Exotic Species News

August 18, 2016

Removing Invasive Species Saves Island Animals

Three Quarters of Threatened Species Imperiled

Species at Risk from SE Asia Tree Plantations

Giant Forest Fires Exterminate Spotted Owls

Latest Headlines

updated 7:57pm EDT

Mussel Flexing: Bivalve Save Drought-Stricken Marshes, Research Finds

Aug. 18, 2016 — As coastal ecosystems feel the heat of climate change worldwide, new research shows the humble mussel and marsh grass form an intimate interaction known as mutualism that benefits both partner ... read more

Scientists Explore Oil Clean-Up Properties of Aquatic Ferns

Aug. 17, 2016 — Certain varieties of aquatic floating weeds demonstrate an impressive ability to selectively absorb oil from contaminated water. These plants, which are often regarded as a ... read more

Neonicotinoid Insecticides Linked to Wild Bee Decline Across England

Aug. 16, 2016 — Exposure to neonicotinoid seed treated oilseed rape crops has been linked to long-term population decline of wild bee species across the English countryside, according to ... read more

Ecosystems in the Southeastern US Are Vulnerable to Climate Change

Aug. 11, 2016 — At least several southeastern US ecosystems are highly vulnerable to the impacts of present and future climate change, according to two new reports. At-risk ecosystems occur in states ranging from ... read more

Wildlife-Friendly Farming Shown to Benefit UK Moths

Aug. 11, 2016 — Wildlife-friendly farming schemes can help boost the abundance of many UK moth species, a new study ... read more

Historically Robust Natural Ecosystems Could Collapse Due to Climate Change, Human Activity

Aug. 11, 2016 — Global change will strike the oldest and most complex ecosystems of the world hardest, regardless of their past stability, warn experts in a new ... read more

Surveys of Corn, Soybean Fields Reveal Implications for Pollinator Conservation

Aug. 11, 2016 — What kind of insect pollinators are commonly found in corn and soybean fields? The answer to that question can be found in a new article, say ... read more

Seawalls, Coastal Forests in Japan Help Reduce Tsunami Damage, Study Finds

Aug. 10, 2016 — Researchers who analyzed a history of tsunamis along the Pacific coast of Japan's Tohoku region have learned that seawalls higher than 5 meters reduce damage and death, while coastal forests also ... read more

New Meta-Analysis Shows Engineered Hard Shorelines Are a Threat to Ecosystems

Aug. 10, 2016 — Artificial shoreline hardening is often used to protect human structures from coastal hazards, but the practice may negatively affect coastal ... read more

How Climate Change Will Hurt Humanity's Closest Cousins

Aug. 10, 2016 — The consequences of climate change are an increasing concern for humans around the world. How will we cope with rising sea levels and climbing temperatures? But it's not just ... read more

Water Contamination in New Zealand Leaves Thousands Ill

Fire Crews Struggle to Contain California Wildfire

Mexico Village Damaged by Landslide Triggered by Storm Earl

Mexico Landslides Leave 40 Dead as New Storm Forms

Many Endangered Species Face Long Waits for Protection

Aug. 10, 2016 — The Endangered Species Act was enacted by Congress in 1973 to protect species threatened with extinction. To receive protection, a species must first be listed as endangered or threatened. A two-year ... read more

Why Are New England's Wild Blue Mussels Disappearing?

Aug. 9, 2016 — The Gulf of Maine coastline, historically home to one of the richest shellfish populations in the US, is undergoing a dramatic change, with once-flourishing wild blue mussels all but disappearing, ... read more

The Six Steps to Extinction

Aug. 9, 2016 — Invasive plants are a problem around the world, but are they just a nuisance or are they killers? So far there are no documented cases of native plants becoming extinct purely because of an alien ... read more

Some Marine Organisms on the Seafloor Thrive in Corrosive Seawater

Aug. 9, 2016 — The sea floor is a habitat especially rich in species that produce calcium carbonate shells or skeletons – so-called marine calcifiers. Sea urchins, sea stars, coralline algae, crustaceans, and ... read more

Back the Bees and Friends: Big Agriculture Has the Chance to Help or Hinder Our Most Important Pollinators, Research Argues

Aug. 9, 2016 — New research has identified future threats to, and opportunities for insects, birds, mammals, and reptiles that pollinate wild flowers and crops. 35% of global crop production, and 85% of wild ... read more