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UrduThe multidisciplinary team created a virtual simulation of the devastation that a Category 5 hurricane and sea level rise could have on West Palm Beach. The simulation, produced with 3D technology, reveals the destruction that could occur in Osprey Park and the surrounding communities, highlighting the threat to the coastline and potential solutions for coastal areas.
Tag: Adaptation
Tracking a New Path to Octopus and Squid Sensing Capabilities
Research led by UC San Diego and Harvard has traced the evolutionary adaptations of octopus and squid sensing capabilities. The researchers describe for the first time the structure of an octopus chemotactile receptor, which octopus arms use for taste-by-touch exploration of the seafloor.
Reliance on moose as prey led to rare coyote attack on human
Coyotes that fatally attacked a Canadian woman in 2009 were forced to rely on moose instead of smaller mammals for the bulk of their diet, and as a result of adapting to that unusually large food source, perceived a lone hiker as potential prey, a new study finds.
Diaphragm Muscle Fiber Mitochondria Adapt to Varying Levels of Activity
Article title: Mitochondrial adaptations to inactivity in diaphragm muscle fibers Authors: Alyssa D. Brown, Matthew J. Fogarty, Leah A. Davis, Debanjali Dasgupta, Carlos B. Mantilla, Gary C. Sieck From the authors: “Type I and IIa [diaphragm muscle] fibers were far…
More Genome Copies in Switchgrass Linked to More Climate Flexibility and Adaptation
Roughly half of all flowering plants are polyploid, meaning that they have more than two sets of chromosomes. Scientists believe polyploidy drives adaptation by giving organisms more genetic diversity. This research compared tetraploid (four copies) and octoploid (eight copies) varieties of switchgrass, and found that octoploid switchgrasses are generalists, able to tolerate a broad range of environmental conditions and expand their range into new areas.
Brains and brawn helped crows and ravens take over the world
Crows and ravens are well known for their black color and the harsh “caw” sound they make. They are intelligent birds that use tools, solve complex abstract problems and speak a volume of words. But what is less well appreciated is how diverse they are. Their diversity is accompanied by their ability to live all over the world in a variety of habitats.
The history of insects living on the open ocean tracked with the history of the currents they ride
The open oceans are harsh and hostile environments where insects might not be expected to thrive. In fact, only one insect group, ocean skaters, or water striders, has adapted to life on the open seas.
How these insects evolved to conquer the high seas, however, was not known.
Now, a study of the genetics of skaters by scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego provides a clue. The answer has to do with when major currents in the eastern Pacific Ocean came into existence with each species of skater evolving to match the unique conditions of those currents.
In the Absence of Genetic Variation, Asexual Invasive Species Find New Methods of Adapting to Their Environment
Research from Wellesley College shows that despite being a clonal insect species, weevils use gene regulation to adapt to new food sources and pass down epigenetic changes to future generations.
Male dragonflies lose their ‘bling’ in hotter climates
A study led by Michael Moore at Washington University in St. Louis finds that dragonfly males have consistently evolved less breeding coloration in regions with hotter climates. The work reveals that mating-related traits can be just as important to how organisms adapt to their climates as survival-related traits.
Study Confirms Origin of Vervet Monkeys Living Near an Urban Airport for Decades
Scientists have confirmed the species and origin of a colony of wild African vervet monkeys that landed in Dania Beach more than 70 years ago. They escaped from the Dania Chimpanzee Farm in 1948 and settled in a thick mangrove forest near the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in South Florida. The facility acted as a zoo and also provided primates imported from Africa as research subjects in the development of the polio vaccine and other medical research.
Happy childhood? That’s no guarantee for good mental health
It’s well understood that a difficult childhood can increase the likelihood of mental illness, but according to new research from the University of South Australia, a happy and secure childhood does not always protect a child from developing a mental illness later in life.
Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss Addressing Climate Change, Environmental Protection in 2021
New Brunswick, N.J. (Jan. 12, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick professors Robert E. Kopp and Pamela McElwee are available for interviews on how President-elect Joe Biden and his incoming administration could strengthen efforts to address climate change and protect the environment. Kopp, a professor in…
Big Differences in How Coral Reef Fish Larvae are Dispersed
How the larvae of colorful clownfish that live among coral reefs in the Philippines are dispersed varies widely, depending on the year and seasons – a Rutgers-led finding that could help scientists improve conservation of species. Right after most coral reef fish hatch, they join a swirling sea of plankton as tiny, transparent larvae. Then currents, winds and waves disperse them, frequently to different reefs.
COVID-19 Pandemic had Big Impact on Commercial Fishing in Northeast
With restaurants and supply chains disrupted due to the global coronavirus pandemic, two-fifths of commercial fishermen surveyed from Maine through North Carolina did not go fishing earlier this year, according to a Rutgers study that also documented their resilience and adaptation. Of those who kept fishing, nearly all reported a decline in income compared with previous years, according to the survey of 258 fishers in the Northeast published in the journal PLOS ONE.
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Vietnam’s Vulnerability to Floods
New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 23, 2020) – Rutgers Professor Pamela McElwee, an expert on Vietnam environmental issues, is available for interviews on the devastating flooding in that country this month and the flood threat posed by Typhoon Saudel. McElwee, who has done research…
Rutgers Expert Can Discuss 10 Ways to Adapt to Coastal Flooding
New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 14, 2020) – Rutgers coastal expert Vanessa Dornisch is available for interviews on 10 steps residents can take to prepare for sea-level rise and adapt to increased coastal flooding. Dornisch, coastal training program coordinator at the…
Rutgers Expert Can Discuss Global Climate Change Mortality Study
New Brunswick, N.J. (Aug. 3, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Robert E. Kopp is available to discuss a major study released today on the global consequences of climate change on death rates. The study by the Climate Impact Lab,…
Texas Tech Evolutionary Biologists Look to Bats for Solution to COVID-19
With a one-year National Science Foundation grant, David Ray and Diana Moreno Santillán are investigating how bats adapted to the virus.
UW researchers to study resilience, well-being among King County residents during pandemic
University of Washington researchers have launched the King County COVID-19 Community Study — or KC3S — to gather data through April 19 on how individuals and communities throughout King County are coping with the measures put in place to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Sea-Level Research Must Change So Communities Can Better Plan for the Future
New Brunswick, N.J. (Dec. 4, 2019) – With sea-level rise threatening hundreds of millions of people, researchers must do a better job engaging communities and other stakeholders so they can make the best-informed decisions on how to adapt in the…
Red Algae Thrive Despite Ancestor’s Massive Loss of Genes
You’d think that losing 25 percent of your genes would be a big problem for survival. But not for red algae, including the seaweed used to wrap sushi. An ancestor of red algae lost about a quarter of its genes roughly one billion years ago, but the algae still became dominant in near-shore coastal areas around the world, according to Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Debashish Bhattacharya, who co-authored a study in the journal Nature Communications.
Brave new world: Simple changes in intensity of weather events “could be lethal”
Hurricane Dorian is the latest example of a frightening trend. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, more severe and more widespread as a consequence of climate change. New research from Washington University in St. Louis provides important new insights into how different species may fare under this new normal. Faced with unprecedented change, animals and plants are scrambling to catch up — with mixed results.
Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss U.N. Report on Climate Change, Oceans
New Brunswick, N.J. (Sept. 25, 2019) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Malin Pinsky and Rutgers coastal expert Lisa Auermuller are available to comment on a new United Nations report on climate change and ocean, coastal, polar and mountain ecosystems. More than…
Mosquitoes push northern limits with time-capsule eggs to survive winters
Invasive mosquitoes at the northern limit of their current range are surviving conditions that are colder than those in their native territory. This new evidence of rapid local adaptation could have implications for efforts to control the spread of this invasive species.