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
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
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
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
The New Scientist published an article about the effects of hallucinogenic mushrooms and their insect-repellent properties. The work, conducted at the Ohio State, incorporated research from the lab of P. Brandon Matheny, associate professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and the research of former student Hailee Korotkin who graduated with a master of
The New York Times featured a study that suggests stitching together forests can help save multiple species. The publication interviewed Daniel Simberloff, an ecologist at UT, who cautioned that the research relied heavily on debatable modeling assumptions.
Science Magazine recently reported that the construction of a dam in central Brazil has spurred fast evolution of geckos in the region. In just 15 years, the lizards’ heads have grown larger—an adaptation that allows them to eat a wider variety of insects made available by the dam’s creation. The finding may signal other rapid
A recent Knoxville News Sentinel story explored mankind’s complex relationship with snakes particularly since the reptiles remain a part of so many cultures’ fears, focus of worship, captive exhibits and symbolic or religious meanings. UT’s Gordon Burghardt expounded on the psychology of snakes in this story. He noted that the fear of snakes can easily turn
Louis J. Gross has been named a Fellow in the inaugural class of Fellows of the Society for Mathematical Biology. A distinguished UT professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and mathematics, Gross is also the founding and current director of the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) and director of UT’s Institute for
The Evolution Institute recently featured a conversation between Gordon Burghardt and scientist Kevin Laland on the topic of niche construction–the process through which an organism alters its own or another species’ environment, rather than one being passively shaped by the other. Read the interview online. Burghardt is an Alumni Distinguished Service Professor, holds appointments in the
An article in the June issue of Discover magazine quotes Gordon Burghardt extensively about the play behavior of non-mammalian animals.
Sergey Gavrilets, distinguished professor of ecology, evolutionary biology and mathematics at UT recently published a study explaining what may motivate individuals to take part in extremist behaviors.