USF research explores volcanic caves, advancing the search for life on Mars

Given that Martian lava tubes are similarly shielded and likely contain sulfate-rich minerals, they may also hold signs of past microbial life, giving us clues about potential life beyond Earth

Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of South Florida

 

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Organic-rich sulfate deposits can be seen in a lava tube from Lanzarote, Spain.

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Credit: Bogdan Onac

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• Volcanic rock in the lava tubes created a protective environment that helped shield the minerals and organic compounds from weathering, ultimately preserving the minerals as records of past ecosystems.
• Given that Martian lava tubes are similarly shielded and likely contain sulfate-rich minerals, they may also hold signs of past microbial life, giving us clues about potential life beyond Earth.

TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 18, 2024) – Through the intricate study of lava tubes -- caves formed following volcanic eruptions when lava cools down -- an international team of researchers has uncovered clues about Earth’s ancient environments that could be significant in the search for life on Mars.

Bogdan P. Onac, professor in the USF School of Geosciences, collaborated with researchers from Portugal, Spain and Italy to shed light on how lava tubes may serve as valuable analogs for Martian caves and the search for extraterrestrial life.

On the Spanish island of Lanzarote, just west of North Africa, the team explored six lava tubes to gather mineral deposits. Some of the tubes are so large, they are used to host underground concerts.

“While the lava tubes on Lanzarote were discovered several years ago, we are the first to complete such a detailed study of minerals and microorganisms,” Onac said.

In the study, published in Communications Earth & Environment, Onac and the team used a range of advanced molecular, isotopic and mineralogical techniques to examine the deposits and create a comprehensive understanding of the minerals they held. They learned the volcanic rock in the lava tubes created a protective environment that helped shield the minerals and organic compounds from weathering, ultimately preserving the minerals as records of past ecosystems.

The team found preserved biosignatures, including calcium and sodium sulfates. This discovery indicates microbial activity and microorganisms, such as bacteria, were once active in the caves.

“This study adds to our understanding of geological and environmental changes on Earth and highlights lava tubes as potential refuges for microbial life, holding significant implications for astrobiology, particularly in identifying biosignatures on Mars and other celestial bodies,” Onac said.

Given that Martian lava tubes are similarly shielded and likely contain sulfate-rich minerals, they may also hold signs of past microbial life, giving us clues about potential life beyond Earth. The findings may significantly impact the way scientists approach planetary exploration, particularly for upcoming missions aimed at studying the habitability of Mars.

The team will publish several additional studies on these lava tubes in the coming months and they are also planning to examine newly formed lava tubes in Iceland.

The concert hall in Jameos del Agua, part of the La Corona lava tube system in Lanzarote, Spain.

Corresponding author Ana Z. Miller collects samples for microbiological investigations. Patches of colonies can be seen all over the lava tube.

Close up view of gypsum crusts in a lava tube in Lanzarote, Spain.

Massive accumulations of gypsum and other sulfates in the La Corona lava tube system in Lanzarote, Spain.

Sulfate deposits in the La Corona lava tube system in Lanzarote, Spain.

White microbial-like colonies can be seen on the lava tube substrate.

Credit

Bogdan Onac

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About the University of South Florida

The University of South Florida, a high-impact research university dedicated to student success and committed to community engagement, generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. Across campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health, USF serves approximately 50,000 students who represent nearly 150 different countries. U.S. News & World Report has ranked USF as one of the nation’s top 50 public universities for six consecutive years and, for the second straight year, as the best value university in Florida. In 2023, USF became the first public university in Florida in nearly 40 years to be invited to join the Association of American Universities, a group of the leading 3% of universities in the United States and Canada. With an all-time high of $692 million in research funding in 2023 and a ranking as a top 15 public university for producing new U.S. patents, USF is a leader in solving global problems and improving lives. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at  www.usf.edu.

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Journal

Nature Communications

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Decoding organic compounds in lava tube sulfates to understand potential biomarkers in the Martian subsurface

 

Bee alert: Pesticides pose a real threat to over 70% of wild bees

Reforms needed to ensure the protection of all pollinator species, our food systems and biodiversity as a whole

University of Ottawa

 

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“We found that larger bumble bee queens, typically more likely to survive winter and establish successful colonies, were paradoxically more vulnerable to pesticide exposure”

Sabrina Rondeau

— NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biology at uOttawa

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Credit: University of Ottawa

A new study reveals alarming risks that pesticides pose to ground-nesting bees, which are crucial for pollination and food production. As agriculture increasingly relies on pesticides to protect crops, the unintended consequences for these essential pollinators are becoming clearer.

Led by Sabrina Rondeau, an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biology at the University of Ottawa, the research highlights the urgent need to reassess pesticide safety standards to protect these essential pollinators.

The study reveals that current pesticide risk assessments, which primarily use honeybees as test subjects, fail to account for the unique vulnerabilities of wild bees that nest in soil. "Our findings show that over 70% of wild bee species, which are crucial for pollinating our food crops, face significant risks from pesticide residues in soil - a threat current regulations overlook," says Dr. Rondeau.

The study's key discoveries include:

1. Bumble bee queens may be attracted to pesticide-contaminated soils, increasing their exposure during critical overwintering periods.
2. Exposure to certain pesticides in soil, particularly cyantraniliprole, reduce survival and reproductive success in bumble bee queens, potentially impacting future generations.
3. For squash bees, exposure to combinations of insecticides and fungicides disrupts behavior and lowers offspring production, signaling potential population declines.

"We found that larger bumble bee queens, typically more likely to survive winter and establish successful colonies, were paradoxically more vulnerable to pesticide exposure," Dr. Rondeau explains. "This could have cascading effects on bumble bee populations."

The research employed a combination of field and laboratory studies, starting with quantifying pesticide residues at suitable hibernation sites for bumble bee queens on Ontario farms. These field exposure estimates informed subsequent studies on the impact of such exposure on hibernating bumble bee queens and the hoary squash bee, a solitary ground-nesting species.

"Our work demonstrates that protecting wild pollinators requires a fundamental rethinking of how we assess pesticide safety," Dr. Rondeau concludes. "It's crucial for safeguarding both our food systems and biodiversity."

This research underscores the need for comprehensive reforms in pesticide regulations to ensure the protection of all pollinator species, particularly those nesting in agricultural soils.

For more information, read the study, titled “Digging below the surface: Hidden risks for ground-nesting bees”, published in the journal Science.

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Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.adt8998 

Method of Research

Case study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Digging below the surface: Hidden risks for ground-nesting bees

Article Publication Date

14-Nov-2024

 

The key to early detection of invasive insects? A curious public with smartphones

Passive surveillance via online observation is a growing tool in biosecurity

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Entomological Society of America

 

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First detections of many significant invasive insects have been made by members of the public. In the case of the first-ever observation of Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) in the United States, a resident of Brooklyn, New York, noticed unusual damage on maple trees in his neighborhood in 1996. He then caught an adult beetle, which he reported and provided to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Since then, 12 additional infestations of the invasive forest pest have been found in North America, and a member of the public was the first detector in two-thirds of those cases. Public observations have also initiated discoveries in recent years of the elm zigzag sawfly, spotted lanternfly, boxtree moth, northern giant hornet, yellow-legged hornet, emerald ash borer, and Jorō spider.

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Credit: Amanda Roe, Leigh Greenwood, and David Coyle/Environmental Entomology

Annapolis, MD; November 18, 2024—The next time you see an interesting bug, take a photo on your smartphone, and post it online. You just might catch an invasive species new to your area.

That's the call to action a group of entomologists are issuing to the public, in conjunction with advice to fellow scientists to monitor public observations, in a new article published this month in Environmental Entomology. Platforms like iNaturalist, Observation.org, and others allow users to post images of animals and plants with no prior knowledge of the potential importance or impact of what they're seeing, and experts within the fellow user community can provide identifications. Such "passive surveillance" is playing an increasingly common role in early detection of invasive species.

"More people involved will create more raw observations, and more raw observations increase the probability of early detection of something important," say the authors Amanda D. Roe, Ph.D., of the Canadian Forest Service; Leigh F. Greenwood, of The Nature Conservancy; and David R. Coyle, Ph.D., of Clemson University.

They call it "catching invasives with curiosity." And, indeed, even before the advent of smartphone-enabled nature observations, first detections of many significant invasive insects were made by members of the public. As Roe and colleagues explain, in the case of the first-ever observation of Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) in the United States, a resident of Brooklyn, New York, noticed unusual damage on maple trees in his neighborhood in 1996. He then caught an adult beetle, which he reported and provided to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Since then, 12 additional infestations of the invasive forest pest have been found in North America, and a member of the public was the first detector in two-thirds of those cases.

Public observations have also initiated discoveries in recent years of the elm zigzag sawfly, spotted lanternfly, boxtree moth, northern giant hornet, yellow-legged hornet, emerald ash borer, and Jorō spider.

The community of scientists and professionals who work to detect and respond to invasive species use a variety of tools and strategies, many of them highly targeted or reliant on trained experts. But public observations are a key piece of the puzzle—perhaps especially so for insects. "Passive surveillance does not replace active surveillance for invasive species; rather, it widens the surveillance net, substantially augmenting and broadening existing biosecurity frameworks," Roe and colleagues write.

They report that some entomologists are already building informal methods for monitoring public biodiversity observations through existing applications, and the authors recommend that scientists and government agencies invest in building more integrated alert systems, codify data-mining efforts, and communicate that they are following ethical frameworks when using public data. Research and experience from past invasive species incursions have shown that, the earlier an arrival is detected, the better the chances of containing or eradicating the invasive species—thereby decreasing impacts on ecosystems, the economy, and human health.

For people who want to get involved, iNaturalist is the world's largest platform for public biodiversity observations and is the leading North American system. Observation.org is a strong alternative, and more commonly used in Europe. Meanwhile, BugGuide.net focuses specifically on insects and arthropods. And, in the U.S., many university extension programs offer insect identification services, as well.

If members of the public answer the call to share more insect and arthropod observations of all kinds, entomologists must be ready to use them, Roe and colleagues say.

"Increasing the number of observers (and observations) will ultimately improve invasive species surveillance," they write. "So the invasive species surveillance community should strive to develop a holistic approach to biosecurity that fully embraces the curious public as invasive species early detectors."

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"Catching invasives with curiosity: the importance of passive biosecurity surveillance systems for invasive forest pest detection" was published online on November 8, 2024, in Environmental Entomology. Read the article at https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvae082.

CONTACT: Joe Rominiecki, jrominiecki@entsoc.org, 301-731-4535 x3009

ABOUT: ESA is the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. Founded in 1889, ESA today has nearly 7,000 members affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government. Headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, the Society stands ready as a non-partisan scientific and educational resource for all insect-related topics. For more information, visit www.entsoc.org.

Environmental Entomology publishes reports on the interaction of insects with the biological, chemical, and physical aspects of their environment. For more information, visit https://academic.oup.com/ee, or visit www.insectscience.org to view the full portfolio of ESA journals and publications.

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Journal

Environmental Entomology

DOI

10.1093/ee/nvae082 

Method of Research

Systematic review

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Catching invasives with curiosity: the importance of passive biosecurity surveillance systems for invasive forest pest detection

Article Publication Date

18-Nov-2024

 

New fossil reveals the evolution of flying reptiles

Complete specimen shows how the pterosaurs changed from early forms to the later giants

Queen Mary University of London

 

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Photograph of the original specimen of Skiphosoura bavarica in natural and UV lighting.

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Credit: René Lauer

The pterosaurs are extinct flying reptiles that lived alongside their close relatives, the dinosaurs. The largest of these reached 10 m in wingspan, but early forms were generally limited to around 2 m. In a new paper today, a team led by palaeontologist Dr David Hone of Queen Mary University of London and published in the journal Current Biology describes a new species of pterosaur that helps to explain this important transition.

They named the animal Skiphosoura bavarica meaning ‘sword tail from Bavaria’ because it comes from southern Germany and has a very unusual short, but stiff and pointed tail. The specimen is complete with nearly every single bone preserved and unusually, it is preserved in three dimensions, where most pterosaurs tend to be crushed flat. In life it would have been about 2 m in wingspan, similar to that of large birds like the golden eagle.

For two hundred years, palaeontologists split the pterosaurs into two major groups, the early non-pterodactyloids and the later and much larger pterodactyloids. The early pterosaurs had short heads on short necks, a short bone in the wrist of the wing, a long 5th toe on the foot and long tails, and the pterodactyloids had the opposite: large heads on long necks, a long wrist, short 5th toe and short tail. But which parts of their body changed when between these groups was not known.

In the 2010s, a series of intermediate species called darwinopterans were found that revealed that the head and neck had changed first before the rest of the body. It was a great example of an intermediate that bridged an evolutionary gap. But it also meant we did not really know what was going on before or after these changes.

Skiphosoura reveals these changes. Evolutionarily it sits between these earlier darwinopterans and the pterodactyloids. It retains a very pterodactyloid-like head and neck, but also shows a longer wrist, and a shorter toe and tail than earlier darwinopterans but these are not as extreme as those seen in the pterodactyloids. With the study also comes a new reconstruction of the evolutionary family tree for pterosaurs. In addition to showing the intermediate position of Skiphosoura, it also shows that a Scottish pterosaur, Dearc, as fitting in the mirror position between the early pterosaurs and the first darwinopterans.

In other words, we now have a complete sequence of evolution from early pterosaurs to Dearc, to the first darwinopterans to Skiphosoura, to the pterodactyloids. While not every specimen is complete, we can now trace the increase in size of the head and neck, the elongating wrist, shrinking toe and tail and other features step-by-step across multiple groups. It’s a superb illustration of the evolution of a group for which the transition has been far from clear before.

Both Dearc and Skiphosoura are unusually large for their time also suggesting that the changes that enabled the pterodactlyoids to reach enormous sizes were appearing even in these transitional species.

Dr David Hone, from Queen Mary University of London, said: “This is an incredible find. It really helps us piece together how these amazing flying animals lived and evolved. Hopefully this study will be the basis for more work in the future on this important evolutionary transition”.

Adam Fitch, from the University of Wisconsin-Maddison, said: “Pterosaurs have long been symbols of the unique life of the past. Skiphosoura represents an important new form for working out pterosaur evolutionary relationships and by extension how this lineage arose and changed."

René Lauer of the Lauer Foundation said: “The specimen was disarticulated with bones of varying quality often overlaid upon one another. Digital photography of the specimen taken in both visible and UV light significantly aided in the process to identify these elements and to better analyze finer details that were not discernible in normal daylight alone” and Bruce Lauer of the Lauer Foundation said: “The Lauer Foundation is proud to have the opportunity to bring this important specimen to science and further the understanding of pterosaur evolution”.

Stefan Selzer an author on the project who prepared the specimen said: “As a preparator I have worked on more than 60 pterosaur specimens from Solnhofen limestone. I recognized during the final prep this specimen showed features that combined characteristics of both major groups of pterosaurs, with the shortened tail as the most important diagnostic feature.”

Life restoration of two Skiphosoura bavarica in flight.

Credit

Gabriel Ugueto.

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Journal

Current Biology

Article Title

A new and large darwinopteran reveals the evolutionary transition to the pterodactyloid pterosaurs

 

Redefining net zero will not stop global warming – scientists say

University of Oxford

In a new study,1 led by the University of Oxford’s Department of Physics and published today (18 November) in Nature, an international group of authors who developed the science behind net zero demonstrate that relying on ‘natural carbon sinks’ like forests and oceans to offset ongoing CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use will not actually stop global warming.

The science of net zero, developed over 15 years ago,2 does not include these natural carbon sinks in the definition of net human-induced CO2 emissions.

Natural sinks play a vital role to moderate the impact of current emissions and draw down atmospheric CO2 concentrations after the date of net zero, stabilizing global temperatures. Yet governments and corporations are increasingly turning to them to offset emissions, rather than reducing fossil fuel use or developing more permanent CO2 disposal options. Emissions accounting rules encourage this by creating an apparent equivalence between fossil fuel emissions and drawdown of CO2 by some natural carbon sinks, meaning a country could appear to have ‘achieved net zero’ whilst still contributing to ongoing warming.

The authors call on governments and corporations to clarify how much they are counting on natural carbon sinks to meet their climate goals, as well as recognising the need for Geological Net Zero.

Geological Net Zero means balancing flows of carbon into and out of the solid Earth, with one tonne of CO2 committed to geological storage for every tonne still generated by any continued fossil fuel use. Given the cost and challenges of permanent geological CO2 storage, achieving Geological Net Zero will require a substantial reduction in fossil fuel use.

The authors stress the importance of protecting and maintaining natural carbon sinks while accepting that doing so cannot compensate for ongoing fossil fuel use. Total historical CO2 emissions determine how much a country or company has contributed to the global need for ongoing natural carbon sinks. A country like the UK, with large historical emissions and limited natural sinks, has implicitly committed other countries to maintain natural sinks for decades after UK emissions reach net zero. This is not currently addressed in climate talks.

Professor Myles Allen, of the University of Oxford’s Department of Physics, who led the study, summarises: “We are already counting on forests and oceans to mop up our past emissions, most of which came from burning stuff we dug out of the ground. We can’t expect them to compensate for future emissions as well. By mid-century, any carbon that still comes out of the ground will have to go back down, to permanent storage. That’s Geological Net Zero.”

Dr Glen Peters, of the CICERO Center for International Climate Research in Oslo, Norway, a study co-author, says “Countries report both emissions and removals, but using all removals in climate targets is a recipe for continued warming. Natural carbon sinks currently clean up around half our annual emissions for free, but this ecosystem service must be kept separate from the fossil emissions driving climate change. Relabelling things will not stop global warming.”

Professor Kirsten Zickfeld of Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada, co-author and leader of one of the other 2009 net zero papers, says “It is a common assumption that removing carbon from the atmosphere to offset burning of fossil fuels is as effective as not burning fossil fuels in the first place. It is not. Offsetting continued fossil fuel use with carbon removal will not be effective if the removal is already being counted on as part of the natural carbon cycle and if the carbon is not permanently stored. Unless we can increase transparency in national Greenhouse gas reporting and target setting, offsets will become part of the problem instead of part of the solution.”

Study co-author Professor Jo House of the University of Bristol UK says: “Land is limited, we rely on it for food, nature, biodiversity, leisure, water storage, and so on. It cannot offset more than a portion of fossil emissions even now, probably less in future with worsening pressures on the biosphere such as population increase, fires, and drought. Giving carbon credits for natural processes that are happening anyway undermines trust in the whole idea of offsetting. We have to urgently protect natural carbon sinks, but there are more scientifically credible and equitable ways of doing this than relying on carbon offset markets.” 

Notes to editors:

For media requests and interviews, contact Dr Caroline Wood, University of Oxford: caroline.wood@admin.ox.ac.uk

An online briefing event with the lead authors will be held on Thursday 14 November at 14:00 GMT. If you would like to receive the joining link, contact Dr Caroline Wood: caroline.wood@admin.ox.ac.uk

1 The paper ‘Geological Net Zero and the need for disaggregated accounting for carbon sinks’ will be published in Nature at 16:00 GMT / 11:00 ET on Monday 18 November 2024 at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08326-8 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08326-8. To view a copy of the paper before this under embargo, contact Dr Caroline Wood, University of Oxford: caroline.wood@admin.ox.ac.uk

2 The 2009 ‘Net Zero Papers’ were Solomon et al, Meinshausen et al, Allen et al, Matthews et al, Zickfeld et al, and Gregory et al. All lead authors and most co-authors on those papers contributed to this study, together with other key scientists working on this issue.

If you would like to link to the news article about this work that will be published on the University of Oxford website, the link will be

https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2024-11-18-redefining-net-zero-will-not-stop-global-warming-new-study-shows  (page will go live at 16:00 GMT Monday 18 November)

About the University of Oxford:

Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the ninth year running, and ​number 3 in the QS World Rankings 2024. At the heart of this success are the twin-pillars of our ground-breaking research and innovation and our distinctive educational offer. Oxford is world-famous for research and teaching excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research alongside our personalised approach to teaching sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions.

Through its research commercialisation arm, Oxford University Innovation, Oxford is the highest university patent filer in the UK and is ranked first in the UK for university spinouts, having created more than 300 new companies since 1988. Over a third of these companies have been created in the past five years. The university is a catalyst for prosperity in Oxfordshire and the United Kingdom, contributing £15.7 billion to the UK economy in 2018/19, and supports more than 28,000 full time jobs.

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Journal

Nature

DOI

10.1038/s41586-024-08326-8 

Article Title

Geological Net Zero and the need for disaggregated accounting for carbon sinks

Article Publication Date

18-Nov-2024

 

Monitoring and managing ranaviruses in amphibians, reptiles and fish

UT professor edits new edition on ranavirus infection and disease

University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

Researchers are providing new information and guidance on monitoring and managing viruses that cause life-threatening diseases in amphibians, reptiles and fish, as detailed in the second edition of Ranaviruses: Emerging Pathogens of Ectothermic Vertebrates. The new book is edited by Matt Gray, associate director of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Center for Wildlife Health and professor in the School of Natural Resources, and V. Gregory Chinchar, a professor emeritus at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Ranavirus infections result in mass die-offs of both wild and captive populations of amphibians, reptiles and fish around the world affecting biodiversity and ecosystems. Cases of infection or disease have been confirmed in at least 177 amphibian species, 49 fish species and 37 reptile species.

The second edition looks at how the viruses function in infected animals, transmission through host populations, the impact of international trade on global distribution, and diagnosis and surveillance for the viruses. New information is included, such as R code, to help readers with statistical analyses and modeling. A new chapter also focuses on Singapore Grouper Iridovirus written by scientists in China.

The second edition was the effort of 34 professionals from around the globe, including Deb Miller, director of the UTIA Center for Wildlife Health and UT One Health and a professor in the School of Natural Resources. Gray says, “The revision would not be possible without the organizing influence of the Global Ranavirus Consortium.”

The book is available as an open access publication on SpringerLink and was supported by the UT Open Publishing Support Fund, UT School of Natural Resources and the UTIA Center for Wildlife Health. The first edition of Ranaviruses is also available online.

The UT School of Natural Resources is part of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT AgResearch and UT Extension at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. The curricula focus on a mastery learning approach, emphasizing practical, hands-on experiences. The School’s faculty, staff and students conduct research and outreach that advances the science and sustainable management of our natural resources. For more information, visit naturalresources.tennessee.edu.

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.

 

Going vegan could save more than $650 a year in grocery costs, finds new research

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A low-fat vegan diet cuts food costs by 19%, or $1.80 per day, when compared with a standard American diet that included meat, dairy, and other animal products, according to new research by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine published in JAMA Network Open. The study also found that a Mediterranean diet cost 60 cents more per day when compared with the standard American diet. Total foods costs were 25% lower, $2.40 per day, on a vegan diet, compared with the Mediterranean diet.

“As the cost of groceries remains stubbornly high, consumers should swap the meat and dairy products for a low-fat vegan diet based on fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans to possibly save more than $650 a year on their grocery bill, compared with a standard American diet, and more than $870, compared with the Mediterranean diet,” says Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, lead author of the paper and director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. “A vegan diet won’t just save money; it could save lives by helping to avoid or improve conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.”

The decrease in costs on the vegan diet was mainly attributable to savings of $2.90 per day on meat, 50 cents per day on dairy products, and 50 cents per day on added fats. These savings outweighed the increased spending of 50 cents per day on vegetables, 30 cents per day on grains, and 50 cents per day on meat alternatives on the vegan diet.

The new research is a secondary analysis of a previous Physicians Committee study comparing a low-fat vegan diet to a Mediterranean diet. The study randomly assigned participants to either a low-fat vegan diet, which consisted of fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans, or a Mediterranean diet, which focused on fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, low-fat dairy, and extra-virgin olive oil, for 16 weeks. Neither group had a calorie limit. Participants then went back to their baseline diets for a four-week washout period before switching to the opposite group for an additional 16 weeks. The study found that a low-fat vegan diet has better outcomes for weight, body composition, insulin sensitivity, and cholesterol levels, compared with a Mediterranean diet.

For the food cost assessment, intakes from the study participants’ dietary records were linked to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Thrifty Food Plan, 2021, a database of national food prices, which are calculated from data collected for the consumer price index.

Previous Physicians Committee research that food costs decrease 16% on a low-fat vegan diet, compared to a diet that includes meat, dairy, and other animal products.

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Journal

JAMA Network Open

DOI

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.45784 

Method of Research

Randomized controlled/clinical trial

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Food Costs of a Low-Fat Vegan Diet vs a Mediterranean Diet

Article Publication Date

18-Nov-2024