Articles from 2009
The Nature Notes archive is where you'll find my past writings and natural history notes. You are currently viewing a list of articles that were published in 2009.
- Wolves Have Unexpected Effect on Elk Populations // 23 Jul 2009
- Elk populations in the Yellowstone area are declining and scientists from Montana State University have been trying to identify the cause. Wolves, one of the elks' natural predators, were reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995. Although some elk are killed...
- Larger Crests Signal Lower Stress in Male Auklets // 04 May 2009
- During the breeding season, male and female crested auklets (Aethia cristatella) grow a distinct group of bristle feathers on the top of their head. Scientists have for some time known that both sexes show a preference for selecting mates...
- Software Helps Scientists Identify Tigers // 13 Mar 2009
- New software has been developed that will help wildlife researchers to better identify tigers photographed via remote cameras. The software, developed by experts from Conservation Research Ltd. and the Wildlife Conservation Society, relies on technology similar to that of...
- A Dry Year in the Amazon Rainforest // 10 Mar 2009
- The Amazon rainforest is a moist broadleaf forest that blankets 5,400,000 square kilometers of the Amazon River basin in South America. The shear vastness of this forest is difficult to comprehend. It stretches across the boundaries of nine nations—Brazil,...
- Ecologist Speaks Out for Forest Ecosystems // 05 Mar 2009
- Forest ecologist Dr. Nalini Nadkarni has a singular passion for trees. For the better part of two decades she has studied the plants and animals that inhabit rainforest canopies around the world. Her research has taken her to the...
- Komodo Dragon // 04 Mar 2009
- Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) are the largest of all lizards, they can grow to lengths of 3m and can weigh as much as 165kg. Komodo dragons belong to the Family Varanidae, a group of reptiles known more commonly as...
- Feather Anatomy and Function // 04 Mar 2009
- Feathers are unique to birds. They are a defining characteristic of the group, meaning simply that if an animal has feathers, then it is a bird. Feathers serve many functions in birds but most notable is the critical role...
- Carotenoids // 04 Mar 2009
- Carotenoids are a class of over 600 organic pigments that range in hue from red to orange to yellow. Carotenoids are produced in the chloroplasts of plants as well as some algae and bacteria. Examples of plants rich in...
- New Tiger Protection Project Sets Clear Target // 02 Mar 2009
- A new tiger protection effort has been launched by the Wildlife Conservation Society, the World Bank, and the Global Environment Facility. Together, these organizations have committed $2.8 million to tiger conservation under a project called Tigers Forever. Today, estimates...
- A New Way to Track Migratory Songbirds // 26 Feb 2009
- Until recently, small migratory songbirds, too small to track via satellite, have eluded scientists who wish to follow their annual migrations. Now, a tiny device that senses light levels and records sunrise and sunset times, enables scientists to gain...
by Rachel Carson
by Douglas Adams
by Edward O. Wilson
