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Small Organisms Could Dramatically Impact World’s Climate

By Guest PostOctober 26, 2012Environment21st century, atmospheric, carbon, carbon dioxide, christopher klausmeier, climate change, colin kremer, cycle, david garrison, diversity, element, elena litchman, equatorial water, evolutionary adaptation, food chain, global climate, impact, level, marine microorganism, michigan, mridul thomas, nitrogen, ocean, ocean floor, organism, phosphorous, photosynthesis, phytoplankton, population, science express, state university, temperature, tropical water, warmer

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Warmer oceans in the future could significantly alter populations of phytoplankton, tiny organisms that could have a major impact on climate change.

In the current issue of Science Express, Michigan State University researchers show that by the end of the 21st century, warmer oceans will cause populations of these marine microorganisms to thrive near the poles and may shrink in equatorial waters. Since phytoplankton play a key role in the food chain and the world’s cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and other elements, a drastic drop could have measurable consequences. (more…)

Evolving to Fight Epidemics: Weakness Can Be an Advantage

By Guest PostMarch 31, 2012Sciencechristopher klausmeier, daphnia dentifera, daphnia population, david civitello, disease, ecological factor, ecosystems, evolution, georgia tech, indiana lakes, infection, jessica housley ochs, magnitude, meghan duffy, metschnikowia bicuspidate, nutrient concentration, parasite epidemic, rachel penczykowski, saran twombly, spencer hall, total nitrogen, vertebrate predator, water fleas, yeast parasite, zooplankton

*Less resistance can sometimes be better than more–at least in a freshwater lake*

When battling a deadly parasite epidemic, less resistance can sometimes be better than more, a new study suggests.

A freshwater zooplankton species known as Daphnia dentifera endures periodic epidemics of a virulent yeast parasite that can infect more than 60 percent of the Daphnia population.

During these epidemics, the Daphnia population evolves quickly, balancing infection resistance and reproduction. (more…)

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Small Organisms Could Dramatically Impact World’s Climate

Evolving to Fight Epidemics: Weakness Can Be an Advantage