Crash tests for real
Article Abstract:
Grouse cycles are widely acknowledged to be due to density-dependent regulatory effects, together with time delays. Hudson and colleagues have demonstrated that parasites are the cause of the cyclic fluctuations. They studied six grouse populations, predicting troughs of the population cycle in 1989 and 1993, on the basis of host-parasite models. Experimental studies by Korpimaki and Norrdahl looked at populations of voles and bank voles which showed obvious three year cycles in abundance. The studies have interesting parallels involving large-scale field manipulation to emphasize a basic ecological question.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1999
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Resisting resistance
Article Abstract:
Insects rapidly develop resistances to pesticides and this has caused the percentage of crop loss per year, approximately 33%, to remain the same as 100 years ago despite advances in pest control. New methods are being developed such as genetically engineered crops with insecticidal toxins which are environmentally safe because they affect only insects. However, pest resistance will develop to these crops as well. One method to slow the development of resistance is to introduce un-mutated insects into the gene pool.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1993
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The species alias problem
Article Abstract:
A study investigates the widespread problem of the existence of two or more names for the same species. The total number of named and recorded species is about 1.7 to 1.8 million. Of these, the synonymy rate may be as high as 40%, according to an estimate determined with a model using a probability distribution. This suggests that the total number of species may not be as high as previously thought.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1995
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