Study: Coal Mining Reduces Abundance, Richness of Aquatic Life
Coal mining, under current US regulations, has significantly reduced the abundance and variety of fish, invertebrates, salamanders, and other aquatic life in streams.
Gross Receives 2018 SEC Faculty Achievement Award
Louis Gross has been honored with the 2018 SEC Faculty Achievement Award. His research focuses on using computational and mathematical tools to address environmental problems.
Smithsonian Mag: Why We Should Rethink How We Talk about ‘Alien’ Species
In a trend that echoes the U.S.-Mexico border debate, some say that calling non-native animals “foreigners” and “invaders” only worsens the problem, according to an article in Smithsonian Magazine. UT ecologist Daniel Simberloff feels that those who believe this deny the existence of climate change.
Museum to Host Darwin Day Party for February’s Family Fun Day
The McClung Museum will host Darwin Day from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, February 10.
Curbing Climate Change: A Study Led by Louis Gross
Earther featured a study lead by researchers from UT and the University of Vermont about the climate model that factors in how humans react to climate change.
NIMBioS Study: Curbing Climate Change
Humans may be the dominant cause of global temperature rise, but they may also be a crucial factor in helping to reduce it.
Burghardt Shares Opinions on Pet Reptiles in New York Times
Gordon Burghardt, Alumni Distinguished Service Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, was quoted in a New York Times article about the debate on whether reptiles and amphibians should be house pets.
International Media Quote Burghardt on Compatibility of Reptiles, Amphibians and Modern Lifestyles
A debate over reptile pets erupted in a series of articles published recently in the journal, Veterinary Record. In a linked editorial, UT’s Gordon Burghardt said issues of health, best practices for keeping captives, and preventing disease transmission to humans “are important for veterinarians to address.”
UT Professor Comments in Nat Geo Story About Impact of Non-Native Species on Ecosystems
National Geographic reports a new study that says feral horses or camels may not “belong” where we put them, but they’re keeping the species wild and helping the ecosystem. Some say that wild horses grazing on the Western range or camels in Australia are on the “wrong” continent. This study argues that these animals should
Toxic Snakes Know They’re Toxic, Agrees Burghardt in New Scientist
UT professor Gordon Burghardt teamed up with Akira Mori, a professor at Kyoto University in Japan, to study how different snakes respond when fed toxic foods. In a recent New Scientist article, their researched showed that when snakes were fed toxic toads, they became aware they were toxic and would respond to threats with nuchal
Science Pubs Highlight Blum Hurricane Study
Michael Blum, associate professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, recently published a study in the journal Ecosphere about the socioecological disparities in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Several science publications picked up the article including Science News Online and Science Daily. The paper’s findings are particularly topical as communities in Texas and Florida continue to rebuild
Science Pubs Highlight Bat Research of Post Doc Leppanen
Christy Leppanen, a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, recently published a review that describes the scope in which invasive species threaten bats. The review summarizes the threats according to four categories: predation, disease, competition, and indirect interactions. Leppanen and her co-author identified threats of 37 invasive species to