Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science’s Post

These fish live beyond 100—and get healthier as they age https://lnkd.in/gfYkUz8h Buffalofish have surprisingly long life spans, a new study shows—and live their best lives into their 80s and 90s. What can humans learn from them? A 2019 study revealed that bigmouth buffalofish could live up to 112 years old, making it the oldest known freshwater teleost, a group of about 12,000 ray-finned fish species found worldwide. Then in January, researchers announced the discovery of a 127-year-old bigmouth in Saskatchewan, Canada. Now, the new study, published recently in Scientific Reports, confirmed that two more buffalofish species—the smallmouth buffalo and the black buffalo—can live more than a hundred years, making it the only known genus of animal besides the marine rockfish, Sebastes, that has three centenarian species. This is not to say that other animals can’t achieve remarkably long life spans. Greenland sharks have the greatest longevity of any living vertebrate, reaching at least 250 years old. What’s more, research has revealed that buffalofish continue to live their best lives into their upper 80s and 90s, with better stress response and immune function relative to younger individuals. (See six of the world’s longest-lived animals.) “The one takeaway is that buffalofishes do not conform to preconceived notions,” says study leader Alec Lackmann, a fish expert at the University of Minnesota. “They defy expectations.” Meanwhile, conservation is a priority, he says. Buffalofish are a prized sportfish in the upper Midwest, and while their numbers are declining, harvest is virtually unregulated—including in Arizona. “Right now, you can go to Apache Lake, catch a buffalofish, and just take it home,” Black says. “So for me, getting them protected now is probably the most important thing.”

🌍🐝 Happy World Bee Day! 🐝🌍 Today, we take a moment to celebrate and appreciate the incredible contributions of bees to our planet and our lives. These small yet mighty creatures are vital to the health of our ecosystems, the beauty of our gardens, and the bounty of our tables. 🌼 Bees are pollination powerhouses that are responsible for pollinating around 75% of the world's flowering plants and 35% of global food crops. Without them, we wouldn't enjoy many of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts that are staples in our diets. 🌳 Beyond our farms and gardens, bees are ecosystem engineers playing a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity. Their pollination supports the growth of trees, flowers, and other plants, which serve as food and shelter for various wildlife. ESI’s pollinator experts offer our clients unique services that combine specialized skills in plant and insect identification. These services focus on bees, their habitats, and their relationships with various plant species. If you have a project that requires any of these specialty services, please reach out to Dr. Robert Jean, ESI Senior Entomologist, at rjean@envsi.com. #ESI #RealScienceRealSolutions #WorldBeeDay #SaveTheBees #Pollinators #Biodiversity #Sustainability #EnvironmentalProtection #Bees

As part of the countdown to TAFU’s Local Wildlife Day https://lnkd.in/eRXHbZ6D on the 11th of July – Species no. 35. Stay tuned – 8 more days and 8 more species until then! Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) is a delicate, annual to biennial plant that typically grows 20-40 cm in height. It is easily identifiable by its deeply divided, fern-like leaves that often turn red as the plant matures. The small, bright pink, five-petaled flowers, which appear from spring to autumn, are another distinctive feature of this plant. Herb Robert is highly adaptable and can be found in a wide range of habitats, including woodlands, hedgerows, gardens, and rocky areas. It prefers shady, moist environments and can often be seen growing in crevices and along paths. Despite its preference for shade, it can also tolerate sunnier locations, making it a versatile plant. Herb Robert has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Herb Robert has been used for its astringent, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been applied to wounds to promote healing and used internally to treat gastrointestinal issues, respiratory problems, and to support overall immune function. The plant's fresh leaves can be crushed and applied directly to the skin, while teas and tinctures are made from dried leaves and stems. Herb Robert also plays a role in supporting wildlife. Its flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies. Additionally, it serves as a larval food plant for certain species of moths. Hence, it is an incredibly important part of the ecosystem. Herb Robert can be an aggressive self-seeder, spreading quickly in suitable habitats. The seeds are ejected explosively from the ripe seed capsules, ensuring wide dispersal. Leaving sections of your green spaces undisturbed, allowing this and other native plants to thrive can be incredibly helpful. Avoiding the use of herbicides can help protect Herb Robert and the pollinators that depend on it. #TAFU #TAFUsLocalWildlifeDay #TAFUsLWD #LocalWildlife #Nature #Sustainability #ClimateChange #Conservation #NatureConservation #NatureLovers

Did you know that long-horned bees are some of the most fascinating insects in the world? 1. Unique Appearance: Long-horned bees (Melissodes spp.) are named for their distinctive elongated antennae, which resemble horns. 2. Important Pollinators: Like other bees, long-horned bees play a crucial role in pollinating plants, including many crops and wildflowers. 3. Solitary Bees: Unlike honeybees, long-horned bees are solitary and don't live in colonies. Each female builds and defends her own nest. 4. Nesting Habits: Long-horned bees nest in pre-existing holes in wood or other materials, using their legs to collect and shape pollen and nectar. 5. Specialized Legs: Their legs are adapted for collecting pollen, with specialized hairs and structures to gather and transport it efficiently. 6. Important Food Source: Long-horned bees are a vital food source for other animals, such as birds, spiders, and other insects. 7. Diverse Species: There are over 500 species of long-horned bees, ranging in size, color, and distribution across North America. 8. Fast Flyers: Long-horned bees are agile and fast flyers, able to reach speeds of up to 15 miles per hour (24 km/h). 9. Important Ecological Role: By pollinating plants and serving as a food source, long-horned bees play a vital role in maintaining ecosystem balance. 10. Non-Aggressive: Unlike some other bees, long-horned bees are generally non-aggressive and only sting in defense of their nests. #LongHornedBees #Pollinators #Ecology #Wildlife #Nature #Insects #Bees #Sustainability #EnvironmentalStewardship

Insectology is the Study of Insects

It's National Invasive Species Awareness Week! This is a perfect opportunity to talk about how invasive plants affect our bird populations. Native birds, insects, and plants have a relationship based on generations of co-adaptation. Plants have natural physical and chemical defenses that caterpillars and other insects have to overcome in order to eat them. Caterpillars develop traits that enable them to eat certain plants successfully. This "specialization" also means that they don't have traits that enable them to eat other plants, and so when a non-native shrub like Bush Honeysuckle outcompetes their food sources, the caterpillars cannot eat at all. It works similarly for birds. Birds don't receive the same nutrients from non-native plants like Bush Honeysuckle that they do from a native equivalent like Winterberry. Many people call non-native berries "junk food" for good reason - they often supply sugars, but little else that native birds can use. Native berries offer varying amounts of fats, antioxidants, and other nutrients that North America's birds are adapted to utilizing. Invasive species are called invasive for a reason, as they often outcompete native species for space and nutrients. They also escape our yards when their seeds are eaten and deposited far afield. This leads to the decline of our native plants and the decline of every other organism that relies on them. While it can be hard to remove sentimental plants in our landscapes, we should do our best to replace plants like Callery Pears, Bush Honeysuckles, Privets, Barberries, and many others with native options. #sciotogardens #nativeplantsnaturalbenefits #ohionative #nativegardening #ecologicalgardening #ohiogardening #nativeplantnursery #nativeplantnurseryohio #birdsofohio #bird #plantingforbirds #caterpillars #birds #mothsandbutterflies #butterfliesandmoths #plantnursery #nativebirds #hostplants #InvasiveSpecies #invasiveplants #NISAW #invasivespeciesawareness #invasivespeciesawarenessweek #invasivespeciesawarenessweek2024 #nationalinvasivespeciesawarenessweek2024

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐤: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 "𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐳𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞" Did you know that the gerenuk, known for its long neck and elegant stance, is a favorite prey species for cheetahs in certain regions? Unlike most antelopes, the gerenuk can stand on its hind legs to reach leaves and shrubs, earning it the nickname “giraffe gazelle.” Their unique feeding habits and ability to thrive in arid environments make them a critical part of the ecosystem—and a key source of nutrition for predators like cheetahs. 𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐤 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘭: Reaching foliage that’s out of reach for others. 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦: Often alone or in small groups. 𝘋𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: Survives without much water, getting most of their hydration from the vegetation they eat 𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 As a preferred prey species, gerenuks are an important part of the cheetah’s diet. Their unique body shape and long legs make them a challenging target, requiring cheetahs to use their renowned speed and agility to catch them. Understanding these predator-prey relationships helps us better manage conservation areas and maintain the balance within ecosystems. While the gerenuk is currently listed as "Near Threatened" by the IUCN, protecting their habitats and managing predator populations are essential for their continued survival. At Action for Cheetahs in Kenya (ACK), we work to ensure that species like the gerenuk and cheetah coexist in healthy, thriving ecosystems. Let’s appreciate the elegance of the gerenuk and the critical role they play in supporting cheetah populations! #GerenukFacts #WildlifeWednesday #ACKConservation #CheetahPrey #ProtectOurWildlife #Champions4Cheetahs 𝘐𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦: 𝘕𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘷 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘩, "𝘎𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘬 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘢𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘪 " 𝘫𝘶𝘯𝘦 25, 2021. 𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘷𝘪𝘢𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘱𝘦𝘹𝘦𝘭𝘴.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰/𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘬-𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘰𝘯-𝘵𝘩𝘦-𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴-𝘪𝘯-𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘪-8589704/

It’s Invasive Species Awareness Week (ISAW), which takes place yearly on the last week of February to raise awareness about invasive species. What is an invasive species? Why are they bad? How can we manage them? Check out Invasive Species 101! #InvSpWk https://lnkd.in/g3aT2_Rt

🦌 Did you know that deer carcasses from culling hold vital nutrients crucial for ecosystem health?🌿 A new study by The University of Edinburgh and Yale University reveals that deer carcasses in Scotland contain kilos of essential nutrients such as calcium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. These nutrients support native woodland regeneration and bird populations, while also providing a food source for small predators like pine martens. But, the common practice of removing deer carcasses after culls in Scotland, aimed at preventing overgrazing, eliminates hundreds of thousands of kilos of these nutrients annually, potentially hindering habitat recovery. Read more about the impact of removing deer carcasses and solutions here 👉 https://lnkd.in/e3HAAzRA #deerinScotland #ecology #deerculling

#habitatloss #biodiversity #biophilia #anthropocentrism #life #love #stewardship #reverenceforlife #loveofJesus My dear friends in a reverence for life, a “life coach” with a syndicated radio spot in the U.S. often extolled the virtues of a company with a “no complaint” rule. Well, in truth an employee could complain, but only if s/he brought along at least one specific, viable idea towards remediating the subject of the gripe. This of course minimizes the level of grumbling, but the rule also imposes upon the company workforce an obligation to be accountable for the well being of their enterprise, not just to list grievances but to seek redress and amelioration. This directive is one that frankly ought to be adopted by those who opine on climate change, global warming, animal rights, etc., for such opinion is usually replete with the condemnation of the usual amorphous bodies (big gov, big ag, big pharma, big capitalism, big “them”). Regrettably other than lambasting “them”, the broadsides are bereft of personal, individual accountability and any concomitant solution. Today’s inbox presented three specimens of this phenomenon. Mammals in Brazil and the disintegration of their habitats; Fish escaping fish farms and causing havoc; or The continuing plight of elephants in Africa. I’ve chosen the first story as it is an ideal model of the problem. NB that the piece commences with the usual anthropocentrism: “Most of Brazil’s 701 native mammal species provide services that benefit people, such as helping forests grow, fertilizing fisheries, curbing sickness, and supporting pollination. However, according to a new study in Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation, more than half of those ecosystem services are now at risk of being lost.” And the fix for habitat loss and species endangerment? “The authors [of a study examining the morass] say that communicating conservation in terms of real-world human benefits rather than just wildlife preservation itself may increase support for conservation.” Yeah, that ought to do it! My dear friends, a reverence for life is a life affirming ethos that, inter alia, places an obligation upon mankind to protect, assist, and enhance life, all life. We are mandated to serve as stewards of God’s creation, loving our neighbor as ourselves and esteeming every other being on our shared abode to be our neighbor. We are summoned to impart the love of Jesus liberally and universally. Our first step towards remediating the calamity we have occasioned is to alter our vision of the world from anthropocentrism to biophilia, from despoiling the world’s creatures and resources to their husbanding, from exploitation to stewardship. “We have met the enemy, and he is us.” Adopt a reverence for life as our ethos, and every problem that confronts us will also engender a solution, one requiring our involvement, not our bystanding and whining. That is bestowing the love of Jesus upon all God’s creation.