Ecosystems
Articles on ecosystems
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Oceans
New tools aim to better predict blooms of toxic algae
Scientists across the United States are developing programs that can predict when blooms of toxic algal may occur.
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Ecosystems
Surprise! Fire can help some forests keep more of their water
In California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, a century of fire suppression has led to forests with too many trees. But areas thinned by fire now show one benefit: more water.
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Animals
Deep-sea expedition led researchers to doomed octopus nursery
The ill-fated octopods may be a sign that a healthy population is hiding nearby.
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Ecosystems
A robotic fish could help mangroves grow
Reforested mangroves don’t always grow well. To figure out why, two teens built a robotic mudskipper to measure the mud.
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Environment
‘Boot camp’ teaches rare animals how to go wild
Animals raised in captivity cannot safely re-enter the wilds without first understanding how to find food and avoid becoming a predator’s lunch. Scientists are helping some species learn this.
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Oceans
Small swimmers may play huge role in churning the seas
Hoards of migrating shrimp and krill can cause large-scale water movements in the ocean, a new study suggests.
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Plants
Scientists Say: Invasive species
These are foreign species that are causing problems for native organisms and ecosystems.
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Ecosystems
Exploring the mysteries of Cuba’s coral reefs
Researchers are studying the mysterious lives of creatures in and near Cuba’s coral reefs. What they learn could help protect ocean life globally.
By Bryn Nelson -
Ecosystems
Migrating crabs take their eggs to the sea
Cuba’s colorful land crabs connect swamp and sea with their yearly mass migrations. Protecting their routes can help other animals too.
By Bryn Nelson -
Genetics
Can DNA editing save endangered species?
Scientists may be able to help endangered species by changing the genes of a whole population of wild animals. But some question whether that is wise.
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Plants
Blooms on ‘chocolate’ tree are crazy-hard to pollinate
The cacao trees must be pollinated or those seeds that give us chocolate will never form. The rub: The trees’ flowers challenge all but some of the tiniest pollen-moving insects.
By Susan Milius -
Ecosystems
Here’s why scientists have been fertilizing the Arctic
For more than 30 years, scientists have been fertilizing small parcels of Arctic tundra. Here’s what happens when you push an ecosystem to the brink.