EcoUniv Weekend Reads: May 2021

EcoUniv Weekend Reads #64

2 May 2021

Mammals: Brain sizes in mammals evolved as a results of many complex factors. “The largest-brained mammals achieved large relative brain sizes by highly divergent paths”.

Article: https://phys.org/news/2021-04-scientists-re-evaluating-relative-brain-size.html

Research article: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/18/eabe2101

Ecological engineering: Wild horses and donkeys dig “wells” up to 6 feet deep in deserts. This creates an oases of water and attracts other species, supporting ecosystems and biodiversity.

Article: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/donkeys-horses-dig-desert-wells-helping-other-animals-survive

Research article: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6541/491

EcoUniv Weekend Reads #65

9 May 2021

Animal Behaviour: Humans are not the only ones who laugh. Other animals do it too – at least 65 other species.

Listen to and read transcript of a radio interview of the researcher: https://www.npr.org/2021/05/22/999491591/dozens-of-animals-laugh-too-study-shows

Research abstract:  https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09524622.2021.1905065

Environmental Education: In the “Understanding the Learner” series, this week we focus on fifteen-year olds (tenth grade).

http://ecouniv.in/ecouniv-environmental-education-framework-understanding-the-learner-fifteen-year-old-tenth-grade/

EcoUniv Weekend Reads #66

16 May 2021

Research – Evolution & Ecology: Bird species central to seed-dispersal networks have stable evolutionary lineages

Article: https://phys.org/news/2021-05-bird-species-central-seed-dispersal-networks.html

Research: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6543/733

Research – Climate Change: Melting ice in Antarctica could trigger chain reactions, bringing monsoon rains to the ice cap

Article: https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/17/weather/weather-climate-antarctica-ice-cap-melt/index.html

Research: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-021-00745-w.epdf

पर्यावरण शिक्षण: पर्यावरणाचा सर्वंकष दृष्टिकोन

https://bit.ly/36sJr8w

EcoUniv Weekend Reads #67

23 May 2021

Evolution: How Darwin foreshadowed modern scientific theories.

https://phys.org/news/2021-05-darwin-foreshadowed-modern-scientific-theories.html

Population Studies: The global population decline has already started happening in countries like Italy and S. Korea. It is here to stay and difficult to reverse. The global population is likely to peak around 2060.

Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/22/world/global-population-shrinking.html

Play with the data: https://vizhub.healthdata.org/population-forecast/

Pollution: Half of the world’s single use plastic is produced by only 20 companies.

Article: https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/18/world/single-use-plastics-scli-intl/index.html

Report: https://cdn.minderoo.org/content/uploads/2021/05/18065501/20210518-Plastic-Waste-Makers-Index.pdf

Explore the data: https://www.minderoo.org/plastic-waste-makers-index/data/indices/producers/

EcoUniv Weekend Reads #68

30 May 2021

Anthropology: Environmentalist are fond of the notion that “Hunter gatherers must have been a happy lot”. But this view is punctured when research shows evidence of violent fights among hunter gatherers or similar subsequent tribes. Such fights could be due to scarcity of natural resources or environmental pressures.

Article: https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/27/africa/violence-war-climate-jebel-sahaba-scn/index.html

Research Article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-89386-y

Nature Writing: Obituary of Barry Lopez, renowned nature writer, who passed away earlier this year.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/26/obituaries/barry-lopez-dead.html

Below is a para from his famous work, Arctic Dreams.