squirrels – Shamskm: A site to exchange knowledge and solutions

Uncertain Future for Joshua Trees Projected with Climate Change

By Guest PostMarch 27, 2011Environment, Naturecalifornia, climate change, climate warming, climatic tolerances, ecologis, ecology, fossil record, jon eischeid, joshua trees, ken cole, kenneth cole, kirsten ironside, models of future climate, mojave desert, nevada, north american yucca, packrats, shasta ground sloth, southwest, squirrels, state of the art climate models, temperature

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Temperature increases resulting from climate change in the Southwest will likely eliminate Joshua trees from 90 percent of their current range in 60 to 90 years, according to a new study led by U.S. Geological Survey ecologist Ken Cole.

The research team used models of future climate, an analysis of the climatic tolerances of the species in its current range, and the fossil record to project the future distribution of Joshua trees. The study concludes that the species could be restricted to the northernmost portion of its current range as early as the end of this century. Additionally, the ability of Joshua trees to migrate via seed dispersal to more suitable climates may be severely limited. (more…)

Woman Chases Tiger Attacking Her Husband Away With Wooden Ladle

By PravdaFebruary 14, 2011Culture, Generalgerik belum forest reserve, han besau, kg sungai tiang, kuala lumpur, lacerations, malaysian tiger, malaysian woman, orang asli, spoon, squirrels, tambun gediu, tiger attack, wooden ladle

A Malaysian woman has rescued her husband from tiger attack by hitting the animal on its head with a wooden ladle and chasing it away.

Tambun Gediu, 60, from an Orang Asli settlement, was hunting for squirrels near his village in the Gerik Belum Forest Reserve on Saturday when the 90kg tiger pounced on him. (more…)

‘Social Relationships in Animals Have a Genetic Basis’

By Guest PostDecember 8, 20102 commentsScienceamanda lea, animals, colorado, daniel t blumstein, female marmots, genetic, genetic component, genetic variation, human behavior, interactions, marmots, non-human population, rocky mountains, social behavior, social network trait, squirrels, tolerate aggression

The ability to tolerate aggression is partly genetic, UCLA life scientists report in the first study to demonstrate a genetic component to a social network trait in a non-human population.

“The ability to tolerate aggression is passed on across generations; there is genetic variation in the ability to tolerate aggression,” said the study co-author Daniel T. Blumstein, professor and chair of ecology and evolutionary biology at UCLA.

Blumstein, a leader in the field of applying social network statistics to animals, and his colleagues studied four groups of yellow-bellied marmots, which are related to squirrels, over six years in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Each group included 15 to 30 marmots. (more…)

Tag Archives: squirrels

Uncertain Future for Joshua Trees Projected with Climate Change

Woman Chases Tiger Attacking Her Husband Away With Wooden Ladle

‘Social Relationships in Animals Have a Genetic Basis’