New research offers fresh hope to curb illegal orchid trafficking in Vietnam

Rare, endangered orchids sold by the bushel through social media

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

 

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Paphiopedilum vietnamense an orchid naturally occurring in Vietnam

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Credit: All image and/or video uses must bear the copyright notice and/or be properly credited to the relevant photographer, as shown in the image metadata, and must be accompanied by a caption that makes reference to the San Diego Zoo and/or San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Any uses in which the image and/or video appears without proper copyright notice, photographer credit and a caption referencing the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and/or San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance are subject to paid licensing.

SAN DIEGO (Sept. 26, 2024) – Orchids, with their captivating beauty, have become a multi-billion-dollar industry. Unfortunately, many species are on the brink of extinction, particularly in Vietnam, due to unsustainable wild harvesting and minimal enforcement of laws restricting it. 

Lead author of a new study in Biotropica released Sept. 26, Elizabeth Davis, senior researcher in community engagement at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, and her colleagues at Vinh University in Vietnam, were motivated to dig into this issue after colleague and co-author Heinfried Block, senior plant propagator at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, observed a high volume of orchid trading occurring within a Vietnamese orchid hobbyist and trader Facebook group. Orchids were being offered for sale in bushels, including extremely rare and possibly Critically Endangered species. 

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing being sold online, both the species and the volume,” said Block. “We knew we needed to dig into this to better understand the trade and determine ways to stop it.”

While many studies document the extent of orchid trafficking, the motivations of traffickers are a critical but underexplored aspect of the orchid crisis.

“Without understanding the motivating factors, creating sustainable solutions is unlikely,” said Davis. “Our goal with this study is to shed light on the motivation and knowledge gaps among the collectors who are—often unwittingly—contributing to the problem. What we found provides us with hope that we can turn the tide.”

The researchers reveal that many Vietnamese orchid collectors, who sometimes harvest endangered species in the wild, are largely unaware of orchids' dire status and the regulations meant to protect them. Alarmingly, these collectors believe Vietnam still has an abundance of orchids, a misconception that fuels further depletion. 

“We found that these collectors and hobbyists have a high affinity for the conservation of orchids and had no idea that the orchids were in trouble or that harvesting was causing harm. They love orchids and are open to sharing expertise and learning sustainable practices,” said Davis.

“This research is so valuable because it provides directions to change the orchid-consuming behavior of this community,” said Trung Tien Cao, professor at Vinh University and co-author of the study. “There is a gap in awareness between what the orchid community believes, and what the reality is for wild orchids, and we provide suggestions for removing that gap.”

This new research suggests that by understanding the sociological dimensions driving orchid collectors, targeted awareness campaigns and collaborations can be developed, transforming these collectors from the problem into key conservation allies. 

This study offers a roadmap to saving some of the world's most beloved flowers before it's too late. The fate of many orchid species may well depend on this crucial shift in behavior and mindset, and the researchers suggest that orchid collectors in Vietnam are great candidates for such a shift. 

Davis and her colleagues are now working on social media graphics and messaging identified as being likely to change behavior that can be shared on social media within the collector groups, and they have a goal of creating sustainable guidelines for harvesting in the future.

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a designated plant rescue center. In its micropropagation lab, the horticultural department propagates critically endangered Paphiopedilum species from Vietnam in vitro. Most recently, the team added seedlings of the Vietnamese Paphiopedilum delenatii, Paphiopedilum malipoense and Paphiopedilum hangianum—offspring from confiscated plants that were given to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance for safeguarding.

 

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About San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance 

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, a nonprofit conservation leader, inspires passion for nature and collaboration for a healthier world. The Alliance supports innovative conservation science through global partnerships and groundbreaking efforts at the world-famous San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, both leading zoological institutions and accredited botanical gardens. Through wildlife care expertise, cutting-edge science and continued collaboration, more than 44 endangered species have been reintroduced to native habitats. The Alliance reaches over 1 billion people annually through its two conservation parks and media channels in 150 countries, including San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers television, available in children’s hospitals across 14 countries. Wildlife Allies—members, donors and guests—make success possible.

Link includes:

• Photos of orchid species that are naturally occurring in Vietnam
• Photos of critically endangered Paphiopedilum species in San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s micropropagation lab

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ADDITIONAL LIMITATION: Media acknowledges and agrees that San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance specifically does not grant a right to sublicense any image and/or video without the prior express written consent of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance in each instance and at its sole discretion. 

 

REQUIRED CREDIT AND CAPTION: All image and/or video uses must bear the copyright notice and/or be properly credited to the relevant photographer, as shown in the image metadata, and must be accompanied by a caption that makes reference to the San Diego Zoo and/or San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Any uses in which the image and/or video appears without proper copyright notice, photographer credit and a caption referencing the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and/or San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance are subject to paid licensing. 

AP PERMITTED USE: Specific to the Associated Press (“AP”) only, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has provided to the AP one or more photograph(s) and/or video(s) for distribution by the AP to its subscribers and customers solely for editorial publication. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is the sole copyright owner of the photograph(s) and/or video(s) furnished to AP for editorial publication by AP and its subscribers and customers in all media now known or hereafter created. Said content is a factually accurate rendering of what it depicts and has not been modified or augmented except for standard cropping and toning.

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Journal

Biotropica

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Knowledge gaps and opportunities for conservation with orchid collectors in Vietnam

Article Publication Date

26-Sep-2024

COI Statement

The corresponding author confirms on behalf of all authors that there have been no involvements that might raise the question of bias in the work reported or in the conclusions, implications, or opinions stated.

 

Grazing zooplankton severely impacted by nanoplastic particles

Lund University

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have studied how nanoplastic affects aquatic organisms in lakes and rivers. The results are surprising and the researchers are the first to show that some species are being wiped out, while others – such as cyanobacteria that contribute to algal blooms – are completely unaffected.

Every year, the amount of plastic in the world’s oceans increases by between five and 13 million tonnes. Over time, plastic breaks down into micro and nanoparticles that are invisible to the naked eye. Researchers at Lund University have investigated how these small plastic particles affect organisms in aquatic ecosystems. 

They found that some species of grazing zooplankton, daphnia, which are an important source of food for fish, were particularly vulnerable. Phytoplankton diatoms were also severely impacted. However, other types of algae, such as blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), which contribute to algal blooms, were completely unaffected.

“We don’t yet know why some collapse while others continue to thrive as usual. If the concentrations of nanoplastics increase, even those that can handle a few particles at present will also likely suffer,” says Lars-Anders Hansson, professor of aquatic ecology.

The researchers conducted the study in artificial wetlands, which are made as similar to natural systems as possible. Therefore, the results are likely to be transferable to natural ecosystems. Variations in the impact on different organisms lead to significant changes in the food chain and ecosystem processes, such as fewer grazing zooplankton and more extensive algal blooms.

“The concentrations of nanoplastics we used are low, quite close to the concentrations already present in our waters,” says Lars-Anders Hansson.

The researchers will now continue their experiments to find out how these insidious nanoplastic particles, which can penetrate cell membranes, affect different species in lakes and rivers.

“Taking a broader perspective, our study provides knowledge and the basis for future decision-making on how to deal with the obvious problems posed by plastic, even if it is also an excellent material in many aspects of our everyday lives,” says Lars-Anders Hansson.

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Journal

Communications Earth & Environment

DOI

10.1038/s43247-024-01646-7 

Article Title

Nanoplastics rewire freshwater food webs

 

Project aims to forecast long-term effects of debris transported by natural disasters

University of Plymouth

 

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The confluence of the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi Rivers, which represents the source of the Ganges. Differences in the colour of the water are the result of variations in sediment load, which can be caused by landscape disturbances originating higher in the catchment

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Credit: Matt Westoby/University of Plymouth

Landslides, avalanches and glacial floods can have an immediate and devastating effect on anything in their path. However, a £1million research project is now going to explore their potential to impact communities often located hundreds of kilometres away and many years after an event has originally taken place.

Centred on the headwaters of the Ganges River in the Himalayas, the SUPERSLUG initiative is named after the huge masses of debris created by such natural disasters, sometimes described as sediment slugs when they travel down rivers.

Using a range of novel monitoring technologies and sensors, scientists will develop and test numerical models to provide the most comprehensive predictions yet of where, when and how the long-term impacts of recent and future extreme events might be felt.

The three-year project is being supported with a grant of almost £840,000 from the Natural Environment Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation.

Led by researchers from the University of Plymouth, with colleagues from the universities of Exeter, Hull, Leeds, Newcastle and Staffordshire, the project will also harness the expertise of academics at the University of Calgary, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee and the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology.

Dr Matt Westoby, Associate Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Plymouth, is the project’s lead. He said: “High mountain regions such as the Himalayas and the Andes are among the most active – and most hazardous – on the planet. The effects of a changing global climate are only going to exacerbate that hazard, with more intense monsoons leading to increased landslide activity, and the retreat of glacial ice cover causing landscape instability and triggering far-reaching floods.

“But while the immediate effects of those events might be felt locally over the space of a few hours, the large volumes of sediment they generate could impact the river systems for a decade and more. We currently know very little about these longer-term legacy impacts, which can be more insidious and reveal themselves after the main source of danger has passed. We urgently need to understand their effects on river catchments and the communities that rely on them for water, power and their livelihoods more generally.”

The project will focus on a 150 km stretch of the Ganges River impacted by the 2021 Chamoli disaster. Initially triggered by a rock and ice avalanche, a fast-moving, debris-laden flood killed more than 200 people with extensive and severe damage being caused across the region, including to valuable hydropower and transport infrastructure.

In the immediate aftermath, scientists from across the world – including many of those involved in the SUPERSLUG project – came together to understand the processes that led to the initial disaster. 

Over the last two years, funding from UK Research and Innovation enabled pilot work in collaboration with in-country partners to better understand the short-term legacy of the disaster, pump-priming the more ambitious SUPERSLUG project.

The new research will use the data gathered during that time, as well as using drones and satellite imagery to monitor changes in the landscape and river system over the space of several years.

It will also employ seismic sensors and wireless ‘smart cobbles’ alongside other complementary techniques, including automatic water level monitoring, to explore how sediment is transported during normal and flood conditions.

This and other information will be used to develop a large-scale digital twin of the river system, which will be used to explore catchment management decisions.

Importantly, the project team will engage directly with communities and authorities in the Ganges region, to ensure their findings are accessible and useful to disaster management professionals, hydropower operators and the wider international academic community.

Professor Tom Coulthard, Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Hull, is also part of the team coordinating the SUPERSLUG project. He said: “Often it’s the rocks, house sized boulders and sheer volume of sediment moved rather than flood water that causes the most damage in these cascading multi-hazard events. It’s thought this mass of sediment released downstream could pass through the system like a wave or slug of sediment, but how long it takes for this slug to move on through is largely unknown. It may be years, decades or centuries – so understanding how long a sediment slug sticks around for is fundamental for managing these events and predicting their impacts.”

 

Forest loss forces langur species to interbreed

New danger for endangered primates

Deutsches Primatenzentrum (DPZ)/German Primate Center

 

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A juvenile hybrid langur in Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, Bangladesh. One can easily recognized the mixture of morphological characters. For examplethe white eye rings of the Phayre's langurs and the golden-brown breast hair of the capped langurs. Photo: Auritro Sattar

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Credit: Auritro Sattar

Research of the German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research - shows a threatening development for two endangered primate species in Bangladesh: Phayre's langurs (Trachypithecus phayrei) and capped langurs (Trachypithecus pileatus). In mixed groups of these two species, hybrids have been found and genetically confirmed. If hybridization continues, it could mean the extinction of one or both species (International Journal of Primatology).

Over five years (2018-2023), an international team of researchers led by Tanvir Ahmed, a PhD student at the German Primate Center, studied the langur populations in north-eastern Bangladesh. They found that 8 of the 98 langur studied groups consisted of Phayre's and capped langurs, and in three groups, some individuals appeared as a mixture of the two species. Later, researchers analyzed genetic samples of the species in the lab of the German Primate Center, and confirmed one case of hybridization. This langur had a capped langur mother and a Phayre's langur father. Another female with a hybrid appearance showed signs of motherhood, indicating that at least female hybrids are fertile and give birth to young.

Hybridization: A still rare but growing problem worldwide

Hybridization is generally rare among primates but occurs in areas where the distribution ranges of related species overlap. Human activities such as deforestation, habitat fragmentation, hunting and trapping of primates, leading to a thinning of populations and restricting the movements of individuals between local populations, can increase the risk of such hybridization. Tanvir Ahmed, lead author of the study, says: ‘The existence of fertile hybrids is particularly alarming because it suggests that gene flow between these two endangered species could irreversibly affect their future genetic composition.’ Christian Roos, lead scientist of the study, emphasizes the global relevance of the research results: ‘This is not just a local problem. When habitats are destroyed, animals mix unnaturally and form mixed groups and hybridization might occur. This can even mean the extinction of one or both species.’

Urgent need for action: Forest protection and research as the key to conservation strategies

The study also showed that well-protected forests have a higher population density of langurs compared to less protected ones. However, these forests are often too small, too isolated and fragmented to ensure the long-term survival of the species. ‘Forest conservation must become a national priority. If we don't act now, we risk losing not only two monkey species but also an important part of Bangladesh's biodiversity,’ says Tanvir Ahmed. In addition to forest protection, ongoing research is needed to better understand the effects of hybridization and to develop suitable conservation strategies. Dietmar Zinner, co-author of the study, summarizes: ‘This study is a wake-up call. We need more data to develop effective long-term conservation strategies. Further research will help us understand the extent of hybridization, the impact of human activities and how to prevent its worst effects.’

With less than 500 Phayre's langurs and 600 capped langurs in north-east Bangladesh, time is running out for these species. Their survival depends on immediate action, including both forest conservation and creating dispersal corridors for the species between the forests.

The next steps

As part of his doctoral project, which is supported by the German Primate Center and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), researcher Tanvir Ahmed is now focusing on a large-scale genetic study of langur populations and their vulnerability to climate change. The findings should contribute to an adapted action plan for the protection of langurs in Bangladesh.

Original publication

Ahmed T, Hasan S, Nath S, Biswas S, Mithu AI, Debbarma H, Debbarma R, Alom K, Sattar A, Akhter T, Bari M, Siddik AB, Muzaffar SB, Zinner D, Roos C. (2024). Mixed-species groups and genetically confirmed hybridization between sympatric Phayre’s langur (Trachypithecus phayrei) and capped langur (T. pileatus) in northeast Bangladesh. International Journal of Primatology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-024-00459-x

Contact and notes for editorial offices

Tanvir Ahmed

E-Mail: TAhmed@dpz.eu

 

Prof. Dr. Christian Roos

Tel.: +49 551 3851-300

E-Mail: CRoos@dpz.eu

 

Dr. Dietmar Zinner

Tel.: +49 551 3851-129

E-Mail: DZinner@dpz.eu

 

Katharina Diederich (communication)

Tel.: +49 551 3851-424

E-Mail: KDiederich@dpz.eu

 

Printable images can be found under the following link: https://medien.dpz.eu/pinaccess/showpin.do?pinCode=fYSxciR0eING

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Journal

International Journal of Primatology

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Mixed-Species Groups and Genetically Confirmed Hybridization Between Sympatric Phayre’s Langur (Trachypithecus phayrei) and Capped Langur (T. pileatus) in Northeast Bangladesh

Article Publication Date

27-Sep-2024

 

How climate change affects deer

INRAE - National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment

 

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Red deer in a forest

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Credit: INRAE - Anders Mårell

Temperature, rainfall, snow and extreme weather events are all factors linked to climate change that directly affect wildlife. Understanding the impact of these factors on the physiology, population dynamics and distribution of different deer species is important for monitoring and protecting them. The scientists involved in this study reviewed 20 years of research on 10 main deer species in boreal and temperate regions: moose, roe deer, wapiti, red deer, sika deer, fallow deer, white-tailed deer, mule deer, caribou and reindeer. Their analysis of 218 articles summarizes general trends of the effects of climate change on the physiology, behaviour and population dynamics of these animals.

Climate change affects deer in many ways

With the overall rise in temperatures, milder winters appear to be advantageous for many deer populations: they use less energy keeping warm and can find food more easily. However, for species living in colder climates such as reindeer or caribou, winter temperature variations can cause snow to melt and refreeze, covering vegetation under an ice sheet that makes the lichens the animals usually feed on inaccessible.

Similarly, hotter and drier summers could exceed deer populations’ physiological tolerances, mainly due to heat stress and parasites. In the short term, the animals’ physical condition could deteriorate; in the long term, some species could move further north, which would change their distribution. This is already happening to moose, the largest deer species and one which is best adapted to cold climates. Moose are quite heat sensitive, and the populations located further south, such as in southern Scandinavia, are more affected by climate change and could disappear from these areas. Some deer species can overcome these issues by seeking refuge in cooler habitats and reducing their daily activities during the hottest hours. However, these responses can negatively affect population dynamics over the long term. When moose and roe deer are subjected to stress, their body mass declines. As the animals get smaller, there can be repercussions on subsequent generations, including reduced population growth.

Finally, warmer spring and autumn temperatures reduce snow cover and depth, which changes the migration timing and routes of caribou and red deer. The animals begin migrating earlier in spring and later in autumn; over time, these species could stop migrating all together.

This review provides a synthesis of how deer react to climate conditions, both now and in the future. The scientists also identified several areas for further research, including the potential impact of extreme weather events, snow type and wetter autumns on deer. These findings should also help wildlife, forest and park managers better understand how deer populations might react to future climate conditions and adapt their population management strategies to protect these animals.

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Journal

Global Change Biology

DOI

10.1111/gcb.17505 

Article Title

Climate change and deer in boreal and temperate regions: From physiology to population dynamics and species distributions

Article Publication Date

25-Sep-2024

 

Global warming leads to higher nitrogen requirements - New wheat variety's can contribute to food security

Technical University of Munich (TUM)

It is not always easy to find the right amount of fertilizer for wheat crops. If too little is applied, it is completely used up, but the harvest falls short of its full potential. And if too much is used, the harvest is good but the growing grain does not consume all of the fertilizer. The surplus nitrogen finds its way into the environment and damages ecosystems and the climate. But wheat is essential for satisfying the growing hunger in the world.

To overcome these challenges, Senthold Asseng, a professor of digital agriculture at TUM, Pierre Martre (INRAE) and other researchers have investigated new wheat cultivars still in the experimental stages. Their results have been published in Nature Plants. The team used data from five experimental fields representing global wheat producing regions with particularly high yields. The fields were included into a simulation model with other fields and analyzed under three climate scenarios: the climate conditions of today and global warming of 1 degree Celsius and 4.8 degrees Celsius. The results show the yields that can be expected from the tested varieties when different quantities of nitrogen fertilizer are applied.

Higher yields, but nitrogen remains a problem

The researchers showed that the new wheat cultivars achieve 16 percent higher yields under current climate conditions than those now used if the same quantities of fertilizer are applied. Through improved utilization of the nitrogen, i.e. greater nitrogen efficiency, the ecological footprint is reduced. However, the team also showed that overall nitrogen needs will increase in the course of global warming if the full yield potential of the plants is to be achieved – although the new cultivars will still use nitrogen more efficiently than current varieties.

Consequently, new wheat cultivars are superior to the current ones in important respects and could contribute to food security. But the struggle for responsible nitrogen management will remain an issue, and not only with regard to climate protection and the environment. The researchers point out that nitrogen can be an expensive resource. So, although greater fertilizer use may be best for the harvest, it will not be available to all producers around the world and will impose higher costs on agricultural businesses as well as customers.

Systemic approach to food security

However, the scientists now recommend continued use of the cultivars tested in the model in breeding programs: “With improved selective breeding we can close the food gap for the next 20 to 30 years. But new varieties alone will not be sufficient to reconcile the conflicting goals of global food security, environmental protection and cost-effectiveness,” says Senthold Asseng. “What we need is a systemic approach that takes into account agricultural science methods, environmental aspects, socio-economic factors and policy makers.”

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Journal

Nature Plants

DOI

10.1038/s41477-024-01739-3 

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Global needs for nitrogen fertilizer to improve wheat yield under climate change

 

Return of the elephant seals: From a few to thousands

Study uncovers the genetic impact of hunting in a seal species

Bielefeld University

 

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The northern elephant seals have recovered over decades from extreme hunting, but still carry genetic traces of it.

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Credit: Bielefeld University/Martin Stoffel

A new international study has revealed the genetic impact of hunting in northern elephant seals. Published today (27.09.2024) in ‘Nature Ecology and Evolution’, the research shows that this species narrowly escaped extinction by hunting, resulting in lasting genetic effects in the present population. Fifteen German, British and US researchers from seven universities and four research institutions collaborated for this study led by Bielefeld University.

At the start of the 20th century, northern elephant seals were on the brink of being wiped out by hunting. ‘Genetic analyses suggest that the population was likely reduced to fewer than 25 animals at that time,’ explains Professor Dr Joseph Hoffman, lead author of the study and head of the Evolutionary Population Genetics group at Bielefeld University. Such drastic population declines can squeeze out a species’ genetic diversity, increasing the risk of inbreeding and threatening its survival. The population of northern elephant seals has since recovered to around 225,000 individuals. The study published in the journal ‘Nature Ecology and Evolution’ examines how this near-extinction event impacted the species’ genetic diversity and health.

Adaptability at risk

For their analyses, the researchers combined genetic data, health records, modelling of population sizes and genetic simulations. Their findings suggest that the severe population decline led to the loss of many beneficial and harmful genes from the northern elephant seal’s gene pool. This pattern was not observed in the closely related southern elephant seal, which did not experience such a drastic decline.

‘The highly reduced genetic diversity, including the loss of beneficial gene copies, may impair the ability of northern elephant seals to cope with future environmental changes, including those caused by anthropogenic climate change, changes to the species’ habitat, or even natural threats such as disease outbreaks,’ warns Professor Dr Kanchon K. Dasmahapatra from the University of York, UK, who is the senior author of the study.

Surprising results on inbreeding

All individuals of a species carry some harmful mutations, though their effects are usually hidden. However, inbred individuals may face health issues as these mutations become exposed. ‘We looked at several key health traits in these seals, including body weight, blubber thickness and disease susceptibility. To our surprise, we found no signs of health problems related to inbreeding,’ Joseph Hoffman says. ‘We believe the severe population decline may have eliminated many harmful mutations.’

Significance for species conservation

‘Our study illustrates how a species’ unique population history shapes its genetic diversity,’ says Dasmahapatra. The findings offer important insights for species conservation and ecosystem management. Hoffman adds: ‘Our research underscores the importance of understanding a species’ history when planning conservation strategies. Each species responds differently to threats, so individualized approaches are essential.’

Published in Nature Journal

The study was published in the journal ‘Nature Ecology & Evolution’. This online journal covers all aspects of ecological and evolutionary research. According to the data service provider Clarivate, the magazine has an impact factor of 13.9 (2023). For the study, scientists from the following institutions cooperated: the Universities of Bielefeld, Düsseldorf, Cambridge (UK), California Santa Cruz and Davis (USA), Hampton (USA) and York (UK) as well as the Center for Biotechnology at Bielefeld University, the British Antarctic Survey (UK), the Northwest Fisheries Science Centre (Seattle, USA) and the Alan Turing Institute (UK).

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Journal

Nature Ecology & Evolution

DOI

10.1038/s41559-024-02533-2 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Article Title

Genomic and fitness consequences of a near-extinction event in the northern elephant seal

Article Publication Date

27-Sep-2024

 

Discovery of 3,775-year-old preserved log supports ‘wood vaulting’ as a climate solution

A new University of Maryland-led study found that burying wood in the right environmental conditions can stop its decomposition and help curb carbon dioxide emissions.

University of Maryland

 

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Excavated in Canada, this Eastern red cedar log turned out to be remarkably well-preserved for its age: 3,775 years old.

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Credit: Mark Sherwood, University of Maryland

A new study published in the journal Science suggests that an ordinary old log could help refine strategies to tackle climate change.

A team of researchers led by University of Maryland Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Professor Ning Zeng analyzed a 3,775-year-old log and the soil it was excavated from. Their analysis, published on September 27, 2024, revealed that the log had lost less than 5% carbon dioxide from its original state thanks to the low-permeability clay soil that covered it.

“The wood is nice and solid—you could probably make a piece of furniture out of it,” Zeng noted. 

Understanding the unique environmental factors that kept that ancient log in mint condition could help researchers perfect an emerging climate solution known as “wood vaulting,” which involves taking wood that is not commercially viable—such as trees destroyed by disease or wildfires, old furniture or unused construction materials—and burying it to stop its decomposition.

Trees naturally sequester carbon dioxide—a potent planet-warming gas—for as long as they live, making tree-planting projects a popular method of mitigating climate change. But on the flip side, when trees die and decompose, that greenhouse gas is released back into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. 

“People tend to think, ‘Who doesn’t know how to dig a hole and bury some wood?’” Zeng said. “But think about how many wooden coffins were buried in human history. How many of them survived? For a timescale of hundreds or thousands of years, we need the right conditions.” 

In 2013, while conducting a wood vaulting pilot project in Quebec, Canada, Zeng discovered the 3,775-year-old log that became the focus of the Science study—a chance encounter that for Zeng felt “kind of miraculous.” While digging a trench to bury fresh wood, Zeng and other researchers spotted the log about 6.5 feet below the surface.

“When the excavator pulled a log out of the ground and threw it over to us, the three ecologists that I had invited from McGill University immediately identified it as Eastern red cedar,” Zeng recalled. “You could tell how well it was preserved. I remember standing there thinking, ‘Wow, here’s the evidence that we need!’”

While past studies have analyzed old samples of preserved wood, they tended to overlook the surrounding soil conditions, according to Zeng.

“There is a lot of geological and archeological evidence of preserved wood from hundreds to millions of years ago, but the focus of those studies was not ‘How we can engineer a wood vault to preserve that wood?’” Zeng said. “And the problem with designing a new experiment is that we can’t wait 100 years for the results.” 

Shortly after the Quebec dig, UMD’s collaborators at MAPAQ, a government ministry in Montreal, conducted carbon dating to determine the log’s age. Then, in 2021, Distinguished University Professor Liangbing Hu in UMD’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering helped Zeng analyze the 3,775-year-old sample’s microscopic structure, chemical composition, mechanical strength and density. They then compared those results to that of a freshly cut Eastern red cedar log, which revealed that the older sample had lost very little carbon dioxide.

The type of soil covering the log was the key reason for its remarkable preservation. The clay soil in that part of Quebec had an especially low permeability, meaning that it prevented or drastically slowed oxygen from reaching the log while also keeping out fungi and insects, the decomposers typically found in soil.

Because clay soil is common, wood vaulting could become a viable and low-cost option in many parts of the world. As a climate solution, Zeng noted that wood vaulting is best paired with other tactics to slow global warming, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

As he and his colleagues continue to optimize wood vaulting, he looks forward to putting what they’ve learned into practice to help curb climate change.

“It’s quite an exciting discovery,” Zeng said of this latest study. “The urgency of climate change has become such a prominent issue, so there was even more motivation to get this analysis going.”

University of Maryland Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Professor Ning Zeng holds the 3,775-year-old log that is the subject of a new study in Science.

Credit

Mark Sherwood, University of Maryland

In addition to Zeng and Hu, co-authors of this study included Laura Picard (B.S. ’24, chemistry; B.S. ’24, animal sciences), undergraduate student Elisa Zeng-Mariotti from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Ph.D. student Bryson Clifford and postdocs He Liu, Yu Liu, Taotao Meng and Xinpeng Zhao from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. 

Their study, “3775-year-old wood burial supports ‘wood vaulting’ as a durable carbon removal method,” was published in Science on September 27, 2024.

This study was supported by MAPAQ, the NOAA Climate Program Office and the NIST Greenhouse Gas Measurement Program. This article does not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations.

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Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.adm8133 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

3775-year-old wood burial supports “wood vaulting” as a durable carbon removal method

Article Publication Date

27-Sep-2024

COI Statement

Ning Zeng is the inventor of a US patent application US0374912A1 and co-founder of Carbon Lockdown. This study was supported by MAPAQ, the NOAA Climate Program Office and the NIST Greenhouse Gas Measurement Program. This article does not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations.