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Topics: Nature issues

Pascal Milesi, Associate Professor of Plant Ecology and Evolution, Uppsala University

Adaptability of trees persists after millions of years of climate change

Seven of the most common forest trees in Europe have been shown to be able to shelter their genetic diversity from major shifts in environmental conditions. This is despite their ranges having shrunk and the number of trees having fallen sharply during ice age cycles. These are the findings of a study jointly led by Uppsala and Helsinki Universities, published in Nature Communications.

Håkan Rydin, Professor Emeritus of Plant Ecology, Uppsala University. Photo: Märta Gross Hulth

Are cows pickier than goats?

To answer this question, Linnaeus collected 643 different plant species that were then fed to horses, cows, pigs, sheep and goats. The results were carefully compiled but not analysed until now, 275 years later, when they are also published by the Linnean Society in London.

Genes controlling eye development and light sensitivity differed between the Northern krill from the Atlantic Ocean versus the Mediterranean Sea. Photographer: Andreas Wallberg

Krill provide insights into how marine species can adapt to warmer waters

Krill in our northern waters show how key marine species can adapt genetically to cope with climate change. This is the discovery made by researchers at Uppsala University in collaboration with an international research group. According to the researchers, their study, published in Nature Communications, provides important knowledge that can help protect marine ecosystems when the climate changes.

Domestic rabbits, showing morphological and coloration changes derived from domestication. Credit: Pedro Andrade

From pets to pests: how domestic rabbits survive the wilderness

Rabbits have colonised countries worldwide, often with dire economic and ecological consequences, but their secret has before been a mystery. In a new study published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, an international consortium of scientists sequenced the genomes of nearly 300 rabbits from three continents to unveil the key genetic changes that make these animals master colonisers.

Eight new deep-sea species of marine sponges discovered

Eight new deep-sea species of marine sponges discovered

Despite marine sponges being widespread on our planet, their biodiversity and distribution is still poorly known. Even though the Mediterranean Sea is the most explored sea on Earth, a study by Díaz et al. (2024) reveals the presence of new sponge species and new records in unexplored habitats such as underwater caves or mountains around the Balearic Islands.

The Plains Lark, Corypha kabalii, is one of the least-known lark species in the world. Photo: Per Alström

New larks revealed in Africa

Researchers at Uppsala University have studied the relationships between five closely related species of larks that occur in Africa south of the Sahara. They propose that the two species be split into seven. Some of them haven't been observed for decades, so the researchers analysed DNA from museum specimens, some of which were over 100 years old.

Historically, fairy rings have been associated with various supernatural notions, such as traces of witches’ cauldrons, dancing elves or other magical creatures. Credit: Markus Hiltunen

Studies of fungi provide new knowledge of harmful mutations in cells

Long-lived mushrooms that grow in ‘fairy rings’ accumulate surprisingly few mutations over time. This finding indicates that their protection against harmful mutations is well developed. The results, to be published in the esteemed journal Current Biology, are interesting in terms of both medicine and evolutionary biology.

Scottish badgers highlight the complexity of species responses to environmental change

In a new study researchers have found that although warmer weather should benefit badger populations, the predicted human population increase in the Scottish highlands is likely to disturb badgers and counteract that effect. These results emphasise the importance of interactive effects and context-dependent responses when planning conservation management under human-induced environmental change.

Genes key to killer bee’s success

In a new study, researchers from Uppsala University sequenced the genomes of Africanized bees that have invaded large parts of the world to find out what makes them so extraordinarily successful. One particular region in the genome caught the researchers’ attention and the genes found there could be part of the explanation for the aggressive advances of these hybrid bees.

The genetic basis for timing of reproduction in the Atlantic herring revealed

In a study published today in PNAS, scientists in Sweden and Canada have studied the genetic basis of reproduction in 25 populations of herring from both sides of the North Atlantic. They revealed a number of genes associated with the timing of reproduction, and the genetic variants associated with spring or autumn spawning were found to be largely shared between geographically distant populations

The secret of the supervolcano

Researchers have now found an explanation for what triggered the largest volcanic eruption witnessed by humankind. The volcano’s secret was revealed by geochemical clues hidden inside volcanic quartz crystals.

Male collared flycatcher with white forehead patch clearly displayed.  Foto: Johan Träff

Climate change altered the natural selection – large forehead patch no longer a winner

In a new study, researchers at Uppsala University have found evidence of that climate change upends selection of face characteristics in the collared flycatcher. During the study the annual fitness selection on forehead patch size switched from positive to negative, a reversal that is accounted for by rising spring temperatures at the breeding site.

Male of Rufous-headed Robin in the Sichuan provins in China. Photo: Pete Morris

Studies of one of the world’s rarest birds, the Rufous-headed Robin

Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing and Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden have put together all known information about the endangered Rufous-headed Robin. Very few observations have been made since it was first discovered in 1905. The researchers suggest that its distribution might be larger than previously thought.

Important study of how climate affects biodiversity

A key question in the climate debate is how the occurrence and distribution of species is affected by climate change. But without information about natural variation in species abundance it is hard to answer. In a major study, published today in the leading scientific journal Current Biology, researchers can now for the first time give us a detailed picture of natural variation.

Grazers and pollinators shape plant evolution

It has long been known that the characteristics of many plants with wide ranges can vary geographically, depending on differences in climate. But changes in grazing pressure and pollination can also affect the genetic composition of natural plant populations, according to a new study.

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