Ecosystems

Animals

Whales get a second life as deep-sea buffets

When a whale dies and sinks to the seafloor, it becomes a feast for hundreds of different types of creatures.

Ecosystems

Scientists Say: Desert

Deserts are ecosystems that get less than 250 millimeters (10 inches) of precipitation per year.

Animals

A wasp nibbled a baby bird for breakfast

Scientists found an injured baby bird in a nest they were studying. The culprit wasn’t another bird or a reptile. It was a wasp.

Ecosystems

Soggy coastal soils? Here’s why ecologists love them

Coastal wetlands can protect our shores from erosion, flooding and rising sea levels.

Plants

‘Vampire’ parasite challenges the definition of a plant

Langsdorffia are stripped down to their essentials. Lacking green leaves for photosynthesis, they steal energy and nutrients from other plants.

Animals

Are coyotes moving into your neighborhood?

How do coyotes survive in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago? Researchers and citizen scientists are working together to find answers.

Environment

Busy beavers may be speeding thaw of Arctic permafrost

As climate change continues, busy beavers are expanding their range in Alaska. Their dams could further speed the loss of permafrost there and promote local warming.

Ecosystems

Scientists Say: Deforestation

Trees slurp up carbon dioxide and help keep our planet cool. But deforestation cuts those trees down in large numbers.

Earth

On an Alaskan glacier, little green moss balls roll in herds

Oval balls of moss, nicknamed ‘glacier mice,’ roll across some glaciers. A new study explores the mysteries behind their herd-like motion.

Ecosystems

Let’s learn about coral reefs

Coral reefs are home to many important species. But climate change is stressing corals to the max.

Ecosystems

Pooping ducks can shed the live eggs of fish

Some carp eggs survived and even hatched after being pooped by a duck. This may help explain how invasive fish reach isolated waterways.

Ecosystems

Scientists Say: Prairie

Prairies are flat, fertile grasslands in North America. They are their own unique ecosystem.