Ecosystems

  1. Animals

    Seabirds use preening to decide how to divvy up parenting duties

    Seabirds in poor condition may communicate this information to their partner by delaying or withholding preening.

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  2. Climate

    Lakes worldwide feel the heat from climate change

    Lakes worldwide are warming with consequences for every part of the food web, from algae, to walleye, to freshwater seals.

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  3. Ecosystems

    Hawk moths convert nectar into antioxidants

    Hawk moths use their sugary diet to make antioxidants that protect their muscles.

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  4. Animals

    New worm-snail is a super slimer

    New worm-snail species shoots snot to snag a snack.

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  5. Ecosystems

    Volcanic eruptions nearly snuffed out Gentoo penguin colony

    Penguin poop dumps data on how a Gentoo colony responded to ancient volcanic eruptions.

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  6. Ecosystems

    Volcanic eruptions nearly snuffed out Gentoo penguin colony

    Penguin poop dumps data on how a Gentoo colony responded to ancient volcanic eruptions.

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  7. Climate

    The Great Barrier Reef is experiencing a major coral bleaching event right now

    A second coral bleaching event has struck the Great Barrier Reef in 12 months, new observations reveal, raising concerns about the natural wonder’s future.

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  8. Animals

    First fluorescent frogs might see each others’ glow

    A polka dot frog, the first known fluorescent amphibian, may get a visibility boost in twilight and moonlight.

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  9. Oceans

    Thinning ice creates undersea Arctic greenhouses

    Arctic sea ice thinned by climate change increasingly produces conditions favorable for phytoplankton blooms in the waters below, new research suggests.

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  10. Animals

    Tool use in sea otters doesn’t run in the family

    A genetic study suggests that tool-use behavior isn’t hereditary in sea otters, and that only some animals need to use tools due to the type of food available in their ecosystem.

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  11. Ecosystems

    A king snake’s strength is in its squeeze

    King snakes feast on other, larger snakes, perhaps thanks to superior constricting abilities, new research suggests.

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  12. Animals

    How one enslaving wasp eats through another

    A wasp that forces oaks to grow a gall gets tricked into digging an escape tunnel for its killers.

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