Ants can be better than pesticides for growing healthy crops, study finds

Ants can be better than pesticides for growing healthy crops, study finds

Ants can be more effective than pesticides at helping farmers produce food, according to new research. They are better at killing pests, reducing plant damage and increasing crop yields, according to the first systematic review of ants’ contributions to crop production. Ants are generalist predators and hunt pests that damage fruits, seeds and leaves, leading […]

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Study warns of risk from feline viruses to wild cats on the palm oil frontier

Study warns of risk from feline viruses to wild cats on the palm oil frontier

Antibody tests conducted on domestic cats and wild cats in Malaysian Borneo indicate that oil palm plantations may act as transmission sites for viruses, according to a new study. The study, carried out by researchers working with the Health at the Edge Project, which investigates wildlife parasite transmission in forest-agricultural landscapes in Borneo, and published […]

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In oil palm-dominated Malaysia, agroforestry orchards are oases of bird life: Study

In oil palm-dominated Malaysia, agroforestry orchards are oases of bird life: Study

Malaysia is the second-largest palm oil producer in the world, behind only Indonesia. In 2020 alone, Malaysia was responsible for more than a quarter of global palm oil production. But for the country’s forests and wildlife, plantation agriculture is an industry that comes at a cost. Across Peninsular Malaysia, where nearly half of the country’s […]

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