Toads: Amphibians surprise biologists by climbing trees

Citizen surveys have revealed that common toads often climb trees to hide in hollows or in nest boxes Life 11 March 2022 By Michael Le Page The European common toad (Bufo bufo) Henry Andrews The common toad is a rather rotund animal with short legs and an ungainly gait. It certainly doesn’t look like a … Read more

Trees that grow close together are better at withstanding storms

As storms become stronger, it might be possible to keep more trees standing if they are planted closer together Environment 11 March 2022 By Alex Wilkins A cedar forest in Kiso district, Nagano prefecture, Japan Sunphol Sorakul/Getty Images Trees that grow close together can survive powerful storms and prevent wind damage by supporting each other. … Read more

Biodiversity: How a rodent’s fear of big cats shapes a Central American rainforest

As rodents called agoutis avoid areas where ocelots prowl, they spread fewer of the palm seeds they eat, which could lead to a cascade of changes in biodiversity throughout Panama’s forests Life 8 March 2022 By Jake Buehler An agouti gnawing on a palm seed Steven Paton A game of cat and mouse is playing … Read more

Amazon Rain Forest Nears Dangerous ‘Tipping Point’

The Amazon rainforest is teetering on the precipice of a dangerous tipping point, new research warns. It’s gradually losing its ability to bounce back after disturbances like droughts or other extreme weather events. With enough time and forest losses, scientists say, large swaths of the Amazon could fall into an unstoppable spiral that would transform … Read more

We need to count every tree on the planet – here’s why

Planting trillions of trees won’t replace the 10 million hectares of forest ecosystems lost each year, but documenting them could prevent further losses Environment | Comment 2 March 2022 By Jingjing Liang Michelle D’urbano SINCE the 13th century, forests have been managed as sources of trees that can be processed into timber. More recently, with … Read more

Camouflage: Foam made from algae and tree bark can hide objects in forest settings

A camouflage system made using algae and tree bark can hide objects from both visible and infrared light Environment 3 March 2022 By Alex Wilkins A photograph of the patterned foam Laaksonen etal. (2022) Camouflage made from biodegradable foams of algae and cellulose derived from wood pulp or tree bark could make objects in forests … Read more

Wild boars: African swine fever outbreak led to more oak trees in Polish forest

An outbreak of African swine fever in 2015 reduced the wild boar population by 90 per cent in Białowieża primeval forest, so more acorns grew into trees Life 2 March 2022 By Jason Arunn Murugesu Oak trees in Białowieża forest, Poland Aleksander Bolbot / Alamy An outbreak of African swine fever led to the growth … Read more

Rare Breed of Ancient Trees With Incredible Lifespans Help Keep Their Forests Alive

The venerable elders of a forest are hugely important to the diversity, fitness, and survival of the woodland as a whole, new research shows – and they bring with them a hardiness and experience in dealing with change, as well as a lifetime of ecological interactions preserved in their immediate surrounds..   Scientists used models … Read more

Planet Earth Contains Over 9,000 Tree Species Yet to Be Discovered, Scientists Say

An ambitious, first-of-its-kind effort to estimate how many different kinds of trees exist on Earth suggests our planet is teeming with thousands of tree species that still haven’t been discovered.   The huge international research effort – involving the work of over 100 scientists – estimates that there are approximately 73,000 tree species in total … Read more