News

Jul 09, 2020

Gall fly outmaneuvers host plant in game of 'Spy vs. Spy'

Over time, goldenrod plants and the gall flies that feed on them have been one-upping each other in an ongoing competition for survival. Now, a team of researchers has discovered that by detecting the plants’ chemical defenses, the insects may have taken the lead.

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Jun 30, 2020

Checklist of Pa. bees documents 49 new species and some that may be endangered

A study documenting bees that are reported to occur in Pennsylvania has found the presence of 437 species, including 49 never before recorded in the state. Researchers said the resulting checklist of bees in the commonwealth also identifies species not native to North America and several native species that may be of conservation concern.

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Jun 30, 2020

Coral Researchers Recognized for Significant Contributions to Field

Iliana Baums and her research team were recognized by members of the coral reef community as making significant contributions to coral reef research.

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Jun 25, 2020

Sunnier but riskier

Conservation efforts that open up the canopy of overgrown habitat for threatened timber rattlesnakes — whose venom is used in anticoagulants and other medical treatments — are beneficial to snakes but could come at a cost, according to a new study by researchers at Penn State and the University of Scranton.

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Jun 24, 2020

Bedrock type under forests greatly affects tree growth, species, carbon storage

A forest's ability to store carbon depends significantly on the bedrock beneath, according to Penn State researchers who studied forest productivity, composition and associated physical characteristics of rocks in the Appalachian ridge and Valley Region of Pennsylvania.

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Jun 22, 2020

Victoria Braithwaite to be memorialized with new ecology research award

Penn State's ecology community will memorialize beloved faculty member Victoria Braithwaite with new research excellence award named in her honor

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Jun 05, 2020

The Penn State Ecology Community is Committed to Combatting Racism and Injustice

The leadership of the Penn State Ecology community wishes to express solidarity with marginalized members of our society, and has prepared the following statement of support to all those who struggle against systemic injustices. We can and must do better.

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Apr 29, 2020

Study reveals important flowering plants for city-dwelling honey bees

Trees, shrubs and woody vines are among the top food sources for honey bees in urban environments, according to an international team of researchers. By using honey bees housed in rooftop apiaries in Philadelphia, the researchers identified the plant species from which the honey bees collected most of their food, and tracked how these food resources changed from spring to fall.

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Apr 27, 2020

Iron deficiency in corals?

When iron is limited, the tiny algae that live within coral cells — which can provide the majority of a coral’s nutritional needs — change how they take in other trace metals, which could have cascading effects on vital biological functions.

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Apr 02, 2020

Proposals being accepted for ecology research funding

The Ecology Institute announced a call for proposals for its Flower Grant program. The funds aim to support ecology research focused across the institute’s five core themes: resilience and adaptation; provision of ecosystem goods and services; ecology at the interface; rapid evolutionary change; and ecological foundations.

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