Tag: ecology
-
Study reshapes understanding of bats and dangerous viruses
New findings challenge longstanding assumptions about bats and viruses A groundbreaking study published in Nature Communications Biology, led by researchers at the University of Oklahoma, offers new perspective on the complex relationship between bats and dangerous viruses. While bats have long been suspected as reservoirs for a range of pathogens, the new research urges caution…
-
Bats and dangerous viruses: new insights from a Nature study
Overview: Rethinking bats and dangerous viruses A recent study published in Nature Communications Biology challenges some widely held beliefs about the relationship between bats and dangerous viruses. Led by researchers at the University of Oklahoma, the work emphasizes that bats should not be seen as a monolithic source of zoonotic threats. Instead, the study highlights…
-
Bats and Dangerous Viruses: New Insights from Nature
Introduction: Rethinking Bat-Virus Relationships A recent study published in Nature Communications Biology offers a fresh perspective on how bats interact with dangerous viruses. Led by researchers at the University of Oklahoma, the work challenges some long-held assumptions about bats as universal reservoirs for high-risk pathogens. Instead, the study emphasizes context, behavior, and ecology as key…
-
Peter Dowdall: Mushrooms as Nature’s Alchemists and Soil Builders
Introduction: The Quiet Power of Fungi When we think of soil fertility, our minds often jump to compost, mulch, or fertilizers. Yet the unsung heroes beneath our feet are fungi—mysterious, often overlooked, and absolutely essential. As Peter Dowdall explains, fungus has had bad press, but mushrooms are nature’s alchemists. They transform decaying leaves, wood, and…
-
UM Students Uncover Animal Behavior through Camera Traps in Montana
Fieldwork on a Montana hillside On a sunlit slope in northwest Montana, a group of University of Montana students set out to observe wildlife in a hands-on way. They rely on camera traps — motion-activated cameras positioned in natural habitats — to capture how animals move, what they eat, and how they interact with their…
-
UM Students Eye Animal Behavior Through Camera Traps on a Montana Hillside
Fieldwork in Montana: UM students deploy camera traps to study wildlife behavior On a sunlit hillside in northwest Montana, a small team of University of Montana students gathers around a tree, threading a sturdy strap and adjusting the angle of a motion-activated camera. The scene could be mistaken for a routine nature hike, but for…
-
Bat Boxes Heat Danger: Designing Safer Roosts for Bats
Overview: Bat boxes as a conservation tool—and a potential risk Artificial roosts for bats, commonly known as bat boxes, are widely used to conserve native species where natural hollows are scarce. In urban areas, they offer shelter after large trees with hollows have been removed. However, researchers warn that poorly designed and deployed boxes can…
-
Bat boxes may become deadly roosts in heat, study warns
Overview: bat boxes under heat stress Artificial roosts for bats, commonly known as bat boxes, are a favored conservation tool in urban areas where hollow trees are scarce. They offer shelter for several species and help keep native bats connected to human-dominated landscapes. However, new research published in the Journal of Experimental Biology raises a…
-
Bat Boxes and Heat Risk: Safe Roosts for Bats in a Warming World
Introduction: Bat boxes as a conservation tool—and a potential hazard Artificial roosts for bats, commonly known as bat boxes, are widely used to support native bat populations where natural habitats have been degraded or removed. In urban areas, these boxes offer shelter when hollow trees are scarce. A new study in the Journal of Experimental…
-
Humans Driving Extinctions at Rates Not Seen Since the Dinosaurs, Scientists Warn
Humanity’s Role in a Rapid Biodiversity Crisis New research synthesizing decades of environmental data and paleobiology suggests that humans are triggering the most rapid biodiversity loss since the asteroid wipeout that ended the age of the dinosaurs. While the current pace of species extinctions is extraordinary, scientists say we have not yet crossed the threshold…