How much life has ever existed on Earth?
All organisms are made of living cells. While it is difficult to pinpoint exactly when the first cells came to exist, geologists’ best estimates suggest at least as early as 3.8 …
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Vitamin discovered in rivers may offer hope for salmon suffering from thiamine deficiency disease
Oregon State University researchers have discovered vitamin B1 produced by microbes in rivers, findings that may offer hope for vitamin-deficient salmon populations. The findings were published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, https://phys.org/news/2024 …
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Toxic chemicals found in oil spills, and wildfire smoke detected in British Columbia’s killer whales
Toxic chemicals produced from oil emissions and wildfire smoke have been found in muscle and liver samples from Southern Resident killer whales and Bigg’s killer whales, https://phys.org/news/2023 reports said. A …
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Accelerated warming has pushed northern Great Lakes across important ecological thresholds
#AcceleratedWarming; #NorthernGreatLakes; #EcologicalThresholds A team of researchers from Queen’s University and Environment and Climate Change Canada have shown that accelerated 21st-century warming has triggered a striking shift in algal composition …
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Ontario’s Greenbelt proposed changes matter in Global biodiversity, report says
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government continues to be tied up in a massive scandal over its plans to remove lands from Ontario’s Greenbelt—including the integrity commissioner’s finding that the housing minister broke …
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Research team compares form and function of island and mainland plants
Remote plants representational by Joshua Earle on unsplash Oceanic islands provide useful models for ecology, biogeography and evolutionary research. Many ground-breaking findings—including Darwin’s theory of evolution—have emerged from the study …
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New study warns climate change could push 30% of species to tipping points
According to a recent study published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, climate change could lead to an abrupt increase in the number of species pushed over tipping points. …
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For Canada jays, sibling rivalry can be deadly as winner takes all
In the animal kingdom, sibling conflicts —mostly in the form of competition for food from parents —are fairly common in birds. Sometimes death can occur as a result of this …
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How Vancouver’s geese affect Canada’s river systems
In a bid to control the Canada goose population in the city, the Vancouver Park Board has approved a plan for “lethal removal.” The birds were introduced by humans in …
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Researchers call for Canada to braid Indigenous rights with endangered species laws
Climbing caribou numbers in northeastern British Columbia prove that collaborations between Indigenous and colonial governments can reverse decades-long declines, but focus needs to shift to culturally meaningful recovery targets, a …
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