EurekAlert! - Agriculture

Ants are friendly to some trees, but not others

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(University of Chicago Press Journals) Tree-dwelling ants generally live in harmony with their arboreal hosts. But new research suggests that when they run out of space in their trees of choice, the ants can get destructive to neighboring trees.

AIBS publishes Darwin articles open access

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Institute of Biological Sciences) Two articles about Charles Darwin and his development of the theory of evolution by natural selection have been published in the AIBS journal BioScience and have been made open to the public in honor of the 150th anniversary of the publication of "On the Origin of Species." The articles are by Kevin Padian and James T. Costa. Together the articles dispel some common myths about Darwin the man and detail his efforts over many years to develop a theory to explain nature's diversity.

Monell Center joins with CAS to host Beijing meeting on taste and smell research

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Monell Chemical Senses Center) The Monell Center and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) are co-hosts of the Beijing International Meeting on Taste and Smell Research. Organized by Monell in collaboration with the CAS, the meeting will be the first international meeting on taste and smell to be held in China. The historic meeting will be held Nov. 15-17 at the Beijing Marriot Hotel City Wall.

Pathogen protection and virulence: Dark side of fungal membrane protein revealed

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Virginia Tech) Researchers at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech and Montana State University have discovered a fungal protein that plays a key role in causing disease in plants and animals and which also shields the pathogen from oxidative stress.

A blue revolution: The key to future food security

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(International Water Management Institute) "We will need nothing less than a 'Blue Revolution' if we are to achieve food security, and avert a serious water crisis in the future," said Dr. Colin Chartres, Director General of the Sri Lanka-based International Water Management Institute. Dr. Chartres was speaking to the Economic and Finance Committee of the UN General Assembly, at a special event on "Enhancing Water Governance," convened by the UN today.

DNA barcodes: Creative new uses span health, fraud, smuggling, history, more

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL)) Some 350 experts from 50 nations gathering in Mexico for their 3rd global meeting will outline the latest creative applications of DNA barcoding, including several projects related to human health, fraud, smuggling, the food chain and reconstructing environmental history.

Biologists, educators recognize excellence in evolution education

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Institute of Biological Sciences) The National Association of Biology Teachers will recognize Leonard C. Yannielli, professor of biological sciences at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury, Conn., with the 2009 Evolution Education Award during the NABT annual professional development conference to be held Nov. 11-14, 2009 in Denver, Colo.

Coral reefs inspire rare consensus -- just save them

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Oregon State University) One of the first set of studies to examine what tourists and recreation enthusiasts actually think about coral reef ecosystems suggests they are a rare exception to controversies over human use versus environmental conservation -- their stunning beauty is so extraordinary that almost everyone wants them protected in perpetuity.

Springer to partner with Society of Wetland Scientists

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Springer) Starting in January 2010, Springer will publish Wetlands, the official journal of the Society of Wetland Scientists. Together with the journals Wetlands Ecology and Management and Estuaries and Coasts, Springer now leads the field in journals dedicated to wetlands research. Wetlands is an international journal concerned with all aspects of wetland biology, ecology, hydrology, water chemistry and soil and sediment characteristics as well as issues relating to management, policy and regulation.

NOAA, NY town and Oyster Farmer collaborate to understand impact of floating shellfish nursery

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center) With demand for seafood growing, shellfish farmers often use a floating nursery called a FLUPSY, or Floating Upwelling System, to improve growth of very young shellfish known as seed and increase their chances of surviving until they are harvested. Little has been known about the possible impact of these floating systems on the local environment.

Insect scientists converge in Indianapolis

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Entomological Society of America) Approximately 2,500 entomologists and professionals in related disciplines from around the world will gather Dec. 13-16 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana to exchange scientific information at the 57th Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America.

Stimulus grant to help MSU team improve drug development from plants

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Michigan State University) Scientists at Michigan State University are receiving nearly $3 million from the National Institutes of Health to uncover how several popular plants make medicinal compounds.

Tackling new Arctic challenges from space

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(European Space Agency) International scientists, researchers and decision makers met at the Space and the Arctic workshop to identify the needs and challenges of working and living in the rapidly changing Arctic and to explore how space-based services can help to meet those needs.

Lactose intolerance rates may be significantly lower than previously believed

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(National Dairy Council) Prevalence of lactose intolerance may be far lower than previously estimated, according to a new study. These new findings indicate that previous estimates of lactose intolerance incidence -- based on the incidence of lactose maldigestion -- may be overestimated by wide margins.

PTB Terahertz calibration satisfies US laser manufacturer

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)) Terahertz radiation still lies in a metrological no man's land -- a metrology gap. The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt can now close this gap. For the first time, a commercial Terahertz laser was traced back to the international system of units by measuring its output power absolutely. Therefore, this laser is the first THz laser in the field with a reliably proven output power enabled by a novel calibration capability set up at the PTB.

Airborne nitrogen shifts aquatic nutrient limitation in pristine lakes

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Arizona State University) The impact of airborne nitrogen released from the burning of fossil fuels and wide-spread use of fertilizers in agriculture is much greater that previously recognized and even extends to remote alpine lakes, according to a study published Nov. 6 in the journal Science.

Study reveals how plants and bacteria 'talk' to thwart disease

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(University of California - Davis) Unwrapping some of the mystery from how plants and bacteria communicate to trigger an innate immune response, scientists at the University of California, Davis, have identified the bacterial signaling molecule that matches up with a specific receptor in rice plants to ward off a devastating disease known as bacterial blight of rice.

Genomes of biofuel yeasts reveal clues that could boost fuel ethanol production worldwide

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) As global temperatures and energy costs continue to soar, renewable sources of energy will be key to a sustainable future. An attractive replacement for gasoline is biofuel, and in two studies published online in Genome Research, scientists have analyzed the genome structures of bioethanol-producing microorganisms, uncovering genetic clues that will be critical in developing new technologies needed to implement production on a global scale.

Conference explores wide-ranging medicinal uses for American ginseng

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(University of Western Ontario) With the current outbreak of influenza-like illnesses, many people are trying to boost their immune systems with supplements. Ginseng is often a key ingredient, but its therapeutic use may extend far beyond that. The Ontario Ginseng Innovation & Research Consortium at the University of Western Ontario is holding a conference to discuss whether ginseng can help relieve health problems ranging from diabetes to depression to erectile dysfunction.

Singapore scientists join international study of 10,000 vertebrates' genomes

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore) The Singapore laboratory that deciphered the DNA codes, or genomes, of the famed fugu (or pufferfish) and elephant shark, has joined the Genome 10K Project, an international effort to build an invaluable repository of DNA sequences on 10,000 species of animals for conducting comparative studies on a scale that currently can not be achieved.

Common plants can eliminate indoor air pollutants

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Horticultural Science) Air quality in homes and offices is becoming a major health concern. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in indoor air emanate from adhesives, furnishings, clothing, and solvents and have been shown to cause illnesses in people. Researchers tested ornamental indoor plants for their ability to remove harmful VOCs from indoor air. The study concluded that simply introducing common ornamental plants into indoor spaces has the potential to significantly improve the quality of indoor air.

Water-conserving irrigation strategies minimize overwatering, runoff

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Horticultural Science) Conserving water and reducing the environmental impact of runoff are two important issues confronting container nursery operations. Current regulations in five states limit water consumption and/or nutrient concentrations in runoff. Researchers investigated whether irrigation scheduling based on daily water use (DWU) -- the combined loss of water from plant transpiration and substrate evaporation -- could conserve water. According to the study, "scheduling irrigation according to plant DWU substantially reduced the amount of irrigation applied."

Hybrid bluegrasses analyzed for use in transition zone

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Horticultural Science) The transition zone can be one of the most challenging places to maintain high-quality turfgrass; changeable growing conditions in these regions often prove too hot or too cold. Finding turfgrass that thrives in these challenging environments can be perplexing for turf management professionals and homeowners alike. Bred for their ability to tolerate heat and drought, two hybrids "Dura Blue" and "Thermal Blue" were found to outperform traditional bluegrasses in transition zone areas.

Farmers' markets harvest new business

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(American Society for Horticultural Science) Something fresh is growing in Indiana. The number of farmers' markets in the state has increased at double the rate of other US states; between 1994 and 2004 the number of farmers' markets in Indiana increased by an impressive 222 percent. Researchers at Purdue have published an insightful study that identifies the reasons behind this unprecedented growth. The most important factors to customers included: the number of products available, cooking demonstrations and the number of vendors.

Elsevier selected as new publisher of the Journal of Dairy Science

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Elsevier Health Sciences) Elsevier, world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, is pleased to announce that beginning in January 2010 (Volume 93, Issue 1) it will assume co-publication of the Journal of Dairy Science, the official journal of the American Dairy Science Association, with the Federation of Animal Science Societies.