Predicting the movement of genes
...er implications for studying other organisms or to estimate the gene movement of other altered crops. "We already knew that crop genes could spread, but now we know that direct measures of seed production can help predict the frequency of crop genes in wild populations. Also, this study shows that crop genes...January GEOLOGY and GSA TODAY media highlights
...s 02543, USA. Pages 71-74. As part of an effort to estimate the character and magnitude of anthropogenic disturbance of Chesapeake Bay, we measured the accumulation of total sediment and biogenic silica in long, continuous, well-dated sediment cores. The data show that biogenic silica flux to sediments, an in...UC Riverside study suggests placentas can evolve in 750,000 years or less
...y, on the same scale as predicted by a theoretical estimate of 400,000 years for the evolution of the eye," said Springer. Reznick has been collecting comparative life history data for around 15 years. For the study, he traveled around Latin America collecting the fish, going to museums to work with their co...Reconstructing salmon populations
...n species, it seemed possible to use tree rings to estimate how many salmon returned to a river in any one year. This was a 'trial' project to see if the idea would work." Previous studies determined the 300-year history of sockeye salmon in the ocean and lakes around Alaska by analyzing nitrogen isotopes in...Comparisons of the new mouse genome sequence
...r in total by about 10%. Zhang and colleagues also estimate the number of protein-coding genes in human at 37,000, of which 30,000 are similar to those found in mice. The sequencing of the mouse genome is a major milestone in modern biology as it is the only mammalian genome, other than human, to have been se...UCSD research findings for human vs. mouse genome rearrangements
... process that shuffles only small chunks." "We now estimate over 245 major rearrangements that represent dramatic evolutionary events," added Tesler. "In addition, many of those segments reveal multiple micro-rearrangements, at least 3,170 within these major blocks--a much higher figure than previously though...UC Berkeley, Joint Genome Institute target chloroplasts for clues to green plant evolution
...ge as a result of random mutations, scientists can estimate the time since two lineages split from one another to evolve separately. Boore said, however, that comparing DNA sequences directly may not be the best method, because the same mutation could show up more than once, throwing into doubt any conclusion...Wildlife researcher captures jaguars with camera
... by habitat destruction and loss. Kelly's findings estimate there are at least eight jaguars per 100 square miles. "In conservation terms, the Chiquibul Forest Reserve is a healthy rainforest," Kelly explains. "There are a lot of animals living in the rainforest. Jaguars have a large home range. By protecting...Once big bad wolf, now man's best friend: Science studies trace dogs' origins
...occurred at a constant rate, the researchers could estimate how long it had taken the subgroups to evolve. If the subgroups were the result of multiple wolf introductions, domestication should have begun around 15,000 years ago, the researchers found. If there had only been one wolf introduction, domesticati...Arsenic in Bangladesh drinking wells may be linked to crop irrigation, MIT study finds
...centration at various depths. Using census data to estimate exposure distributions in the regions, and epidemiological data from West Bengal and Taiwan--countries where the effects of arsenic poisoning from drinking water have been well-documented--they estimated what dose of arsenic makes people sick. The s...Too many turtles may end up as roadkill
...land turtles, and large and small pond turtles. To estimate the likelihood that turtles would be hit while trying to cross roads, the researchers integrated the simulated turtle movements with road densities and traffic volumes for each state. Roads are estimated to directly affect about a fifth of the land i......storical framework to guide research." Scientists estimate that the 1.75 million known species are only 10 percent of the total species on earth, and that many of those species will disappear in the decades ahead. Learning about these species and their evolutionary history is epic in its scope, spanning all...Rutgers anthropologist, Fossey Fund official, announces plan to save Rwanda's mountain gorillas
...le gives birth to three surviving daughters. This estimate is based on demographic data amassed over decades by Netzin Steklis and Rutgers anthropology students. Given that the population of mountain gorillas is only approximately 355 at this time, the loss is serious, according to Netzin Steklis. "This ana...Brazilian shellfish may improve understanding of ancient world
... says. The study results might allow scientists to estimate such things as the water depth at which Paleozoic brachiopods lived and the productivity of plankton populations, of the earth's waters at that time. He will present his findings at the Geological Society of America's 114th annual meeting in Denver O...Funding for global protein database
...end of the grant's three-year span, EBI scientists estimate that the total number of proteins in the UniProt database should reach well above the 2 million mark. Rolf Apweiler, Ph.D., who has led the SWISS-PROT group as coordinator from EBI since 1994, will be the principal investigator of the project. "Wit...Researchers create new strategy for removing arsenic from soil
...ngladesh, the problem is a crisis, and researchers estimate that more than 112 million people are afflicted with various levels of arsenic poisoning. In these places, the arsenic levels in water far exceed World Health Organization maximum permissible levels. Worse, these arsenic-laden waters are causing sick...Diet rich in soy protein lowers estrogens associated with breast cancer
...men, ranging in age from 50-74 years, was asked to estimate her usual eating frequencies and portion sizes for 165 food and beverage items consumed during a year. The questionnaire also requested information on demographics, lifetime use of tobacco, menstrual and reproductive history, medical history, and fam...Virginia Tech wildlife sciences professor improves sheep counts in Grand Canyon
...is going for a given year. "Basically, I count and estimate the lamb-to-ewe ratio in April right after they are born," explains Vaughan. "Then, I come back three-to-six months later and do a recount of the area." This data provides Vaughan with an analysis of the animals' survival rates, which is critical inf...DNA evidence suggests 3 types of elephants roam Africa
... to help African wildlife managers more accurately estimate the number of remaining forest elephants to improv...in a sea of farms and villages." Wildlife managers estimate that 400,000 to 500,000 elephants now live in Africa. The majority of these African elephants, about...Professor develops strategies to control exotic plant species
...a substantial economic price. Federal agencies now estimate that the loss in productivity among our primary agricultural commodities due to competition with exotic plants totals about $7.4 billion dollars annually, and an additional $3.6 to $5.4 billion is spent trying to control these pest species. In respo...