Smithsonian Institution’s Post

Leaping leeches! While explorers have documented personal accounts of jumping leeches for more than a century, leech biologists have often argued against these claims, saying it was more likely that the bloodsuckers climbed on their prey unnoticed or dropped onto them from vegetation above. But a new study led by Mai Fahmy, PhD, a visiting scientist at the Museum and a postdoctoral researcher at Fordham University, provides evidence that at least one species of terrestrial leech in Madagascar actually can jump. Published in the journal Biotropica today, the study features video evidence, including footage of a Chtonobdella leech moving like a “backbending cobra”—like a spring being pulled back—and jumping to the ground. In addition to capturing this never-before-documented phenomenon, leech biology is also important to conservation efforts. Leeches are increasingly being collected to survey vertebrate biodiversity, with researchers analyzing leech gut contents—their blood meals—to identify which other animals live nearby, from wildcats to frogs to ground-dwelling birds. To learn more, and to see the leaping leeches in action, visit: https://bit.ly/3VuMaaN #leeches #research #museums

Fire and large mammals are the two major forces structuring African savannas, but little is known about how interactions between fire and large mammals broadly affect the rest of savanna biodiversity. Four students in the Gorongosa Master’s in Conservation Biology Program worked with park scientists on the Gorongosa Savanna Ecology Experiment, a project that examines the responses of plants, insects, reptiles and amphibians, and small mammals in response to the presence or absence of large mammals and controlled burns. The first results of this work were published in May by Biotropica - https://lnkd.in/gK4smdGj Gorongosa Master's in Conservation Biology students in front of a large mammal exclosure fence after a controlled burn. From left to right: Acácio Chechene, Beto Tenente, Osvaldo Abrão, and Hermínio António.

Can native plant and animal species keep up with their invasive competitors? An international team of scientists has recently found that non-native species are expanding their ranges many orders of magnitude faster than native ones, in large part due to inadvertent human assistance. To survive, plants and animals need to be shifting their ranges by 3.25 kilometers per year just to keep up with the increasing temperatures and associated climactic shifts—a speed that native species cannot manage without human help. Compare that with non-native species, which could be expanding 1,000 times faster than the rate at which native species are spreading. These findings can be found in a paper published in “Annual Reviews of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics.” Bethany Bradley, a professor in the College of Natural Sciences at UMass Amherst’s Department of Environmental Conservation and the paper’s lead author, argues that confronting invasives is one of the best ways to prepare for climate change. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/enuGyGuC #CNS #UMassEco #Invasives #InvasiveSpecies #SpeciesMigration #ClimateChange #Ecology

The new IPBES report on invasive alien species drew on more than 13,000 scientific publications and reports in 15 languages as well as Indigenous and local knowledge on all taxa, ecosystems and regions across the globe. Writing in Nature Ecology & Evolution, its authors discuss the findings of their comprehensive global review of the status, trends, drivers, impacts, management and governance challenges of biological invasions. https://lnkd.in/eG3fshYQ Free to read: https://rdcu.be/dJRv9

Embark on a journey of discovery with IB Biology as you explore the fascinating world of ecology and ecosystems. Gain insights into the delicate balance of nature and the impact of human activities on the environment. Let's embrace sustainability and biodiversity together! #EcologyStudies #EnvironmentalScience #IBDiploma

Completing this course in Coursera is one of the first steps in my learning 'expedition' to integrate spatial planning with biodiversity conservation; thanks to the gradual global recognition of importance of spatial planning in biodiversity conservation as reflected in Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. We need to learn together and learn by doing. There was a time when I would find biology extremely intimidating. But thanks to my geneticist roommate at Illinois who totally turned me on with biological science. Looking foward to an exciting journey ahead.  #spatialplanning, #biodiversityconservation, #sustainabledevelopment, #lifelonglearning

https://lnkd.in/gutvAtPA This summarizes the latest on #invasivespecies from the IPBES report. Although invasive alien species have long been recognized as a major threat to nature and people, until now there has been no comprehensive global review of the status, trends, drivers, impacts, management and governance challenges of biological invasions. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Thematic Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and Their Control (hereafter ‘IPBES invasive alien species assessment’) drew on more than 13,000 scientific publications and reports in 15 languages as well as Indigenous and local knowledge on all taxa, #ecosystems and regions across the globe. Therefore, it provides unequivocal evidence of the major and growing threat of invasive alien species alongside ambitious but realistic approaches to manage biological invasions. The extent of the threat and impacts has been recognized by the 143 member states of IPBES who approved the summary for policymakers of this assessment. Here, the authors of the IPBES assessment outline the main findings of the IPBES invasive alien species assessment and highlight the urgency to act now.

Can next-gen sequencing and ecological niche modeling explain the success of invasion and the extent of introgression between native and non-native fishes? We found that yes, they can! My newest paper came out yesterday in Molecular Ecology: https://lnkd.in/g_9RKJjM Huge thank you to Joel Corush, Eric Larson, Jeremy Tiemann, Philip Willink, and Mark Davis for all of their help on this work! #LaurentianGreatLakes #MolecularEcology #EcologicalNicheModeling #Hybridization

Here's a clip of my presentation at #Evolution2024 on the assessment of leaf litter invertebrate biodiversity with high throughput sequencing:

How do animals make decisions in the face of unprecedented environmental changes? What are the consequences of those decisions? Assistant Professor at the University of Washington and #PackardFellow Briana Abrahms is looking for the answers. The Abrahms Lab integrates global change biology with behavioral and spatial ecology to study the effects of environmental variability and change on vertebrate populations. #FellowsFriday Learn more about Briana's research ⬇️