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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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]