Weekly Article - Evolution Being Dictated By Human Input

This weeks article touches on the effect humans have the evolution of other species due to the introduction of invasive species. In this case it looks at two Stickleback species in Canada and the effects of the introduction of crayfish into their habitat.

Studies like this are primarily focused on species with short generation times. This has a simple explanation as a species which matures and reproduces rapidly allows a study to assess multiple generations of the species within a few year. Result can then be extrapolated to suggest what the long term effects could be on species which has a longer lifespan and so mature slower. The characteristics of these long lived species means that they have a slower rate of evolution which in the majority of cases is unrealistic to monitor over a real time phase.

The News release

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-02/uobc-hsu022216.php

The published article (you will need a subscription to Current Biology to access more than just the abstract of this paper, sorry I couldn't find it anywhere else with free access)

http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(16)00040-3

Thanks for reading!

The Scottish Wildcat - Is It Worlds Most Endangered Feline?

This week I will be telling you about the worlds most endangered feline species, well sort of. There are contradictory sources which say either the Spanish Lynx, or the Amur leopard are the most endangered feline species but I want to throw a third into the mix. The Scottish Wildcat. To describe my argument for this we are going to have to get a few details straight whilst leaving others slightly fuzzy.

The Scottish Wildcat is native to Scotland and is now only found in

isolate regions in the Western Highlands. It is famously the only species of cat which hasn’t been tamed by humans unlike other species such as lions and leopards. It is also the last large mammal predator left within the UK. It looks very much like a domestic cat and is somewhat similar but then different at the same time. For instance unlike the domestic cat which originated within the Middle East and are capable of breeding all year round the Scottish Wildcat is a seasonal breeder. They produce a litter of up to 8 kittens once they reach sexual maturity, at the age of 10-12months. They also differ partly in morphology as well, they look somewhat like a large tabby cat however a true Scottish Wildcat will have a large bushy tail which is clearly striped and ends with a solid black tip.

Wildcats are primarily found within the remaining fragmented patches of forest, but are not unknown to venture onto moor land periodically in the search for prey. They feed on small to medium size prey such as rats, hares and rabbits which they catch using a combination of stealth, speed and power to stalk and kill their chosen prey.

There are currently less than 100 Wildcat left roaming Scotland along with a captive population. This number is where it all gets a bit fuzzy however as the definition of a Wildcat is the problem.

The main threat to Wildcats is hybridisation, which by definition is the process of mating organisms of different varieties or species to create a hybrid. In the case of the Scottish Wildcat, domestic and feral cats from the human populations surrounding them are breeding with them and diluting the gene pool of a true Wildcat.

It is the process of hybridization which is creating the question of just how endangered the Wildcat is, if you were to only consider those individuals which possess pure Wildcat genes, the number of them remaining would drops dramatically. So the question is, is a Wildcat with 25% domestic cat in its genetics (that’s one grandparent being a domestic cat) still a true Scottish Wildcat? Where should the line be draw? This is an important decision to be made in both the captive and wild populations so breeding schemes can be utilised.

There are several morphological clues which suggest the purity of a Wildcat’s genetics, such as the strips on its tail banding together or fading in colour as well as the presence of spots on their faces and back suggest that an individual is a hybrid to some extent.

So what can be done to help the Scottish Wildcat? There are a couple of steps which can be taken depending on where you are in the world. If you live in Scotland a simple step would be to have your domestic cat neutered to stop the process of hybridization. If you don’t live in Scotland however you can still help, there are charities which are dedicated to the conservation of Wildcats that you can donate to, or you can simply spread the word about this amazing animal to help make a difference.

Thanks for reading!

Check out this video

Weekly Article - Conflicts Are Never Good News

Time for another weekly article.

There has been a lot in the global news about the conflict in Syria and other parts of the Middle East which is causing millions of people to be displaced and effected in all sorts of ways. For most of these situations the media focus on the human suffering which off course extremely saddening but the effect on the environment are usually overlooked. This is due to a number of reasons firstly it is not considered as important and secondly it is not exactly easy to conduct field research in such areas safely.

Conflicts are never good for anyone human or animal but it doesn't seem to be going to stop anytime soon and so the world as a whole is going to continue to suffer.

Check out this link.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2077504-bald-ibis-among-wildlife-driven-to-extinction-in-syria-and-libya/

Thanks for reading!

Composting - The Answer To Overfilled Waste Dumps

Today we are going to be talking about a rather simple process which you can put as much or as little effort into as you want and all you need is a little room outside.

Composting! It may not seem or sound that important but if everyone was to begin composting all of their organic waste there would be a lot more room at landfills for other waste which can’t be processed. In 2012 in the UK created 200 million tonnes of waste, 14% of which was household waste. This comprises of things such as plastic packaging, wood, metal and most importantly for this post organic material.

97% of food waste which is generated across the United States ends up in landfills in other words 33 million tonnes of food is buried every year according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This is a huge volume of waste which is taking up a lot of waste real estate which could be used to dispose of materials which can’t be recycled or reused.

The aim of this post is to encourage everyone to either increase or start composting. This would reduce the amount of waste which is filling up landfill sites, as well as providing you with a source of nutrient rich soil. Of course I hope that as many people as possible are attempting to reduce the amount of food waste they are producing but some waste is nearly unavoidable and composting is the answer to this waste.

Here are a few tips and trick to help you succeed at composting.

• You don’t need one of those large plastic tubs to compost in and it shouldn’t cost you any money

• Almost everything organic can go into a compost pile. Don’t add anything such as pet waste or animal fats as it won’t help

•   Plant matter such as grass clipping and hedge off cuts help to provide a good source of nitrogen

•  Attempt to maintain a steady neutral pH this means monitor the amount of alkaline waste you are adding such as ash and acidic was such as pine needles

• You can use old carpet and sheets to help keep your compost warm as this will speed up the rate of decomposition

• Finally make sure you turn your heap every few months, this will help the aerate it and so encourage microbe and macroinvertebrate life.

If everyone was to start up a compost heap and managed to reduce their organic waste by 50% this would create 16.5 million tonnes less waste a year in America alone going to landfill sites resulting in a slower rate at which they are being filled. This leads to less land and habitats being destroyed to create more room for landfill.  It will also provide you with a extremely good substrate in which to attempt to grow your own vegetables, or if you don’t have room for that I’m sure someone you know will have a use for it.

I hope you all start composting soon and good luck

If you already compost comment below on any tips and trick you use to be more successful as I’ve only told you a few of the basics

Thanks for reading!

Check out this video!

Weekly Article - Sea level Rise As The Glaciers Flow

The predicted rise in sea levels is going to effect many nations across  the world, with coastal capitals and other settlements under threat of being completely or partly lost to the sea, as well as valuable farm land and unique habitats.

The majority of fresh water on the planet (70%) is currently locked up in the form of ice at the two poles, however the ice is a lot closer to becoming a issue than most people believe. Currently there are sheets of ice at the  base of the Antarctic plateau which are preventing the ice held there from entering the sea. These ice dams are becoming increasing small due to climate change and if they were to breach many billions of tonnes of ice would being to move down of the plateau and into the sea causing rapid and drastic changes in sea levels. Once this process has begun there would be very little we could do to halt the inevitable rise in sea levels.

Check out this link

http://www.carbonbrief.org/sea-level-research-says-only-a-brief-window-to-cut-emissions

Thanks for reading!

The Beaver - An Ecosystem Engineer

Today’s post is going to be talking about one of the world’s best ecosystem engineers, the beaver. The term ecosystem engineer is defined as an organism which is capable of modifying, creating or destroying habitat and directly or indirectly modulates the availability of resources to other species, causing physical state changes in biotic or abiotic materials.

For beavers this engineering generally takes the form of dams and the lodges they create to live in. however beavers also create extensive networks of canals which they dig out to help transport the wood they fell to areas where it is required. The largest known beaver dam is in Buffalo National Park (Canada) and was created in 1975 measuring 850m, which is a number which keeps growing as beavers add extensions to it. 

The effects of beaver dams have both a positive and negative effect as they create vast flooded areas above them, this dra

matically changes the ecosystem in that area. These changes allow some organisms to prosper while others terrestrial organisms suffer, it depends on the area as to which group of organisms are affected. Dams also affect nutrient flows down the river, just
like artificial dams and so have long reaching effects on ecosystems than just the immediate surroundings of the dam. A study in 2006 showed that dams effected groundwater flow in the Rockies, forcing it to flow towards the sides of valleys. This in turn leads to the rise in the water table which helps to sustain plants and animals during dry summer seasons.

As for the beaver it’s self it is extremely well suited for its engineering lifestyle. Like all rodents beavers have extended incisors which grow continually throughout their lives. These teeth are used for the felling of trees and bushes to help build their dams and lodges as well as providing food. These teeth are also adapted to be self-sharpening due to their composition. The front of a beavers tooth is made of hard enamel while the back portion is softer dentin; this means the rear of the tooth is worn away fast and resulting in the creation of a sharp edge. Also their webbed feet allow them to effectively move mud around when they are either digging canals or patching up holes in the dam.

Beavers live in family groups within lodges, which again are a master piece of engineering. From the outside lodges usually look like a pile of sticks however inside are several chambers which are used to eat and sleep in. To increase protection the only entrances to a beaver dam are located underwater and so provide an easy escape route if a predator attempts to break through into the lodge. These underwater entrances also allow access to food stores during the winter while the lake is frozen over.

There are currently two species of beavers in existence today (the Eurasian and North American beaver) and one species which has become extinct.  Beavers have also undergone local extinctions due to the influences of man for instance in the UK and parts of America they were hunted for their pelts which were considered valuable. However reintroduction programs are being considered within Scotland for the Eurasian beaver and trial programs have been underway since 2009 which was more than 400 years since beavers were last seen in Scotland. These trials were closely monitored to see the effects of the reintroduction (the 2015 report can be seen below) and a decision is yet to be made as to whether beavers should be reintroduced into Scotland. What do you think should happen?

Thanks for reading!

Check out this link

http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/beavers/beaver-trial-monitoring-reports/

Check out these video

Weekly Article - Yeast The Answer to Deforestation?

I heard this on the radio slightly before Christmas so it isn’t super recent but I was thinking about it the other day and wanted to share it with you.

I’ve written before about logging and deforestation and the effect it has on both biodiversity and climate. Oil palm plantations are a significant reason for deforestation, they are used produce one of the main primary export within the tropics and because of this great swaths of virgin rainforest are being removed to create plantations.

There are other options however and a groups of scientists in the University of Bath and University of York are working to produce a viable alternative to palm oil from genetically engineered yeast. There are many benefits for this project to succeed in an environmental sense as yeast can be cultured across the whole world so there is no need for forest clearance along with the fact that it can be potentially be cultured closer to the demand source therefore reducing the effects of pollution from exporting the oil.

Hopefully they’ll be successfully and an alternative to palm oil could be just around the corner

Check out the link

http://www.bath.ac.uk/news/2015/12/07/4-4m-grant-to-develop-a-yeast-alternative-to-palm-oil/

Thanks for reading!