To my dear visitors and commenters

Hi, everybody! I've noticed with lots of joy and happiness, that thousands of comments have been written in my posts. It's wonderful that so may people around the world appreciate my work. Therefore, I want to thank you for that and ,at the same time I want to ask you to be this blog's followers. It's fast and easy! Make it be even more visited and spread all over the world! I'm a woman, a teacher of English in Portugal, and I've been away for quite a long time because of my father's health. Unfortunately he died from Covid19 a few months ago. Now I felt it was time to restart my activity in this and other blogs I owe. I've recently created a new one in a partnership with a street photographer, Mr. Daniel Antunes. He's fabulous! https://pandpbydandd.blogspot.com I'd like you to visit it and, who knows, become our followers. The poems, chronicles and thoughts are all mine. Thank you so much! Kisses :-)

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Saturday, October 18, 2014

New viruses 'killing amphibians' in Spain

A deadly new disease has emerged that is wiping out amphibians, scientists report.

Common Midwife Toad
The common midwife toad is one of several species that have been hit by the new strains of Ranavirus

A number of viruses have been found in northern Spain that are killing frog, toad and newt species. Infected animals can suffer from ulcers on their skin and die from internal bleeding.
Researchers fear the strains, which belong to the Ranavirus group, have already spread to other countries.
Lead author Dr Stephen Price, from University College London, said: "Until the outbreaks, we didn't really know about this lineage of virus.
"But since these die-offs began, we've started to see them elsewhere - in China in giant salamanders, and it looks like they are emerging in places like France and the Netherlands as well."
Common midwife toad haemorrhaging
The viruses cause internal haemorrhaging and some animals have large open sores on their skin
Dead amphibians were first spotted in the Picos de Europa National Park, in Spain, in 2005.

An investigation by a team of researchers found that a range of new viruses were the cause.
Two of the viruses, called CMTV-like Ranaviruses, were infecting large numbers of animals.
What is unusual is that they can jump between a range of species, killing off frogs, toads and newts.
Dr Price said: "In the Picos de Europa National Park, we've seen major population collapses in three species: the common midwife toad, the common toad and the alpine newt. But we also found all the common amphibian species in the park were highly susceptible and experiencing disease and mortality.
"It is a pretty graphic disease with a high kill-rate. We've shown these viruses have caused simultaneous declines in several species of host."
Alpine newt
Alpine newts have also been killed by the viruses in Spain
The researchers believe the virus can even spread to reptiles.
"We recorded a snake that had been feeding on amphibians infected with disease, and it showed signs of the virus," said Dr Price.
Conservationists are especially worried about these new viruses because 41% of all amphibians already face extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Another disease, called the chytrid fungus, has spread around the world, killing off many populations.
Scientists fear that if the new viruses spread, they could have a devastating effect on these already vulnerable animals.
The research was carried out by scientists at UCL, the Zoological Society of London, Queen Mary University of London, the Museum of Natural Science in Madrid, and the Picos de Europa National Park.
From BBC News

Monday, October 13, 2014

Invasive army of mussels kill native species

They may look harmless - but these shrimps and mussels from abroad could be very dangerous for some native fish species in the UK.

Invasive killer shrimp come to UK and now dominate in Norfolk Broads
Scientists are warning about the army of invasive shrimps and mussels that originally come from the Caspian and Black seas in Turkey and Ukraine.

Quagga mussels damage boat hulls and can block water pipes
Quagga mussels damage boat hulls and can block water pipes

They have been found in Britain's rivers and streams for the first time in the past few weeks .They have exotic names such as killer, demon and bloody-red shrimp.
In some parts of UK invaders have helped the waterways resemble the Caspian Sea
Invasive shrimps take over UK native species
They breed quickly and overwhelm species already living here.
One particular small species, the Quagga mussel - that's only as big as your thumbnail, can produce one millions eggs each year.
Dr David Aldridge, Cambridge University said: "I think we are at a tipping point. Now the quagga mussel has just arrived, we are about to have a big meltdown."
A newly arrived quagga mussel hitching a ride on a zebra mussel
A newly arrived quagga mussel hitchinga ride on a zebramussel

They quickly clog water pipes, damage boats and spoil the environment for other species including trout and salmon.
They are carried in, by accident, on boats, trains and lorries from abroad or even by international surfing competitions.
Researchers say keeping these cold blooded invaders out, could be almost impossible.

Heatmap showing the potential spread of species in UK waterways

Heatmap showing the potential spread of species in UK waterways

Heatmap showing the potential spread of species in UK waterways



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