Protecting old-growth forests significantly boosts soil physical–biochemical quality, dissolved organic matter chemodiversity, and beneficial mycorrhizal fungi, offering a proven pathway to safeguard endangered Ocotea porosa and mitigate climate change.

New research finds higher temperatures can actually benefit some bumble bee species – particularly those that make subterranean nests. However, periods of extreme heat appear to offset those benefits, and may contribute to declining bumble bee populations in the southeastern United States.

KAUST scientists have successfully expanded coral spawning beyond its natural window by recreating environmental cues in controlled systems. This achievement, the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, allows for repeated access to coral gametes and larvae, supporting reef research and restoration efforts. The program, utilizing advanced facilities and a dedicated team, aims to improve larval settlement and juvenile survival rates while expanding the number of Red Sea species studied.

Researchers at the University of Toronto have identified a protein from the quagga mussel that can stick to surfaces underwater, even though it lacks a chemical feature long thought to be essential for this kind of adhesion. The protein, called Dbfp7, is the first freshwater mussel adhesive protein to be functionally characterized. The finding, published in a recent issue of PNAS, helps explain how some organisms attach themselves in wet environments and could inform the design of future medical glues — such as medical sealants and surgical adhesives — or other materials that need to work reliably in water.