Western toads in Alberta and British Columbia are genetically distinct populations; Alberta’s toads hold distinct mating call that sets it apart; the species’ unique genetic makeup in Alberta showcases Canada’s biodiversity.

Throughout human ecological history, we have played a variety of roles within ecosystems around the world. In this so-called Anthropocene era, genomic innovations have given us new and powerful ways to influence the environment and the countless species with whom we share the planet. In two new publications, a team of researchers is calling upon their scientific colleagues and society as a whole to approach the use of these tools with ethical deliberation, in consultation with Indigenous Peoples and with the goal of holistically supporting ecosystems.

Both publications were collaborative efforts that carry forward the goals of the Center for Indigenous Science at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. The first, published in Ethnobiology Letters, focused on strategic and ethical considerations of species “de-extinction” using genomic technologies. The second, appearing in Conservation Biology, explored broader concerns related to nonhuman genomic data use in conservation.

Newcastle University researchers have demonstrated that plastic bottles attached to fishing nets can help dolphins detect and avoid being caught and killed in the deadly gear.

As human cases of flea-borne murine typhus continue to occur in South Texas, researchers are working to better understand the role cats and their fleas may play in the disease’s transmission cycle.

In a recent study, researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) detected DNA from Rickettsia typhi — the bacterium that causes flea-borne murine typhus — in cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) collected from domestic cats in the Rio Grande Valley, a region that consistently reports some of the highest numbers of human cases of murine typhus in Texas.

The findings provide new insight into the pathogens carried by cat fleas and demonstrate how closely animal, human and environmental health are linked.

Australian research has shown exposure to intense UV radiation for short periods causes catastrophic DNA damage in tadpoles, potentially contributing to the global decline of frog populations.