PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

The most endangered fish are the least studied

The most endangered fish are the least studied
2024-07-17
(Press-News.org)

The most threatened reef fishes are also the most overlooked by scientists and the general public. That is the startling finding of a team of scientists led by a CNRS researcher.1 In a study to be published in Science Advances on July 17, they measured the level of human interest in 2,408 species of marine reef fish and found that the attention of the scientific community is attracted by the commercial value more than the ecological value of the fishes. The public, on the other hand, is primarily influenced by the aesthetic characteristics of certain species, such as the red lionfish (Pterois volitans) and the mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus).

 

Consider blennies (Blenniidae) and gobies (Gobiidae). These two fish families largely swim under the radar of both researchers and members of the public yet, as cleaners, they play a key role in the functioning of reefs. Small in size, they are essential to transfer of energy and matter from tiny prey to bigger consumers in reefs (trophodynamics).2

 

To reach their conclusions, the research team relied on big data compiled from scientific databases, social media, and Wikipedia page view statistics for the different fish species. They found that, though the 2,408 species studied accumulated more than 17 million views on Wikipedia, but that over 50% of those views were for only 7% of the species, and that 20% of the views were for only 1%. In addition, nearly 50% of the scientific publications for the fishes studied only concerned a subset of 1% of the species.

 

The research team's work brings to light a bias that directly threatens the conservation of marine reef fish, a bias of such magnitude that it compels them to sound the alarm. They emphasize the importance of aligning human interest in biodiversity with conservation needs and priorities for healthy ecosystems. They suggest launching campaigns to raise public awareness of threatened and neglected species. Finally, they advocate the establishment of research programs that take into account all ecosystem components, for a global conservation strategy that is no longer driven by commercial imperatives.

 

Notes

This research was a collaboration between scientists from the Marine Biodiversity, Exploitation and Conservation (CNRS / IFREMER / IRD / University of Montpellier) and Écologie Marine Tropicale des Océans Pacifique et Indien (IFREMER / IRD / University of Réunion / University of New Caledonia) research units and the Foundation for Biodiversity Research. The trophodynamic chain is a set of interconnected food chains within an ecosystem. END


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
The most endangered fish are the least studied The most endangered fish are the least studied 2 The most endangered fish are the least studied 3

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Mindfulness training may lead to altered states of consciousness, study finds

2024-07-17
Mindfulness training may lead participants to experience disembodiment and unity – so-called altered states of consciousness – according to a new study from researchers at the University of Cambridge. The team say that while these experiences can be very positive, that is not always the case. Mindfulness teachers and students need to be aware that they can be a side-effect of training, and students should feel empowered to share their experiences with their teacher or doctor if they have any concerns. Mindfulness-based programmes have ...

New technique pinpoints nanoscale ‘hot spots’ in electronics to improve their longevity

New technique pinpoints nanoscale ‘hot spots’ in electronics to improve their longevity
2024-07-17
When electronic devices like laptops or smartphones overheat, they are fundamentally suffering from a nanoscale heat transfer problem. Pinpointing the source of that problem can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. “The building blocks of our modern electronics are transistors with nanoscale features, so to understand which parts of overheating, the first step is to get a detailed temperature map,” says Andrea Pickel, an assistant professor from the University of Rochester’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. “But you need something with nanoscale ...

Study shows ancient viruses fuel modern-day cancers

Study shows ancient viruses fuel modern-day cancers
2024-07-17
Peek inside the human genome and, among the 20,000 or so genes that serve as building blocks of life, you’ll also find flecks of DNA left behind by viruses that infected primate ancestors tens of millions of years ago. These ancient hitchhikers, known as endogenous retroviruses, were long considered inert or ‘junk’ DNA, defanged of any ability to do damage. New CU Boulder research published July 17 in the journal Science Advances shows that, when reawakened, they can play a critical role in helping cancer survive and thrive. The study also suggests that silencing certain endogenous retroviruses can make cancer treatments work better. “Our study shows that diseases ...

Reef pest feasts on 'sea sawdust'

Reef pest feasts on sea sawdust
2024-07-17
Researchers have uncovered an under-the-sea phenomenon where coral-destroying crown-of-thorns starfish larvae have been feasting on blue-green algae bacteria known as ‘sea sawdust’. The team of marine scientists from The University of Queensland and Southern Cross University found crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) larvae grow and thrive when raised on an exclusive diet of Trichodesmium – a bacteria that often floats on the ocean’s surface in large slicks. UQ’s Dr Benjamin Mos from the School ...

Mental health training for line managers linked to better business performance, says new study

2024-07-17
Mental health training for line managers is strongly linked to better business performance, and it could save companies millions of pounds in lost sick days every year, according to new research led by experts at the University of Nottingham.  The results of the study, which are published in PLOS ONE, showed a strong association between mental health training for line managers and improved staff recruitment and retention, better customer service, and lower levels of long-term mental health sickness absence.  The study was led by Professor Holly Blake from the School of Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham and Dr Juliet Hassard of Queen’s ...

Diatom surprise could rewrite the global carbon cycle

2024-07-17
When it comes to diatoms that live in the ocean, new research suggests that photosynthesis is not the only strategy for accumulating carbon. Instead, these single-celled plankton are also building biomass by feeding directly on organic carbon in wide swaths of the ocean. These new findings could lead researchers to reduce their estimate of how much carbon dioxide diatoms pull out of the air via photosynthesis, which in turn, could alter our understanding of the global carbon cycle, which is especially relevant given the changing climate.   This research is led by bioengineers, bioinformatics experts and other genomics researchers ...

Microbes found to destroy certain ‘forever chemicals’

Microbes found to destroy certain ‘forever chemicals’
2024-07-17
UC Riverside environmental engineering team has discovered specific bacterial species that can destroy certain kinds of “forever chemicals,” a step further toward low-cost treatments of contaminated drinking water sources. The microorganisms belong to the genus Acetobacterium and they are commonly found in wastewater environments throughout the world.  Forever chemicals, also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, are so named because they have stubbornly strong carbon-fluorine chemical bonds, which make them persistent in the environment.  The microorganisms discovered by UCR scientists and their collaborators ...

When the brain speaks, the heart feels it

2024-07-17
Research by the Technion has demonstrated that activation of the brain’s reward system could boost recovery from a heart attack. The research, which was conducted at the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, was led by Ph.D. student Hedva Haykin under the supervision of Prof. Asya Rolls and Prof. Lior Gepstein. The Technion research group focused on the reward system, a brain network activated in positive emotional states and motivation and evaluated its potential in improving recovery ...

Llama nanobodies: A breakthrough in building HIV immunity

2024-07-17
ATLANTA — A research team at Georgia State University has developed tiny, potent molecules that are capable of targeting hidden strains of HIV. The source? Antibody genes from llama DNA. The research, led by Assistant Professor of Biology Jianliang Xu, uses llama-derived nanobodies to broadly neutralize numerous strains of HIV-1, the most common form of the virus. A new study from this team has been published in the journal Advanced Science. “This virus has evolved a way to escape our immune system. Conventional antibodies are bulky, so it’s difficult for them to find and attack the virus’ surface,” ...

How our brains learn new athletic skills fast

2024-07-17
You join a swing dance class, and at first you’re all left feet. But – slowly, eyes glued to the teacher – you pick up a step or two and start to feel the rhythm of the big band beat. A good start. Then you look over and realize the couple next to you has picked up twice the steps in half the time. Why? According to a new study from University of Florida biomechanical researchers, the quick, athletic learners among us really are built differently – inside their brains. That’s what UF Professor of Biomedical Engineering Daniel Ferris, Ph.D., and his former doctoral student, Noelle Jacobsen, Ph.D., discovered when they studied how people learn ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Don’t sweat it: New device detects sweat biomarker at minimal perspiration rate

Not so sweet: Some sugar substitutes linked to faster cognitive decline

Antibody-making cells reveal new function in response to flu infection

CCNY physicists make quantum emitter discovery in diamonds

SwRI and Copeland win R&D 100 Award for innovative oil-free compressor

Loneliness is bad for health and wealth in the U.K.

Oral health treatment in patients due for surgery is associated with significantly lower rates of postoperative pneumonia and shorter hospital stays, per observational study in one Japanese hospital,

Oxygen came late to ocean depths during Paleozoic

Among women suffering hyperemesis (extreme nausea and vomiting) in pregnancy, half report considering terminating their pregnancy, and 9 in 10 have considered having no more children

Loneliness is bad for health and wealth in the UK

Climate change is making rollercoaster harvests the new normal

Misdirected: Increased dementia risk associated with errors of the 'brain’s compass'

Sip smarter: Apple juice effects on oral health are short-lived, study suggests

Vegan dog food provides similar nutrients to meat-based diets, new study finds

The cling of doom: How staph bacteria latch onto human skin

Emotional and medical toll of extreme pregnancy nausea, with many women considering ending pregnancies

DNA analysis shows colorectal cancer has unique microbial fingerprint

Sugar-coated nanoparticles could target deadly breast cancer

Understanding catalyst activity for green hydrogen production

Zhu harnessing interpretable neuro-symbolic learning for reliable ranking

George Mason researchers receive funding for Quantum System Stability & Reproducibility Workshop (StableQ)

Li studying quantum algorithms

Chronic benzodiazepine consumption impacts sleep quality in older adults, new research shows

USF-led Nature study: Gene defect slows brain’s cleanup, driving Alzheimer’s risk

Close link between street sweeps, overdose and systemic harm: SFU study

New study seeks to understand the links between social drivers of health by investigating cardiovascular health in young adults

New catalysis method can generate a library of novel molecules for drug discovery

Delta-8 THC use highest where marijuana is illegal, study finds

Study shows blood conservation technique reduces odds of transfusion by 27% during heart surgery

Mapping an entire subcontinent for sustainable development

[Press-News.org] The most endangered fish are the least studied