http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu Sun, 19 May 2013 09:20:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/11/21/how-coffee-affects-biodiversity/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/11/21/how-coffee-affects-biodiversity/#comments Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:20:03 +0000 Brian Kateman http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=20043 S. Amanda Caudill is currently evaluating mammal biodiversity in coffee dominated regions in Turrialba, Costa Rica. Her findings will help determine which habitat parameters are important to the mammals and shape suggestions on how to enhance the habitat.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/11/21/how-coffee-affects-biodiversity/feed/ 2 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/11/07/two-wren-brains-are-better-than-one/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/11/07/two-wren-brains-are-better-than-one/#comments Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:34:08 +0000 Brian Kateman http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=19790 When researchers observed activity in the brains of plain-tailed wrens while singing, they discovered something striking: In both sexes, the neurons reacted more strongly to the duet song than individual contributions — they are seemingly wired to enhance cooperation.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/11/07/two-wren-brains-are-better-than-one/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/27/white-nose-syndrome-is-driving-conservation-batty/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/27/white-nose-syndrome-is-driving-conservation-batty/#comments Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:36:51 +0000 Brian Kateman http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=19556 Scientists report in a recently published article in Nature that the fungus Geomyces destructans found on bats afflicted with White Nose Syndrome is the primary cause of the disease. However, amidst all the muck of doom and gloom, researchers report in the July issue of the Journal of Wildlife Diseases that affected bats can be nursed back to health with constant medical attention, food, warmth, and water. With no signs of the infection slowing and more than one million bats succumbing to white nose syndrome in the past five years, the conservation community should be on high alert. ]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/27/white-nose-syndrome-is-driving-conservation-batty/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/21/executive-courses-in-sustainable-coastal-economies-urban-resilience-and-diversity-and-conservation/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/21/executive-courses-in-sustainable-coastal-economies-urban-resilience-and-diversity-and-conservation/#comments Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:17:18 +0000 Brian Kateman http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=19308 The Center for Environmental Research and Conservation at Columbia University provides professionals with the knowledge and tools to be effective environmental leaders and decision makers in the 21st century. It is an evening program in which environmental issues are discussed, debated and examined, where participants develop an in-depth understanding of conservation science and practice through case studies and a focus on Environmental Policy, Management and Finance.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/21/executive-courses-in-sustainable-coastal-economies-urban-resilience-and-diversity-and-conservation/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/20/robotic-bug-sparks-a-flighty-debate-on-evolution/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/20/robotic-bug-sparks-a-flighty-debate-on-evolution/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:14:59 +0000 Brian Kateman http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=19146 A robotic bug's attempts to fly were no match for gravity - the critter was unable to soar above the ground. The findings shed light on a longstanding debate about the evolutionary origins of flight, as scientists have long debated whether birds first evolved flight as ground dwellers or tree jumpers. ]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/20/robotic-bug-sparks-a-flighty-debate-on-evolution/feed/ 1 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/14/green-sidewalk-is-electrifying/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/14/green-sidewalk-is-electrifying/#comments Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:37:45 +0000 Brian Kateman http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=18937 Utilizing innovative technology to transform physical impact into electricity, PaveGen is literally, as the company tagline describes, "Generating Energy from footsteps." ]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/14/green-sidewalk-is-electrifying/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/12/ecological-and-urban-resilience/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/12/ecological-and-urban-resilience/#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:49:49 +0000 Brian Kateman http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=18875 Resilience science has been evolving over the past decade, expanding beyond ecology to reflect systems of thinking in fields such as economics and political science. And, as more and more people move into densely populated cities, using massive amounts of water, energy, and other resources, the need to combine these disciplines to consider the resilience of urban ecosystems and cities is of paramount importance.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/12/ecological-and-urban-resilience/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/11/cycle-of-abuse-among-nazca-boobies/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/11/cycle-of-abuse-among-nazca-boobies/#comments Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:03:25 +0000 Brian Kateman http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=18817 Researchers studying Nazca boobies of the Galápagos Islands found high correlations between degree of aggressive behavior among adults and the amount of abuse they endured as nestlings. The findings have implications for those who study human psychology and behavior, as some social scientists argue that abused children are statistically more likely to become abusers later in life.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/11/cycle-of-abuse-among-nazca-boobies/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/10/polyandrous-mouse-lemurs-the-larger-the-better/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/10/polyandrous-mouse-lemurs-the-larger-the-better/#comments Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:58:07 +0000 Brian Kateman http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=18749 Researchers report that larger female mouse lemurs mate with more male partners at once than smaller females. The findings have implications for polyandry and other mating systems. ]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/10/polyandrous-mouse-lemurs-the-larger-the-better/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/07/critter-corner-news-roundup-on-biodiversity-%e2%80%93-week-of-103/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/07/critter-corner-news-roundup-on-biodiversity-%e2%80%93-week-of-103/#comments Fri, 07 Oct 2011 18:37:47 +0000 Brian Kateman http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=18692 Read more about how humans are just modified fish, the discovery of a rare seahorse, the relationship between climate change, elk, and aspen, and the the structure of ambrosia beetle colonies in this week’s edition of The Critter Corner.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/10/07/critter-corner-news-roundup-on-biodiversity-%e2%80%93-week-of-103/feed/ 0