Environmental News Agency

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Published online: 13 January 2022; doi:10.1038/s41559-021-01638-2The evolutionary relationship between mitochondria and their closest bacterial relatives remains uncertain. Applying a new model of protein evolution to an extended dataset, the authors reconstruct the phylogenetic position of the mitochondria as sister to the Alphaproteobacteria.

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Published online: 13 January 2022; doi:10.1038/s41559-021-01642-6The extent to which excess carbon dioxide causes a ‘fertilization effect’ varies across biomes and as a function of water supply, finds a study examining data from 14 CO2 experimental sites.

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Published online: 13 January 2022; doi:10.1038/s41559-021-01644-4Using 32 ecological networks (host–parasite, plant–pollinator, plant–herbivore and other food webs), the authors show that several network properties scale with the size of the sampling area, suggesting a new type of biodiversity–area relationship.

The discovery of African swine fever in northern Italy has Italian pork producers fearing significant economic damage to a major agricultural export and has forced curtailing of the official seasons to hunt for game and to gather prized truffles.

Wildlife rehabilitators are decontaminating dozens of alligators, brushing their pointy teeth and scrubbing their scaly hides in the weeks after a pipeline rupture dumped 300,000 gallons (1.1 million liters) of diesel fuel into a New Orleans area wetland.

Mexican authorities breathed a sigh of relief Friday when experts determined that a die-off of pigs in December at a local slaughterhouse was due to salmonella and Pasteurellosis, a commonly occurring infection, and not African swine fever.

Ecuador created a massive new marine reserve Friday north of its Galapagos islands, forming a Pacific corridor up to Costa Rica's Cocos Island National Park to preserve species of migratory fauna, such as sharks.

An attempt to feed starving manatees appears to have failed so far, as the big marine mammals refuse to recognize floating lettuce as food.

A Dutch environmental group that successfully took Shell to court has sent a letter to 30 businesses, including BP and Uniper, calling on them to step up climate plan efforts.

Danish shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk has moved its target to become a net-zero business forward 10 years, pledging to align with the advice of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and reach net-zero by 2040.

The emissions of five major economies over a 40-year period look set to double the number of nations that will experience "extreme hot years", new research warns.

Fiat-owned car manufacturer Chrysler has unveiled a vision to introduce its first battery electric vehicle (EV) in the next three years, as part of a wider commitment to launch a full EV portfolio by 2028.

Energy firm Siccar Point has said it will put plans for the controversial Cambo oil field development, which has faced mounting calls from green groups and ministers to be scrapped, "on pause".

Our planet is home to an incredible array of species; however, relatively few studies have compared how anthropogenic threats impact taxonomic groups over time. Our objective was to identify temporal trends in threats facing the four most speciose phyla protected by the United States Endangered Species Act: angiosperms, arthropods, chordates, and mollusks. We determined presence or absence of threats for each species in these phyla by reviewing Final Rule listing decisions. For each phylum, we evaluated whether there was a linear, quadratic, or pseudo-threshold association between year of listing and the presence […]

In Scotland, large deer populations are associated with negative ecological and socioeconomic impacts, such as damage to peatlands and forests, agricultural and commercial forestry losses, Lyme disease transmission, and road accidents. Increasing the annual deer cull might help address these negative impacts, but could be ethically controversial. A stratified sample of adults living in Scotland (n = 1,002) responded to our online questionnaire measuring perceptions of deer management, including the acceptability of increasing the deer cull if doing so would help achieve a variety of ecological and social objectives. Overall, respondents indicated […]

Protected Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) aggregate at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River and prey upon multiple species of endangered salmon ascending the river. Hazing is a non-lethal activity designed to repel sea lions that includes aversive auditory and physical stimuli to deter animals from an area and has been employed with sea lion—fisheries interactions for more than 40 years but sea lion responses to hazing through time is not well-documented. We observed the behavior of Steller sea lions in periods with and without hazing during two spring Chinook salmon passage […]

Conservation translocations, which involve the intentional movement and release of organisms for conservation benefit, are increasingly required to recover species of conservation concern. In order to maximize post-release survival, and to accomplish conservation translocation objectives, animals must exhibit behaviors that facilitate survival in the wild. The Vancouver Island marmot (Marmota vancouverensis) is a critically endangered endemic in Canada which has been captive-bred for 24 years for reintroductions and reinforcements that have increased the wild population from ~30 to more than 200 individuals. Despite this success many marmots are killed by predators after […]

The unsustainable use of ecosystems by human societies has put global biodiversity in peril. Bees are, in this context, a popular example of a highly diversified group of pollinators whose collapse is a major concern given the invaluable ecosystem services they provide. Amongst them, bumblebees (Bombus) have increasingly drawn the attention of scientists due to their dramatic population declines globally. This regression has converted them into popular conservation entities, making them the second most studied group of bees worldwide. However, in addition to have become relevant models in the fields of ecology, […]

The woolly wolf Canis lupus chanco is increasingly being accepted as a unique taxon that needs immediate protection and management; however, information on its ecology remains limited across its range. We used camera trapping data set of 4 years (2015–2019) to investigate seasonal activity patterns and space use and assessed woolly wolf food habits in the Gangotri National Park, western Himalaya, India. We used generalized linear mixed models to assess the distribution of the wolf about prey, seasonal livestock grazing, human presence, habitat, and seasons. We observed a positive association with elevation […]

Bird counting inevitably suffers from imperfect detection, which varies across species, habitats, period of the day, and seasons. Although various modeling techniques have recently been developed to account for this phenomenon, the biological basis of natural variation in detection remains insufficiently known. This study examined the bird species’ detection rate throughout the day, considering their body mass and diet type, concerning the environment and weather characteristics. Species detection rates were significantly affected by the number of individuals of that species but were unrelated to body mass. Overall, species with the highest detection […]

Kin recognition, manifesting through various traits such as changes in root or shoot growth, has been documented in several species of plants. Identifying this phenomenon in plants has intrinsic value itself, understanding why plants recognize kin and how it might benefit them evolutionarily has been of recent interest. Here we explore studies regarding nutrient and resource allocation in regard to kin recognition as well as discuss how kin recognition is involved in multispecies interactions with an emphasis on how plant roots are involved in these processes. Future directions of this research are […]

Human recreational activities increase worldwide in space and frequency leading to higher rates of encounter between humans and wild animals. Because wildlife often perceive humans as predators, this increase in human disturbance may have negative consequences for the individuals and also for the viability of populations. Up to now, experiments on the effects of human disturbance on wildlife have mainly focused on individual behavioral and stress-physiological reactions, on breeding success, and on survival. However, the effects on other physiological parameters and trans-generational effects remain poorly understood. We used a low-intensity experimental disturbance […]

Trait-based analyses provide powerful tools for developing a generalizable, physiologically grounded understanding of how forest communities are responding to ongoing environmental changes. Key challenges lie in (1) selecting traits that best characterize the ecological performance of species in the community and (2) determining the degree and importance of intraspecific variability in those traits. Recent studies suggest that globally evident trait correlations (trait dimensions), such as the leaf economic spectrum, may be weak or absent at local scales. Moreover, trait-based analyses that utilize a mean value to represent a species may be misleading. […]

Australia has a comprehensive plant biosecurity system, with the Australian Government responsible for pre-border (e.g., off-shore compliance) and border (e.g., import inspections) activities, while state governments undertake a variety of post-border activities (e.g., post-border surveillance, management of pest incursions, and regulation of pests) designed to reduce alien pest and pathogen arrival and establishment. Once an alien pest or pathogen has established and spread, its management becomes the responsibility of the land manager. There has been a growing understanding among plant industries of the need to be more engaged in post-border biosecurity activities, […]

World conservation discourse concentrates on forests of high naturalness, which are variously termed intact forest landscapes, primary forests, pristine forests, and wilderness. In this essay, we bring Amazonian Indigenous perspectives to this discussion, both because Amazonian Indigenous Peoples have the right to be in the discussion and because they have a lot to teach us about naturalness. It is essential to understand that Indigenous ontologies do not distinguish culture from nature, since all beings, humans and non-humans, are part of a network of social-ecological interactions. Hence, forests are not natural, but the […]

Glycaspis brimblecombei is an invasive insect pest of Eucalyptus that has spread rapidly around the world since its first report in California in 1998. The pest now occurs on at least four continents where Eucalyptus is grown as a non-native plantation species. To characterize global routes of invasion for this insect, we characterized the sequences of a portion of the Cytochrome Oxidase 1 (COI) gene from 105 individuals from the invasive and native range, including from Australia, Brazil, Chile, La Réunion, Mauritius, South Africa and the United States. In addition, we developed […]

Biodiversity can be quantified by taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity. Current evidence points to a lack of congruence between the spatial distribution of these facets due to evolutionary and ecological constraints. A lack of congruence is especially evident between phylogenetic and taxonomic diversity since the name and number of species are an artificial, yet commonly used, way to measure biodiversity. Here we hypothesize that due to evolutionary constraints that link phylogenetic and functional diversity, areas with higher phylogenetic and functional diversity will be spatially congruent in Neotropical cocosoid palms, but neither will […]

This study aimed to analyze the relationship between circular business model innovation and business performance in Brazilian industrial chemical companies. This is a quantitative study carried out through a survey with Brazilian industrial companies. Based on a homogeneity analysis (Homals), the results showed that the high degree of innovation in business models from the adoption of circular economy (CE) strategies in the analyzed companies confirms that a significant change leads to superior performance, especially in market, production, economic and financial, and social.

The merit order effect (MOE), which renewable energy sources can decrease wholesale electricity prices, plays an important role in establishing low-carbon societies. After the liberalization of the electricity market, the trade volume of the Japan Electric Power Exchange (JEPX) day-ahead spot market drastically increased between 2016 and 2019; however, price spikes still occur often. Ordinary least squares and quantile regression analyses were applied in this study to investigate how wind and solar photovoltaics (PV) energy generation affect the JEPX day-ahead spot price by time, price range, and area, and we concluded that […]

This research project aims to evaluate the potential reduction of environmental impacts from circular economy strategies on an industrial sector at a regional scale with a case study on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Quebec's steel industry and its value chain. To do so, an integrated model has been created based on the matrix approach, building on material flow analysis (MFA) tracking flows and stocks and on life cycle assessment (LCA) to compute direct (from the activity, e.g., combustion process) and indirect (from the supply chain, e.g., production of raw material inside […]

In an economic paradigm where companies think that more is better and resources are considered infinite, waste, pollution, and environmental degradation are often the result. This can, in turn, be addressed by companies focusing on offerings that are both effective and resource efficient. However, this type of offerings can be more uncertain and complex due to multiple factors such as multiple actors and conflicting objectives taking place at once. Dedicated design support for the relatively new offerings will be helpful for designers in industry. Large and small companies could benefit from the […]

Embarking on the World Cup journey with circular collaborative strategies can positively impact the environment and socioeconomic outcomes to prosper development at the center of sustainability. World Cup mega-events are set with overriding priorities in cutting down environmental footprints to accelerate sustainable development across the Fédération Internationale de Football Association movement to leave an enduring legacy post-event in global sports. This paper conducts the first of its kind comprehensive critical analysis on ecological quality in life cycle impact assessment for 2022 Fédération Internationale de Football Association World Cup modular container stadiums in […]

This Human Rights Day we stand at a pivotal moment: the opportunity to recognise the right to a healthy environment as a universal human right, one that every person, everywhere is entitled to. Following widespread calls, reiterated at the IUCN Congress, the UN Human Rights Council voted resoundingly to recognise the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment in October 2021. UN Member States should now support universal recognition of this right at the UN General Assembly, and reflect this right in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and other environmental policy; […]

This Human Rights Day we stand at a pivotal moment: the opportunity to recognise the right to a healthy environment as a universal human right, one that every person, everywhere is entitled to. Following widespread calls, reiterated at the IUCN Congress, the UN Human Rights Council voted resoundingly to recognise the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment in October 2021. UN Member States should now support universal recognition of this right at the UN General Assembly, and reflect this right in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and other environmental policy; […]

Today, more than a fifth of the Amazon is severely degraded and the entire ecosystem is at the tipping point of collapse. The impacts of this destruction fall hardest on the indigenous peoples and local communities who have lived in and protected the region for generations. IUCN Members voted overwhelmingly to support indigenous-led efforts to protect 80% of Amazonia by 2025. As governments at the UN Climate Change Conference pledge cooperation to end deforestation, regional action is needed now before the world’s largest tropical forest disappears; write Gregorio Mirabal, General Coordinator of […]

Today, more than a fifth of the Amazon is severely degraded and the entire ecosystem is at the tipping point of collapse. The impacts of this destruction fall hardest on the indigenous peoples and local communities who have lived in and protected the region for generations. IUCN Members voted overwhelmingly to support indigenous-led efforts to protect 80% of Amazonia by 2025. As governments at the UN Climate Change Conference pledge cooperation to end deforestation, regional action is needed now before the world’s largest tropical forest disappears; write Gregorio Mirabal, General Coordinator of […]

Discussions on addressing the climate crisis and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic often ignore the most critical tool we have: nature. The IUCN World Conservation Congress is one of several global meetings scheduled for the coming months that could determine the fate of our planet. As the conservation community gathers in Marseille, IUCN Members must back ambitious plans to protect existing intact ecosystems, restore degraded ones, and invest in natural infrastructure; writes Cristián Samper, President and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), an IUCN Member organisation.

The truth is that high urban density and abundant housing are entirely compatible with a lush tree canopy.

Like Dante in the inferno, for humanity in the first decades of the 21st century, the only way is through. In The Ministry for the Future, writer Kim Stanley Robinson imagines that path, telling the story of a world that somehow manages to mitigate the worst effects of climate change.

if indigenous thinking is truly going to save the world it’ll be a long-haul thing in which people learn or relearn how to become indigenous to their local place in locally specific ways.

US emissions surged by 6.2% last year, boosted by a renewed reliance on coal power amid soaring natural gas prices, according to the Rhodium Group.

This potential to reproduce collective life is precisely the aspiration of community feminisms, but it is also the aspiration of agroecology!

In one of the first studies of its kind, researchers have gauged how biodiversity loss of birds and mammals will impact plants' chances of adapting to human-induced climate warming.

Urbanization is a notable threat to bat populations all over the world, especially through artificial light and the reduction of habitat and food supply. If certain conditions are met, some spaces within metropolitan areas can be suitable for bats, so managing these spaces appropriately could contribute to bat conservation. With the help of more than 200 citizen scientists in Berlin, a team of scientists examined these conditions and investigated how they affect the abundance and distribution of bat species. They conclude that maintaining a low level of artificial light at night is […]

A new study looking into the impacts that large industrial farming has on biodiversity found that increased farm size causes a decline in bird diversity. Researchers studied how different farming indicators impact the diversity of local birds in the farmland bordering the former Iron Curtain in Germany. They found that increased farm sizes resulted in a 15 per cent decline in bird diversity.

Predator species may buffer the negative impacts of climate change by mitigating against the loss of biodiversity, according to new research. The team of scientists behind the discovery say their findings underline the importance of conserving biodiversity, and top predators in particular, and highlight the potential for species extinctions to worsen the effects of climate change on ecosystems.

Reducing the energy industry's carbon footprint in the sunshine state is impeding a large carnivore's paw-print. A study is the first to document the effect of utility-scale solar energy (USSE) facilities in Peninsular Florida on both habitat suitability and connectivity for any large carnivore. The study examined 45 USSE facilities equaling 27,688 acres.

The history of life on Earth has been marked five times by events of mass biodiversity extinction caused by extreme natural phenomena. Today, many experts warn that a Sixth Mass Extinction crisis is underway, this time entirely caused by human activities. A comprehensive assessment of evidence of this ongoing extinction event was recently published.

Rivers need water — a fact that may seem ridiculously obvious, but in times of increasing water development, drought, and climate change, the quantity of natural streamflow that remains in river channels is coming into question, especially in the Colorado River basin. Newly published research poses a tough question in these days of falling reservoir levels and high-stakes urban development: whether the continued development of rivers for water supply can be balanced with fish conservation.

In one of the first studies of its kind, researchers have gauged how biodiversity loss of birds and mammals will impact plants' chances of adapting to human-induced climate warming.

New research shows unless conservation actions are urgently stepped up, one of our most beautiful songbirds, the regent honeyeater, will be extinct within 20 years.

Urbanization is a notable threat to bat populations all over the world, especially through artificial light and the reduction of habitat and food supply. If certain conditions are met, some spaces within metropolitan areas can be suitable for bats, so managing these spaces appropriately could contribute to bat conservation. With the help of more than 200 citizen scientists in Berlin, a team of scientists examined these conditions and investigated how they affect the abundance and distribution of bat species. They conclude that maintaining a low level of artificial light at night is […]