Wild Things: Giant Pandas, an Ancient Ibis and More...
Panda-friendly forests, one bizarre bird and foxes on junk food
- By Arcynta Ali Childs, T.A. Frail, Megan Gambino, Laura Helmuth and Sarah Zielinski
- Smithsonian magazine, March 2011
Peat Moss Plant. (Eric F. Karlin)
Scientists have discovered that every peat moss plant in a 2,500-mile stretch from Oregon to the Aleutians is genetically identical. The functional clones apparently originated with a single plant, possibly brought to Alaska by Russians as early as 1741. The scientists, from New Jersey’s Ramapo College and elsewhere, say the moss is “arguably the most genetically uniform group having a widespread distribution yet detected.”
Learn more about sphagnum moss at the Encyclopedia of Life.
Additional Sources
“Whistling in caterpillars (Amorpha juglandis, Bombycoidea): sound-producing mechanism and function,” Veronica L. Bura et al., Journal of Experimental Biology, December 8, 2010
“Stable isotopes evaluate exploitation of anthropogenic foods by the endangered San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica),” Seth D. Newsome et al., Journal of Mammalogy, December 2010
“The bizarre wing of the Jamaica flightless ibis Xenicibis xympithecus: a unique vertebrate adaptation,” Nicholas R. Longrich and Storrs L. Olson, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, January 5, 2011
“Old-growth forest is what giant pandas really need,” Zejun Zhang et al., Biology Letters, January 12, 2011
“One haploid parent contributes 100% of the gene pool for a widespread species in northwest North America,” E. F. Karlin et al., December 28, 2010
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