It seems a cache of biodiversity data was hiding in plain sight all along. In the midst of hazardous particulate matter trapped in the filters of two air quality monitoring systems in the U.K., scientists discovered DNA samples that they were able to extract to study and survey the biodiversity in the region. The two […]
Tag: biodiversity
Greater Mekong proves an ark of biodiversity, with 380 new species in a year
A thick-thumbed bat, a color-changing lizard, and a Muppet-looking orchid are just a few of the 380 new-to-science species found and described in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia between 2021 and 2022. In a report released this week by WWF, researchers highlight the remarkable diversity in this underexplored hotbed of life. The report […]
Could biodiversity be a key to better forest carbon storage in Europe?
This May, Scarabaeus laticollis will return to France’s southeast and to one of Europe’s biggest plantation forests. Eighty of these lowly Old World dung beetles, first described by the naturalist Linnaeus in 1767, will be reintroduced at the Étang de Cousseau National Reserve as a first step to improving forest biodiversity there. Unlike other dung […]
Bankrolling biodiversity: How are private philanthropists investing in nature?
The largest-ever private philanthropic campaign for biodiversity conservation is on track to reach its target by 2030, but a lack of detail over exactly how some of the funds are being spent has raised concerns over transparency and accountability. A Mongabay analysis has found that about a quarter of the $5 billion pledged through the […]
Wildcrafting: A Guide to Ethical Harvesting of Nature’s Gifts
Wildcrafting, the ancient practice of harvesting plants from their natural habitats for food, medicine, or crafting, has experienced a resurgence in recent years. From flying saucer mushrooms to medicinal roots, there are a plethora of valuable natural resources that can be found through wildcrafting. While often confused with foraging, wildcrafting is focused on the careful […]
Kruger Park rangers and others ‘found abusing euthanised leopard’
Kruger National Park rangers and other employees were filmed allegedly abusing a euthanised leopard. SANParks says their conduct was contrary to the ethos of the organisation whose primary goal is to act as the custodian of wildlife. File image. Image: Lesley Stones Rangers and employees at the Kruger National Park have had their statements taken […]
Global Biodiversity Crisis Is Worse Than We Thought, New Survey Finds
A new survey of 3,331 scientists studying biodiversity across 187 countries has revealed that more species are threatened with extinction than previously thought. As many as 50% of species have been threatened with extinction or driven to extinction since 1500, according to survey results. The survey, published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the […]
Where is the threshold of environmental change that biodiversity can withstand before it is destabilized and collapses planetwide?
Biodiversity. When you hear this word, what do you picture? Iconic animals like African elephants, gray wolves and humpback whales? Or multicolored coral species that make up a reef system? Or bacteria and microbes that regulate nutrients in the soil, or oxygen-releasing phytoplankton that live in the ocean’s sunlit zones? While biodiversity does embrace all […]