It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Friday, January 17, 2025
Exploring and mapping the distribution of temperate savanna in the sandy lands of eastern China
Science China Press
image:
Spatial distribution map of (a) temperate savanna and (b–d) landscape photographs of various types of temperate savanna.
Savannas play a significant socioeconomic role in regulating net primary productivity and the terrestrial carbon cycle. Mapping the spatial distribution and extent of existing temperate savannas is crucial for their conservation and utilization, as well as for managing and restoring the natural semi-arid ecosystems in northern China. A team of scientists from the Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration at the Chinese Academy of Forestry revealed the distribution and, for the first time, mapped the presence of temperate savannas in the sandy lands of eastern China. Their findings were published in SCIENCE CHINA Earth Sciences.
The high spatial heterogeneity induced by the mixed distribution of savanna trees and grasses has consistently posed challenges for remote sensing mapping of this type. The team proposed a new remote sensing mapping method for separating woody and herbaceous vegetation and estimating fractional cover using Random Forest algorithms by integrating very high-resolution UAV and satellite imagery. Temperate savannas in the sandy lands of eastern China were mapped, and spatial characteristics of geographical distribution, soil, and precipitation were explored in the Horqin and Otindag Sandy Lands of eastern China.
Temperate savannas are primarily found in northern Horqin Sandy Land, central and eastern Otindag Sandy Land, and the transitional zone from the southern slopes of the Greater Khingan Mountains to the plains, covering an area of 3.27 million hectares. The fractional woody vegetation cover ranged from 5% to 45%, whereas fractional herbaceous vegetation cover ranged from 30% to 85%. There are three types of temperate savanna: elm, maple/oak, and shrub savanna. Temperate savannas concentrate in areas with annual precipitation of 330-420 mm, with soil types predominantly being Arenosols, Chemozems, and Kastanozems.
This study provides precise information on the geographical distribution and extent of temperate savannas in the sandy lands of eastern China, supporting the conservation and utilization of temperate savanna ecosystems, as well as the prevention of desertification and ecological restoration in these regions. The research methodology offers new insights for global-scale fine classification mapping and dynamic change analysis of temperate savannas.
See the article:
Li X, Wang F, Duan T, Yang K, Yang B, Wang C, Tian X, Lu Q. 2025. Distribution and mapping of temperate savanna in the sandy lands of eastern China. Science China Earth Sciences, 68(1): 128-141, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-024-1449-y
Scientists investigate what makes some plant species ‘ripe’ for domestication
University of Southampton
image:
Gentically identical tomato plants grown in three different environments. The control condition represents good soil and no crowding (representing when humans cultivated the plants and fed and watered them). The other two represent aspects of a wild environment. The ‘human-modified’ environment resulted in bigger plants with more fruits.
Researchers at the University of Southampton have proposed that some wild plant species possess certain attributes which make them more suitable for human cultivation than others.
The scientists, investigating the origins of domesticated plants, say understanding these key genetic and morphological traits may provide important clues about how to develop future, climate change adapted crops.
They suggest that looking at today’s existing undomesticated or underutilised plants could help meet future challenges of developing varieties to resist rising global temperatures and unpredictable weather.
Domesticated plants are those which have been adapted from the wild for human use, often over thousands of years. Around 12-thousand years ago, hunter-gatherer societies began cultivating a wide array of species as more reliable sources of food. By repeatedly growing seeds from their best plants each season, humans slowly produced more robust crops with improved yields – but only some of the wild species were domesticated and others were abandoned.
The researchers behind this new study, published in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution, say useful, hidden properties in some wild species ‘primed’ them for domestication. Their research reviews a host of past literature and evidence to examine why just a minority of these wild plants were domesticated and how modern cultivated varieties differ at a genetic level from their ancestors and present day wild ‘cousins’.
Lead author of the study, Professor Mark Chapman of the University of Southampton, explains: “Tens of thousands of plant species are edible, yet just a few hundred have been domesticated and a mere 15 species provide 90 percent of our calories.
“Hundreds of wild plants were collected during the Neolithic period by humans, but were later abandoned as food sources. We have explored which genetic or physical traits facilitated or constrained the domestication of wild species.”
The team, which also includes scientists from the universities of Oxford, Sheffield and the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, identified three main influencing factors which make plants suitable for human cultivation:
Plasticity – how a plant adapts to its environment. Quick and easily adapting plants with traits that humans favoured are more likely to have been useful for human cultivation.
Genetic make-up – the simpler, the better. If a small number of genes influence the traits that humans could benefit from, then evolution of the crop morphology is more easily achieved.
Mutation rate – the faster, the more chance of change. If a plant mutates quickly the process of trial and error to generate bigger seeds or tastier fruits will take less time.
The researchers say that understanding the complex, interrelated factors which lead to certain plant species dominating in domesticated crops can help us understand which wild crops may be successfully adapted to future conditions caused by climate change.
“When plants were first domesticated thousands of year ago, humans only knew the climate and weather conditions they would face at that present time,” explains Professor Chapman. “Now, using sophisticated climate modelling, we can predict how our world will warm and how our weather will change in the decades to come. This gives us the opportunity to think about the ways in which our crops will need to be resistant in the future.”
The scientists conclude that present day wild plants, underutilised crops in local communities, or partially domesticated species may hold key, useful traits which can be controlled through selection and precision breeding. They hope their study will help inform future work to adapt species with the aim of improving our food security in a fast changing world climate.
Ends
Notes to Editors
The paper ‘‘Domesticability’: were some species predisposed for domestication?’ is published in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution, DOI link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2024.12.007
For interviews contact Peter Franklin, Media Relations, University of Southampton, +44 23 8059 3212, press@soton.ac.uk.
The University of Southampton drives original thinking, turns knowledge into action and impact, and creates solutions to the world’s challenges. We are among the top 100 institutions globally (QS World University Rankings 2025). Our academics are leaders in their fields, forging links with high-profile international businesses and organisations, and inspiring a 22,000-strong community of exceptional students, from over 135 countries worldwide. Through our high-quality education, the University helps students on a journey of discovery to realise their potential and join our global network of over 200,000 alumni. www.southampton.ac.uk
Full skeleton of a very rare vaquita specimen from the 1960s. The completed scans, which required approximately 165 hours, resulted in a total of three terabytes of data.
The vaquita, which means “little cow” in Spanish, is the world’s smallest porpoise and most endangered marine mammal. They also have the smallest range of any marine mammal; about 1,500 square miles within the northern Gulf of California. Since 1997, vaquitas have experienced a dramatic population loss from about 600 individuals to an estimate of less than 10 animals to date. At this current rate, vaquitas are expected to become extinct imminently.
The vaquita’s decline is caused by entanglement in illegal gillnets used to fish totoaba, an endangered species prized for its swim bladder. Despite a gillnet ban and conservation efforts, the illegal totoaba trade continues due to organized crime and poaching. Conservation actions include global awareness campaigns, removing gillnets, monitoring vaquitas and combating poaching, but attempts by other organizations to protect vaquitas in captivity have been unsuccessful.
While hope for the recovery of vaquitas is vital, immediate action to preserve this endangered species is even more crucial. One powerful step toward safeguarding their future lies in the digitization of the vaquita anatomy.
“We are delighted to collaborate with likeminded organizations to make our collections as useful and accessible as possible,” said Phil Unitt, curator of birds and mammals at the San Diego Natural History Museum. “A complete skeleton of a vaquita is an extremely rare specimen, so we’re thrilled to learn its replica will be available to the public.”
The skeleton, on loan from the San Diego Natural History Museum to SeaWorld San Diego, is thought to be one of, if not the only, full vaquita skeleton available in the United States. The skeleton was donated to the museum in 1966. The objective of scanning this rare specimen for display purposes is to facilitate the creation of replicas to be commercially available to further education and conservation efforts of this critically endangered species.
“The specimen we scanned was an adult female vaquita and a rarity so significant that it could not be shipped and required careful escort for transportation,” said Jamie Knaub, imaging lab assistant in the FAU Lab Schools’ Owls Imaging Lab and a Ph.D. candidate in the FAU Department of Biology within the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. “In August, I traveled to San Diego to acquire the skeleton from SeaWorld and personally transported it back to Florida as carry-on luggage. The specimen was housed in the Owls Imaging Lab for three months during the scanning process. The completed scans, which required approximately 165 hours, resulted in a total of three terabytes of data. I returned the skeleton to SeaWorld for safekeeping in early December.”
Knaub has been working with Brittany Aja Dolan, pathology and research associate at SeaWorld San Diego, who spearheaded the project. Knaub previously collaborated with Dolan who provided her with thresher shark vertebrae from a stranded shark in California for her graduate research, which was used in her first dissertation chapter and resulted in publication in the journal of the Royal Society. Knaub published the paper with Marianne E. Porter, Ph.D., senior author and an associate professor, FAU Department of Biological Sciences; and Tricia Meredith, Ph.D., director of research for FAU’s on-site lab schools, A.D. Henderson University School and FAU High School, and an assistant research professor in FAU’s College of Education.
“The imminent extinction of the vaquita is a sobering reminder of the impact that humans can have on the wildlife and environment, said Dolan. “According to genetic studies there is hope for their successful recovery, and through this unique multifaceted collaboration, we have immortalized a one-of-a-kind skeleton. We hope that by creating replicas, which will be available worldwide, and hopefully on display at SeaWorld San Diego in the near future, everyone will have the opportunity to learn about the world’s most endangered marine mammal and what we can all do to help.”
Initial CT scans of this rare vaquita specimen were completed by the San Diego Zoo but were not sufficient resolution for replication. Dolan contacted Knaub about employing FAU’s micro-CT scanner to obtain high resolution scans of the skeleton. The San Diego Natural History Museum and SeaWorld San Diego have given Knaub permission to use the vertebral scans of the vaquita in her dissertation research.
“At the rate that vaquitas are disappearing, it’s extremely important to preserve as much about this species as we can,” said Knaub. “They are very elusive and not many physical specimens from this species exist.”
The 3D scans of this vaquita skeleton will be hosted on MorphoSource, a publicly accessible data repository dedicated to housing image data that represents physical objects of our world. The scans will be available for download and used for education, outreach, and research purposes. Additionally, SeaWorld San Diego will be working with Bone Clones to produce full replicas of the vaquita skeleton for education.
“Imaging such a rare specimen is important because the digital representation of this individual such as photos, scans, and 3D mesh files will persist long after the last living vaquita is gone,” said Knaub. “Importantly, digitizing the skeleton and making the data openly available to other researchers and the public significantly enhances accessibility, providing broader opportunities for collaboration and research.”
The FAU Owls Imaging Lab is a one-of-a-kind research laboratory that provides students access to cutting-edge equipment to work on high-level research projects, including cancer treatment research, vaccine development, and prosthetic creation, among others. Students can research some of the world’s most challenging problems at an early age and can share that research and publish it in peer-reviewed journals. The lab includes a micro computed tomography scanner; scanning electron microscope; histology suite; inverted compound microscope; and stereoscope and is available to students and faculty at A.D. Henderson University School, FAU High School, and all FAU colleges.
“The primary aim of our open-access research hub is to create a dynamic environment that promotes meaningful collaborations between our students and university mentors. By providing opportunities for hands-on teaching, innovative demonstrations, experimentation, and robust data collection, the hub seeks to enhance the educational experience and advance research excellence,” said Meredith. “These collaborations not only deepen students’ understanding of scientific methodologies but also support the creation of impactful, high-quality publications and presentations that contribute to their academic and professional growth. Through this initiative, we strive to build a community of scholars dedicated to advancing knowledge and addressing real-world challenges.”
Jamie Knaub pictured with the full skeleton of a very rare vaquita specimen from the 1960s.
Credit
Tricia Meredith, Ph.D., Florida Atlantic University
Volume rendering of the flipper of a very rare vaquita specimen from the 1960s.
Volume rendering of the skull of a very rare vaquita specimen from the 1960s.
Credit
Jamie Knaub, Florida Atlantic University
- FAU -
About Florida Atlantic University: Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.
Ancient Roman urbanites followed medical recommendations for weaning babies
Babies were weaned earlier in cities in the Roman Empire than in smaller and more rural communities, according to a study of ancient teeth. Urban weaning patterns more closely hewed to guidelines from ancient Roman physicians, mirroring contemporary patterns of adherence to medical experts in urban and rural communities.
Roman health authorities recommended breastfeeding babies for two years. Carlo Cocozza and colleagues were interested in how ancient Romans actually fed their babies in varying settlement types. Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in dentine from the first permanent molars record diet from three months to about nine years of age. In particular, breast milk has a high nitrogen-15 to nitrogen-14 ratio, compared to solid foods, allowing researchers to estimate weaning times. The authors gathered dental isotope data from several urban and nonurban locations across the Roman Empire. In general, people from Bainesse, UK, far from the heart of the empire, and Ostia, Italy, a rural suburb, were breastfed longer than urban people, with the majority of people from Thessaloniki, Greece, and Pompeii, Italy, being weaned at or before 2 years of age. The pattern mirrors contemporary urban/rural divides in terms of how closely people follow expert health guidelines, with cities functioning as information hubs and offering more medical resources.
Journal
PNAS Nexus
Article Title
High-resolution isotopic data link settlement complexification to infant diets within the Roman Empire
Article Publication Date
14-Jan-2025
Study links rising suicidality among teen girls to increase in identifying as LGBQ
Researchers suggest that a larger proportion of female students are experiencing the pressures felt by LGBQ youth
News Release New York University
Amid an increase in suicidal behavior among teen girls, new research links this phenomenon to the significant increase in the number of female students identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning (LGBQ).
“This finding suggests that the overall increase in female suicidality is not due to all female students becoming more suicidal, but rather to a larger proportion of students being part of a group that has historically experienced higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors due to social and structural pressures,” says lead author Joseph Cimpian, professor of economics and education policy at NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
Using data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s biennial Youth Risk Behavior Survey, researchers analyzed trends in years 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021 to examine how LGBQ identification and suicidality has changed among males and females (the binary categories used in the survey). From the sample of more than 44,000 students, they found that the percentage of high school females identifying as LGBQ more than doubled, rising from 15% in 2015 to 34% in 2021. During this same period, suicidal ideation among all female students increased from 23% to 29%, and suicide planning increased from 19% to 23%. Between 2017 and 2021, suicide attempts among female students increased from 10% to 13%.
The findings, published in Educational Researcher, revealed that LGBQ females consistently reported much higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors—for example, in 2021, about 48% of LGBQ females considered suicide compared to roughly 20% of heterosexual females. The researchers used statistical methods that isolated identifying as LGBQ as a factor and found that it was directly correlated to the rise in overall suicidality among females.
In contrast, teenage boys showed different patterns. The percentage of males identifying as LGBQ increased only slightly, from 6% in 2015, to 9% in 2021, with correspondingly smaller changes in suicide-related outcomes.
The trends for females and males were consistent across both White and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) students.
“These findings highlight the critical need to address the structural and social pressures that LGBQ youth face, including in our schools,” says Cimpian. “LGBQ females across all racial and ethnic groups need educational supports to offset the risk of suicidality. Rather than reducing resources for LGBQ youth, as many recent state bills propose, policymakers and practitioners interested in decreasing suicidality among females should target additional educational and mental health resources to support LGBQ students.”
This research was coauthored by Mollie McQuillan, assistant professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Journal
Educational Researcher
Method of Research
Data/statistical analysis
Subject of Research
People
Article Publication Date
16-Jan-2025
Cambridge leads first phase of governmental project to understand impact of smartphones and social media on young people
University of Cambridge
Cambridge researchers are leading the first phase of a new research project that will lay the groundwork for future studies into the impact on children of smartphone and social media use.
The work has been commissioned by the UK government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology after a review by the UK Chief Medical Officer in 2019 found the evidence base around the links to children’s mental health were insufficient to provide strong conclusions suitable to inform policy.
The project – led by a team at the University of Cambridge, in collaboration with researchers at several leading UK universities – is aimed at improving policymakers’ understanding of the relationship between children’s wellbeing and smartphone use, including social media and messaging. It will help direct future government action in this area.
Project lead Dr Amy Orben from the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit (MRC CBU) at the University of Cambridge said: “There is huge concern about the impact of smartphone use on children's health, but the evidence base remains fairly limited. While the government is under substantial time pressure to make decisions, these will undoubtedly be better if based on improved evidence.
“This is a complex and rapidly evolving issue, with both potential harms and benefits associated with smartphone use. Technology is changing by the day, and scientific evidence creation needs to evolve and innovate to keep up.
“Our focus will be on deepening our causal understanding of the effects of new technologies, particularly over short timescales, to ensure that decisions are informed, timely and evidence-based.”
Dr Orben will lead a Project Delivery Team, with Consortium Members from the universities of Bath, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford and York and the London School of Economics. It will aim to identify which research methods and data sources will be most effective at identifying potential causal relationships between social media, smartphones, and the health and development of children and young people
Deputy project lead Dr Amrit Kaur Purba, also from the MRC CBU at Cambridge, said: “The impact of social media on young people is a pressing issue, and our project will ensure the research community is in a strong position to provide policymakers with the causal and high-quality insights they need. While we don’t expect this to be straightforward, our research will leverage diverse expertise from across the UK to deliver a comprehensive and informed response to make recommendations for how research in this area should be supported in future.”
The researchers will review and summarise existing research on the impact of smartphones and social media on children and young people’s mental health, wellbeing, physical health, lifestyle and health behaviours, and educational attainment. The review will recognise the diversity of perspectives that exist in this area and consider where further research could add valuable new insights to the evidence base.
They will assess the various methods and data available to understand the causal impacts, including recognising that online habits and emerging technologies are changing at a rapid pace, and considering how the experiences of vulnerable children and young people – for example, LGBTQ+ young people and those with special needs or mental health issues – can be captured in future research projects.
This will allow the team to recommend and outline how future research studies could deliver robust and causal evidence on the impact of smartphones and social media on child development factors in the next two to three years.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, said: "The online world offers immense opportunities for young people to connect and learn. Ensuring they can do so in an environment which puts their safety first is my priority and will guide this government’s action on online safety.
“That’s why we have launched new research, led by the University of Cambridge with support from other top UK universities, to better understand the complex relationship between technology and young people's wellbeing.
“This vital research will build a trusted evidence base for future action, helping us to protect and empower the next generation towards a safer and more positive digital future."
