ScienceDaily: Plants & Animals News

Habitat degradation, climate shifts impact survival of the white-collared manakin Posted: 06 Mar 2015 03:17 PM PST To better understand the interacting effects of habitat degradation and climate on bird populations, researchers spent 12 years studying the white-collared manakin, a fruit-eating tropical bird, in mature and young forests along the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.

Is the tasty blue crab's natural range creeping north? Posted: 06 Mar 2015 03:17 PM PST Scientists have observed the Atlantic (or Chesapeake) blue crab, a commercially important species, moving north of its native range into the Gulf of Maine.

Tiger dad: Rare family portrait of amur tigers the first-ever to include an adult male Posted: 06 Mar 2015 11:35 AM PST Biologists have released a camera trap slideshow of a family of Amur tigers in the wild showing an adult male with family. Shown following the “tiger dad” along the Russian forest is an adult female and three cubs. Scientists note this is a first in terms of photographing this behavior, as adult male tigers are usually solitary. Also included was a photo composite of a series of images showing the entire family as they walked past the a camera trap over a period of two minutes.

Miscanthus-based ethanol boasts bigger environmental benefits, higher profits Posted: 04 Mar 2015 04:00 PM PST A recent study simulated a side-by-side comparison of the yields and costs of producing ethanol using miscanthus, switchgrass, and corn residue. The fast-growing energy grass miscanthus was the clear winner. Models predict that miscanthus will have higher yield and profit, particularly when grown in poor-quality soil. It also outperformed corn residue and switchgrass in its ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.