Stronger and more frequent El Niño events are contributing to a decline in arthropod diversity and population, as well as to a reduction in the ecological services the animals provide.
insects
Air Pollution Could Make It Harder for Bees to Navigate
Fine particulate matter in the atmosphere reduces the degree of polarization of sunlight, which insects use to guide themselves home.
Urban Lights Make Tree Leaves a Tougher Meal for Insects
Two common street trees in Beijing show different responses to artificial light at night, but both grow leaves that are tougher and less toothsome to insects.
Does Soil Sound Different After It’s Burned?
Yes, but not quite the way researchers expected it to.
Radar Tracks Unfortunate Creatures Trapped in Tropical Cyclones
Cyclones can sweep up birds and insects and transport them great distances.
Ants Aren’t Adapting to Warmer Temperatures
Foraging in hotter-than-desired temperatures could negatively affect ants’ biology and the forest ecosystems that they support.
Plant-Nibbling Insects May Make It Cloudier and Cooler
Insects that eat plant leaves could change the local atmosphere, but current climate models do not account for this impact.
La polinización se desplomó 31% en campos contaminados
Los niveles de contaminación del aire por debajo de los límites “seguros” (y más bajos que los que comúnmente se encuentran en las ciudades) llevaron a una disminución significativa de la polinización de hasta por 10 insectos comunes.
Pollination Plummeted 31% in Polluted Fields
Air pollution levels below “safe” limits (and lower than those commonly found in cities) led to a significant decrease in pollination by 10 common insects.