ecology
Oak trees infested by caterpillars delay their leaf budding by three days the following spring, starving the insects and reducing damage. Researchers used satellite data to uncover this defense mechanism in German forests. The finding suggests trees actively adapt to herbivore attacks.
Reported by AI
A variety of canopy-dwelling mammals in Costa Rica's cloud forests have been observed using communal latrines in strangler fig trees. Ecologist Jeremy Quirós-Navarro discovered the sites high in the canopy, where 17 species leave feces and scent marks. The finding highlights unusual social behavior among typically solitary animals.
January 28, 2026 01:31