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Saturday, April 7, 2012

ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

ScienceDaily: Top Environment News


Which plants will survive droughts, climate change?

Posted: 06 Apr 2012 11:18 AM PDT

Biologists aim to predict which plant species will escape extinction from climate change. Droughts are worsening around the world, which poses a great challenge to plants in gardens and forests. Scientists have debated for more than a century how to predict which species are most vulnerable.

Impact of warming climate doesn't always translate to streamflow

Posted: 06 Apr 2012 11:17 AM PDT

An analysis of 35 headwater basins in the United States and Canada found that the impact of warmer air temperatures on streamflow rates was less than expected in many locations, suggesting that some ecosystems may be resilient to certain aspects of climate change.

Ecosystems dependent on snowy winters most threatened, long term research confirms

Posted: 06 Apr 2012 05:28 AM PDT

As global temperatures rise, the most threatened ecosystems are those that depend on a season of snow and ice, scientists say. In semi-arid regions like the southwestern United States, mountain snowpacks are the dominant source of water for human consumption and irrigation. New research shows that as average temperatures increase in these snowy ecosystems, a significant amount of stream water is lost to the atmosphere.

Study shows unified process of evolution in bacteria and sexual eukaryotes

Posted: 05 Apr 2012 11:21 AM PDT

Bacteria adapt to habitats through random genetic mutations and gene exchange. But how does an advantageous mutation spread from a bacterium to a population? Does the gene sweep through a population or does an individual bacterium obtain the gene, then replicate its genome to form an adapted population? Researchers have shown that genes can sweep through populations, indicating that the process of evolution in bacteria is very similar to that of sexual eukaryotes.

How to make high-end perfumes without whale barf

Posted: 05 Apr 2012 04:53 AM PDT

Researchers have identified a gene in balsam fir trees that could facilitate cheaper and more sustainable production of plant-based fixatives and scents used in the fragrance industry and reduce the need for ambergris, a substance harvested from whale barf.

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