Maintaining Ecosystem Diversity. The struggle between predator and prey may seem savage and senseless to humans, but new research suggests it is not only essential for life on Earth, it also increases biodiversity.
Without the forces of one species preying on another, researchers found that species diversity drops. "One of the key challenges of both ecology and evolutionary biology is to understand the mechanisms that maintain biodiversity," the researchers write in the study, published today (March 12), in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The researchers built a miniature world in their laboratory — they put two closely related species of bean weevils (Callosobruchus maculates and Callosobruchus chinensis) in lab enclosures, with and without a parasitic wasp, Anisopteromalus calandrae, which infects them. At immature stages, the weevils live inside beans, chewing out when they reach maturity. They are a pest infecting many important crops. The world's temperature has always changed. What's different now? The Earth's climate has fluctuated throughout its history, with both warmer and colder phases than those we experience now.
These past climatic changes were caused by natural "forcings" – things such as changes in solar activity, Earth's position relative to the sun, changes in atmospheric CO2 driven by emissions from volcanoes and ecosystems, and natural fluctuations within the climate system such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation or the Arctic Oscillation. The recent rise in temperature over the last century of around 0.75C is different to previous climatic change because it involves a new forcing: greenhouse gas emissions from human activity, which have driven atmospheric CO2 to its highest level for 15m years. Nanotrees Harvest Sun’s Energy, Turn Water Into Hydrogen Fuel. 7 Ways to Make Money by Going Green. Many of us are on pretty tight budgets these days.
So, if you could use a few extra dollars in your pocket this month, why not cash in on your green habits to fatten your wallet and lighten your footprint? From recycling your iPhone to renting out your parking space, here are seven ways to make money by being green. Tip #4: Cash in on helping your neighbors reduce transportation-related emissions by renting out your personal parking space when you’re not using it. Photo: Flickr/pixeljones 1. If you have a closet full of clothes that are still in good condition but just aren’t your size or style anymore, you could be making loads of extra cash by selling them to other fashionistas online. At SwapStyle.com you can sell, buy or swap all your used fashions in good condition. For a swap site that accepts both men’s and women’s clothing, head to Dresm.com to trade, sell or buy in just a few clicks.
READ: Guide to Swapping and Selling Clothes Online 2. Listen up, tech junkies! 3. 4. TreeHugger. Environmental News and Information. The Green Geek. Animal Diversity Web. BioPower Systems. Download Graphic Images from the Hillis/Bull Lab. Return to "Download Files" Page You are welcome to download the following graphic image of the Tree of Life for non-commercial, educational purposes: Tree of Life (~3,000 species, based on rRNA sequences) (pdf, 368 KB) (see Science, 2003, 300:1692-1697) This file can be printed as a wall poster.
Printing at least 54" wide is recommended. Tree of Life tattoo, courtesy of Clare D'Alberto, who is working on her Ph.D. in biology at the University of Melbourne. The organisms depicted in this tattoo are (starting at 4 o'clock and going around clockwise): (1) a cyanobacterium (Anabaena); (2) a radiolarian (Acantharea); (3) a dinoflagellate (Ceratium); (4) an angiosperm (Spider Orchid); (5) a couple species of fungi (Penicillium and a yeast); (6) a ctenophore (comb jelly); (7) a mollusc (nudibranch); (8) an echinoderm (brittle star); and (9) a vertebrate (Weedy Sea Dragon). Here is another great Tree of Life tattoo! Cover of Molecular Systmatics, 2nd ed. Oceana North America.