Tippets: Declining Insect Populations Threaten Ecosystems, Fish Pregnancy and Swimming Speed

• According to a global scientific review published in the journal Biological Conservation, the world’s insect populations are in severe decline, posing catastrophic consequences for ecosystems. Declining insect populations poses a great threat to trout populations as well, as Caddisfly, Mayflies, and Stoneflies are species reported to have declined over the past decade. Read more via The Guardian.
• Recent research published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface examines how pregnancy might affect a fish’s swimming speed and its ability to escape predators. “Researchers made 3D-printed models of expectant livebearers in their lab, whose ballooning bellies increased their size by as much as 43% during pregnancy. They then measured the drag forces the models experience in water flowing at various speeds.” Unsurprisingly, reports Erika K. Carlson, “swimming was much harder for the bigger models.” Via Science Magazine.

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source https://midcurrent.com/2019/02/13/tippets-declining-insect-populations-threaten-ecosystems-fish-pregnancy-and-swimming-speed/