Okala’s Post

Recent AI research reveals African elephants possess unique vocalizations akin to individual names African elephants distinguish each other with unique appellations, a groundbreaking revelation shedding light on their intricate social dynamics. Published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, a recent study unveils the remarkable ability of these majestic creatures to recognize individual identities through distinct vocalizations. These resonant appellations, manifested in elaborate low-frequency rumbles, resonate across the expansive African savannah. https://is.gd/AMHaE1 #AI #artificialintelligence #Biotechnology #Elephants #llm #machinelearning #vocalizations

【Biology/Environment】 Novel Nematode Species, a Relative of Model Organisms, Discovered at the University Research Station A new nematode species has been discovered from soil-dwelling bees at the University of Tsukuba's Sugadaira Research Station. This species shares a close relationship with a model nematode Pristionchus pacificus used in developmental and evolutionary biology studies. Its unique physiological and ecological traits, such as a specific relationship with flower bees and hypoxia adaptation, make it a promising research material. Read more details here; https://lnkd.in/gMGpwKSU Original Paper; https://lnkd.in/gmwDDau8

Free Taxonomic training workshop in Paris on Tropical Deep-Sea Sponges - December 2nd – 13th, 2024 The Museum of Paris (MNHN) is organizing a 2-week Training Course on the Taxonomy of Tropical Deep-Sea Sponge from December 2nd to December 13th, 2024. Targeted audience are students, researchers, collection managers, and all professionals involved in the field of biology, whatever their disciplines and levels (beginners, advanced, experts).   The goal of the workshop is to bring together professional taxonomists and students (in the broad sense) around samples recently collected during the Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos Program and deposited in the MNHN collections to transmit taxonomic knowledge while speeding up digitization of natural collections.   During 10 days, we will sort specimens to the lowest taxonomic level possible and use best practices to taxa identification and data collection management, preservation, and traceability. In addition, there will be courses on Porifera taxonomy, evolutionary genetics, and deep-sea ecology.   Further details are provided on the website of the DEST-CETAF: Upcoming courses - DEST (Distributed European School of Taxonomy) (cetaf.org) https://lnkd.in/edrB9Jga   Registration is free but necessary to anticipate coffee breaks and discussions. Registration deadline: November 15th, 2024 Don't forget to register by sending an email to: magalie.castelin@mnhn.fr

Fungi are fascinating lifeforms that defy conventional notions of animal intelligence. They don’t have brains, yet display clear signs of decision making and communication. But just how complex are these organisms and what can they tell us about other forms of awareness? To begin investigating these mysteries, researchers at Japan’s Tohoku University and Nagaoka College conducted a straightforward test to observe the decision-making prowess of a cord-forming fungus known as Phanerochaete velutina. According to the team’s study published in Fungal Ecology, their findings indicate fungi can “recognize” different spatial arrangements of wood and adapt accordingly to make the most of their world. Although many people only recognize fungi by their aboveground mushrooms, those formations are just the outermost display of an often vast network of underground threads called mycelium. These interconnected webs are capable of relaying environmental information throughout an entire system that can stretch for miles. But mycelium’s growth doesn’t necessarily extend in every direction at random—it appears to be a calculated effort. “You’d be surprised at just how much fungi are capable of. They have memories, they learn, and they can make decisions,” Yu Fukasawa, a study co-author at Tohoku University, said in the paper’s announcement on October 8th. “Quite frankly, the differences in how they solve problems compared to humans is mind-blowing.” While much remains to be understood about these often overlooked organisms, researchers believe continued experimentation and analysis may lead to a better understanding of the broader evolutionary history of consciousness, and even chart a path towards advanced bio-based computers. #fantastic #funghi #intelligence #awareness #mycelium #networks #communication https://lnkd.in/g9xe_i46

🚨 Position alert! Assistant Professor in Biodiversity ☘ 🐛 🦇 🌊 Are you passionate about understanding life’s incredible diversity, from molecules to ecosystems? Stockholm University is making a strategic recruitment effort in Biodiversity/Planetary Biology, with up to three Assistant Professor positions available. Selected candidates will receive a significant startup package as SciLifeLab Fellows. This is a unique opportunity to drive cutting-edge research in biodiversity, leveraging advances in AI, sequencing, imaging, exposomics, and more! Read more about the call and apply ➡ https://lnkd.in/dRwrwy6J 📅 Deadline to submit applications: 20 Jan, 2025 ♻ Repost to spread the word! 🌍 SciLifeLab Planetary Biology Capability 🌍 We aim to connect and empower a multidisciplinary research community to tackle crucial challenges in ecology, conservation, evolution, and biogeochemistry. By leveraging SciLifeLab's comprehensive technology portfolio and resources, we aim to accelerate and support research from ecosystem to planetary scales.  Follow us to stay updated on our latest research and initiatives! #Biodiversity #Sustainability #Research #Ecology #Conservation

🐘 Exciting News! 🐘 Scientists discovered that African elephants use unique vocalizations, like names, to identify specific herd members! 🗣️✨ Using AI, researchers found that these calls contain distinct components acting as names. This finding, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, highlights elephants' incredible intelligence. 🌍🐾 An interesting read! 📖 https://lnkd.in/gH_wQZcd #Elephants #AI #Nature #WildlifeResearch #SaveTheElephants #CSU #ElephantVoices

New study performed integrative taxonomy of the genus Coridius and discovered 3 new species. The genus, belonging to the family Dinidoridae which is distributed throughout the Afrotropical (22 species), Australasian (1 species), Indomalayan (16 species), and Palearctic (2 species) realms, with 9 species known (now 12 after this study) from India. These bugs are phytophagous, primarily feeding on plant sap of the Arecaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae, and Moraceae. Although the host plants of many Coridius species are known, the life cycle and ecology of most species remain underexplored. Integrative taxonomy, which combines diverse datasets such as morphological, ecological, and molecular data (nuclear and mitochondrial DNA), has gained significant attention among biologists. This approach serves as a powerful tool for delineating species boundaries and offers a practical solution to the “taxonomic impediment,” a major obstacle in biodiversity research. Read the paper co authored by Swapnil S. Boyane, Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan, Sandeep Sen and Pavan Kumar Thunga: https://lnkd.in/g89KJwaD

🌱 'Tree of Life' Sheds New Light on Evolutionary History of Plants! 🔬 279 global scientists have created the 'tree of life' for flowering plants, revealing intricate details about their evolutionary journey and dominance on Earth. 🔍 Here's what you need to know: 1️⃣ Massive Data Analysis: The team analysed 1.8 billion letters of genetic code from over 9,500 species, providing unprecedented insights into nearly 8,000 flowering plant genera, constituting about 90% of all known plant life on land. 2️⃣ Historical DNA Utilization: Remarkably, the quality of the DNA did not have to be pristine, allowing researchers to extract valuable genetic information from plant collections dating back 100 to 200 years, thus expanding our understanding of plant evolution significantly. 3️⃣ Implications for the Future: This research not only helps refine plant classifications and aid in discovering new species and medicinal compounds but also enhances conservation strategies amidst climate change and biodiversity loss. 📸 This groundbreaking study, involving 138 organisations, builds upon previous research and paves the way for future exploration of all 330,000 species of flowering plants. [Photo Credit: The Collector Magazine] 🔗 Explore the fascinating findings and their implications for plant science and conservation: https://lnkd.in/g76S3wPu 🗣️ #questionforgroup: How can this 'tree of life' for flowering plants impact our approach to biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation? 💬 Share your insights and join the discussion below! #science #biodiversity #conservation #evolution #genomics #climatechange #flora #research #treeoflife #research #randd #dna #machinelearning #woodcentral #woodcentralau1 #charlesdarwin #evolution

Researchers to decode the diversity of life on the European continent 🦔 🦇 🌼 🐸 🦋 🐟 🌲 750 researchers from 38 countries are collaborating with the goal of decoding a big part of the genetic material of Europe's biodiversity in the ‘European Reference Genome Atlas’ (ERGA) initiative. For #biodiversity is far more than we can see: It includes not only the diversity of species, but also of habitats - and of genes. Any two individuals of a species differ in their #genome sequences – to what extent can be seen by comparing them with the reference genome, a representative standard for the genetic material of a species. For the protection of biodiversity, it is crucial to know the reference genome for as many species as possible. But they are only available for a tiny fraction of all known species, as it has only recently become technically possible to sequence complete genomes at affordable cost. ERGA therefore aims to change this for as many as possible of the approximately 200,000 known eukaryotic species in Europe. New genomes of the first 98 species have been produced. Among them two Swiss fish species 🐡 (see picture): the rarest and most severely threatened fish of Switzerland, the Rhone Streber/Roi du Doubs and the widespread but poorly documented Yellowfin Perch. These genomes were contributed by a team led by Ole. Seehausen (Eawag and Universität Bern), Lukas Rüber (Naturhistorisches Museum Bern ), Pamela Nicholson and Rémy Bruggmann (Universität Bern). In close collaboration with similar projects elsewhere, ERGA wants to pioneer a workflow in which all steps in the process of generating a reference genome, and the scientists involved, are fully recognised, and equitably represented – from field work and species identification to voucher curation and storage, and from sequence data production to the bioinformatics behind genome assembly, annotation and curation. Seehausen emphasises: ‘We need to make sure that regions where economic resources are much more limited have equitable means to contribute data from their regions and to access the data of others. 💡 Information on the project: erga-biodiversity.eu 💡 Publication on the decentralised approach to equitable biodiversity genomics: https://lnkd.in/etW28GZg 💡 News on the launch of ERGA: https://lnkd.in/d_PVD8Pg #referencegenome #genomesequencing #protectbiodiversity

FREE Taxonomic training workshop in #Paris on Tropical Deep-Sea Sponges - December 2nd – 13th, 2024. Our friends at The Museum of Paris (MNHN) are organizing a 2-week Training Course on the Taxonomy of Tropical Deep-Sea Sponge from December 2nd to December 13th, 2024. Targeted audience are students, researchers, collection managers, and all professionals involved in the field of #biology, whatever their disciplines and levels (beginners, advanced, experts). The goal of the workshop is to bring together professional taxonomists and students (in the broad sense) around samples recently collected during the Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos Program and deposited in the MNHN collections to transmit taxonomic knowledge while speeding up digitization of natural collections. During 10 days, specimens will be sorted to the lowest taxonomic level possible and using best practices to taxa identification and data collection management, preservation, and traceability. In addition, there will be courses on Porifera taxonomy, evolutionary genetics, and deep-sea ecology. Further details are provided on the website of the DEST-CETAF: Upcoming courses - DEST (Distributed European School of Taxonomy) (cetaf.org) https://lnkd.in/e8VTiSKs Registration is free but necessary to anticipate coffee breaks and discussions. Registration deadline: November 15th, 2024 Don't forget to register by sending an email to: magalie.castelin@mnhn.fr #Taxonomy #DeepSeaSponges #OceanScience #SpongeBiology #MarineBiology #TaxonomicWorkshop #ScienceTraining