Energy News  
FLORA AND FAUNA
African fish shows how hybridization drives evolution
by Brooks Hays
Washington (UPI) Aug 08, 2018

New research confirms hybridization is a boon for evolution.

Similar species sharing habitat sometimes mate. If they're genetically compatible, these species can spawn hybrids. According to hybrid swarm theory, interbreeding among hybrid species and parent species can yield divergent populations.

Until now, scientists have struggled to study and confirm the theory in the wild.

Enter cichlid fish, a diverse fish family. To better understand hybrid swarm theory, scientists analyzed cichlid living in East Africa's Lake Tanganyika ecosystem. There are 1,900 cichlid species worldwide, and several hundred are found in Tanganyika.

Scientists collected DNA samples from dozens of species, and used advanced genomic sequencing methods to analyze 500 different fish genes. By tracing genes linked with different attributes across different lineages, scientists were able to determine factors driving species radiation, speciation, on the cichlid family tree.

The data, detailed this week in the journal Nature Communications, showed hybridization between local lineages and colonizer lineages accelerated the process of ecological innovation, or specializing, and triggered speciation.

Researchers found the flow of some genes across lineages was more likely to yield hybridization and new species, including genes controlling coloration and jaw structure.

"It is those characteristics that are exposed to selection that are responsible for the development of new species," Christian Sturmbauer, researcher at the University of Graz in Austria, said in a news release.

Scientists have previously used molecular clock analysis to chronicle the history of radiation among Lake Tanganyika cichlids, but the results remained at odds with the geological history of East Africa.

The latest findings allowed researchers to match up the timing of cichlid diversification with major geological events, like the continental split of southern Gondwana and the sinking of the East African Rift Valley.

"These findings may help us understand, for example, ongoing changes induced by climate change in the animal kingdom," said Sturmbauer.


Related Links
Darwin Today At TerraDaily.com


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


FLORA AND FAUNA
WWF uses fake Singapore ivory store in awareness campaign
Singapore (AFP) Aug 8, 2018
An apparent online ivory store which caused a furore in Singapore has been exposed as a hoax set up by environmental group WWF to highlight perceived shortcomings in local laws. The outlet called Ivory Lane purportedly offered items including earrings and necklaces for sale and had a well-produced website, including a price list and images of women modelling the jewellery. The hoax shop, which appeared online last week, insisted its products were made from ivory obtained before 1990, when an int ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

FLORA AND FAUNA
Electricity crisis leaves Iraqis gasping for cool air

Energy-intensive Bitcoin transactions pose a growing environmental threat

Germany thwarts China by taking stake in 50Hertz power firm

Global quadrupling of cooling appliances to 14 billion by 2050

FLORA AND FAUNA
Expanding the limits of Li-ion batteries: Electrodes for all-solid-state batteries

Old mining techniques make a new way to recycle lithium batteries

Scientists create biodegradable, paper-based biobatteries

A breakthrough of monitoring energy storage at work using optical fibers

FLORA AND FAUNA
Searching for wind for the future

Clock starts for Germany's next wind farm

ENGIE: Wind energy footprint firmed up in Norway

Batteries make offshore wind energy debut

FLORA AND FAUNA
Insight into loss processes in perovskite solar cells enables efficiency improvements

Scientists create a UV detector based on nanocrystals synthesized by using ion implantation

China cooling has mixed solar power impact

French energy company ENGIE boasts of solar success

FLORA AND FAUNA
Extreme makeover: Fukushima nuclear plant tries image overhaul

Framatome becomes main distributor of Chesterton valve packing and seals for the nuclear energy industry

SUSI submarine robot enables successful visual Inspection at Asco Nuclear Power Plant

EDF sees new delay, cost overruns for nuclear reactor

FLORA AND FAUNA
Forests crucial for limiting climate change

Industrial breakthrough in CO2 usage

Scientists discover how to protect yeast from damage in biofuel production

Taming defects in nanoporous materials to put them to a good use

FLORA AND FAUNA
Iraq PM cancels visit to sanctions-hit Iran

Fracking scheduled for British Columbia

Venezuela facing compounding oil woes

Caspian states look to settle maritime issues

FLORA AND FAUNA
Earth at risk of heading towards 'hothouse Earth' state

Despair as crippling drought hammers Australian farmers

Ever-increasing CO2 levels could take us back to the tropical climate of Paleogene period

Ten ways the planet could tip into 'Hothouse Earth'









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.