Nature Ecology & Evolution

New research identifies coastal regions at heightened risk of non-native marine species, including the eastern United States, Gulf of Mexico, coastlines bordering the North Sea, southeastern China and northern Australia.

During years of extreme drought, drier grasslands showed the strongest positive effects of biodiversity on productivity.

A team of Japanese and Italian researchers, including from Tohoku University, have evidenced mechanically delivered projectile weapons in Europe dating to 45,000-40,000 years - more than 20,000 years than previously thought. This study, entitled "The earliest evidence for mechanically delivered projectile weapons in Europe" published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, indicated that the spearthrower and bow-and-arrow technologies allowed modern humans to hunt more successfully than Neanderthals - giving them a competitive advantage. This discovery offered important insight to understand the reasons for the replacement of Neanderthals by modern humans.