Animals

An amateur ornithologist from the United States named Peter Kestner became the first in the world who managed to observe 10 thousand species of birds, which is almost 90 per cent of the total number of species of birds living on the planet, of which there are currently more than 11 thousand.

A representative of the species Arachnothera flammifera, known as the orange-footed spider trap, became Kestner’s record-breaking bird. In early February this year, the ornithologist met her on the Philippine island of Mindanao.

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German researchers from the University of Würzburg, having analysed the relationship between the number of insects on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany and weather fluctuations, came to the conclusion that global warming and, as a consequence, too warm winters, are the key factor in the decline in the number of insects on the territory of Europe.

It is noted that in the course of their research, the scientists applied a model that uses only weather predictors, in particular, temperature throughout the life cycle. Thus, it was able to give an accurate forecast of insect numbers, also providing an explanation for about 75 per cent of the cases of outbreaks of growth and decline in the number of insects in the European territory.

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Earthworms contribute to more than 6 per cent of the world’s total cereal harvest each year, thanks to their key role in earth ecosystems, according to a fresh study by experts. For example, earthworms help decompose dead plant material, releasing the nutrients needed for plant growth, and the tunnels they dig help root systems develop.

According to experts, earthworms also help plants resist common earth pathogens by stimulating their defence mechanisms.

In their research, the scientists analysed earthworm population distribution maps, land characteristics, crop yields, and past research papers on plant productivity to assess the contribution of earthworms to the production of key crops.

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The 15-centimetre-long mollusk lays pink eggs on plants near water. When their eggs come into contact with the skin, they cause redness and itching of the skin, as well as tearing of the eyes. Egg laying is carried out weekly, thanks to which snails multiply rapidly.

Through them in the body of humans and animals can penetrate the lung nematode of rats, attacking the brain of the host and is a carrier of meningitis – a serious disease, often ending in death. The snails also have a devastating effect on ecological systems, destroying the flora that feeds a number of fauna living in the water.

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It is noted that about 17,000 years ago, this body of water became much deeper, which caused the emergence of deep water in a previously shallow lake, and also provoked the subsequent emergence of new ecological niches, which, in turn, represents a prerequisite for the emergence of new species. This was a “triumph” for the group of ray-finned fish called cichlids, of which 500 species emerged during this period. This is a record for vertebrates.

To find out the reasons for this, scientists examined fossils of different ages that were lifted from the bottom of the lake and determined their life time through carbon dating. In the course of their research, scientists identified three factors that could be the cause of such a rapid formation of species.

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