What do cattle, European badgers, and gut bacteria have in common? They are all central players in a complex web surrounding a disease that affects multiple species, often with devastating results -- tuberculosis. Now, new research funded by Morris Animal Foundation is shedding light on how one player, gut bacteria, may help protect both badgers...
First evidence of fatal infection of white-tailed sea eagles with avian influenza
The most common unnatural causes of death in white-tailed sea eagles are lead poisoning and collisions with trains. During the winter of 2016/2017, however, many white-tailed eagles died in Northern Germany in circumstances unrelated to either cause. Instead, at least 17 white-tailed sea eagles were killed by avian influenza of the highly pathogenic virus subtype...
25 UK species' genomes sequenced for first time
The genomes of 25 UK species have been read for the first time by scientists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and their collaborators. The 25 completed genome sequences, announced today (4 October) on the Sanger Institute's 25th anniversary, will lead to future studies to understand the biodiversity of the UK and aid the conservation and...
Evolution: Genetics doesn't matter much in forming society
Genetics isn't as important as once thought for the evolution of altruistic social behavior in some organisms, a new insight into a decade-long debate.
This is the first empirical evidence that suggests social behavior in eusocial species -- organisms that are highly organized, with divisions of infertile workers -- is only mildly attributed to how related...
Family of rodents may explain how some groups of animals become so diverse
How did a single species of rodent invade South America and then quickly branch off into 350 new species?
The answer is simple -- the rodents were able to move quickly across the continent unencumbered by geographic boundaries that can't be easily crossed such as an ocean.
FSU Professor of Biological Science Scott Steppan and his former...
Tropical frogs found to coexist with deadly fungus
Amphibian biologists from around the world watched in horror in 2004, as the frogs of El Copé, Panama, began dying by the thousands. The culprit: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a deadly fungus more commonly known as chytrid fungus. Within months, roughly half of the frog species native to the area went locally extinct.
A new study led by...