News by Subject Biology

Most of the world's leopards are endangered and generally, the number of these shy and stunning cats is decreasing. However, according to a recent study by a researcher from University of Copenhagen and colleagues from China, leopard populations in northern China are on the mend. Discover why below.

Newly published thesis research by a University of Guam master's graduate reveals that propagation of cycads through stem cuttings does not benefit from a commonly used rooting hormone.

Worldwide demand for food from the tropics that meets higher environmental and social standards has risen sharply in recent years. Consumers often have to make ethically questionable decisions: products may be available through child labour, starvation wages or environmental destruction. Building on an interdisciplinary project in Peru, an international research team including Göttingen Univeristy published an overview on the transition to responsible, high-quality cocoa production. This 'Perspective' article appeared in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution.

In the face of the Covid-19 pandemic and the mounting threat of climate change, forests and trees are vital for the rural poor in countries around the world. However, the poor are rarely able to capture the bulk of benefits from forests. A global science assessment analyses how forests can realize their potential to reduce poverty in a fair and lasting manner.

New research shows that while winter rains can temper the beginning of the wildfire season, monsoon rains are what shut them down. This monsoon season was the second-driest on record, leaving Southern Arizona dry and vulnerable.

Drought is endemic to the American West along with heatwaves and intense wildfires. But scientists are only beginning to understand how the effects of multiple droughts can compound to affect forests differently than a single drought alone.