Ecosystems

  1. Climate

    Fire

    Understanding long-term changes in wildfire patterns challenges scientists from multiple disciplines.

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  2. Ecosystems

    From sea to squid, thanks to slime

    Scientists have revealed new details about the genes — and the goo — that enable luminescent bacteria to colonize their symbiotic marine partner.

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  3. Plants

    Climatic effects of tree-killing hurricanes

    A new analysis suggests storm damage returns millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each year.

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  4. Ecosystems

    Living Physics

    From green leaves to bird brains, biological systems may exploit quantum phenomena.

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  5. Animals

    Swarm Savvy

    How bees, ants and other animals avoid dumb collective decisions

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  6. Ecosystems

    Exxon Valdez: Tidal waters still troubled

    From birds and clams to herring, many species continue to show persistent impacts of an oil spill that occurred two decades ago.

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  7. Ecosystems

    Exxon Valdez killed future for some killer whales

    An Alaskan oil spill disrupted family structure in killer-whale groups, with lasting and dramatic repercussions.

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  8. Humans

    Otters and oil: Problems remain

    The behavior of Alaska's southern sea otters may unwittingly expose them to toxic oil-spill residues.

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  9. Ecosystems

    U.S. bird populations in decline, report says

    Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar releases a review of U.S. bird populations.

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  10. Ecosystems

    Too much intermingling puts native trout in trouble

    Even a small amount of hybridizing may cause problems for the native westslope cutthroat trout.

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  11. Agriculture

    Gut bacteria ally with Bt

    A new study finds that a particular microbe makes caterpillars susceptible to the insecticide.

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  12. Ecosystems

    Fish shrinkage reversible, but better hurry

    In an experiment, scientists show that, although it takes generations, fish can rebound from evolutionary pressures created by selective harvesting, which has pushed some populations to become small and slow-growing.

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