grow lost body parts or organs while others cannot remains a big mystery. And even more intriguing to us regeneration-challenged humans is the question whether one might be able to activate regenerative abilities in species that don't usually regenerate.

Ancient technology for metal coatings 2,000 years ago can't be matched even today Posted: 24 Jul 2013 09:49 AM PDT Artists and craftsmen more than 2,000 years ago developed thin-film coating technology unrivaled even by today's standards for producing DVDs, solar cells, electronic devices and other products. Understanding these sophisticated metal-plating techniques from ancient times could help preserve priceless artistic and other treasures from the past.

Scientists get dirty at the Robson Glacier Posted: 24 Jul 2013 09:49 AM PDT New research presents some of the first data documenting microbial community diversity, biomass and function along a 100-year-old soil chronosequence in a Canadian glacier retreat area.

Pressurized virus blasts its infectious DNA into human cells Posted: 24 Jul 2013 08:42 AM PDT The virus that causes those painful lip blisters known as cold sores has an internal pressure eight times higher than a car tire, and uses it to literally blast its infectious DNA into human cells, scientists are reporting in a new study. Discovery of the pressure-driven infection mechanism -- the first in a human virus -- opens the door to new treatments for viral infections, they add in a new study.

Dangers to biological diversity from proliferation of global cashmere garment industry Posted: 24 Jul 2013 08:40 AM PDT A new study reveals a disturbing link between the cashmere trade and the decay of ecosystems that support some of the planet's most spectacular yet little-known large mammals.

New species of Hero Shrew found in equatorial Africa: Most bizarre mammalian spine on Earth Posted: 24 Jul 2013 07:32 AM PDT Scientists have described a new species of Hero Shrew -- the mammal with the most bizarre lower spine on Earth. The interlocking vertebrae of the Hero Shrew render the spine four to five times more robust relative to body mass, a condition not found in any other mammal. The spine has been an enigma to evolutionary biologists, with no known adaptive significance.

Male guppies ensure successful mating with genital claws Posted: 24 Jul 2013 07:32 AM PDT Some males will go to great lengths to pursue a female and take extreme measures to hold on once they find one that interests them, even if that affection is unrequited. New research from evolutionary biologists shows that the male guppy grows claws on its genitals to make it more difficult for unreceptive females to get away during mating.

Extraordinary trout has tolerance to heavily polluted water Posted: 24 Jul 2013 07:30 AM PDT A population of brown trout can survive in the contaminated waters of the River Hayle in Cornwall where metal concentrations are so high they would be lethal to fish from unpolluted sites. The team believe this is due to changes in the expression of their genes.

New study shows inbreeding in winter flounder in Long Island's bays Posted: 24 Jul 2013 07:30 AM PDT Research conducted in six bays of Long Island, NY has shown that local populations of winter flounder are inbred, which is a situation that is not usually considered in marine fisheries management.

Coastal Antarctic permafrost melting faster than expected: Arctic-like melt rates appearing in Coastal Antarctica Posted: 24 Jul 2013 07:30 AM PDT Scientists have documented an acceleration in the melt rate of permafrost in a part of Antarctica where the ice had been considered stable. The melt rates are comparable with the Arctic and could preview melting permafrost in other parts of a warming Antarctica. In Garwood Valley, scientists found melt rates accelerated consistently from 2001 to 2012, rising to about 10 times the historical average.

Atmospheric rivers set to increase UK winter flooding Posted: 24 Jul 2013 07:27 AM PDT The prolonged heat wave that has bathed the UK in sunshine over the past month has given the country an unexpected taste of summer that has seemed to be missing in recent years. However, a new study has provided warnings that will chime with those accustomed to more typical British weather. According to the study, winter flooding in the UK is set to get more severe and more frequent under the influence of climate change as a result of a change in the characteristics of atmospheric rivers.

An evolutionary compromise for long tooth preservation Posted: 24 Jul 2013 07:26 AM PDT Researchers have conducted stress analyses on gorilla teeth of differing wear stages. Their findings show that different features of the occlusal surface antagonize tensile stresses in the tooth to tooth contact during the chewing process. They further show that tooth wear, with its loss of dental tissue and reduction of occlusal relief decreases tensile stresses in the tooth. The result, however, is that food processing becomes less effective. Thus, when the condition of the occlusal surface changes during an individual's lifetime due to tooth wear, the biomechanical requirements on the existing dental material change as well -- an evolutionary compromise for longer tooth preservation.

Low radon concentrations accurately measurable for the first time Posted: 24 Jul 2013 07:26 AM PDT You can't see it, you can't smell it, you can't taste it -- but at high doses, it can be lethal: the natural radioactive noble gas radon occurs especially in places where the subsoil consists of granite. It can, however, also occur in construction materials. It has been known for a long time that radon at high doses can cause lung cancer -- numerous workers from the Wismut-Werke uranium mines in the former GDR died of it. Now, scientists, however, deem radon to be dangerous also at low concentrations and therefore have increased the classification of its radiation effects: radon gas is now officially classified as contributing just as strongly to the exposure rate of the general public as medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Watching molecule movements in live cells Posted: 24 Jul 2013 07:26 AM PDT The newly developed STED-RICS microscopy method records rapid movements of molecules in live samples. By combining raster image correlation spectroscopy (RICS) with STED fluorescence microscopy, researchers have opened up new applications in medical research, e.g. analyzing the dynamics of cell membranes at high protein concentrations.

Cracking the blue-green code: Study of gene expression in blue-green algae reveals what makes it bloom, toxic Posted: 24 Jul 2013 07:15 AM PDT If your local pond, lake, or watering hole is looking bright green this summer, chances are it has blue-green algae and it may be dangerous to you or your pets. A newly published study has used a novel approach to better understand why these algae form blooms and what makes them toxic.

Rapid upper ocean warming linked to declining aerosols Posted: 23 Jul 2013 07:34 AM PDT Australian scientists have identified causes of a rapid warming in the upper subtropical oceans of the Southern Hemisphere.

Hunting pushing central African forests toward ecological collapse Posted: 23 Jul 2013 07:34 AM PDT Scientists have warned that current hunting trends in Central African forests could result in complete ecological collapse.

Populations of grassland butterflies decline almost 50 percent over two decades: European report Posted: 23 Jul 2013 06:54 AM PDT Grassland butterflies have declined dramatically between 1990 and 2011. This has been caused by intensifying agriculture and a failure to properly manage grassland ecosystems, according to a new European report.

Chemicals that break down water contaminants pass safety test Posted: 22 Jul 2013 09:31 AM PDT A family of molecules developed to break down pollutants in water is one step closer to commercial use. Study results show that the molecules, which are aimed at removing hazardous endocrine disruptors from water sources, aren't endocrine disruptors themselves as they proved to be non-toxic to developing zebrafish embryos.

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