ScienceDaily: Plants & Animals News

Felling of tropical trees has soared, satellite shows, not slowed as UN study found Posted: 25 Feb 2015 12:18 PM PST The rate at which tropical forests were cut, burned or otherwise lost from the 1990s through the 2000s accelerated by 62 percent, according to a new study which dramatically reverses a previous estimate of a 25 percent slowdown over the same period.

How the 'mute' cicada sings Posted: 25 Feb 2015 12:17 PM PST 'Mute' cicadas may use the sound of wing impact to communicate. Most male cicadas use specialized physical mechanisms, like the tymbal and/or the stridulatory organs, to produce loud and diverse sounds for communication. "Mute" cicadas from the genus Karenia do not have any specialized sound-producing structures, but the name is somewhat misleading, as they are still able to produce sounds.

Antifreeze protein from ticks fights frostbite in mice Posted: 25 Feb 2015 12:17 PM PST A protein that protects ticks from freezing temperatures also prevents frostbite when introduced in mice, a new study has found. The research is the first to demonstrate the protein's ability to boost frostbite resistance in an adult mammal.

Plant chemicals may prevent liver damage caused by fat accumulated during menopause Posted: 25 Feb 2015 11:25 AM PST Women going through menopause often struggle with weight gain that results when their estrogen levels drop, and many turn to weight-loss supplements. But those supplements may cause an accumulation of fat in the liver and a potentially life-threatening condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Now researchers have shown in studies of post-menopausal animals that a mix of phytochemicals, along with vitamin D, may help protect the liver against inflammation caused by fat accumulation.

Molecular feedback loop gives clues to how flowers drop their petals Posted: 25 Feb 2015 11:24 AM PST As Valentine's Day fades into the past, you may be noticing a surfeit of petals accumulate around your vase of flowers. A study sheds new light on the process that governs how and when plants shed their petals, a process known as abscission.

Widely used food additives promotes colitis, obesity and metabolic syndrome, shows study of emulsifiers Posted: 25 Feb 2015 10:21 AM PST Emulsifiers, which are added to most processed foods to aid texture and extend shelf life, can alter the gut microbiota composition and localization to induce intestinal inflammation that promotes the development of inflammatory bowel disease and metabolic syndrome, new research shows.

Possible biological trigger for canine bone cancer found Posted: 25 Feb 2015 09:26 AM PST The biological mechanism that may give some cancer cells the ability to form tumors in dogs has been identified by researchers. The recent study uncovered an association between the increased expression of a particular gene in tumor cells and more aggressive behavior in a form of canine bone cancer. It may also have implications for human cancers by detailing a new pathway for tumor formation.

Biology teachers: Understanding faith, teaching evolution not mutually exclusive Posted: 25 Feb 2015 08:44 AM PST Discussing the relationship between science and faith, rather than avoiding the discussion, may better prepare future high school biology teachers for anticipating questions about evolution, according to political scientists.

Could an HIV drug beat strep throat, flesh-eating bacteria? Posted: 25 Feb 2015 08:43 AM PST With antibiotic resistance on the rise, scientists are looking for innovative ways to combat bacterial infections. The pathogen that causes conditions from strep throat to flesh-eating disease is among them, but scientists have now found a tool that could help them fight it: a drug approved to treat HIV. Their work could someday lead to new treatments.

Molecular mouse-trap technique sheds light on key cell processes Posted: 25 Feb 2015 08:43 AM PST Scientists have shed new light on the fundamental biological process of cell division, thanks to an emerging analytical method.

Oat breakfast cereals may contain a common mold-related toxin Posted: 25 Feb 2015 08:43 AM PST Oats are often touted for boosting heart health, but scientists warn that the grain and its products might need closer monitoring for potential mold contamination. They report that some oat-based breakfast cereals in the US contain a mold-related toxin called ochratoxin A that's been linked to kidney cancer in animal studies.

Women twice as likely to see pot as risky Posted: 25 Feb 2015 06:44 AM PST A study on the perceived risk of using cannabis and characteristics associated with these perceptions found that non-white, low-income women over 50 were most likely to perceive a risk in using the drug. Least likely were those 12 to 25, with a high school diploma or more, and family income above $75,000. The study is the first to describe changes across time in perceived risk of regular cannabis use among those 12 years and older.

Uncertainties must be taken into account in fisheries stock assessment Posted: 25 Feb 2015 06:41 AM PST Fisheries stock assessment provides information on the status of fish stocks and the impact of fishing on stock development. Since no direct information on fish stock size or fishing mortality rates is available, any conclusions are based on indirect information and the combination of various information sources. By applying new mathematical methods, the uncertainties related to fisheries stock assessment can be taken into account, thus providing more reliable assessments to support decision-making.

Being better problem solvers helps mountain chickadees survive at higher altitudes Posted: 25 Feb 2015 06:41 AM PST Being better problem solvers helps mountain chickadees survive at higher altitudes. Living on harsh, unforgiving icy mountains can make one mentally sharper, and this applies to birds as well. That's what biologists learned after finding that mountain chickadees that live at higher altitudes are better problem solvers than birds of this species hailing from lower regions.

Norway rats reciprocate help according to the quality of the help they received Posted: 25 Feb 2015 05:27 AM PST Non-human animals consider the value of previously received help when deciding whether to help a social partner, according to a new study in rats. Until now, it was unclear whether animals other than humans would consider the the value of a help received (independent of other parameters such as the partner’s identity or effort taken) when deciding how to reciprocate.

Easy on the eyes: Optimum length of eyelashes is one third width of eye Posted: 24 Feb 2015 04:27 PM PST A new study finds that the optimal eyelash length is one-third the width of the eye for humans and 21 other mammals. Anything shorter or longer increases airflow around the eye and leads to more dust hitting the surface.

Crocodiles rocked pre-Amazonian Peru: Seven crocodile species found in single 13-million-year-old bone bed Posted: 24 Feb 2015 04:27 PM PST Thirteen million years ago, as many as seven different species of crocodiles hunted in the swampy waters of what is now northeastern Peru, new research shows. This hyperdiverse assemblage, revealed through more than a decade of work in Amazon bone beds, contains the largest number of crocodile species co-existing in one place at any time in Earth's history, likely due to a food source that forms a small part of modern crocodile diets: mollusks.