244 results on '"Wexler, Mark"'
Search Results
2. MIGHTY MOSSES: ‘LIFEBLOOD’ OF ECOSYSTEMS.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
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MOSSES , *NOXIOUS weeds , *NUTRIENT cycles - Abstract
A recent global study conducted by over 50 scientists has found that mosses play a crucial role in ecosystems by providing essential services to the environment. The scientists collected samples of mosses from 123 different ecosystems around the world and analyzed how other plants and soils benefit from them. They discovered that moss-covered soil had higher levels of soil health, nutrient cycling, decomposition of organic matter, and control of harmful pathogens compared to soil without mosses. With approximately 12,000 species worldwide, mosses are considered the "lifeblood" of many ecosystems. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
3. CORONAVIRUS EVOLVES IN DEER.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
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COVID-19 , *CORONAVIRUSES , *WHITE-tailed deer , *SARS-CoV-2 , *VETERINARY medicine , *DEER populations , *DEER - Abstract
According to an article in National Wildlife, researchers at The Ohio State University have found that white-tailed deer in Ohio are being infected with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The virus is evolving about three times faster in deer than in humans. The researchers collected nasal swabs from wild deer and found that over 10 percent of the animals carried the virus, with many of the infections being passed from humans. This discovery suggests that humans can potentially contract COVID-19 from deer, and understanding how the virus is mutating in deer populations is important for human health. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
4. microscope.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
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AMPHIBIANS , *FROGS - Abstract
DEPARTMENTSVANISHING AMPHIBIANSA team of international scientists reports in Nature that two in five of the planet’s amphibian species are now threatened with extinction (including the webbed harlequin frog, left), making them among Earth’s most imperiled animal groups.PHOTO (COLOR)PHOTO (COLOR) [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
5. WILDLIFE HELP FORESTS STORE CARBON.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
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ATMOSPHERIC carbon dioxide , *CARBON sequestration in forests , *WILDLIFE conservation - Abstract
A recent study by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) suggests that cracking down on poaching in tropical forests could help combat climate change. The research found that many of the mammals and birds frequently targeted by hunters play important roles in maintaining the carbon storage capacity of forests. Animals such as elephants, apes, hornbills, and toucans help disperse seeds from big trees with high carbon storage capacity and thin the underbrush, allowing these trees to thrive. As hunters reduce the populations of these animals, smaller-seeded or wind-dispersed trees with lower carbon storage capacity may become more prevalent. The study emphasizes the importance of maintaining intact faunas in order to conserve forests and address climate change. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
6. SONGBIRDS CAN'T KEEP PACE.
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WEXLER, MARK
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SONGBIRDS , *SPRING , *LEAF springs - Published
- 2024
7. WHY CITIES NEED MOTHS.
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WEXLER, MARK
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CITIES & towns , *MOTHS , *PLANT communities - Abstract
A recent study conducted in the city of Leeds by scientists from the University of Sheffield has found that nectar-feeding moths play a crucial role in pollinating urban flowering plants, including crops and trees. These moths carry more pollen and visit more plant species than previously thought. The study also revealed that moths feed on different plant communities, including night-blooming species, compared to bees. The scientists recommend including plants that benefit both moths and native bees, such as borage and comfrey, in residential gardens and green spaces to support the health of urban ecosystems. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
8. HITTING THE RIGHT SPOTS.
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WEXLER, MARK
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MONARCH butterfly - Published
- 2024
9. WATER FEATURES BOOST BIODIVERSITY.
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WEXLER, MARK
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URBAN ecology , *WATER gardens , *URBAN animals , *INSECT diversity , *RESEARCH personnel - Abstract
A team of British and Australian researchers have found that backyard ponds and other water features can be just as beneficial for urban wildlife as lakes. In a survey conducted in England's Hertfordshire county, the researchers discovered that 70% of respondents had water sources in their yards. They compared the wildlife visiting these sources with the wildlife in community lakes and found few differences in terms of quantity and variety. The researchers concluded that garden water sources can supplement water-dependent biodiversity in urban areas, especially during hot and dry weather. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
10. Public leadership and the wicked problem continuum.
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Wexler, Mark N. and Oberlander, Judy
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LEADERSHIP , *SOCIAL impact , *GOVERNMENT policy , *CLIMATE change - Abstract
Purpose: This paper examines the relevance of the wicked problem continuum, particularly the emergence of super wicked challenges for public leadership researchers. Contemporary theorizing on public leadership adequately deals with tame challenges, struggles with wicked problems and remains in the dark with regards to the implications of super wicked problems Design/methodology/approach: The wicked problem continuum provides a typology or set of dilemmas running from tame to wicked through to super wicked problems. These different problem types are treated as if they were on a three-zone continuum in which the difficulty of solving or substantially reducing the problem varies from relatively low to very high. Findings: We delineate the three-problem contexts in the wicked problem continuum and discuss the ideal type of organization thriving in each zone. We then posit two opposing wicked problem interpretations-taming and wilding- for those interested in public leadership. Taming calls for prudent, results-oriented leaders employing tried and tested practices. Wilding demands leaders who test the status quo by seeking alternatives. Social implications: On the global leadership agenda, wilding problems—those calling attention to the super wicked zone—are escalating. Despite this, public leaders' training lacks a framework for making sense of these urgent and publicly contentious super wicked problems. Originality/value: Public policy researchers are beginning to direct attention to super wicked problems such as climate change, and pandemics. This work introduces the wicked problem continuum and demonstrates its pertinence for researchers of public leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. BEEKEEPING STINGS NATIVE BEES.
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WEXLER, MARK
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HONEYBEES , *BEEKEEPING , *BEES - Abstract
A study published in the journal National Wildlife reports that the increase in European honey bee populations in Montreal, Canada may be harming native North American bees. Researchers compared data collected on 180 wild bee species in 2013 with data from the same sites in 2020, during which honey bee colonies in the city increased significantly. The study found that sites with the largest increase in honey bee populations had the fewest wild bee species. The researchers suggest that urban beekeeping, often marketed as a solution to biodiversity loss, may be more detrimental to native bees than beneficial. They recommend planting pollinator gardens instead of adding more hives of nonnative honey bees. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
12. FEEDING BIRDS FOR FEWER FEVERS.
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WEXLER, MARK
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HYPOTHERMIA , *FEVER , *GREAT tit , *ANIMAL ecology , *BODY temperature - Abstract
A study conducted by Swedish scientists and published in the Journal of Animal Ecology has found that providing seeds, nuts, and other bird-feeder foods to small birds during winter can help them survive the cold months. The researchers monitored the health of two groups of wild great tits and found that the birds with regular access to feeder food were able to maintain lower body temperatures, which helped them fight off infection and conserve energy. The scientists suggest that winter feeding not only supports the health of small birds but also provides people, especially in urban areas, with more opportunities to engage with nature. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
13. CLIMATE AND BIG-BODIED BIRDS.
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WEXLER, MARK
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MIGRATORY birds - Abstract
microscope Rising global temperatures have reduced offspring production in migratory and large-bodied birds (such as Adeliepenguins, left) but not in small and sedentary species, scientists report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.PHOTO (COLOR) [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
14. HUNTING BELOW THE SNOW.
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WEXLER, MARK
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HUNTING , *AUDIO frequency , *FOWLING - Abstract
A recent study conducted by Christopher Clark, a biologist at the University of California, Riverside, has found that great gray owls have the ability to locate and capture voles hidden beneath up to 2 feet of snow with remarkable accuracy. The owls use sound to pinpoint their prey, with lower-frequency sounds being able to penetrate deep snow. Great gray owls have large "facial discs" that are sensitive to these low-frequency sounds, and they use their faces to funnel the sounds of buried voles towards their ears before using their talons to punch through the snow and catch their prey. This hunting technique is unique to great gray owls and makes them the most extreme birds in terms of hunting beneath the snow cover. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
15. Humming Along.
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Wexler, Mark
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ANIMALS , *FLOWERING of plants , *NATIVE plants - Abstract
How to help hummers Of the more than 350 hummingbird species, 16 breed in the United States, with just one, the ruby-throated hummingbird, nesting regularly east of the Mississippi River. Because species such as rufous and ruby-throated hummingbirds are highly territorial - and will fight to protect a feeder - add additional sugar-water feeders in different parts of your property for other hummers to enjoy. For bathing, hummers, such as this Anna's hummingbird in Arizona, are particularly attracted to moving water. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2020
16. RESTORING A RAVAGED COAST.
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Wexler, Mark
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DEEPWATER Horizon (Drilling rig) , *OYSTERS , *DELTAS , *SEA birds , *COASTS - Abstract
Caminada Headland is the largest project completed to date using money from the $16.5 billion damage settlement between British Petroleum (BP), its drilling partners and the U.S. government as a result of the 2010 Gulf oil spill. "There were oil spills in the Gulf before, during and after the BP spill", says Amanda Fuller, deputy director of NWF's Gulf Restoration Program. "If there was one thing good that came out of the disaster, it was Louisiana's decision to use its BP penalty funds on restoring and protecting coastal areas", says Rebecca Triche, executive director of NWF affiliate Louisiana Wildlife Federation. In the weeks following the Gulf oil spill, the National Wildlife Federation trained volunteers to conduct on-theground surveys to help authorities locate oiled wildlife. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2020
17. Putting "Context Collapse" into Context.
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Wexler, Mark, Yunzhijun Yu, and Bridson, Shannon
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ONLINE social networks , *SOCIAL exchange , *SOCIAL sciences education , *SOCIAL networks , *INFORMATION services , *SOCIAL media , *DATA privacy , *FOREST landowners - Abstract
In this paper, we examine and place "context collapse," as employed in social media studies, into context. In the hands of social media researchers, context collapse demonstrates how users lose track of the context in which they are operating when they enter into exchanges on social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Examples that users lose their way include oversharing, failure to recognize privacy issues, and a belief that the imagined audience on these sites is much more trustworthy than further scrutiny warrants. In this paper, we praise context collapse researchers for drawing attention to users' difficulty in early stage navigation on social networking sites. However, we argue that the focus on users' early stage navigational difficulty can be limited in several aspects. It fails to examine social networking platforms as the basis for understanding context on social media sites; it restricts the idea of concept collapse to a narrow conception of the user; and finally, it does not distinguish variations among these platforms. Putting social networking into context requires considering how multiple users on social networking platforms--sponsors, entrepreneurs, information brokers, data analysts, platform owners, platform regulators--create a workable assemblage in which the interactions of participants create a discernible context. To derive this, we unpack three binaries used to establish the existence of context collapse: 1) leap/lag; 2) collusion/collision; and 3) publicity/privacy. First, aligned with the existent research on context collapse, we apply these binaries to social network sites with a narrow conception of the user. Then, we employ the same three binaries under two conditions: firstly, using a multi-stakeholder model of social networking platform participation; and secondly, using these binaries with three different variations on the social networking platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
18. POLLUTION-CATCHING POWER.
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WEXLER, MARK
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ENVIRONMENTAL research , *HABITATS , *ENVIRONMENTAL sciences , *REMOTE-sensing images , *ENVIRONMENTAL engineering , *WETLANDS - Abstract
Often isolated from larger waterways, seasonal wetlands such as prairie potholes (left) are frequently drained for agriculture or development. "Being disconnected can be better because the wetlands are catching the pollutants and retaining them as opposed to leaking them back into streams", says lead author Frederick Cheng, now at Colorado State University. Draining wetlands also destroys wildlife habitat and increases the risk of floods, drought and other impacts of climate change. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
19. TINY ANTS PLAY BIG ROLE IN FOREST HEALTH.
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WEXLER, MARK
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FOREST health , *ANTS , *GRANIVORES , *SECONDARY forests , *LIFE sciences , *DECIDUOUS forests - Abstract
In newer secondary forests, such spring ephemerals tend to be scarce - and in recent research published in Ecology, scientists say one explanation may be a lack of woodland ants. The scientists say low numbers of woodland ants in regenerated forests stems from several factors, including competition with invasive slugs that thrive on former agricultural lands. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
20. MAPPING HOTSPOTS TO HELP MIGRANTS.
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WEXLER, MARK
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BIRD migration , *IMMIGRANTS , *RADAR meteorology , *BIRD habitats , *DECIDUOUS forests - Abstract
Microscope WIDE-OPEN SPECTRUM After analyzing vision research on nearly 450 species, University of Arkansas biologists report in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B that wildlife adapted to open habitats (such as prairie dogs, left) see a wider range of colors than forest animals. Unfortunately, these "small pockets of deciduous forest are often neglected in conservation planning", says Princeton ecologist and lead author Fengyi Guo, who hopes the new migration stopover map will help to change that. The map, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, "gives us a powerful new tool for identifying the key habitats these birds are using during their epic migrations", says Princeton ecologist and co-author David Wilcove. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
21. Many Songs Lifting Spirits.
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WEXLER, MARK
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MENTAL health , *PREVENTIVE medicine - Abstract
Published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Ferraro's paper is far from the only study finding that the presence of wild birds - particularly multiple bird species - can lift people's spirits. NATURE AND HEALTH For as long as she can remember, Danielle Ferraro has been captivated by birds. In a subsequent analysis of medical data provided by German authorities for 30,000 residents, Methorst and his colleagues confirmed that the larger the number of bird and plant species in a region, the more content people are. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
22. Crowd Appeal.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark
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WILDLIFE conservation - Abstract
The article focuses on the most spectacular wildlife gatherings sights sure to inspire awe and a passion for conservation including two dozen northern elephant seals hauled out of the Pacific Ocean to start a breeding colony at Piedras Blancas, California coast; hundreds of thousands of geese, ducks and other migratory birds heading north on the Pacific Flyway; and hungry elk set off every autumn on a 50-mile trek to the valley of Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
- Published
- 2019
23. URBAN GREENERY SURPRISES.
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WEXLER, MARK
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COMMUNITIES , *CARBON emissions , *VEGETATION mapping - Abstract
Scientists at Columbia University used high-resolution imagery to map urban vegetation and calculate the daily and seasonal changes, or "flux", in carbon the plants capture during photosynthesis. They found that on some summer afternoons, carbon absorbed by vegetation may temporarily equal up to 40 percent of the area's carbon emissions from all sources, or almost all carbon dioxide generated at those times by motor vehicles. During summer, trees, grasses and other vegetation in New York City (left) and nearby communities may play a larger than expected role counteracting human-caused carbon emissions. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
24. NESTLINGS TUNED TO LOCAL DIALECTS.
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WEXLER, MARK
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DIALECTS , *FLYCATCHERS , *BABY birds , *BIRDSONGS - Abstract
To make this discovery, Swedish zoologists broadcast a variety of songs to some 2,000 wild flycatcher nestlings from seven populations - each with its own distinct dialect - then observed the baby birds' responses. Because flycatcher hatchlings hear surprisingly few songs, Wheatcroft says the results also raise the intriguing possibility that the birds innately recognize their own dialects. When they are as young as 12 days old, nestling pied flycatchers (right) will respond - by begging for food - to songs from adult males that live in their own population, scientists have found. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
25. LIVING LONGER, TOGETHER.
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WEXLER, MARK
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GOLDEN snub-nosed monkey , *NAKED mole rat - Abstract
By analyzing brain tissue from 94 species - including solitary, pair-living and group-living mammals - the researchers also identified 31 genes linked both to longevity and a species' social system. The finding, published in Nature Communications, held true for a wide array of species, from group-dwelling and long-lived golden snub-nosed monkeys (above), naked mole rats and horseshoe bats to solitary and shorter-lived giant armadillos and short-tailed shrews. In an analysis of scientific papers on the body masses, life spans and lifestyles of 974 species, Chinese zoologists found that mammals living in groups generally outlive solitary mammals. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
26. BISON BOOST BIODIVERSITY.
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WEXLER, MARK
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PLANT species diversity , *BISON - Published
- 2023
27. The Shifting Discourse on Third Places: Ideological Implications.
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Wexler, Mark N. and Oberlander, Judy
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MASS society , *COMMUNITARIANISM , *NONPROFIT organizations - Abstract
Within the social sciences, literature on third places attempts to assist in the construction of a social concept of "place". This notion of a place is an idealization of the bridging space with home and family on one side, and work with the rule-based impersonality of life in mass society, on the other. Like the idea of work-life balance--as seen through the vocabulary of placemaking--third places provide people with a place in which there is a balance between the emotive attachments of home and family and the challenge striving for merit and reward in the marketplace. To date, third places have been treated as a unified construct. This paper makes the case that both the discourse and design models used to make sense of third places are significantly different. After reviewing and placing third-place literature in its historical context, we distinguish communitarian, commercial and digital third places. These three types of places--in both their physical and virtual forms--are important parts of the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Subsequently employing a cui bono approach or who benefits framework, we highlight the ways in which ideological points of view imbedded in the varying versions of third places have implications for practice and theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
28. The Slow Food Movement: A 'Big Tent' Ideology.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark N., Oberlander, Judy, and Shankar, Arjun
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SLOW food movement , *COMMERCIALIZATION - Abstract
The Slow Food Movement (SFM) has been characterized as a reminder of the centrality of the kitchen in the "good old days". It has also been referred to as a poor use of science posing as a rallying point for the beleaguered middle class trying to reclaim psychological territory lost to the fast-paced commercialization of what was once private or leisure time. This paper argues that both these criticisms contain more than a kernel of truth. However, each misses the mark when it comes to explaining the relative successes of SFM. In this paper, we explore SFM's basic ideological premises. It is neither a simple return to a traditional society nor a poorly formulated anticonsumerist position. Rather, from an ideological framing, SFM employs a "big tent" strategy drawing upon the positions of other lifestyle movements such as voluntary simplicity, localism, green consumption and communitarian social capital movements. This "big tent" of overlapping ideological positions is helpful in creating a credible set of alliances and a mass following. Moreover, SFMinsists that a small but basic lifestyle change, namely, investing more quality time in the acquisition, preparation and sharing of fresh food - can ripple outwards and offer benefits to individuals, but also via selective consumption, put pressure on transnational firms, agri-business and banks to heed the demands of those in the "movement". This paper concludes with a discussion of both the costs and complications of the "big tent" ideology and how SFM has attempted to keep each of these within its reach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
29. Celebrating America’s “Great Land”.
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Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
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WILDLIFE conservation , *BALD eagle , *HARBOR seal , *MOOSE ,ALASKA Purchase, 1867 - Abstract
The article discusses the success of the U.S. wildlife conservation in Alaska, the history of the state and its wealth of natural and wildlife resources. Topics include how the U.S. purchased Alaska from Russia, the many species of wildlife that reside in Alaska including the Bald Eagle, harbor seals and the Alaskan bull moose, and the international agreement the U.S. made with other countries to protect the Pribilof seals.
- Published
- 2017
30. BENEFITS OF BULL’S-EYES.
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WEXLER, MARK
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COMMON sunflower , *SUNFLOWER growing - Abstract
Writing in eLife, the scientists explain that larger bull's-eyes contain more UV-absorbing compounds called flavonols that prevent excessive water loss. Scientists have long known that sunflower petals produce ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing pigments that create bull's-eye patterns invisible to humans but not to insects such as bees (longhorn bee, left). Now, in a study of nearly 2,000 wild sunflowers, researchers at the University of British Columbia find that sunflower UV patterns also help the plants survive by regulating water loss. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
31. FRESHWATER RICHES.
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
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FRESH water , *SURFACE of the earth , *FRESHWATER habitats , *ANIMAL species , *SPECIES diversity , *BIOLOGISTS - Published
- 2023
32. HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT.
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WEXLER, MARK
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LIFE sciences , *CAMOUFLAGE (Biology) - Abstract
"There was a big gap in the literature on this topic", says João Vitor de Alcantara Viana, a behavioral ecologist at the State University of Campinas in Brazil, who led an investigation into which strategies work best. Though scientists have spent more than a century observing and studying the camouflage tactics animals use to deter detection by predators, few of those efforts have compared the effectiveness of different concealment strategies. In general, the ecologists report in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, predators must spend about 60 percent more time finding camouflaged prey than noncamou-flaged prey. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
33. SIMPLE NESTS BREED SUCCESS.
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WEXLER, MARK
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BIRD nests , *BIOLOGICAL extinction , *BIRD eggs , *BIOLOGICAL fitness - Abstract
"Our results support the idea that nest types can be important factors in the ecological success of birds", writes lead author Iliana Medina in Ecology Letters. A bout a third of the planet's roughly 11,000 bird species build elaborate domed nests with roofs that would appear to provide better protection for eggs and hatchlings than open nests. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
34. Persistent states in vision break universality and time invariance.
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Wexler, Mark, Duyck, Marianne, and Mamassian, Pascal
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STATISTICAL bias , *POPULATION research , *VISUAL perception ,VISION research - Abstract
Studies of perception usually emphasize processes that are largely universal across observers and--except for short-term fluctuations--stationary over time. Here we test the universality and stationarity assumptions with two families of ambiguous visual stimuli. Each stimulus can be perceived in two different ways, parameterized by two opposite directions from a continuous circular variable. A large-sample study showed that almost all observers have preferred directions or biases, with directions lying within 90 degrees of the bias direction nearly always perceived and opposite directions almost never perceived. The biases differ dramatically from one observer to the next, and although nearly every bias direction occurs in the population, the population distributions of the biases are nonuniform, featuring asymmetric peaks in the cardinal directions. The biases for the two families of stimuli are independent and have distinct population distributions. Following external perturbations and spontaneous fluctuations, the biases decay over tens of seconds toward their initial values. Persistent changes in the biases are found on time scales of several minutes to 1 hour. On scales of days to months, the biases undergo a variety of dynamical processes such as drifts, jumps, and oscillations. The global statistics of a majority of these long-term time series are well modeled as random walk processes. The measurable fluctuations of these hitherto unknown degrees of freedom show that the assumptions of universality and stationarity in perception may be unwarranted and that models of perception must include both directly observable variables as well as covert, persistent states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Coping with Chronic Clamor.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
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NOISE pollution , *BIRD behavior , *OWLS , *MATING calls - Abstract
The article reports that a growing body of research shows how noise pollution alters bird behavior. Topics include a research by Boise State University ecologist Jesse Barber and colleagues, which shows that the northern saw-whet owl has an exceptional sense of hearing and can hear sounds as low as negative 20 decibels, and finding of Dutch researchers that male great tits near communities have changed their mating calls to a higher pitch.
- Published
- 2017
36. WEATHERMEN?
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
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GROUNDHOG Day , *SPRING - Published
- 2023
37. BIRDS, BEES MAKE A GOOD BREW.
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
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BEES , *COFFEE growing , *COFFEE beans , *BEEKEEPERS - Abstract
Say "thank you" to the birds and the bees that team up on farms where coffee is grown. Conducting field work on 30 Costa Rican coffee farms, researchers discovered that coffee beans grow larger and more plentiful when birds and bees join forces - with the bees pollinating the plants (Scaptotrigona pectoralis on coffee flower, left) and the birds protecting them from pests. Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the scientists report that without the combined efforts of these winged helpers - many of which have migrated from thousands of miles away - the $24 billion coffee industry would suffer nearly a 25 percent decrease in crop yields. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
38. HAMMER HEADS.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
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HAMMERS , *TREE trunks , *WOODPECKERS - Abstract
In analyses of high-speed videos of black (right), pileated and great spotted woodpeckers, the researchers found that the birds do not absorb the shock of the impact with a tree. Even the strongest shocks from dozens of pecks the team analyzed appeared to be safe for woodpecker brains. Building three-dimensional, biomechanical models of the birds, the scientists also concluded that shock absorbance by the skulls would severely hinder the birds' pecking abilities. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
39. CULTURAL EXCHANGE.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
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CULTURAL relations , *HUMPBACK whale , *TECHNICAL reports - Abstract
In their investigation, published recently in Scientific Reports, the researchers measured the number of sounds and the length of sound patterns produced by humpback populations off the coasts of both east Australia and New Caledonia. "By listening to the Australian humpbacks, we were able to see if the songs changed in any way when sung by the New Caledonian whales", says lead author Jenny Allen, a University of Queensland research fellow. After analyzing several years of high-quality underwater recordings, scientists report that humpback whales (above) from one region of the South Pacific can learn incredibly complicated melodies sung by humpbacks from another region nearly 2,000 miles away. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
40. Teaching bats navigation.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
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NAVIGATION - Abstract
In a groundbreaking study, zoologists at Israel's Tel Aviv University have discovered how mother bats teach their pups to fly and navigate. To follow the mammals' movements, the researchers temporarily attached tiny monitoring devices to female Egyptian fruit bats (right, with pup) at a cave near Tel Aviv. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2022
41. Pumas keep ecosystems healthy.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
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PUMAS , *CONDORS , *ECOSYSTEMS , *BURYING beetles - Abstract
"What's surprising is the range of species that benefit from feeding on puma kills", says co-author and Panthera ecologist Mark Elbroch. Ranging from the Canadian Yukon to South America's southern Andes, pumas (right, hunting a guanaco in Chile) have the widest distribution of any native mammals in the Western Hemisphere. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2022
42. Division of labor.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
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DIVISION of labor , *FERNS , *COLONIES (Biology) , *EUSOCIALITY - Abstract
Biologists from New Zealand have identified the first-known example of a plant species that seems to exhibit eusociality, a behavior in which different members of a colony play separate roles that together perpetuate the group's survival. Burns says this division of tasks sets staghorn ferns apart from other colonial plants. "Plants were completely off the radar", says Kevin Burns, a Victoria University of Wellington biologist who led a study of the staghorn fern Platy-cerium bifurcatum (above) on Lord Howe Island off Australia. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2022
43. Structure of visual biases revealed by individual differences.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark, Mamassian, Pascal, and Schütz, Alexander C.
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- *
VISUAL perception , *STIMULUS & response (Biology) , *MOTION perception (Vision) , *PSYCHOLOGY of movement , *RETINA - Abstract
Multiple studies have shown that certain visual stimuli are perceived in accordance with strong biases that are both robust within individuals and highly variable from one individual to the next. These biases undergo small changes over time that demonstrate that they constitute latent states of the visual system. The literature to date indicates that the individual biases for different stimulus classes are independent of each other. Here we asked whether some of these biases are nonetheless related to one another. We measured individual biases for five classes of stimuli in 1000 participants. The stimuli were two different versions of two-dimensional apparent motion, smooth motion in Glass patterns, and two different structure-from-motion stimuli. There were pronounced individual biases in all stimuli, and these biases varied in direction and strength across individuals. Some biases were not independent: the two biases for apparent motion direction were most strongly correlated, and they were both correlated, but less strongly, to the bias direction for smooth motion. While all other pairs of biases had unrelated directions, the strengths of all biases were correlated. The correlation of bias strengths may be due to either a common factor across the stimulus types, or an attentional effect. Only a tiny fraction of the between-participant variance can be explained by age and gender. These results show that latent states of the visual system that we measure as individual biases are organized in a structured way, and call out for further study of this under-explored aspect of visual perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. Growing a Better Bird Feeder.
- Author
-
Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
- *
INSECTS , *BIRD feeders , *COMPUTER software , *WILDLIFE conservation - Abstract
The article focuses on significance of backyard habitats in wildlife conservation. Topics include findings of a study by University of Delaware entomologist Doug Tallamy indicating significance of insects and their larvae in feeding native birds; measures taken by the U.S. National Wildlife Federation (NWF) for using suburban properties in wildlife conservation; a software for selecting best native plants for wildlife by zip code to be launched by NWF.
- Published
- 2016
45. Guardians of Abundance.
- Author
-
Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
- *
WILDLIFE management , *ANNIVERSARIES , *WILDLIFE conservation -- Congresses , *SOCIETIES - Abstract
The article offers information on various aspects related to National Wildlife Federation (NWF) in the U.S. Among the topics discussed include its 80th anniversary celebration on February 5, 2016, its objectives for habitat and wildlife protection, and the North American Wildlife Conference hosted by the organization in Washington, D.C.
- Published
- 2016
46. Pollution reduces pollinator visits.
- Author
-
Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
- *
POLLUTION , *POLLINATORS , *AIR pollutants , *POLLINATION by insects , *INSECT pollinators , *POLLINATION , *MUSTARD - Abstract
In the first study of its kind, scientists at England's University of Reading have found that air pollutants common in both urban and rural areas may interfere with and reduce insect pollination (common eastern bumble bee, right). Writing in Environmental Pollution, the scientists suggest that pollutants may react with and change the scents of flowers, making them difficult for insects to find. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2022
47. Bison benefit prairie ecosystems.
- Author
-
Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
- *
BISON , *PRAIRIES , *GRASSLANDS , *CONSERVATION biology - Abstract
According to a new analysis published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, bison restoration also may offer additional critical benefits: helping to conserve the fragile prairie ecosystems they inhabit and mitigating some of the adverse impacts of climate change in a region that is becoming warmer and drier. Efforts to restore bison (right) to Tribal lands across the Northern Great Plains have emphasized the importance of reestablishing the cultural and spiritual connections lost to Indigenous peoples when European settlers nearly annihilated the animals during the 1800s. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2022
48. Biggest fish-breeding colony.
- Author
-
Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
- *
FISH breeding , *MARINE biologists , *ERYTHROCYTES - Abstract
"The idea that such a huge breeding area of icefish in the Weddell Sea was previously undiscovered is totally fascinating", says marine biologist and lead author Autun Purser. Deep beneath the surface of Antarctica's remote Weddell Sea, German researchers have discovered the world's largest-known fish-breeding colony. Given the colony's biomass, the researchers say the size of this breeding area makes it an extremely important ecosystem within the sea. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2022
49. Caught in the Act.
- Author
-
WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
- *
BIRD breeding , *NEST building , *ATLANTIC puffin , *BALD eagle , *EMPEROR penguin , *PHOTOGRAPHY of animals , *BIRDS , *ANIMAL behavior - Abstract
The article focuses on the behavior of breeding birds while nesting and rearing their offsprings, along with several photographs related to the same. Atlantic puffins spend the winter months at sea, and in breeding season their beaks and feet turn orange. Bald eagles build their nest continuously and use them year after year. Photographs of Atlantic puffins, male bald eagle, and emperor penguins are also presented.
- Published
- 2015
50. Default perception of high-speed motion.
- Author
-
Wexler, Mark, Glennerster, Andrew, Cavanagh, Patrick, Ito, Hiroyuki, and Seno, Takeharu
- Subjects
- *
MOTION perception (Vision) , *VISUAL perception , *RANDOMIZATION (Statistics) , *STIMULUS & response (Biology) , *VISUALIZATION , *OPTICAL illusions - Abstract
When human observers are exposed to even slight motion signals followed by brief visual transients—stimuli containing no detectable coherent motion signals—they perceive large and salient illusory jumps. This visually striking effect, which we call "high phi," challenges well-entrenched assumptions about the perception of motion, namely the minimal-motion principle and the breakdown of coherent motion perception with steps above an upper limit called dmax. Our experiments with transients, such as texture randomization or contrast reversal, show that the magnitude of the jump depends on spatial frequency and transient duration—but not on the speed of the inducing motion signals—and the direction of the jump depends on the duration of the inducer. Jump magnitude is robust across jump directions and different types of transient. In addition, when a texture is actually displaced by a large step beyond the upper step size limit of dmax, a breakdown of coherent motion perception is expected; however, in the presence of an inducer, observers again perceive coherent displacements at or just above dmax. In summary, across a large variety of stimuli, we find that when incoherent motion noise is preceded by a small bias, instead of perceiving little or no motion—as suggested by the minimal-motion principle—observers perceive jumps whose amplitude closely follows their own dmax limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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