| Hi Everybody,
This is my first News Digest. I'm looking forward to joining EwA and grateful to be learning with all of you. Thank you for reading! |
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| Plant Diversity Influences Communication in Ecosystems A study by the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and the University of Kiel shows that plant communication is linked to plant diversity. Plants communicate through volatile organic compounds that attract pollinators, repel herbivores, or signal nearby plants. Researchers found that ribwort plantain released greater amounts and a wider range of these compounds when grown in more diverse plant communities, highlighting how biodiversity influences ecosystem function through chemical signaling. For more information, read here! |
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| | 📸 Volatile organic compound collection | Credit: Sybille Unsicker |
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| | | 📸 Researchers installing bioacoustic monitors | Credit: Caleb Santiago Alvarado |
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Monitoring Biodiversity by Listening to the Forest Field biologist Maia Persche was called home to Baraboo Hills, Wisconsin, where she began studying the effects of management on restored oak woodlands. In collaboration with the Baraboo Hills Research Collective, Maia has begun a bioacoustic survey. Bioacoustics is a method of surveying biodiversity through analyzing the frequency of animal sounds or different types. This work has not only revealed the diversity of wildlife occupancy but has also instilled a sense of presence. To learn more, read here! |
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| Migratory Shorebird Conservation Research at UMass Amherst In this article, UMass Amherst PhD student Maina Handmaker, details the story of her work for shorebird conservation. Her study species is the Whimbrel, a long distance migrant that travels from the Arctic to the northern coast of South America. The birds stop over in South Carolina, where Maina meets and tags them to track their movements. Her work has revealed the loyalty of these birds to their feeding territories year after year, and has resulted in restricted recreational access to sites shorebirds occupy en route for migration. To learn more about Maina's work read here! |
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| | 📸 Maina Handmaker in field | Credit: Andy Johnson |
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| Climate Change Effects on Bee Pollination Bees are well known for their pollination power. In light of warming temperatures, researchers at Monash University sought to investigate the effects of higher temps on bee behavior. In particular, they studied their attraction to light in both honeybees and native bees, as well as under different urban and artificial light settings. The results of the study suggest that warming temperatures may alter foraging and pollination behavior of honeybees. When compared to native bees, no changes to foraging behavior were observed. For more details about the study, read here! |
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| Childhood Development Affected by Rising Temperatures Extreme heat is known to harm human health, and new research links higher temperatures to delays in early childhood development. In a study of 20,000 children, those raised in warmer areas were less likely to reach developmental milestones compared with peers in cooler nearby regions. Reading and math skills were particularly affected, more so than physical or social milestones. While the mechanisms are still being studied, these findings carry important implications for society’s future. For more information, read here! |
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| | 📸 Credit: Liv Bruce on Unsplash |
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| | - JayEarthwise Aware | Spring Intern |
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