Invasive Species News

How the zebra got its stripes

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:17 GMT

Horseflies are unpleasant insects that deliver powerful bites and now it seems that zebras evolved their stripes to avoid attracting the unpleasant pests. New research show that zebras have the least attractive hides for horseflies.

Continental mosquito with 'vector' potential found breeding in UK after 60 year absence

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:02 GMT

A species of mosquito has been discovered breeding in the UK that has not been seen in the country since 1945. Populations of the mosquito, found across mainland Europe and known only by its Latin name Culex modestus, were recorded at a number of sites in the marshes of north Kent and south Essex in 2010 and 2011.

Invasive alien predator causes rapid declines of European ladybugs

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:42 GMT

A new study provides compelling evidence that the arrival of the invasive non-native harlequin ladybird (ladybug) to mainland Europe and subsequent spread has led to a rapid decline in historically-widespread species of ladybird in Britain, Belgium and Switzerland. The analysis is further evidence that harlequin ladybirds are displacing some native ladybirds, most probably through predation and competition.

New species of bamboo-feeding plant lice found in Costa Rica

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:26 GMT

Several periods of field work during 2008 have led to the discovery of a new species of bamboo-feeding plant lice in Costa Rica's high-altitude region Cerro de la Muerte. The discovery was made thanks to molecular data analysis of mitochondrial DNA. The collected records have also increased the overall knowledge of plant lice (one of the most dangerous agricultural pests worldwide) from the region with more that 20 percent.

Treasure trove of wildlife found in Peru park

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:08 GMT

The Wildlife Conservation Society's (WCS) Peru program recently announced the discovery of 365 species previously undocumented in Bahuaja Sonene National Park in southeastern Peru.

Yellow-cedar are dying in Alaska: Scientists now know why

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:12 GMT

Yellow-cedar, a culturally and economically valuable tree in southeastern Alaska and adjacent parts of British Columbia, has been dying off across large expanses of these areas for the past 100 years. But no one could say why -- until now.

Severe declines in Everglades mammals linked to invasive pythons, researchers find

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:52 GMT

New research links precipitous declines in formerly common mammals in Everglades National Park to the presence of invasive Burmese pythons.

Severe python damage to Florida's native Everglades animals documented in new study

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:32 GMT

Precipitous declines in formerly common mammals in Everglades National Park in Florida have been linked to the presence of invasive Burmese pythons, according to new research. The study, the first to document the ecological impacts of this invasive species, strongly supports that animal communities in the 1.5-million-acre park have been markedly altered by the introduction of pythons within 11 years of their establishment as an invasive species. Mid-sized mammals are the most dramatically affected, but some Everglades pythons are as large as 16 feet long, and their prey have included animals as large as deer and alligators.

What do killer whales eat in the Arctic?

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:28 GMT

Killer whales are the top marine predator. The increase in hunting territories available to killer whales in the Arctic due to climate change and melting sea ice could seriously affect the marine ecosystem balance. New research has combined scientific observations with Canadian Inuit traditional knowledge to determine killer whale behavior and diet in the Arctic.

Jostling for position: Competition at the root of diversity in rainforests

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:29 GMT

Another attractive theory falls foul of the facts. A census of trees in rainforests on three continents has confirmed that competition plays a central role in structuring communities. This contradicts the so-called neutral theory in ecology, which views random fluctuations as the decisive factor.

Fungi-filled forests are critical for endangered orchids

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:23 GMT

When it comes to conserving the world's orchids, not all forests are equal. Ecologists revealed that an orchid's fate hinges on two factors: A forest's age and its fungi.

Rare Miller's grizzled langur rediscovered in Borneo

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:30 GMT

Scientists have found one of the rarest and least known primates in Borneo, Miller's Grizzled Langur, a species which was believed to be extinct or on the verge of extinction. The findings confirms the continued existence of this endangered monkey and reveals that it lives in an area where it was previously not known to exist.

Native forest birds in Hawaii in unprecedented trouble

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:32 GMT

Native birds at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge are in unprecedented trouble, according to a new article.

Climate change invites alien invaders: Is Canada ready?

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:20 GMT

A comprehensive multi-disciplinary synthesis reveals the urgent need for further investigation and policy development to address significant environmental, social and economic impacts of invasive alien species and climate change.

Extremely rare turtle is released into the wild

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:17 GMT

Biologists have successfully released a Southern River terrapin (Batagur affinis) – one of the most endangered turtles on Earth – into the Sre Ambel River in Cambodia.

Arctic plants face an uncertain future

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:37 GMT

New research shows that a warmer climate will have quite different consequences for plant species in the Arctic. While most species are expected to lose part of their current habitat, the genetic consequences will differ markedly among species. The research results will have major impact on future conservation efforts.

World's smallest vertebrate: Tiny frogs discovered in New Guinea

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:33 GMT

Biologists just discovered two new species of frogs in New Guinea, one of which is now the world's tiniest known vertebrate, averaging only 7.7 millimeters in size -- less than one-third of an inch. It ousts Paedocypris progenetica, an Indonesian fish averaging more than 8 millimeters, from the record.

New hope to save hemlock trees from attack

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:17 GMT

Thousands of broken trees line the banks of the Chattooga River. The dead gray stabs were once evergreen monsters offering shade to trout and picturesque views to visitors. These Eastern hemlocks are dying rapidly, and researchers are working to save them.

Novel anti-viral immune pathway discovered in mosquito

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:45 GMT

Virginia Tech researchers have identified a novel anti-viral pathway in the immune system of culicine mosquitoes, the insect family to which mosquitoes that spread yellow fever, West Nile fever, dengue fever, and chikungunya fever belong.

New 'horned' snake species discovered

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:59 GMT

Biologists have announced the discovery of a spectacularly colored snake from a remote area of Tanzania in East Africa.

New primate species discovered on Madagascar

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 09:12 GMT

Biologists have discovered a new primate species in the Sahafina Forest in eastern Madagascar, a forest that has not been studied before. The name of the new species is Gerp's mouse lemur (Microcebus gerpi).

A new wild ginger discovered from the evergreen forest of Western Ghats of South India

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:05 GMT

Recent explorations in the evergreen forest of western Ghats resulted in the discovery of a new wild relative of the large cardamom from South India.

Ecologists call for screening imported plants to prevent a new wave of invasive species

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:37 GMT

A recent analysis suggests that climate change predicted for the United States will boost demand for imported drought- and heat-tolerant landscaping plants from Africa and the Middle East. This greatly increases the risk that a new wave of invasives will overrun native ecosystems in the way kudzu, Oriental bittersweet and purple loosestrife have in the past, members of the international team say.

Salt water alone unlikely to halt Burmese python invasion

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:37 GMT

Invasive Burmese python hatchlings from the Florida Everglades can withstand exposure to salt water long enough to potentially expand their range through ocean and estuarine environments.

The Bechstein's bat, more Mediterranean than thought

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:17 GMT

The Bechstein's bat or Myotis bechsteinii lives in deciduous forests. It used to be very common in the Holocene era, but today there are only a few dispersed groups, despite the fact that a colony can be found almost anywhere in Europe. It has been rendered vulnerable by human interference and forest destruction. And this has even led to confusion about its origin.

New quantitative method enables researchers to assess environmental risks posed by non-native species

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 03:30 GMT

The Harlequin ladybeetle, Japanese knotweed and the American lobster -- while this trio of creatures may have friendly sounding names, they are all introduced species in Norway, and may be anything but friendly to the Norwegian environment. But determining exactly how damaging introduced species may be in their new environment has always been something of a challenge for biologists and land managers -- until now.

Bacteria's move from sea to land may have occurred much later than thought

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:50 GMT

A new analysis indicates the shift of soil bacteria Azospirillum may have occurred only 400 million years ago, rather than approximately two billion years earlier as originally thought.

Forest health versus global warming: Fuel reduction likely to increase carbon emissions

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 07:39 GMT

Forest thinning to help prevent or reduce severe wildfire will release more carbon to the atmosphere than any amount saved by successful fire prevention. There may be valid reasons to thin forests – such as restoration of forest structure or health, wildlife enhancement or public safety – but increased carbon sequestration is not one of them.

Climate change may bring big ecosystem shifts, NASA says

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 16:13 GMT

By 2100, global climate change will modify plant communities covering almost half of Earth's land surface and will drive the conversion of nearly 40 percent of land-based ecosystems from one major ecological community type -- such as forest, grassland or tundra -- toward another, according to a new NASA and university computer modeling study.

Scientists examine toxicity of medicinal plants in Peru

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:15 GMT

Many developing countries rely on traditional medicine as an accessible and affordable treatment option for human maladies. However, until now, scientific data has not existed to evaluate the potential toxicity of medicinal plant species in Peru. Scientists are now using brine shrimp to determine the toxicity of 341 Northern Peruvian plant species commonly ingested in traditional medicine.