Animals and plants introduced from foreign habitats may not reveal themselves to be harmful “invasive” species for decades, according to a recently published European study. Species that are moved away from their natural predators back home can displace native species in their new habitats, and scientists say the problem already costs Europe 12 billion euros
Invasive Species Lie In Wait, Strike After Decades
Farming Reform Needed To End Hunger Without Obesity
Agriculture needs revolutionary change to confront threats such as global warming and end hunger in developing nations without adding to the ranks of the obese, an international study shows. The report says South Asia and Africa were “battlegrounds for poverty reduction” as the world population rose to a peak in 2050. Prospects for quick advances
Arctic Seed Vault Sets Record, Over 500,000 Samples
A“doomsday” vault storing crop seeds in an Arctic deep freeze is surpassing 500,000 samples to become the most diverse collection of food seeds in history, managers said on Thursday. Set up on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard two years ago, the vault aims to store seeds of all food crops deep beneath permafrost to wi
Wild Plants Sought For Climate Traits
Farm experts plan to track down wild relatives of crops such as rice or wheat with traits that make them able to resist global warming in a project costing perhaps $50 million, a leading expert said March 9. “The wild relatives of cultivated crops … are largely uncollected or conserved in gene banks,” said Cary
New Plan To Help Kenyan Pastoralists
“If it’s successful we will look further afield, in western Africa around the Sahel and southern Asia.” Herders of cows or camels in arid northern Kenya can obtain a new type of insurance against drought – the first of its kind in Africa using satellites to gauge rainfall. Project organizers hope to get about 1,000
Birds Face Longer Migrations Due To Climate Change
Some European birds will have to fly further as global warming shifts their breeding grounds northwards in the biggest challenge to the tiny migrants since the Ice Age, scientists said April 15. Some types of warbler would have to add 400 kilo-metres (km) to twice-yearly trips up to 6,000 kms to and from Africa, according
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
