Navigation Links
Putting the dead to work
Date:1/14/2011

entify the significant impact knowledge of fossil life can have on interpreting modern biodiversity and ecological trends."

Ancient DNA, for example, has been used to show that the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) was not able to move with shifting climates as its range contracted, eventually becoming extinct in Europe at the end of the Pleistocene.

However, the species persisted in regions of northeastern Siberia where the climate was still suitable for arctic foxes.

In another tale from the beyond, fossil evidence suggests that the birds of the Hawaiian Islands suffered large-scale extinctions around the time of the arrival of the Polynesians.

Studies comparing the ecological characteristics of bird species before and after these extinctions reveal a strong bias against larger-bodied and flightless, ground-nesting species.

The pattern suggests that hunting by humans played a role in the extinction of the flightless species.

By the 18th century, the time of the first Europeans' arrival in the islands, most large-bodied birds had already disappeared. European colonization of the islands led to a second wave of exctinctions.

Those birds that survived had traits that helped them weather two onslaughts.

In their review paper, Dietl and Flessa cite a study of the frequency in the fossil record of insect damage to flowering plant leaves in the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming dating from before, during and after the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, some 55.8 million years ago).

The PETM, scientists believe, is one of the best deep-time analogs for current global climate change questions.

Results from the insect research suggest that herbivory intensified during the PETM global warming episode.

"This finding provides insights into how the human-induced rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide is likely to affect insect-plant interactions in the long run," the authors write, "which is di
'/>"/>

Contact: Cheryl Dybas
cdybas@nsf.gov
703-292-7734
National Science Foundation
Source:Eurekalert  

Page: 1 2 3

Related biology news :

1. Putting a bulls-eye on the flu: Paper details influenzas structure for future drug targeting
2. Putting on the pounds after weight loss? Hit the gym to maintain health gains
3. By putting a ring on it, microparticles can be captured
4. Putting bacterial antibiotic resistance into reverse
5. Thrill-seeking holiday-makers are putting dolphins at risk
6. Thrill-seeking holidaymakers are putting dolphins at risk
7. Americans want Uncle Sams help putting healthy foods on their dinner table
8. Putting limits on vitamin E
9. Putting a green cap on garbage dumps
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
Related Image:
Putting the dead to work
(Date:5/16/2013)... players and athletes choose to wear the color red ... in Psychological Science , a journal of the ... to do with their testosterone levels. , The new ... University of Sunderland and colleagues, demonstrated that males who ... had higher testosterone levels than other males who chose ...
(Date:5/16/2013)... can trigger hematopoiesis at sites outside the bone marrow ... of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich now show that a ... formation of blood cells. , Balanced hematopoiesis is essential ... development, hematopoiesis takes place mainly in the liver and ... bone marrow, and this tissue normally serves as the ...
(Date:5/16/2013)... outside of the gym. But doctors use the human pulse ... Bao, a professor of chemical engineering at Stanford, has developed ... wider than a postage stamp. The flexible skin-like monitor, worn ... to help doctors detect stiff arteries and cardiovascular problems. , ... heart health and provide doctors a safer method of measuring ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):High-testosterone competitors more likely to choose red 2Herpes infections: Natural killer cells activate hematopoiesis 2Stanford engineers monitor heart health using paper-thin flexible 'skin' 2Stanford engineers monitor heart health using paper-thin flexible 'skin' 3
... the Obesity Institute at Children,s National ... share ideas, failures and successes, and the future ... childhood obesity, both in the District of Columbia ... National seeks to reduce childhood obesity using a ...
... Forest University,s School of Biomedical Engineering and Science,s Center for ... for 2008. The Office of the Deputy Chief ... presented the award for research that could ultimately help save ... The center was selected from 57 applicants from ...
... -- If you,re looking for bonefish from Miami down ... choose from, and that is down slightly from the ... those who are counting, researchers speculate. The University of ... the sixth annual Florida Keys bonefish census, in conjunction ...
Cached Biology News:Children's National convenes first childhood obesity symposium 2Children's National convenes first childhood obesity symposium 3Children's National convenes first childhood obesity symposium 4New dummy design and development wins US Department of Defense award 2Bonefish census reveals population holding steady 2
(Date:5/17/2013)... -- New interactive learning forums will ... of the medical device industry at the 2013 ... from June 18-20 in Philadelphia ... ) , These all-new MedTech Innovate ... presentations and implementable solutions on the most cutting-edge ...
(Date:5/17/2013)... FL (PRWEB) May 17, 2013 Men’s skin ... La-roche Posay ) and has been known to ... Although some men may be far from puberty, other acne ... clogging pores, causing breakouts, and threatening skin with unsightly acne ... advice from Men’s Health on how to reduce ...
(Date:5/17/2013)... Tooth decay is an epidemic in American children ... disease. The World Health Organization says that worldwide, 60–90% ... cavities. What are the long-term effects of this transmissible infection? ... between the oral bacterial imbalance and serious systemic issues like ... it is also 100% preventable? Answer: there has been no ...
(Date:5/16/2013)... Hills, Ill. (PRWEB) May 16, 2013 ... benchtop and portable models, from Cole-Parmer is designed ... The enhanced line includes: , The new ... are true workhorses in the lab. They ensure ... serum and plasma specimen separation. Their standard four-place ...
Breaking Biology Technology:MedTech Innovate Seminars: New Interactive Learning Forums at 2013 MD&M East 2Adult Acne Treatment, Probiotic Action Shares New Insight on Why Men’s Skin Scars from Acne and How to Prevent It 2Seeing the Future: How a Revolutionary New Bacterial Screening Device Can Predict a Patient’s Future for Tooth Decay 2Seeing the Future: How a Revolutionary New Bacterial Screening Device Can Predict a Patient’s Future for Tooth Decay 3Cole-Parmer Offers Enhanced Selection of Centrifuges 2
... be able to surf in colder waters and keep ... (NPL) and UK wetsuit manufacturer, Spartan. Spartan specialise ... NPL, the UK,s measurement institute, to understand the science ... product design. In particular it wanted to improve its ...
... AMSTERDAM , May 19, 2010 Amsterdam Molecular,Therapeutics ... today provides its non-audited business update in compliance with,the EU transparency ... first quarter of 2010. , , Q1 2010 ... dossier, - Dossier validated by EMA on January ...
... 19 Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC ) ... Mark approval for its PrimeWire PRESTIGE™ Pressure Guide Wire ... multi-vessel disease. This next generation pressure wire is compatible ... stand-alone physiology systems as well as various hemodynamic monitoring ...
Cached Biology Technology:A warmer future for watersports 2AMT Provides Business Update for the First Quarter 2010 2AMT Provides Business Update for the First Quarter 2010 3Volcano Announces 510(k) Clearance, CE Mark Approval, and First Clinical Use for the PrimeWire PRESTIGE(TM) Pressure Guide Wire 2Volcano Announces 510(k) Clearance, CE Mark Approval, and First Clinical Use for the PrimeWire PRESTIGE(TM) Pressure Guide Wire 3Volcano Announces 510(k) Clearance, CE Mark Approval, and First Clinical Use for the PrimeWire PRESTIGE(TM) Pressure Guide Wire 4Volcano Announces 510(k) Clearance, CE Mark Approval, and First Clinical Use for the PrimeWire PRESTIGE(TM) Pressure Guide Wire 5
... the 9, 10, 12, and 13 positions. It ... for the quantification of 13(S)-HODE by GC- or ... linoleic acid with plant and mammalian lipoxygenases. It ... tumor cells to the endothelium at concentrations around ...
...
...
...
Biology Products: