Ecology News

Forres - Amid much fanfare the native Scots pine was declared Scotland’s national tree, end January, but a leading conservation charity is calling for concerted action to ensure the iconic species has a secure future.

Afraid of the wolf? The world will be a whole lot scarier if wolves and other large carnivores become extinct, according to a new study published Friday by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), in collaboration with the University of Montana.

Potsdam - Climate change is likely to transform landscapes worldwide, affecting most of Earth’s forests and agriculture — and it isn’t a far future scenario, says a new report. Profound changes in the world’s ecosystems could happen less than 90 years hence

A new study provides evidence that herbicides alter ecosystems around the world and that as the use of herbicides rises, the risks to the planet's ecosystems similarly increase.

Denver - North American frogs, toads and other amphibious animals are disappearing so quickly that they could become extinct from their natural habitats by 2033.

Paris - The city of Paris is to begin an experiment this April using sheep as a replacement for lawnmowers. Ultimately, it may result in some of the French capital’s most famous parks and open spaces being tended by sheep rather than mechanical means.

US scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have reported a sharp leap in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels in 2012.

Singapore - Earth Hour, the world’s largest movement for the planet, launched its campaign for 2013 in Singapore on February 27. This year Earth Hour will take place on Saturday, March 23 at 8:30 p.m. in time zones throughout the world.

France yesterday introduced energy conservation laws making it obligatory for shops and commercial premises to switch off internal, window and exterior lighting at night.

Nanomaterials, the result of nanotechnology, using extremely small objects, are becoming common in everyday life but the unseen use of nanomaterials in goods from cosmetics to paint is causing concern that there is little research into their effects.