A new study, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, shows that increasing temperatures and light pollution affect hibernation patterns in flesh fly species. "The study looks at a species of flesh fly called Sarcophaga similis, but the results could be applicable to any animal species that relies on predictable environmental signals for biological processes like growth, reproductive behavior, sleep, and migration," said Ayumu Mukai, lead author of the study. The study is a collaboration between Setsunan University and Osaka City University.

Read More: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.210866

A study, published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, reveals that there is an urgent need for conservation action to save the Indian Ocean humpback dolphins in South Africa. The authors have concluded that "no single cause for the rapid decline of humpback dolphins in South African waters can be identified, and that the cumulative effects of multiple stressors, which are difficult to pinpoint and mitigate, are impacting population numbers". They have suggested a multi-stakeholder Conservation Management Plan.

Read More: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.642226/full

A recent research paper, published in the journal Global Change Biology, shows that climate change is threatening the survival of the emperor penguins. Emperor penguins are native to the coastal regions of Antarctica. The scientists have demonstrated that extreme climate events will increase risk of extinction. The study was led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

A recent research paper, published in the journal One Earth, sheds light on a new tracking system to monitor threats to global rainforests. The scientists have developed a novel tropical rainforest index (TFVI) to "track vulnerability of global rainforests to climate and land use". The tracking system will play an important role in increasing conservation efforts worldwide. The study was led by the California Institute Technology. The project was funded by the National Geographic and the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. 

A recent study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, gives insights into how shark intestines function. The scientists used a CT scanner to create 3D images of intestines. The intestines were from specimens at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. The findings show that the spiral-shaped intestines function like Tesla valve invented by Nikola Tesla. 

A team of scientists from the United States and South Africa seeks to map biodiversity in South Africa's Greater Cape Floristic Region. The project, Marine, Freshwater, and Terrestrial Biodiversity Survey of the Cape (BioScape), will use remote sensing technology from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It aims to improve the understanding of species distribution and abundance. The project is led by scientists from the University at Buffalo, the University of California, the University of Cape Town, and the South African Environmental Observation Network.

A recent report by the International Resource Panel, part of the United Nations Environment Programme, says there is an urgent need for a new integrated land-sea governance framework to address coastal pollution from land-based activities. The main purpose of the study was to "determine appropriate governance approaches to reduce the effects of land-based activities on coastal resources". The full report, "Governing coastal resources: Implications for a sustainable blue economy", is available on www.resourcepanel.org/reports.

Nearly 80 million people will be be affected by chronic hunger by 2050, and more than 50% of them are in Sub-Saharan Africa, new report predicts. The study, published by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), shows that investment in agricultural research and development is key in adapting to the effects of climate change.

Atewa Range Forest Reserve is located in the eastern region of Ghana. It is threatened by a proposed bauxite mining project.

The wind power project is located near the town of Dongola in the northern part of the Republic of the Sudan.