#biodiversity analysis

[techtoio]

The Science of Climate Change and Technology Solutions

Introduction

Climate change, of all the challenges, is among the most critical in the modern day. With such unpredictability from variable weather patterns and global average temperature increases, the need for implementable solutions has perhaps never been so extreme. By exploring the intriguing intersection of climate-change science and innovative technology solutions, TechtoIO goes to the bottom of this global issue. Read to continue

[jcmarchi]

The Future of Search: When AI Moves from Retrieval to Deep Reasoning

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/the-future-of-search-when-ai-moves-from-retrieval-to-deep-reasoning/

The Future of Search: When AI Moves from Retrieval to Deep Reasoning

As generative AI redefines our interaction with technology, the way we search for information is also undergoing a profound transformation. Traditional search engines, which rely on keyword matching and retrieval, are gradually being replaced by more advanced systems that leverage generative AI to provide context-driven, deeper, and more accurate insights. This shift from basic retrieval to deep reasoning is set to transform our interaction with information, evolving search engines from simple data finders into valuable assistants that not only help us find what we need but also aid in comprehending the information and making informed decisions.

The Evolution of Search

The journey of search technology began with simple keyword-based systems. Early search engines like AltaVista and Yahoo! relied heavily on matching user queries with indexed web pages. While effective to some extent, these systems often returned a plethora of irrelevant results, requiring users to sift through pages of information to find what they needed.

The advent of Google in the late 1990s marked a significant leap forward. Google’s PageRank algorithm transformed search by considering the relevance and authority of web pages, leading to more accurate and useful results. However, even with these advancements, traditional search engines remained fundamentally limited by their reliance on keyword matching.

The Rise of AI in Search

The integration of AI into search technology has opened up new possibilities. Machine learning algorithms, natural language processing (NLP), and neural networks have enabled search engines to understand context, intent, and semantics. This has led to the development of more intuitive and user-friendly search experiences.

One of the most notable advancements in AI-driven search is the ability to handle natural language queries. Instead of typing in a series of keywords, users can now ask questions in a conversational manner. For example, instead of searching for “best Italian restaurants New York,” a user can ask, “What are the best Italian restaurants in New York City?” The AI-powered search engine can understand the query’s intent and provide relevant results.

Why Search Engines Need Deep Reasoning

While AI has significantly improved the accuracy and relevance of search results, search technology still struggles with handling complex queries that require deeper reasoning and subtle understanding. Imagine trying to find the best treatment options for a rare medical condition or seeking legal advice on a contract dispute. The present search technology, even those enhanced by AI, might give you a list of articles or documents—but what if you need more? What if you’re looking for a system that not only retrieves information but also understands the complexity of your query, weighs different perspectives, and offers a reasoned analysis?

This is where current search technology falls short. While it’s great at fetching data, it struggles to connect the dots when faced with complex questions. For instance, asking, “What are the ethical implications of AI in healthcare?” might return articles on ethics, AI, and healthcare separately, but it won’t integrate these threads together into a coherent answer that truly addresses the intricacies of your query. To deal with such complex queries, the search engine should have reasoning abilities to synthesize information from multiple sources, analyze implications, and provide a detailed, refined response.

How Retrieval-Augmented Generation Transforms Search Engines

Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) has recently made a significant advancement in search technology. Unlike traditional methods that rely on keyword matching, RAG blends information retrieval with the generative AI. This combination enables systems to not only pull relevant data from vast datasets but also create coherent, context-rich responses modified to a user’s specific query using large language models. Examples of RAG-based search technologies are Google’s Vertex AI search, Microsoft’s Bing, other examples are on our list of the top AI search engines.

RAG enhances search by focusing on specific sections of documents rather than retrieving entire documents based on keyword matches. For instance, if you’re researching the effects of climate change on Arctic ecosystems, a RAG-powered search would fetch the exact sections that discuss this topic, offering a more precise and efficient search experience.

However, while RAG has shifted information retrieval from document to paragraph retrieval, it still lacks the ability to reason and synthesize details into a well-integrated response. For example, if asked, “What are the most effective strategies for mitigating the impact of climate change on Arctic ecosystems?” a RAG system might pull various strategies but struggle to evaluate and present the best approach.

While ongoing research aims to enhance RAG systems with better reasoning and planning capabilities, these technologies are still evolving. This points to the need for further development to enable search systems not only to retrieve and generate information but also to provide thoughtful and well-reasoned information.

The Role of Knowledge Graphs

Knowledge graphs can play a crucial role in enabling reasoning in the search technologies. These structured representations of information capture relationships between entities, allowing AI systems to understand context and draw connections. For example, a knowledge graph can link “climate change” to related concepts like “carbon emissions,” “global warming,” and “renewable energy.”

By leveraging knowledge graphs, AI-powered search engines can provide more accurate and contextually relevant answers. When a user asks a complex question, the AI can traverse the knowledge graph to gather information from various domains, ensuring a comprehensive and well-rounded response.

Some researchers are exploring ways to merge knowledge graphs with RAG to utilize RAG’s strength in identifying relevant text segments alongside knowledge graphs’ ability to map relationships between concepts. This integration, instead of merely retrieving related paragraphs on the effects of climate change on Arctic ecosystems, aims to connect and synthesize information about related factors like carbon emissions and biodiversity, providing more comprehensive and contextually relevant answers. As these technologies continue to develop, they hold the promise of transforming search into a more thoughtful and insightful tool.

Cognitive Computing and Contextual Understanding

Cognitive computing takes AI-driven search to the next level by enabling systems to understand and reason about context. This involves not only processing the content of a query but also considering the user’s intent, preferences, and past interactions. For instance, if a user frequently searches for information on sustainable living, a cognitive search engine can alter its responses to align with the user’s interests.

Contextual understanding also extends to recognizing the interpretation of language. Generative AI systems can interpret idiomatic expressions, metaphors, and cultural references, providing more accurate and meaningful results. This level of sophistication transforms search engines into intelligent assistants capable of engaging in meaningful conversations.

The Impact on Various Industries

The shift from retrieval to deep reasoning has far-reaching implications across various industries. In healthcare, AI-powered search engines can assist doctors in diagnosing complex conditions by analyzing medical literature, patient records, and clinical guidelines. In finance, a search technology with reasoning abilities can provide investors with comprehensive market analyses, considering factors like economic indicators, geopolitical events, and historical trends.

Education is another domain where the reasoning ability of search engines can make a significant difference. These search engines can serve as personalized tutors, helping students understand complex concepts by providing modified explanations and resources. This democratization of knowledge has the potential to bridge educational gaps and empower learners worldwide.

The Bottom Line

As search technology evolves, it’s gradually moving beyond just retrieving data to becoming a tool that understands and reasons with information. Advances in AI, like Retrieval-Augmented Generation and knowledge graphs, are beginning to transform search engines into more intuitive assistants that can provide thoughtful responses to complex questions. This shift holds the potential to significantly impact industries like healthcare and education, making search a more valuable resource for decision-making and learning.

[rosyblooom]

could you please do lando and a stem girl who goes to uni but has a private life please

they don't know about us | ln4 smau

pairing: lando norris x private fem computer science major!reader a/n: this took me forever but hope u still like :) also, if you've got requests could u add if you want it to be smau or fic pls <3

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landonorris posted to his story!

[ caption: Mind you, I just woke up... ]

[ tagged: yourusername ]

Twitter

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landonorris posted to his story!

[ caption 1: 🕒✈️ ] [ caption 2: miami 👋 ]

[ tagged: yourusername ]

yourusername posted to her story!

[ caption 1: shoutout to the inventor of coffee i owe u big time🙏 ] [ caption 2: uhm i was just going to rest my eyes for 2 minutes?? good morning i guess💀 ]

f1gossip

liked by username, username, username and 12,057 others

f1gossip Y/N L/N, current girlfriend of Lando Norris, has been photographed arriving at the paddock for today's Miami GP.

Y/N's presence comes as a bit of a surprise, considering she was absent during practice and qualifying sessions, and rarely attends races. Speculation about a potential breakup has been rampant, but her appearance suggests that there might not be trouble in paradise after all... 👀

view all 793 comments

username she always looks so classy and put-together, i'm obsessed <33

username no bc am i the only who has no problem with her only attending a few races a year? some ppl don't have time to jet off across the globe 24/7 like

username it's the fact that they literally travelled to miami together and she still didn't go to quali or practice😐 the other wags do it, why can't she?

username i just know lando had to beg her to come smh

username why are y'all so rude omg?? some ppl are introverts...

username when you're in the public eye, you don't get to be "introverted"🙃 username that's an insane take wtf?

username GUYS i think she's a uni student cause peep lando's story a few days ago🧐 that explains why she's never at gps

username so? i'm a senior and i went to the aus gp this year username okay... do you want a cookie ?

username if a wag is at all races she's fame-hungry, and if she doesn't she's unsupportive like make up y'all's minds pls 🙄

Twitter

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yourusername posted to her story!

[ caption: YOU DID IT!!! HE DID IT!!! MY BABY IS AN F1 WINNER OMFGGG🥹🥳👏 you deserved this so so much, i'm sooo proud of you ❤️❤️❤️ ]

[ tagged: landonorris ]

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landonorris

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landonorris Memories for life ❤️

view all 5,947 comments

username aw the 5th pic🥹

username do you think number six is y/n??👀 username 100%

username 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

username LANDO NOW WINS IKTRRRRR‼️🤩

username ofc y/n couldn't even be bothered to comment... and the most unsupportive wag award goes to y/n l/n!! congrats hun x

username y'all are weird YOU DON'T KNOW THESE PPL!! username it's the 'be kind' in ur bio for me miss gurl 🤡

username best day ever 🤧

lewishamilton 👏👏👏

(liked by author)

riabish sooo happy!!!

(liked by author)

username not ria being more of a gf then y/n oop username thanks for being such a good friend to lando, we love you💖

username next goal: beome world champion 👀👀

username yessirrrr

yourusername posted to her story!

[ caption 1: back to reality 💔 ] [ caption 2: jkjk it's not that bad, i don't cry nearly as much as i did in first year 🙂‍↕️☝️ ]

[ tagged: yourbestfriend, yourfriend + more ]

harvard

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harvard Final projects, theses, dissertations, and more! Check out what these soon-to-be graduates explored in some of their last assignements on campus.

Y/N's thesis navigated the intricate relationship between privacy and secure multi-party computation, enhancing data analysis while safeguarding sensitive information.

2. Steve's environmental science project examined urban development's impact on local biodiversity, providing insights for sustainable urban planning.

3. Nya's dentistry research poster explored new methods to improve dental implant success, promising better patient outcomes and oral healthcare.

—

We are celebrating the extraordinary members of the Class of #Harvard24 🎓

view all 127 comments

username 👏👏👏

username Awesome!

username Very good! Congrats to all these students!!💪

username wait am i tripping or is this y/n as in lando's gf y/n???😳 btw my biggest dream is to go to harvard in '26 !!!! 💕

username 😍😍

username streets are saying y/n goes to harvard so i had to come check and omg??😩

username no bc wag AND harvard girly?? just looked at myself and sighed fr... username now i feel bad for talking shit🫤

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yourusername posted to her story!

[ caption 1: pulling an all-nighterrrr 😁 ] [ caption 2: nevermind, lando just made me promise to get some sleep :( ]

A few months later...

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yourusername posted to her story!

[ caption 1: couldn't ask for better shoulders to cry on srsly 🙂‍↕️ WE DID IT MY LOVESSS 🎓❤️❤️ ] [ caption 2: this us? 😏 (corny, i know...) ]

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lando.jpg

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lando.jpg 🍾🎓❤️

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username a win for women iktr 😌

username wow i'm so happy for her omg 🫶🫶 (jealous too but mostly happy loolol)

username LMAO are we the same person?

carlossainz55 👏👏👏

username now she has no excuse anymore

username if lando's completely happy with it all, why the hell are u upset? 🤡

username 2024 really gave us lando's first ever win and now this?? we love to see it 😍

yourusername ❤️❤️

(liked by author)

username we love you y/n <333 username i hope you'll be able to attend more races from now on!! i love seeing you in the paddock 💕

username the way i still haven't fully processed the fact that harvard gave her a shoutout goddamn🤯

usernmae not you calling that a shoutout bye💀💀

username AAHHHH YAYY CONGRATS Y/N YOU'RE DOING AMAZING SWEETIE 🤍🤍🤍🤍

0:33 ───ㅇ───────── 2:40

[probablyasocialecologist]

RPTU University of Kaiserslautern-Landau has shown for the first time, in a joint study with BOKU University, that permaculture brings about a significant improvement in biodiversity, soil quality and carbon storage. In view of the challenges of climate change and species extinction, this type of agriculture proved to be a real alternative to conventional cultivation—and reconcile environmental protection and high yields. Permaculture uses natural cycles and ecosystems as blueprint. Food is produced in an agricultural ecosystem that is as self-regulating, natural and diverse as possible. For example, livestock farming is integrated into the cultivation of crops or the diversity of beneficial organisms is promoted in order to avoid the use of mineral fertilizers or pesticides. In a study, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, researchers from RPTU and BOKU have now, for the first time, comprehensively investigated the effects of this planning and management concept on the environment.

[...]

"Permaculture appears to be a much more ecologically sustainable alternative to industrial agriculture," said Julius Reiff . At the same time, the yields from permaculture are comparable to those of industrial agriculture, as the researchers' not yet published data shows. "In view of the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, the observed improvements would represent a real turnaround when applied to larger areas," says ecosystem analysis expert Martin Entling from RPTU.

4 July 2024

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Here, have a spark of hope.

The reality is that no single person can fix the entirety of the current ecological imbalance that has been literally centuries in the making at this point. Yet there are so, so many of us who care, and who are doing what we can to make a difference in whatever every day to day ways we're able. I often think of conservation efforts like the Loren Eiseley story "The Star Thrower" (aka, "the starfish story"). Amid a beach full of stranded starfish, one person cannot possibly save them all, but they can spend what time they have saving those they're able.

And this study shows that these efforts do, in fact, make a difference, not just for starfish but a myriad of species. This meta-analysis of almost 200 studies definitively proves that conservation preserves and restores biodiversity, keeping more species from going extinct. It's all too easy to get entangled in the losses, but we even more need to allow ourselves to celebrate the wins.

That success is crucial to convincing governmental entities and other stakeholders that putting funds toward conservation efforts makes a significant difference and is not only worth the investment, but worth increasing. And, on a personal level, it's necessary for those of us who care so deeply for this world to know when our efforts are having an impact, to buoy us up when the anxiety and grief over ecological destruction wears us down.

There is hope. Keep it up, folks; it's helping <3

[reasonsforhope]

"When politicians unveil a new national park or wilderness area, it’s often accompanied by debates about what effect it will have on the livelihoods of people living nearby. In some places, it can be welcomed as a boon, attracting tourists and their dollars. In others, it’s booed as a job killer, squelching the chance for new mining, grazing, logging or other industries.

As nations promise to nearly double the amount of protected land on the planet, from 17% to 30% of the Earth’s surface, these debates are likely to happen more often. Now there is new evidence that it’s possible to have both land protections and a growing economy. But it’s not guaranteed. “Achieving both aims is more common than we previously expected,” said Binbin Li, an environmental scientist at Duke Kunshan University, a Chinese institution affiliated with Duke University. “But that balance depends on socioeconomic conditions near a protected area.”

It can be hard to tease out causal links between two things as complex as the changing condition of a landscape and the economy of a nearby city. Did a town flourish because of a nearby national park, or because an increase in remote work enabled people to move there? Did another town collapse because a forest reserve contributed to the demise of a sawmill, or was it part of a bigger downturn in the timber industry?

To try to clarify the effects, Li and colleagues at Duke University and Shandong University in China compared the fates of “twin” towns and cities, as well as comparable patches of land. They identified more than 10,000 protected areas in countries around the globe, then examined how economic activity changed in nearby settlements between 2013 and 2020, compared to similar settlements more than 20 kilometers from any protected land. They also matched the protected area to similar nearby unprotected areas, to see if they fared differently.

The scientists used satellite images to track changes on the landscape, such as forest turning to farmland. They also tracked changes in the amount of nighttime artificial light as a surrogate for economic activity.

The satellite images revealed that in many cases, more trees and grasslands stayed standing and the lights shown more brightly at the same time. In about half the protected areas, there was simultaneous progress in both conservation and economic development, the scientists reported on June 20 in Current Biology.

Land protection was broadly successful at reducing the loss of forest and grasslands – more than 90% of the protected areas either lost no natural land cover, or less than their unprotected twins, the researchers found. At the same time, 60% of neighboring communities had as much or more of an increase in nightlights than places further from protected land...

Land protection and economic growth went hand in hand most easily in wealthier countries, around smaller protected areas, and in places with some of the infrastructure critical for economic development, such as roads. In places without these features the ecological fate of the land and the economic fortune of nearby towns was more likely to diverge or decline together the researchers found.

“Conservation does not happen in a silo,” said co-author Stuart Pimm, a Duke University ecologist. “We must consider local development alongside biodiversity conservation to know where and how to protect areas to benefit both the environment and humans.” ...

The results underscore the ways in which poverty and environmental degradation can be bound together. If poverty isn’t dealt with, creating protected areas could set the stage for both loss of biodiversity and economic development, the researchers warned. The flip side is that with careful planning, conservation could help set nearby towns on a path out of poverty. As an example, the scientists pointed to Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park, which has become a hub for ecotourism on the country’s Pacific coast.

“We need to get to a win-win outcome more often, especially in the most biodiverse regions that can ill-afford losing out on economic development or biodiversity,” said Li. “We cannot address biodiversity loss without addressing local development issues.”

-via Anthropocene Magazine, June 26, 2024

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

Very specific request for recommendations:

One of the things I do with my students is owl pellet dissection to identify the small rodents and occasional birds contained within. I have two big sacks of the things, from two different sites. As one of their assessments, they analyse a set number of pellets each, then share their data to get a bigger dataset, then discuss the biodiversity difference between the two sites. All good and fun. One of them once took home a bird skull and made it into a necklace.

Here is the sticky part: the database where they share their data.

Now, I am currently using an Excel spreadsheet that I host on my work OneDrive, which I share to Moodle and allow editing access. This means I format the spreadsheet, then they can access and add their data. Central place, they can easily copy and paste the data into their own Excel file to manipulate as they want, and I can see who has uploaded and who hasn't; for each pellet, one column asks for their name, and then the others list the potential organisms and they simply number how many of each they found. Boom. Easy.

BUT, it carries the inherent risk of one of my intelligent, capable and highly skilled students accidentally deleting/overwriting other people's entries in a moment of digital clumsiness and stupidity. This year, one of them forgot it was the shared document, and so did all the data analysis in it where everyone could see/plagiarise. This is Not Ideal.

So, I'm looking for some sort of digital tool that I can use, very preferably link to Moodle for easy access, will allow the students to download the whole collaborated dataset, and won't let them delete anyone else's entries. It also needs to be free. It doesn't need to do anything fancy - they can download into Excel if they want to manipulate it. I just want an easy central repository for this data.

Any recommendations from anyone?

[mindblowingscience]

A new species of Antarctic dragonfish, Akarotaxis gouldae or Banded Dragonfish, has been discovered in waters off the western Antarctic Peninsula by researchers at William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). The species, named in honor of the recently decommissioned Antarctic research and supply vessel (ARSV) Laurence M. Gould and its crew, exemplifies both the unknown biodiversity and fragile state of the Antarctic ecosystem. Described in the journal Zootaxa, Akarotaxis gouldae was initially identified through genetic analysis. Larval specimens collected off the coast of Antarctica while trawling for zooplankton were originally thought to be Akarotaxis nudiceps, a closely related dragonfish. However, after comparing their DNA to Akarotaxis nudiceps specimens housed in collections at VIMS, Yale University and the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris, France, significant variations in mitochondrial gene regions suggested the larval samples were a species unto themselves.

Continue Reading.

[umseb]

Sebastian Vettel Elected LupoLeo Personality of the Year 2024: "A Great Honor!"

Award presentation on November 23rd in Braunschweig

The youth committee of the LupoLeo Awards has decided: Former racing driver Sebastian Vettel is the LupoLeo "Personality of the Year" 2024. The young people aged 14 to 18 chose the four-time Formula 1 world champion for his diverse social commitment. In addition, the youth committee selected ten projects for the jury's selection of the "Project Award" from the 33 projects that were finally nominated by the non-profit analysis and consulting company PHINEO from the 235 registrations. The prominent jury of the LupoLeo Award, chaired by Dr. Brigitte Mohn (including singer Peter Maffay, former ski racer Felix Neureuther, doctor and television presenter Dr. Eckart von Hirschhausen and television presenter Wolfram Kons), will now choose the three project winners.

The LupoLeo Award, endowed with a total of 100,000 euros, is the largest funding award for commitment to children and young people in Germany, and this year's motto is "For a healthy future for our children and our planet." It will be awarded at a celebratory gala on November 23, 2024 in the Braunschweig State Theater. The "Personality of the Year" category honors a public figure who is committed to children and young people and promotes children's development through their work or appearance. In addition to Sebastian Vettel, the comedian, singer and actress Carolin Kebekus, as well as the chemist, science journalist and YouTuber Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim, were in the final selection for the award, which comes with 20,000 euros in funding. Ultimately the young people chose Vettel, who, after his active career as a racing driver, is increasingly committed to environmental and climate protection. With his V5 Projects he raises awareness and explains to the public the importance of these issues. His commitment includes, for example, projects to protect biodiversity (Buzzin' Corner insect hotels on and outside Formula 1 tracks), or he also addresses the topic of sustainability in motorsport under the campaign name "Race Without Trace." "It is an honor and a pleasure for me to be awarded the LupoLeo Award. Whether at home, at school or in public, more and more children and young people are committed to the earth and their own future. This inspires me as a family man and shows how important our future generations are for us and our planet. Whether healthy oceans, intact forests or the energy transition, I am convinced that we can only master these issues together in a positive and future-oriented manner. And this is exactly what I want to make my contribution," commented Vettel immediately after he heard about his election.

A Worthy Award Winner

"We really had a hard time deciding on a 'Personality of the Year'. All the celebrities, and especially the three finalists, have a great commitment to children and young people with an environmental connection," said Leonardo Massimo, chairman of the youth committee. "Sebastian Vettel uses his fame and is active in many subject areas, which really appealed to us. In our opinion, he is the deserving 'Person of the Year.'" "We are impressed by the commitment of the young people in the committee. They discussed intensively and were all very passionate about it. We congratulate Sebastian Vettel on behalf of the entire LupoLeo Award team on his election. He is a worthy winner," emphasize the two LupoLeo Award initiators, Jürgen Brinkmann (Chairman of the BRAWO GROUP) and Robert Lübenoff (Chairman of the fit4future foundation) together.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Rewild.org:

A new study published online today, April 25, in the scientific journal Science provides the strongest evidence to date that not only is nature conservation successful, but that scaling conservation interventions up would be transformational for halting and reversing biodiversity loss—a crisis that can lead to ecosystem collapses and a planet less able to support life—and reducing the effects of climate change.

The findings of this first-ever comprehensive meta-analysis of the impact of conservation action are crucial as more than 44,000 species are documented as being at risk of extinction, with tremendous consequences for the ecosystems that stabilize the climate and that provide billions of people around the world with clean water, livelihoods, homes, and cultural preservation, among other ecosystem services. Governments recently adopted new global targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, making it even more critical to understand whether conservation interventions are working. 

“If you look only at the trend of species declines, it would be easy to think that we’re failing to protect biodiversity, but you would not be looking at the full picture,” said Penny Langhammer, lead author of the study and executive vice president of Re:wild. “What we show with this paper is that conservation is, in fact, working to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. It is clear that conservation must be prioritized and receive significant additional resources and political support globally, while we simultaneously address the systemic drivers of biodiversity loss, such as unsustainable consumption and production.”

Although many studies look at individual conservation projects and interventions and their impact compared with no action taken, these papers have never been pulled into a single analysis to see how and whether conservation action is working overall. The co-authors conducted the first-ever meta-analysis of 186 studies, including 665 trials, that looked at the impact of a wide range of conservation interventions globally, and over time, compared to what would have happened without those interventions. The studies covered over a century of conservation action and evaluated actions targeting different levels of biodiversity—species, ecosystems and genetic diversity. 

The meta-analysis found that conservation actions—including the establishment and management of protected areas, the eradication and control of invasive species, the sustainable management of ecosystems, habitat loss reduction and restoration—improved the state of biodiversity or slowed its decline in the majority of cases (66%) compared with no action taken at all. And when conservation interventions work, the paper’s co-authors found that they are highly effective.

[cognitivejustice]

"The industrial model of agriculture production begins to look less viable’

In agriculture, growing only one crop – monoculture – has tended to encourage increased output by lowering overall costs. But these so-called economies of scale have brought with them environmental threats resulting from intensive production.

Now, single-crop farming is increasingly an economic risk for producers themselves. In the EU, one in 10 farms followed ecological practices in 2021 – almost double the share a decade earlier. This shows that growing numbers of European farmers are doing their part to preserve biodiversity. 

Greater biodiversity can reduce business risks from droughts because a mix of crops diversifies water needs, according to Professor Christoph Scherber, head of the Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring at the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change in Germany. He said crop variation can also lead to general increases in agricultural output.

‘It is important to show that agriculture can support biodiversity but also to acknowledge that biodiversity itself can bring higher production to farming,’ said Scherber, who coordinates BioMonitor4CAP.

[jcmarchi]

One in seven deepwater sharks and rays at risk of extinction - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/one-in-seven-deepwater-sharks-and-rays-at-risk-of-extinction-technology-org/

One in seven deepwater sharks and rays at risk of extinction - Technology Org

One in seven species of deepwater sharks and rays are threatened with extinction due to overfishing, according to a new eight-year study released today in the journal Science.

A shark – illustrative photo. Image credit: Pixabay (Free Pixabay license)

Specifically, the analysis found that sharks and rays are caught as incidental bycatch in fisheries targeting more commercially valuable species. However, they are kept due to the value of their oil and meat. This, partnered with a recent global expansion in the trade of shark liver oil, have resulted in steep population declines.

“About half of the world’s sharks are found below 200 metres, below where the sunlight reaches into the ocean,” says Nicholas Dulvy, Distinguished SFU Professor of Marine Biodiversity and Conservation.

“The first time they see sunlight is when they’re hauled onto the deck of a fishing boat.”

This new analysis by Dulvy assessed more than 500 species of sharks and rays and engaged more that 300 experts from around the world. It found that about 60 species are threatened with an elevated risk of extinction due to overfishing, according to the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

“As the high seas and the coastal waters are becoming depleted in many countries of the world, we’re incentivizing fishers to fish offshore and it’s become technologically viable to fish up to a kilometre deep,” Dulvy says.

Deepwater sharks and rays are among the most sensitive marine vertebrates because of their long lifespans and low reproductive rates. They have life cycles more similar to marine mammals such as whales and the walrus, which were formerly exploited for their oils and are now highly protected.

“Many deepwater sharks and rays can only withstand very small amounts of fishing pressure,” says Dulvy. “Some species may take 30 years or more to mature, and possibly up to 150 years in the case of the Greenland Shark, and only produce 12 pups throughout their entire life.”

Sharks and rays maintain their buoyancy by having a fatty liver, but this fat is highly prized. It’s used widely in cosmetics, nutrient supplements and for medicines, like vaccines. There has also been an increase in skate fisheries to support demand for fermented skate, a traditional Korean delicacy.

“There’s been great success in regulating shark fin trade. Now we need to turn our attention to regulating the international trade in liver oil.”

In addition to regulating the international trade in shark liver oil, the study also endorses a global push to protect 30 per cent of the world’s oceans by 2030. Protecting 30 per cent of the deep ocean (200 to 2,000 metres) would provide 80 per cent of species partial protection across their range. A worldwide prohibition on fishing below 800 metres would provide 30 per cent vertical refuge for a third of threatened deepwater sharks and rays.

The Global Shark Trends Project is a collaboration of the Simon Fraser University, IUCN Shark Specialist Group, James Cook University, and the Georgia Aquarium, established with support from the Shark Conservation Fund.

Written by Jeff Hodson

Source: SFU

You can offer your link to a page which is relevant to the topic of this post.

[wachinyeya]

Mushroom Enthusiasts Help Find Species Lost to Science–Rescuing it from Nature’s ‘Top 25 Most Wanted’ List https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/mushroom-enthusiasts-help-find-species-lost-to-science-rescuing-it-from-natures-top-25-most-wanted-list/

The big puma fungus is actually quite small, and despite being on the ’25 Most Wanted List’ it’s also rather unremarkable, being slightly greyish brown, and no bigger than a shitake.

GNN is always abreast of updates to the brilliant conservation initiative Search for Lost Species which has rediscovered several wondrous species of plants and animals through collaborative scientific expeditions to look for forms of life not seen in over ten years.

The big puma fungus (Austroomphaliaster nahuelbutensis), an enigmatic species of fungi that lives underground in Chile’s Nahuelbuta Mountains had only ever been found in the wild once.

An expedition team from the Fungi Foundation in Chile set out for the temperate forests of the Nahuelbutas in May 2023 to retrace the footsteps of Chilean mycologist Norberto Garrido, who discovered the big puma fungus and described it to Western science in 1988.

They timed the expedition to coincide with the exact dates in May that Garrido had hiked the mountains more than 40 years earlier.

“It’s possible that the reproductive parts of the big puma fungus—the mushroom—are only fleetingly visible above the soil on the same few days each year, which made the timing of the expedition a crucial factor,” said Claudia Bustamante, a mycologist, and member of the expedition team.

The expedition was captured in a documentary called In Search of a Lost Fungus, in which viewers can see how a last-minute day hike organized near a local Nahuelbutas community led to the big puma fungus’ eventual discovery.

On the last day of the expedition, the Fungi Foundation led a workshop and a community hike to look for fungi in a nearby forest. During that hike, two of the local participants found a group of about four mushrooms that all matched the description of the big puma fungus.

The expedition team carefully collected the mushrooms, leaving the mycelium in the ground, and took the mushrooms to the Fungi Foundation’s fungarium (FFCL). Although the mushrooms matched the physical and microscopical description of the big puma fungus, it was a DNA analysis that eventually confirmed the team had found the correct species.

“We knew it was going to be hard to find the big puma fungus and that the chances of finding the mushrooms were low, considering their colors and how they blend with the fallen leaves,” said Daniela Torres, programs lead at the Fungi Foundation and leader of the expedition.

“It was truly a unique moment when we managed to be in the right place at the right time to see the mushrooms. Understanding the biodiversity that exists and interacts within a specific area helps us comprehend its behavior and its potential to adapt to ongoing changes and underlying threats.”

Since 2017, the Search for Lost Species has rediscovered 13 of the world’s most wanted lost species. In addition to the big puma fungus, Re:wild, working with partners across the world, has confirmed the rediscovery of Jackson’s climbing salamander in Guatemala, both Wallace’s giant bee and the velvet pitcher plant in Indonesia, the silver-backed chevrotain in Vietnam, the Somali sengi in Djibouti, the Voeltzkow’s chameleon in Madagascar, Fernandina giant tortoise in the Galápagos, Sierra Leone crab in Sierra Leone, the Pernambuco holly tree in Brazil, Attenborough’s echidna in Indonesia, De Winton’s golden mole in South Africa and Fagilde’s trapdoor spider in Portugal

[probablyasocialecologist]

The full extent of the damage in Gaza has not yet been documented, but analysis of satellite imagery provided to the Guardian shows the destruction of about 38-48% of tree cover and farmland. Olive groves and farms have been reduced to packed earth; soil and groundwater have been contaminated by munitions and toxins; the sea is choked with sewage and waste; the air polluted by smoke and particulate matter. Researchers and environmental organisations say the destruction will have enormous effects on Gaza’s ecosystems and biodiversity. The scale and potential long-term impact of the damage have led to calls for it to be regarded as “ecocide” and investigated as a possible war crime.

[...]

He Yin, an assistant professor of geography at Kent State University in the US, who studied the damage to agricultural land in Syria during the 2011 civil war, analysed satellite imagery showing that up to 48% of Gaza’s tree cover had been lost or damaged between 7 October and 21 March. As well as direct destruction from the military onslaught, the lack of fuel has led to people in Gaza having to cut down trees wherever they can find them to burn for cooking or heating. “It’s whole orchards gone, only soil left; you don’t see a single thing,” Yin says. Independent satellite analysis by Forensic Architecture (FA), a London-based research group that investigates state violence, found similar results. Before 7 October, farms and orchards covered about 170 sq km (65 sq miles), or 47% of Gaza’s total land area. By the end of February, FA estimates from satellite data that Israeli military activity had destroyed more than 65 sq km, or 38% of that land. As well as cultivated land, more than 7,500 greenhouses formed a vital part of the territory’s agricultural infrastructure. Almost a third have been destroyed entirely, according to FA’s analysis, ranging from up to 90% in the north of Gaza to about 40% around Khan Younis.

[elbiotipo]

Also, biodiversity conservation and restoration is very cheap. Protecting 30% of the world's land and sea area would mean an investment of 140 billion dollars a year.

This is about a tenth of the value of trillion dollar corporations like Amazon, Nvidia or Google (not even getting into the double trillions like Apple or Microsoft). The US Military spends 840 billion dollars in its current budget, and probably more given the well known corruption and rampant spending. An international program could raise double of that.

The study also points out that, from tourism to jobs to many other benefits, the returns to the global economy would be 5 times the 140 billion investment.

This is all in a capitalist perspective where investment and profit rule all. In a socialist perspective, this shouldn't be an issue at all. We protect nature not because of profit, but because it is our home and the heritage to our children. Eventually, enviromental protection and ecological development should be what we do because we must do, because our planet is marvelous and our home, not because of what profit we can extract from it in one or other way.

Same with space exploration, by the way. Or global food and health programs. All the shit we spend on advertising or nuclear weapons can be used into protecting human dignity, expanding our knowledge and protecting our planet. It was true when hippies said it in the 70s and is still true now.

[reasonsforhope]

"The first and only fungus on a global conservation outfit’s ’25 Most Wanted List’ has been found in the rain-soaked mountains of Chile, almost 40 years after it was first documented.

The big puma fungus is actually quite small, and despite being on the ’25 Most Wanted List’ it’s also rather unremarkable, being slightly greyish brown, and no bigger than a shitake.

GNN is always abreast of updates to the brilliant conservation initiative Search for Lost Species which has rediscovered several wondrous species of plants and animals through collaborative scientific expeditions to look for forms of life not seen in over ten years.

The big puma fungus (Austroomphaliaster nahuelbutensis), an enigmatic species of fungi that lives underground in Chile’s Nahuelbuta Mountains had only ever been found in the wild once.

An expedition team from the Fungi Foundation in Chile set out for the temperate forests of the Nahuelbutas in May 2023 to retrace the footsteps of Chilean mycologist Norberto Garrido, who discovered the big puma fungus and described it to Western science in 1988.

They timed the expedition to coincide with the exact dates in May that Garrido had hiked the mountains more than 40 years earlier.

“It’s possible that the reproductive parts of the big puma fungus—the mushroom—are only fleetingly visible above the soil on the same few days each year, which made the timing of the expedition a crucial factor,” said Claudia Bustamante, a mycologist, and member of the expedition team.

The expedition was captured in a documentary called In Search of a Lost Fungus, in which viewers can see how a last-minute day hike organized near a local Nahuelbutas community led to the big puma fungus’ eventual discovery.

On the last day of the expedition, the Fungi Foundation led a workshop and a community hike to look for fungi in a nearby forest. During that hike, two of the local participants found a group of about four mushrooms that all matched the description of the big puma fungus.

The expedition team carefully collected the mushrooms, leaving the mycelium in the ground, and took the mushrooms to the Fungi Foundation’s fungarium (FFCL). Although the mushrooms matched the physical and microscopical description of the big puma fungus, it was a DNA analysis that eventually confirmed the team had found the correct species.

“We knew it was going to be hard to find the big puma fungus and that the chances of finding the mushrooms were low, considering their colors and how they blend with the fallen leaves,” said Daniela Torres, programs lead at the Fungi Foundation and leader of the expedition.

“It was truly a unique moment when we managed to be in the right place at the right time to see the mushrooms. Understanding the biodiversity that exists and interacts within a specific area helps us comprehend its behavior and its potential to adapt to ongoing changes and underlying threats.”

Since 2017, the Search for Lost Species has rediscovered 13 of the world’s most wanted lost species. In addition to the big puma fungus, Re:wild, working with partners across the world, has confirmed the rediscovery of Jackson’s climbing salamander in Guatemala, both Wallace’s giant bee and the velvet pitcher plant in Indonesia, the silver-backed chevrotain in Vietnam, the Somali sengi in Djibouti, the Voeltzkow’s chameleon in Madagascar, Fernandina giant tortoise in the Galápagos, Sierra Leone crab in Sierra Leone, the Pernambuco holly tree in Brazil, Attenborough’s echidna in Indonesia, De Winton’s golden mole in South Africa and Fagilde’s trapdoor spider in Portugal."

-via Good News Network, September 13, 2024