| Hi Everybody,
My name is Sophie Pinstein. I will be interning with EwA between September and May. I have greatly enjoyed my internship so far, and I look forward to continuing to get to know this amazing community! This is my first News Digest. Thank you for reading! |
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| Studying rotting logs for 40 years and counting! Oregon State Universityās Log Decomposition Project, started in 1985, is a 200-year journey into the life after death of trees. It reveals how decaying logs host thriving communities, store carbon, and decompose at dramatically different speeds, with some species losing mass up to 244 times faster than others. The findings show that fallen wood continues to shape soil and nurture the forest long after the tree has fallen.
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| | šø Rotting logs from one of the Log Decomposition Project's research sites | Credit: Chris Gunn |
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| | | šø An M. ibericus ant and and M. structor ant | Credit: Jonathan Romiguier |
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A population of harvester ants is challenging what we know about species boundaries. A recent study found a surprising relationship between Messor ibericus and Messor structor. Queens of M. ibericus mate with M. structor males, producing hybrid worker ants. Even more surprisingly, M. ibericus colonies maintain populations of M. structor males, even when the two species do not always overlap. They do this by effectively cloning the males, a phenomenon never seen between species before. This discovery stretches our understanding of what is biologically possible. |
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| Big summer for ticks! Ticks and Lyme disease are soaring this summer due to complex ecological factors, including warmer winters. Even without a major acorn mast in some areas, tick populations are up by 20 to 30 percent across the Northeast. The trend highlights how climate and host species such as white-footed mice, which flourish in acorn-rich years, shape disease dynamics. Stay vigilant in tick-prone areas, and read the Scientific American interview for more insights. |
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| | šø Credit: RobertAx/Getty ImagesĀ |
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| | | šø Shark smart poster | Credit: National Park Service/ Bill Fisher |
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New England Aquarium confirmed great white shark sighting last May. After a citizen took a photo of an injured seal, a scientist from the aquarium was able to confirm that it was bitten by a great white shark. The article recommends that locals be āshark smartā, and be cautious when swimming in the ocean. This means avoiding areas with seals or large schools of fish, and staying in shallow water. The app Sharktivity provides up to date information about recent shark sightings, and allows users to report said sightings, which are later confirmed by scientists.Ā |
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| Orca observed preying on a prickly shark for the first time. Prickly sharks are not a very well studied species, so scientists are using the power of citizen science to learn more about them. In this study, performed off the coast of California, scientists have confirmed a new predator-prey relationship. Scientists interviewed local fishermen and tour guides, and trained volunteers to make observations of local shark populations. The first observation of an orca preying on a prickly shark was made by a citizen scientist, and confirmed by the scientists in charge of the study.Ā |
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| | šø Credit: Hoyos and EbertĀ |
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| | - Sophie PinsteinEarthwise Aware | Spring Intern |
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