Feb. 24/2021

 

Feature:

Sea cucumbers pinch out '5 Eiffel Towers worth' of poop per reef, per year

"Sea cucumbers — those chubby tubes of flesh that scooch around the ocean floor — have a very special talent: The tubular creatures are elite poopers, collectively expelling more than 70,000 tons (64,000 metric tons) of sandy poop out of their bottoms each year.

That's not an estimate for the entire globe; that's how much sea cucumbers poop on a single coral reef, per year. And even that tremendous number may be an underestimate, according to a new study...

...scientists studied sea cucumbers living on Heron Island Reef, a 7.3-square-mile (19 square km)...located at the southern end of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The team used drones to collect video footage around the edge of the lagoon, in shallow areas of the reef known as flats, & then counted the sea cucumbers caught on camera. 

From these samples, they extrapolated that more than 3 million cucumbers live across all the reef flats of Heron Island.

... the team ran feeding experiments with the most abundant of the cucumber species, the black sea cucumber or lollyfish (Holothuria atra). They found that a single sea cucumber defecates about 1.3 ounces (38 gm) of poop per day, & would therefore produce about 30.8 pounds (14 kg) of poop per year. 

So altogether, the army of 3 million squidgy sea cucumbers living on Heron Island reef produce 10s of thousands of tons of poop each year, slightly more than the mass of five Eiffel Towers... 

Even 'this was a huge underestimate of poop, because we didn't include the reef lagoon,' study author Vincent Raoult, a marine ecologist at the University of Newcastle, said in a tweet. 'Imagine on a global scale' just how much poop sea cucumbers dump into their local ecosystems, he added.

Why should we care about sea cucumber poop? Their droppings are critical to the health of ocean ecosystems, particularly coral reefs.

Like underwater earthworms, sea cucumbers gobble up organic matter on the ocean floor, including tiny pieces of algae & marine creatures...The digestion process breaks down this matter, releasing beneficial byproducts that get pooped out along with any indigestible sand that the cucumbers consume. 

These byproducts include calcium carbonate, a key ingredient in coral formation, & ammonia, which acts as a fertilizer & promotes coral growth. Sea cucumber poop is also slightly basic, meaning it lowers the acidity of the surrounding water; less acidic conditions also help coral form their calcium carbonate skeletons... 

'Sea cucumbers turn over sediment, which can aerate the sediment & release nutrients (food) to other organisms on coral reefs,' study author Jane Williamson, a marine ecologist & fisheries biologist at Macquarie University in Sydney, told Live Science... If sea cucumbers didn't swallow & poop out the sediment, 'these nutrients remain trapped & useless to other animals & plants.'

Despite their important role in reef ecosystems, overfishing threatens sea cucumber populations worldwide. Currently, 7 species are endangered & 9 are 'vulnerable to extinction,' according to a statement from the University of Newcastle. 'The reduction in density means that less sediment is turned over,' Williamson said. In other words, fewer sea cucumbers mean less sea cucumber poop, which poses a potential threat to coral reefs.

In sharing their new research, the team has found that 'people love the idea that poop is important,' Williamson noted. 'Everyone poops, so I guess it's something that people can relate to?' she said. "

Nicoletta Lanese 

livescience.com

Feb. 5/2021

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Feb. 17/2021

 

Feature:

Elizabeth Ann the Black-Footed Ferret Is the First-Ever Cloned Endangered U.S. Species

"Scientists are introducing the world to a black-footed ferret named Elizabeth Ann — the first-ever endangered U.S. species to be cloned.

Elizabeth Ann was born on Dec. 10 after being created from the frozen cells of another black-footed ferret named Willa, who died over 30 years ago, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.  

Once thought to be completely extinct, a small population of black-footed ferrets — one of North America's rarest land mammals — was discovered in 1981 by a Wyoming rancher...

Elizabeth Ann's story truly began in 1988, when the Wyoming department sent frozen cell samples from a black-footed ferret named Willa to San Diego Zoo Global's Frozen Zoo. 

Subsequent genetic studies showed that Willa's samples 'possessed 3 times more unique variations than the living population.' 

In 2013, the Fish & Wildlife Service began working with Revive & Restore, a organization that focuses on using biotechnology to help bolster conservation efforts.

Then in 2018, Revive & Restore received the 'first-ever recovery permit for cloning research of an endangered species,'  & they partnered with ViaGen Pets & Equine to successfully create embryos from frozen black-footed ferret cells,& implant them into a surrogate.

Although the entire process was years in the making, scientists didn't have to wait long for Elizabeth Ann's arrival.

Just 2 weeks after their first trial began on Halloween, scientists confirmed the surrogate was pregnant — & on Dec. 10, Elizabeth Ann arrived via C-section, according to The New York Times.

                    

As for Elizabeth Ann's future, she'll live out the rest of her life at Colorado's Ferret Conservation Center — & hopefully add some cloned siblings, & mates, to her family. 

'San Diego Zoo Global's Frozen Zoo was created more than 40 years ago with the hope that it would provide solutions to future conservation challenges,' Oliver Ryder, the director of conservation genetics at San Diego Zoo Global, said in a press release. 'We are delighted that we have been able to cryobank &, years later, provide viable cell cultures for this groundbreaking project.' 

'It was a commitment to seeing this species survive that has led to the successful birth of Elizabeth Ann. To see her now thriving ushers in a new era for her species & for conservation-dependent species everywhere,' added Ryan Phelan, Revive & Restore's executive director. 'She is a win for biodiversity & for genetic rescue.'"

By Maria Pasquini 

Feb. 19/2021

people.com

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Feb. 10/2021

 

Feature:

It’s time for the Great Backyard Bird Count — see how many you can spot

"...During the long, dark days of winter, every Canadian looks for illumination.

One bright light to look for are the native birds with their hardy, courageous natures that stay with us over winter. And when has there been a better time to slow down & observe avian activity than during the pandemic?

Now is the time to birdwatch with a purpose: The Great Backyard Bird Count is on, running Feb. 12-15, & it’s your chance to get in on the action — from a backyard, a park, on a walk through a forest or anywhere that birds can be seen & counted.

The bird count was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds when it launched in 1998 as a joint program of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology & National Audubon Society. Canadian partner Birds Canada joined the program in 2009.

Steven Price, president of Birds Canada, said the annual 4-day event last year attracted 40,000 volunteers in Canada & more than 250,000 participants around the world. Together, they counted over 27 million birds — almost 7,000 species.

'The information is used is used to help scientists around the world understand the range of birds, threats like climate change & habitat loss, & it helps Birds Canada demonstrate where conservation action is working to conserve nature,' said Price.

Participation is simple. Log onto the Birds Canada website at birdscanada.org & click on the Great-Backyard-Bird-Count link. Sign up & you are in. Now all you have to do is count birds &, if possible, name them & record the results on the website.

Between us, we have 16 bird feeders. We offer our feathered friends a mixture of quality, corn-free seed, pure black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer seed for the little songlets like nuthatches, suet for chickadees & woodpeckers, & bird-quality peanuts for even more woodpeckers (always salt free).

Our favourite birds this time of year & how best to attract them:

Blue jays. No need to wait for the season opener...since the jays are lurking in your nearest cedar hedge waiting for peanuts. In the shell or out, bird peanuts are like candy to blue jays. Black oil sunflower seeds also work well. Members of the crow family, they are smart, noisy & bossy. Most other birds step aside when they’re around...

                          

Chickadees. Cute, friendly (you can train them to take seed from your open hand) & chirpy. Chickadees get their name from their 'chick-a-dee-dee-dee' song. Black oil sunflower seeds are best.

Nuthatches. One of the few birds that travel down a tree trunk headfirst, they’re like fearless kids on a playset. Nyjer seed & black oil sunflower seeds for these little ones.

Downy & hairy woodpeckers. Downy, the smaller of the 2, & hairy’s look alike but have different stature. Suet is a sure draw, as are raw, salt-free peanuts out of the shell. Look for the distinct red flash on the back of the head of the males & the black & white markings on feathers.

Red bellied woodpecker. Known best for their brilliantly coloured red head. Their red belly is hard to see, but it is there. Feed the same as downy & hairy woodpeckers.

Cardinal. At this time of year the male’s vibrant red feathers make a sharp contrast against the snow. They are a true winter wonder worth watching. Feed same as blue jays, with black oil sunflower seeds & bird peanuts.

Challenge your friends & family to get in on the Great Backyard Bird Count this year & let our feathered friends help light up your winter.

Mark

Ben Cullen 

Toronto Star

Feb. 9/2021

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Feb. 3/2021

 

Feature:

Scientists Discover Massive ‘Silly String’ Creature in Deep Sea

"...scientists @ the Schmidt Ocean Institute captured footage of a massive siphonophore in the Indian Ocean. Siphonophores are closely related to the jellyfish & this could have been the largest ever recorded. The institute shared a stunning video & images of this giant ocean creatures that created a ‘galaxy-like spiral’ floating off Western Australia.

The footage was captured during an expedition of the deep sea Ningaloo Canyons. Although it’s unclear exactly how long the animal is, the pilot of a remotely operated vehicle used lasers to determine the size of the siphonophore’s outer ring & estimated it was 154 feet long (!), based on its diameter.

Siphonophores are deep-sea predators related to jellyfish & corals that catch prey including tiny crustaceans & fish, in their curtain of stinging cells. The colony in the images is made up of thousands of individual, specialized clone bodies, that work together as a team.

'There is so much we don’t know about the deep sea, & there are countless species never before seen,' said Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of Schmidt Ocean Institute, in a statement. 'The Ningaloo Canyons are just one of many vast underwater wonders we are about to discover that can help us better understand our planet.'

freetheocean.com 

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