New frog species discovered in India’s rocky wastelands

A new frog species Microhyla laterite has been discoverd in laterite habitats in and around the coastal town of Manipal, India. The frog, which is the size of a thumbnail, was discovered by a team of researchers from India and the National University of Singapore (NUS). The research team was led by Mr Seshadri K S, a PhD student from the Department of Biological Sciences at the NUS. The frog was delimited using molecular, morphometric and bioacoustics comparisons. The frog has a call that can be easily mistaken for that of a cricket. 
The laterite rock formations date as far back as the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary and are considered to be wastelands in-spite of their intriguing geological history.

The researchers sign off saying “With molecular tools becoming increasingly reliable and affordable; studies could shed light into the population dynamics of these small frogs found in isolated and severely fragmented landscapes. In context of laterite habitats, studies have estimated the early diversification period of Microhylidae to be at the late Cretaceous period and that of Microhyla to be in the lower Tertiary period; signifying that several lineages survived through the KT boundary. Since M. laterite appears to be restricted to laterite rock formations along the West coast, further research on determining divergence times of M. laterite and testing for an association with laterite formations would enable a better understanding of biogeography, systematics and paleo-ecology. This will enable us to explore interesting evolutionary ecology questions inMicrohyla.”

Journal Reference:

K. S. Seshadri, Ramit Singal, H. Priti, G. Ravikanth, M. K. Vidisha, S. Saurabh, M. Pratik, Kotambylu Vasudeva Gururaja. Microhyla laterite sp. nov., A New Species of Microhyla Tschudi, 1838 (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae) from a Laterite Rock Formation in South West India. PLOS ONE, 2016; 11 (3): e0149727

Rediscovery of a tree species thought to be extinct in Malaysia

Rediscovering a species thought to be extinct is indeed great news to conservationists. It was with great delight that I read about the rediscovery of Aquilaria rostrata by Malaysian researchers. It was last seen in the wild about 100 years back

The tree was discovered in the forested Gunung Tebu, Besut, Terengganu, about 100 kilometers from the spot where it was first found in Gunung Tahan, Pahang. The species was first discovered in 1911 at Wray's Camp, Gunung Tahan by H.N Ridley.

Details appear in the latest issue of journal Blumea - Biodiversity, Evolution and Biogeography of Plants

6th WORLD CONGRESS ON MOUNTAIN UNGULATES AND Vth INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MOUFLON -ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING WEBSITE

Congress Website  is ready. It is up and running. Log on to  http://www.mountainungulates.gov.cy    to get all the details

Announcement from Congress Chairman:Dr Eleftherios Hadjisterkotis

The Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Cyprus, Frederick University, and the IUCN Caprinae Specialist Group, invites you to attend the: 6th WORLD CONGRESS ON MOUNTAIN UNGULATES and 5th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MOUFLON

AUGUST 28 - SEPTEMBER 1, 2016, NICOSIA, CYPRUS, Under the Auspices of the Minister of the Interior, Mr. Socrates Hasikos.

Congress Chairman:Dr Eleftherios Hadjisterkotis

The Congress website is ready now.

Website:   http://www.mountainungulates.gov.cy    

Study by DR Kieron Doick establish that even small to medium green spaces in a city provide beneficial cooling effects

DR Kieron Doick and his team from Forestry Research UK, Studied small and medium sized parks in London to determine the optimum size, distribution and composition of urban green spaces needed to achieve urban cooling.

Very small green spaces with areas of less than 0.5 ha (slightly smaller than an average football pitch) did not affect the air temperatures of their surrounding areas; however as the area of green space increased the distance over which cooling was achieved increased linearly.

Spaces with more tree canopy coverage increased the distance beyond the boundaries of the green space over which cooling was measurable, while the amount of cooling was more strongly linked to the amount of grass coverage present. On calm warm nights they estimate that a network of green spaces of around 3-5 hectares each situated 100-150 m apart would provide comprehensive cooling for a city with a climate and characteristics similar to London.

DR  Kieron Doick says “This information could help urban planners to design environments that can lead to lower temperatures in cities” said Dr Kieron Doick who led the research, “Trees and areas of grass both have an important role to play in aiding the cooling of cities – trees mean that a cooling effect is felt further afield and areas of grass increase the amount of cooling so a mix of the two is ideal”.

Details of the study appears in the latest issue of journal Urban Forestry & Urban Greening

Understanding differences within species is critical to conservation efforts

A new study led by Maria Hällfors, a doctoral student at the Finnish Museum of Natural History at the University of Helsinki, and Jessica Hellmann, director of the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment has come up with the finding that differences within a species across geographically distinct ranges should be taken into account during conservation planning as the climate changes.  Local populations of species might have adapted to the specific conditions in the areas where they occur; which means they would require different conditions than other individuals of the same species. This against the back drop that scientists, conservationists and land managers often predict future distributions of species assuming that all individuals of the species thrive in the same conditions.

Hällfors says  "This study shows that the models ecologists and others typically use to predict the future of species can reach very different conclusions if we consider the species as one single group versus composed of distinctly different populations,"

Hellmann.says "This study highlights the importance of understanding population differences when designing conservation plans for endangered species,"

Journal Reference:

Jessica Hellmann et al.  Addressing potential local adaptation in species distribution models: implications for conservation under climate change. Ecological Applications, March 2016

High degree of reproductive competition trigger violent evictions of male and female banded mongooses from their family groups

It was with great fascination that I read this paper on banded mongoose that appeared in the latest issue of Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. Published 2 March 2016.DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.2607

In a 16-year study in Queen Elizabeth National Park in southwest Uganda, University of Exeter researchers have found out that intense levels of reproductive competition bring about violent evictions of male and female banded mongooses from their family groups. Another striking feature is that all group members help to raise pups even if they don't breed themselves. All adult females breed together, giving birth to a communal litter on exactly the same day. Eviction can also act as a major source of gene flow in social animals.

The researchers summarize their results like this.

“To summarize, our results suggest that intrasexual reproductive competition is the trigger for mass eviction of both sexes from groups of banded mongooses. Eviction of females appears to alter the landscape of intrasexual competition among males, leading to the mass eviction of males at the same time as, but separate from, the eviction of females. We did not find evidence to link eviction events to the enforcement of helping or the propagation of alleles through a structured population. Nevertheless, our study highlights that the consequences of resolving within-group reproductive competition can scale up to affect population structure and demography. This link between within-group conflict strategies and population processes has been little studied theoretically or empirically, but may be an important determinant of life-history evolution in viscous animal societies.”

Be wary of energy drinks. They could trigger abnormal heart rhythm, rise in blood pressure

A clinical study led by researchers from University of the Pacific and David Grant Medical Center has come out with strong evidence to suggest that energy drinks may be bad for your heart. 

Dr Phillip Oppenheimer, who spearheaded the study said the findings are of special concern among young adults. “Energy drinks are widely consumed within the college population, which further extends the relevance of this study,” 

Primary investigator DR Sachin A Shah, an associate professor of pharmacy practice at Pacific’s Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences said “ “Our findings suggest certain energy drinks may increase the risk of having an abnormal heart rhythm when consumed in high volumes,” 

The study enrolled 27 healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 40. Subjects drank either two cans of an energy drink, an equivalent volume of a drink containing panax ginseng (an ingredient in the energy drink), or a placebo beverage once a day, every six days, for three weeks. Neither the volunteers nor the researchers knew who was getting which drink until the end of the three weeks.

The volunteers who consumed the energy drink experienced a statistically significant increase in a marker of abnormal heart rhythm risk known as the QTc interval. These volunteers also experienced a slight rise in blood pressure. These effects persisted for two hours after the energy drink was consumed.  The ginseng and placebo groups showed no rises in QTc interval or blood pressure.

The research was funded by a University of the Pacific Eberhardt Research Grant.

Habitat fragmentation and genetic diversity in natural populations of the elephant – Importance of connectivity between spatially distinct populations- A case study of Bornean elephant population in Sabah

Habitat fragmentation and genetic diversity in natural populations of the Bornean elephant: Implications for conservation

Benoit Goossensa,Reeta Sharmae, Nurzhafarina Othmana, Célia Kun-Rodriguese, Rosdi Sakonga, Marc Ancrenazf, Laurentius N. Ambuc, Nathaniel K. Jueg, Rachel J. O'Neillg, Michael W. Bruforda and  Lounès Chikhie.

Biological Conservation,Volume 196, April 2016, Pages 80–92

The Bornean elephant population in Sabah, with only 2000 individuals, is currently found in limited number of forest reserves. Fragmentation of habitat and isolation of the existing herds are posing serious threat to elephants. To give a boost to the conservation initiatives the researchers assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of Bornean elephants using mitochondrial DNA, microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms. The results reinforced a previously reported lack of mitochondrial control region diversity, characterized by a single widespread haplotype. Microsatellite analysis showed that Bornean elephants from the Lower Kinabatangan and North Kinabatangan ranges are differentiated and perhaps isolated from the main elephant populations located in the Central Forest and Tabin Wildlife Reserve. 

The results of the study amply demonstrated that (i) Bornean elephants probably derive from a very small female population, (ii) they rarely disperse across current human-dominated landscapes that separate forest fragments, and (iii) forest fragments are predominantly comprised of populations that are already undergoing genetic drift. The researchers emphasize that to maintain the current levels of genetic diversity in fragmented habitats, conservation of the Bornean elephants should aim at securing connectivity between spatially distinct populations.

Healthier diabetic friendly bread formulated with natural plant pigment anthocyanin

A team of food scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have formulated a recipe for making bread ideally suited for diabetic patients. The healthier bread was formulated by adding a natural plant pigment, called anthocyanin, extracted from black rice. This new bread gets digested at a slower rate which helps in improving blood glucose control. The bread is also high in antioxidants to boot. The findings open up exciting possibilities of creating healthier, diabetic-friendly food products.

The usual bread contains high amount of rapidly digestible starch, and have a high glycemic index. It is rapidly digested and absorbed into the bloodstream quickly, causing a sharp increase in blood sugar levels. Rapid digestion of bread may also result in people consuming more bread than required to make up the hungry feel. The excessive consumption of bread could increase the risk of overweight and obesity, and their associated diseases, such as Type II diabetes.

Anthocyanins are rich in antioxidant properties and may help prevent cardiovascular and neurological diseases, cancer, and inflammation according to the scientists.

Journal Reference:

Xiaonan Sui, Yan Zhang, Weibiao Zhou. Bread fortified with anthocyanin-rich extract from black rice as nutraceutical sources: Its quality attributes and in vitro digestibility. Food Chemistry, 2016; 196: 910

The importance of simultaneously analyzing interacting mechanisms that acts at different spatial scales

Stability and distribution of predator–prey systems: local and regional mechanisms and patterns

Authors: Adam Lampert and Alan Hastings

Ecology letters Volume 19, Issue 3, March 2016, Pages 279–288

Here is an interesting paper. The researchers say at the beginning that explaining the coexistence and distribution of species in time and space remains a fundamental challenge. Species coexistence depends on both local and regional mechanisms but it is sometimes unclear which role each mechanism takes in a given ecosystem. Due to this reason it is very hard to predict the response of the ecosystem to environmental changes. Here the researchers developed a model to study spatial patterns of coexistence, focusing on predator–prey and host–parasite populations. They demonstrate both theoretically and empirically, that these systems may exhibit both local and regional patterns and mechanisms of coexistence. Changes such as spatial connectivity, may lead to a transition from regional to local coexistence or it may lead directly to extinction, depending on demographic parameters. 

The researcher’s signs off saying their research demonstrate the importance of simultaneously analyzing interacting mechanisms that act at different spatial scales to understand the response of ecosystems to environmental changes.

Umberto Eco – An Obituary

A guest blog post by Ramesh Wayanad

The great novelist Umberto Eco, who died at the age of 84, is often referred to as Italy’s best known literary export.

I was introduced to the joy of writings of Umberto Eco, by Mohanji. He gave me a copy of “The Name of the Rose”. I was hooked on to the novel and since then I have read whatever he wrote. I often made it a point to get the copy of his latest offering the minute they were available in India. He has also published more than 20 nonfiction books. I am an unabashed aficionado of Umberto Eco.

Umberto Eco is a recipient of Italy’s highest literary award, the Premio Strega. He was named a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur by the French government.

With the passing of Umbeto Eco we have lost a great novelist, a great academician, and a great scholar in the field of semiotics

Umberto Eco is survived by his wife, Renate an architecture and arts teacher, whom he married in 1962 and with whom he had a son, Stefano, and daughter, Carlotta.

Umberto Eco, born January 5 1932, died February 19 2016

First scientific evidence to prove that meditation can change the brains of ordinary people and has the potential to improve their health.

It was with great fascination that I read a recent paper in the journal Biological Psychiatry titled “Alterations in resting state functional connectivity link mindfulness meditation with reduced interleukin-6: a randomized controlled trial” The paper gives scientific evidence to prove that benefits of meditation is not a placebo effect. It has the potential to change the brains of ordinary people and improve their health. Dr J. David Creswell, an associate professor of psychology and the director of the Health and Human Performance Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University led the study. So, guys include meditation in your daily routine. It will do a world of good to you.

Large forest fragments outside protected areas are important for sustaining amphibian diversity

Patch size matters for amphibians in tropical fragmented landscapes

Mauricio Almeida-Gomesa, Marcus Vinícius Vieiraa,Carlos Frederico Duarte Rochab,

Jean Paul Metzgerc and Greet De Costerc.

Biological Conservation, Volume 195, March 2016, Pages 89–96

Fragment size is considered to be the main factor deciding species diversity for most taxa, but it is not well known how it affects amphibian diversity. In this new study the researchers contend that may be the scale at which previous studies were conducted was too small (only few forest fragments and/or a small range of fragment sizes considered) and/or the sampling method was not the most optimal one. Here the researchers investigated whether amphibian diversity is affected by patch size in the largest study (in terms of number of fragments and range of fragment sizes) ever conducted in tropical forests. The site selected was Brazilian Atlantic Forest, a highly threatened biodiversity hotspot.

The researchers found that, larger fragments had more species, more integer communities and a larger diversity of reproductive modes than smaller ones. The researchers contend that the result of their study  indicate that continuous forests are irreplaceable for amphibian conservation, but also show that large forest fragments outside these areas are important for sustaining amphibian diversity.

The study gives the first robust empirical evidence for the importance of fragment size for amphibian persistence in tropical fragmented landscapes. It also highlights the need for an adequate sampling design and method that enable the detection of a higher number of species.

Twitter can be used to effectively communicate speakers’ findings beyond conference halls

Using Twitter to communicate conservation science from a professional conference

Sara P. Bombaci, Cooper M. Farr, H. Travis Gallo, Anna M. Mangan, Lani T. Stinson, Monica Kaushik and Liba Pejchar

Conservation Biology, Volume 30, Issue 1, pages 216–225, February 2016

Here is an interesting paper. The researchers examine the feasibility of using twitter for scholarly discussion, dissemination of research, and extending and diversifying the scope of audiences reached. They examined live tweeting as a means of communicating conservation science at the 2013 International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB).  The groups often reached through live tweeting were not the presenters’ intended audiences. Policy makers and government and non-governmental organizations were rarely reached (0%, 4%, and 6% of audience, respectively). Over half the presenters believed the tweets about their talks were effective. 

The researchers recommend that presenters who want their science to be communicated accurately and broadly through Twitter should provide Twitter-friendly summaries that incorporate relevant hashtags and usernames.

The scientist caution that if Twitter does not accurately convey science due to the inherent brevity of this media, misinformation could cascade quickly through social media.

The new book by Bernie Krause “Voices of the Wild”. A disappointment

I just finished reading the new book by Bernie Krause “Voices of the Wild” and I am a wee bit disappointed. All his previous works are outstanding and I would recommend those books unreservedly. Go ahead and read those books if you have not read them. “Voices of the Wild” is a short book by Bernie Krause. In this new book Bernie Krause discusses where the study of natural sounds has come from and discusses where it might be going. He dwells on how the soundscapes have changed over the last 40 years. I fully subscribe to what one reviewer said "This book is of the length and tone of a dry, academic thesis ".

Product details

·               Hardcover: 160 pages

·               Publisher: Yale University Press (29 October 2015)

·               ISBN-10: 0300206313

·               ISBN-13: 978-0300206319

The first experimental evidence that noise alone can affect a wild vertebrate's early-life telomere length.

Traffic noise exposure affects telomere length in nestling house sparrows.

Biology letters, September 2015, Volume: 11 Issue: 9

This paper appeared couple of months back. I read it only yesterday. Researchers Alizée Meillère, François Brischoux, Cécile Ribout and Frédéric Angelier have shown that noise alone can affect a wild vertebrate's early-life telomere length

.Lot of evidences has come up recently to show that high noise levels can have major impacts on wildlife. Most of the research has been on adult animals, but there is nothing much on the effects of noise pollution on developing organisms in the research sphere. Here the researchers experimentally manipulated the acoustic environment of free-living house sparrows (Passer domesticus) breeding in nest boxes. Disturbance on nestlings’ telomere length and fledging success were put to test. Telomeres (the protective ends of chromosomes) are a predictor of longevity.  Nestlings reared under traffic noise exposure exhibited reduced telomere lengths. Based on their findings the researchers assert that noise alone can affect a wild vertebrate's early-life telomere length and it may entail important costs for developing organisms.

Use barley and improve your blood sugar levels, reduce appetite.

Here is good news for people prone to diabetes. A recent study from Lund University in Sweden shows that barley can rapidly improve people's health by reducing blood sugar levels and the risk for diabetes. The special mixture of dietary fibres found in barley does the trick.  Barley stimulates the increase of good bacteria and the release of important hormones. Participants' metabolism improved for up to 14 hours after the intake. Anne Nilsson, Associate Professor at the Food for Health Science Centre of University of Lind, headed the research. Details of the research appear in the latest issue of British Journal of Nutrition.

A global assessment of the social and conservation outcomes of protected areas

J. A. Oldekop, G. Holmes, W. E. Harris and K. L. Evans conducted a global meta-analysis on 165 PAs using data from 171 published studies to assess how PAs affect the well-being of local people, the factors associated with these impacts, and most important  the relationship between PAs’ conservation and socioeconomic outcomes. The researchers found that protected areas associated with positive socioeconomic outcomes were more likely to report positive conservation outcomes. PAs which adopted a management strategy which empowered local people, reduced economic inequalities, and maintained cultural and livelihood benefits prospered more when compared to areas where strict measures were implemented to exclude anthropogenic influences to achieve biological conservation objectives. The researchers affirm that conservation and development objectives can be synergistic and highlight management strategies that increase the probability of maximizing both conservation performance and development outcomes of PAs.

Conservation Biology, Volume 30, Issue 1, pages 133–141, February 2016

Conservation action can be effective even when a population has lost 90% of its individuals

It was with great fascination that I read this paper titled "  Overcoming extinction - Understanding process of recovery in Tibetan Antelope". The paper appeared in the journal Ecosphere in the September 2015 edition. The paper points towards the potential for reversal of the process even in a population plunging towards extinction .The authors affirm that even when the population has entered extinction vortex there is hope.
The paper was authored by C. Leclerc , C. Bellard, G.M Luque and and F.Courchamp. Ecosphere Volume 6, Issue 9 September 2015
Pages 1- 14

The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate—Discoveries from a Secret World

Here is wonderful book written by German forest ranger Peter Wohlleben that is sure to captivate you. According to Peter Wohlleben like human families, tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, and support them as they grow. Peter explores the science behind the secret and previously unknown life of trees and their communication abilities. He adds "They can count, learn and remember; nurse sick neighbors; warn each other of danger by sending electrical signals across a fungal network known as the 'Wood Wide Web' – and, for reasons unknown, keep the ancient stumps of long-felled companions alive for centuries by feeding them a sugar solution through their roots."

Hardcover: 240 pages

Publisher: Greystone Books 

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1771642483

ISBN-13: 978-1771642484