Biodiversity Archives - Science Connected Magazine

A team of researchers led by professor Brian Fields hypothesizes that a supernova about 65 light-years away may have contributed to the ozone depletion and subsequent mass extinction of the late Devonian Period, 359 million years ago. Pictured is a simulation of a nearby supernova colliding with and compressing the solar wind. Earth's orbit, the blue dashed circle, and the Sun, red dot, are shown for scale. (Graphic courtesy Jesse Miller)

Did exploding stars cause this mass extinction?

September 28, 2020September 23, 2020 Science ConnectedDevonian extinction, Ozone depletion, supernova

Researchers at the University of Illinois think supernova explosions triggered the end-Devonian mass extinction 359 million years ago.

Animals Biodiversity Biology

Can Coronavirus Infect Non-Human Animals?

September 1, 2020August 31, 2020 Science Connectedanimals, coronavirus, COVID-19, endangered species, primates

A new study suggests that many endangered and threatened species, particularly primates, could be susceptible to the novel coronavirus.

Animals Biodiversity Environment

Urban Gardens a Haven for Pollinators

August 5, 2020August 4, 2020 Science Connectedbees, city planning, flowers, insects, pollinators, urban gardening

Insect-friendly urban gardens show great promise to be havens for bees and other pollinators, securing their future and allowing them to thrive.

Black Birders: Deja Perkins, a graduate student using citizen science to research birds, is one of the organizers of Black Birders Week. (Credit: North Carolina State University)

Animals Biodiversity Citizen Science Diversity Ornithology SciStarter Blog

Black Birders, Scientists Push for Equality

June 25, 2020June 24, 2020 Science Connectedbirds, black scientists, citizen science projects, diversity

Black Birders Week helped show the world that Black scientists exist in the great outdoors. Now, participants hope to keep the conversation going.

Biodiversity Book Reviews SciStarter Blog

Book Review: Never Home Alone

May 13, 2020May 13, 2020 Science Connectedbiodiversity loss, ecology, insects, microbes

Never Home Alone is a 256 page deep dive into the mind of a chatty biologist. Every chapter focuses on a distinct use-case for biodiversity preservation.

Animals Biodiversity Ecology

Megabiota, Largest Life, Vital to Biosphere

March 18, 2020March 11, 2020 Science Connectedcharismatic species, climate change, conservation, extinction, megafauna, megaflora

By Mackenzie Myers @kenzwrites Large organisms such as whales, elephants, and redwoods are often featured in awe-inspiring nature documentaries, but they’re more than just oohs and ahs. Their existence or extinction could make or break the planet as we know it. Megabiota—the largest plants and animals—are more likely than smaller organisms to go extinct as a result of climate change. And the rest of us could be in big trouble if they do, according to a recent study. The charisma conundrum Think of successful conservation campaigns. Which animals are deemed…

Biodiversity Climate Change Environment

Extreme Wildfires’ Effects on Australian Forests

February 17, 2020February 15, 2020 Science ConnectedAustralia, climate change, fire, global warming, wildfires, wildlife

By Jacqueline Mattos (@mattosjacq) Australia began 2020 facing the losses and catastrophic effects of the early fire season that began in September 2019. As of this writing, 33 people have died, and more than 2,200 homes have been lost—numbers that may increase, as some fires are still burning in the country, even after heavy rains have helped put out others. According to scientists, more than one billion animals have died in the wildfires, while more than 46 million acres of land have burned. Experts are saying that the Australian environment…

Biodiversity Ecology

Intense Lawn Mowing Lowers Biodiversity, Favors Pests

January 22, 2020January 23, 2020 Science Connectedinsects, lawn mowing, mowing, pests, plant diversity, plants

By Neha Jain @lifesciexplore Looks can be deceiving: a uniformly well-mowed lawn might look good, but ecologically, it is not desirable. According to a recent study that analyzed the results of many studies on lawn mowing, more intensely mowed lawns showed lower plant and insect diversity and a greater abundance of pests. According to the researchers, adopting low-intensity lawn management would bring about a host of environmental benefits including cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions, lowering the prevalence of pests, increasing pollinators and plant diversity, and saving costs. Less is…

Animals Biodiversity Ecology Education Science and Art Science Videos

Urban Animal Adaptations, the Musical

January 20, 2020January 8, 2020 Science Connectedanimals, ants, cities, cockroaches, pigeons, Science with Sophie, urban wildlife

Adaptations! How do animals adapt to live in human cities? Which animal sings the best? Watch them audition for survival and try an experiment with ping pong balls and tongs! This video is brought to you by our very good friend Sophia Shrand, creator and star of the educational science comedy series Science with Sophie. In this episode, we learn how different animal adaptations help them survive and thrive in city environments. We also learn how many different animals Sophie can portray (a lot). Finally, the experiment is fun for…

Photo 5726794, (c) Sean Blaney, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). This observation on iNaturalist is of a species tracked by the Northeast Alpine Flower Watch project.

Biodiversity Citizen Science Ecology SciStarter Blog

Explore Biodiversity with iNaturalist

October 18, 2019October 15, 2019 Science Connectedbiodiversity, citizen science, crowd sourcing, nature

Do you want to know more about the world around you? You can get outside and explore biodiversity and the natural environment with iNaturalist! iNaturalist allows anyone, anywhere to contribute to a global record of biodiversity by uploading pictures of plants and animals with their smartphone or computer. In a new podcast episode (listen below!), co-host Justin Schell talks with Dr. Carrie Seltzer, the Stakeholder Engagement Strategist for iNaturalist, and with representatives and a volunteer from the Appalachian Mountain club. Tip: add your iNaturalist username to your SciStarter dashboard, and…