Bits of Biodiversity

Coral is losing its chemical war with seaweeds

As if anthropogenic pollution and overfishing isn’t damaging enough for coral reefs worldwide, now certain seaweeds seem determined to see the end of reefs as well. These macroalgae produce chemicals that inhibit the growth of reef-building coral or even kill … Continue reading →

Study shows binary switches between forest, savanna, desert: macro-scale climate-biodiversity tipping points

Researchers of Wageningen University find in South America, Africa and Australia under climatic change forest, savanna and treeless systems don’t gradually phase across, but rather tip over.

Reefs took 1.5 million years to reappear after Permian-Triassic Mass Extinction

The Permian-Triassic Mass Extinction was the largest in our planet’s history. Enormous disruptions of the carbon cycle led to climate change, ocean acidification and ocean anoxia – and with an estimated 90 percent of all species dying out Earth almost … Continue reading →

Early warning system for coral reef collapse found

Global warming, overfishing and ocean acidification form a major threat to ocean ecosystems, possibly even leading to an oceanic Holocene mass extinction. We might even have to say goodbye to the planet’s last coral reef by 2050 if we’re not … Continue reading →

Quantifying the invasive species problem, Florida´s case: 137 non-native reptiles & amphibians

Last week we took a look at the slowness of species migration before the age of the 747. Today we speed up time by a thousand – to get to the ecological reality of globalisation.

Biodiversity feedback: loss of amphibian species further increases threat of deadly fungus infections

Worldwide amphibians are the most threatened class in the animal kingdom. In recent years Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a fungal pathogen, has caused havoc among many species of frogs, toads and salamanders, decreasing populations and wiping out others.