Introduced foxes transformed vegetation on Aleutian Islands from lush grasslands to tundra
Huge colonies of seabirds accustomed to nesting on islands free of predators began disappearing when fur traders started introducing foxes onto islands in the Aleutian archipelago in the 18th century. The ground-nesting birds made easy meals for the foxes. A study published this week in the journal Science now shows that the effects of the introduced foxes rippled through entire island ecosystems...Plant defenses prompt bacterial countermeasure in the form of 'island' DNA excision
Seeking to catch an arms-race maneuver in action, researchers have uncovered new evidence to explain how bacteria in the process of infecting a plant can shift molecular gears by excising specific genes from its genome to overcome the host plant's specific defenses. Throughout evolution ?in the wild and in crops cultivated by humans ?plants have developed systems for resisting the attack o...Islands in the Genome Promote Speciation
Have you ever wondered how the myriad insect forms—beetles, flies, dragonflies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, ants, wasps, bees, and countless others—evolved? Insects make up 75% of all species known. The large number of insect species is probably a result of a combination of one or more factors: a high rate of formation of new species, or speciation, an ability to adapt to new environments an...Pacific Islands paradise protected
A small Pacific Islands nation has distinguished itself on the global conservation map with the declaration today that it is creating the third largest marine protected area in the world, conserving an archipelago of some of the planet's most pristine coral reefs. Martin Puta Tofinga, Minister of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development of the Republic of Kiribati, announced the est...Supersized 'island' of resistance genes discovered in an infectious bacterium
Researchers have discovered a cluster of 45 genes coding for antibacterial drug resistance in the bacterium, Acinetobacter baumannii, a major cause of hospital-acquired infections worldwide. The study was reported in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics. "We expected to find resistance genes," said lead author, Pierre-Edouard Fournier, researcher at the Structural and Genomic Information...Biodiversity threatened as forests become 'islands' of green, UW professor says
America's national forests are beginning to resemble "islands" of green wilderness, increasingly trapped by an expanding sea of new houses, a UW-Madison forestry researcher reports at the 90th annual Ecological Society of America (ESA) meeting in Montreal, Canada. The widening circle of development around forests such as the Cleveland National Forest in Southern California is serving to...Islands in the Clickstream: A Vision of Possibilities
is a collection of over 150 reflections on the digital world. WTN will be reprinting excerpts from selecte...Islands in the Clickstream: Digital Religion
is a collection of over 150 reflections on the digital world. WTN will be reprinting excerpts from selected chapters of...Islands in the Clickstream: Hactivism and Soul Power
is a collection of over 150 reflections on the digital world. WTN will be reprinting excerpts from selected chapters of Islands in the...Richard Thiemes latest Islands in the Clickstream
is a collection of over 150 reflections on the digital world. Released in May, Thiemes book has been hailed as extremely insightful and powerfully original due to his...Rhode Island legalizes use and possession of Marijuana
Rhode Island is situated in the heart of New England and the Rhode Island House and senate has passed the bill giving permission to patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, AIDS and other chronic // diseases the use and possession of Marijuana to ease pain in these patients. The new bill allows patients to have possession of Marijuana under medical prescription, as earlier the possessi...'Chikungunya' Epidemic On French Island Claims 52 lives
The mosquito-borne disease, chikungunya has claimed the lives of at least 52 inhabitants of the French Reunion Island according to official reports of French National Health Agency (INVS). // The incurable crippling disease, called chikungunya, has affected more than 110,000 people since the epidemic broke out in the Indian Ocean Island in March 2005. As many as 22,000 have contracted...French Minister To Visit La Reunion Island To Monitor Chikungunya Epidemic
Chikungunya epidemic, a mosquito-borne disease for which there is no known cure or vaccine has claimed the lives of nearly 77 French inhabitants of La Reunion Island // on Indian Ocean. As Nearly 1 in 6 inhabitants are affected in the island, announced Xavier Bertrand, French Health Minister. More than 130, 000 people on the island have been affected. The 77 mortalities could be related...Phoenix Islands To Be Protected Under Global Conservation Map
A small Pacific Islands, which consists of the some of the earth’s most pristine coral reefs, were brought under the global conservation map//, and is said to be the third largest marine protected area in the world. Martin Puta Tofinga, Minister of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development of the Republic of Kiribati, announced the establishment of the Phoenix Islands Protected...Assam's Floating Hospital To Render Medical Services To Islanders
A new floating hospital would visit the islands dotting Assam's Brahmaputra river at least once a month to render medical services//. This has brought in a new ray of hope to these islanders who have been worried about their isolation. Akha - a boat with medical personnel and supplies - is a unique door-to-door service for the poor inhabitants of the state's islands, including Charikh...