Category: Biological Sciences

New research on the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) show that both farmed and wild oyster filter nitrogen from the water, processing the element in their shells and soft tissues and helping reducing cases of eutrophication. In a recent paper, scientists showed that oysters and other shellfish can help complement land-based nutrient management practices, such as upgrades to wastewater treatment plants around New Hampshire’s Great Bay estuary to reduce nitrogen output.

An unintended impact of land-use changes over the past century has been a more than 86 percent decrease in the range of the New England cottontail. Ongoing habitat restoration efforts will help the survival of the New England cottontail, and new research by COLSA researchers finds that these efforts will also benefit at least 12 shrubland-obligate bird species with which the cottontail shares its habitat.

New research shows that hawks that hunt swarming bats steer toward a fixed point in the swarm – rather than targeting individual bats – and attack, hoping for a successful capture. This behavior was observed of Swainson’s Hawks (Buteo swainsoni) and other raptors hunting a colony of approximately 700,000 to 900,000 Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis).

As climate warms, lake ecosystems are changing. A challenge is identifying which animals and systems are most vulnerable, or conversely most resilient, to continued climate change. This study investigates four of these charr-bearing lakes in Maine to determine how their habitat and food webs differ, and how this relates to specific Arctic charr behaviors and feeding traits.