All posts tagged: devour

Microbes that dwell in tree bark devour major climate gases

Microbes that dwell in tree bark devour major climate gases

Published by skeptic

atmosphere: The envelope of gases surrounding Earth, another planet or a moon. bacteria: (singular: bacterium) Single-celled organisms. These dwell nearly everywhere on Earth, from the bottom of the sea to inside other living organisms (such as plants and animals). Bacteria are one of the three domains of life on Earth. biogeochemist: Someone who studies processes that cycle (or eventually deposit) pure elements or chemical compounds (including minerals) between living species and nonliving aspects (such as rock or soil or water) of an ecosystem. This field of study is known as biogeochemistry. carbon dioxide: (or CO2) A colorless, odorless gas produced by all animals when the oxygen they inhale reacts with the carbon-rich foods that they’ve eaten. Carbon dioxide also is released when organic matter burns (including fossil fuels like oil or gas). Carbon dioxide acts as a greenhouse gas, trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere. Plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen during photosynthesis, the process they use to make their own food. carbon monoxide: A toxic gas whose molecules include one carbon atom and one oxygen atom. …

Ravens devour Jackie and Shadow’s eggs, but more are possible this season

Ravens devour Jackie and Shadow’s eggs, but more are possible this season

Published by Sam Flores

Devoted fans of beloved bald eagle couple Jackie and Shadow are grieving after their recently laid eggs were destroyed by ravens, though there’s still hope that another clutch will come. Just before noon on Friday, Shadow left their Big Bear nest with its two eggs, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit that monitors the eagles with 24-hour livestreams. Typically, the eagles would take shifts on egg duty. But Jackie was out, too. That afternoon, ravens flew into the unattended nest and ate the eggs. Less than 10 minutes later, Jackie returned and began incubating, or sitting on, one of the breached eggs “because her hormones are telling her to incubate.” said Jenny Voisard, media and website manager for the nonprofit. It’s not clear why the doting parents were both absent, “but we are sure they had their reasons as they have been incubating the eggs faithfully,” the nonprofit wrote in its “Eagle Log.” There are some possible explanations, according to Voisard. While Jackie and Shadow were out, eagle observers noticed there was …