Ecosystems

Articles on ecosystems

  1. Animals

    When bees are away, moths come out to pollinate

    Camera footage reveals that moths make roughly a third of the visits to red clover, working under the cover of night.

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  2. Microbes

    This giant bacterium lives up to its name

    The newly discovered Thiomargarita magnifica is about the size of your eyelash and is surprisingly complex.

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  3. Plants

    Catnip’s insect-repelling powers grow as Puss chews on it

    Damaging the leaves boosts the plant’s chemical defenses — and their appeal to cats.

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  4. Animals

    Palm-size marsupials may face extinction from wild ‘house’ cats

    After surviving Australian bushfires, the Kangaroo Island dunnart is losing ground as it's targeted by hungry predators.

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  5. Animals

    ‘Mystery monkey’ could mean its parent’s species may be in trouble

    Changes to monkeys’ habitats — including some forest loss to oil palm plantations — might explain why this animal’s parents mated.

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  6. Plants

    Some redwood leaves make food while others drink water

    The two types of leaves grow at different heights in trees at dry versus wet areas. They may help redwoods adapt to climate change.

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  7. Animals

    Orcas can take down the largest animal on the planet

    For the first time, scientists observed that orcas can kill blue whales by using the same hunting techniques that have worked on other large whales.

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  8. Plants

    More than 9,000 tree species may be waiting to be discovered

    Scientists estimated how many tree species are on Earth, an important step for forest conservation and protecting biodiversity.

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  9. Ecosystems

    Scientists Say: Decay

    This word can refer to rotting flesh or the transformation of radioactive atoms.

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  10. Environment

    Recycling a climate-warming gas could make ‘greener’ farmed fish

    Instead of warming the climate, methane gas can be collected to help farmers. Along the way, it may also save some fish.

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  11. Animals

    Rewilding returns lost species to strengthen ecosystems

    Restoring the missing species can help undo human-caused problems by aiding forests, slowing climate change and reducing wildfires.

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  12. Ecosystems

    Secret forest fungi partner with plants — and help the climate

    Forest fungi are far more than mere mushrooms. They explore. They move nutrients and messages between plants. They can even help fight climate change.

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