Articles for tag: conservation biology, ecological impact, mastodons, seed dispersal, South American forests

Mastodon skeleton, Museum of the Earth

The Extinction That Changed South America: What Mastodons Left Behind

April Joy Jovita

The extinction of mastodons in South America approximately 10,000 years ago continues to affect native forests, as revealed in a groundbreaking study by the University of O’Higgins, Chile. For the first time, scientists have found direct fossil evidence that these extinct elephant relatives played a critical role in seed dispersal, maintaining the biodiversity of large-fruited ...

Smallmouth bass underwater with rocks

Evolution Fights Back: Adirondack Smallmouth Bass Adapt to Evade Eradication

April Joy Jovita

In a vivid example of nature adapting to human pressure, invasive smallmouth bass in New York’s Adirondack Mountains have evolved traits that help them resist long-standing removal campaigns. According to a new study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, these fish are now growing faster and reproducing earlier, an evolutionary shift that is ...