Ecosystem Changed by Beetle

From the Eurekalert:

"The mesquite girdler Oncideres rhodosticta may only be 13mm long, but it has a big role in shaping the landscape. Research carried out by Benjamin Duval and Walter Whitford at New Mexico State University has revealed that the beetle is speeding up the degradation of grasslands in the Chihuahua desert..."
"The mesquite girdler does this by regulating the growth of the mesquite shrub, ensuring their offspring have a plentiful supply of food. The beetles chew girdles around the older stems of the shrub, which forces the plant to regrow new stems the following year. The new stems supply the beetle larvae with food, but the mesquite shrub takes more nutrients from the soil for its increased growth, leaving less for the other plant species such as grasses.
"Up to 150 years ago, the North Chihuahuan Desert was completely covered in grassland. The picture today is very different – dunes and mesquite shrubs cover much of the landscape."

Vanishing Jackrabbits

White-tailed jackrabbits have disappeared in Greater Yellowstone, forcing larger predators to focus on young ungulates. Reintroduction of the species is recommended, though biologists have no idea why the jackrabbits disappeared in the first place. (News source.)

Treasures of the Sea

A new website by WWF – New Zealand launches June 29, 2007.

Treasures of the Sea

The aim of this website is to provide information on all known oceanic species of New Zealand. New Zealand is a unique and diverse ecosystem; over 40% of its oceanic species exist no place else on earth.
For biologists and natural resource researchers this new tool offers a high level of detail, images and data that is not centrally located anyplace else.