Tag Archives: rodolfo dirzo

Invertebrate numbers nearly halve as human population doubles

By Guest PostAugust 10, 2014Sciencebaobei huijia, bees, beetles, butterflies, decline, decomposition, diamond anvil, factor, four year mystery, global scale, habitat loss, human population, invertebrate, junxiu wang, lost boy, number, pest control, pollination, rodolfo dirzo, standardtheorie der quantenmechanik, uk, vertebrates, water quality

Invertebrate numbers have decreased by 45% on average over a 35 year period in which the human population doubled, reports a study on the impact of humans on declining animal numbers.

This decline matters because of the enormous benefits invertebrates such as insects, spiders, crustaceans, slugs and worms bring to our day-to-day lives, including pollination and pest control for crops, decomposition for nutrient cycling, water filtration and human health. (more…)

Mutual benefits: Stressed-out trees boost sugary rewards to ant defenders

By Guest PostNovember 14, 2013Natureant, ant protection, azteca ants, azteca pittieri, carnegie institution, central america, climate change, cordia alliodora, deborah gordon, dry tropical forest, ecologist, ecologists, ecuador laurel trees, elizabeth pringle, erol akcay, evolution, evolutionary model, honeydew, insurance model, key environmental factor, life sustaining foliage, mutual benefits, pacific coast, plant animal interaction, rodolfo dirzo, santa fe institute, scale insects, Science, southern mexico, stanford university, stressed out trees, sugary reward, ted raab, theory, university of michigan, university of pennsylvania

ANN ARBOR — When water is scarce, Ecuador laurel trees ramp up their investment in a syrupy treat that sends resident ant defenders into overdrive, protecting the trees from defoliation by leaf-munching pests.

The water-stressed tropical forest trees support the production of more honeydew, a sugary excretion imbibed by the Azteca ants that nest in the laurels’ stem cavities. In return, ant colonies boost their numbers and more vigorously defend the life-sustaining foliage. (more…)