News: Biodiversity and Sustainability

Read the latest news from the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin

Research

New Model Shows How Behavioral Flexibility Affects Animal Evolution

Animals able to change behaviors but slow to evolve might fare better than previously thought amid climate change.

A squirrel leans over a natural pool of water to take a sip

Research

Wildflowers Mix it Up to Survive Drought

Researchers at UC Davis, UT and elsewhere use global data on plants and droughts to create framework for planning.

A bunch of orange flowers bloom from small, green bushy plants

Research

Which Mating Call to Choose? People Are in Accord with Bugs, Bats and Frogs

Music to the ears of amorous amphibians and other creatures sounds best to humans, too, a new study finds.

Three birds perched on a wooden rod. Their body feathers are white and black with white chests, brown cheek patches and reddish orange beaks.

Features

Rooted in Nature: A Bio-Inspired Strategy Using Bacteria to Enhance Plant Fitness

A biologist takes inspiration from fungus-growing ants in his research with microbes that grow on roots in soil.

Leafcutter ants on fungus

Features

Microplastics in the Sand: Beach Combing Goes High Tech

A UT chemist says it is now time to develop tests for microplastics, similar to tests for other toxic threats.

A toaster-sized robot sits on a table with and mechanical arm hovering over a dish of sand. A bluish light points onto a spot on the sand for analysis.

Features

Microbiology and Mentoring: Meet Grad Student Mariangel Correa Orellana

Driven by her love for the ocean, one student studies how Hawaiian shrimp interact with microbes and temperature.

Collecting data for research.An image of Mariangel

Research

Destroying Crazy Ant Nest Structure Makes Them Vulnerable to Pathogens

Research initiated at a UT field station keeps progressing. That is good news for a war on an invasive species.

Reddish brown worker ants tend small larvae which look like semi-transparent rice grains

UT News

From Research to Results: UT-City of Austin Partnership Delivers

Tim Keitt and Ed LeBrun are among the UT researchers helping Austin, combat invasive species and plan for tomorrow.

A firefighter stands near a trough of water by a pastoral road while other firefighters in and out of a small truck work.

Research

Vulnerable Salamanders, Key to Healthy Ecosystems, a Focus in Two Studies

A pair of studies from UT Austin offer insights into these keystone species.

Image of two salamanders.

Research

Extreme, Prolonged Drought Slashes Productivity of Grasslands, Shrublands

Research published in the journal Science on water-deprived plants involved Texas Field Station Network experts.

A rain-out shelter at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. It consists of clear plastic strips supported by metal arms and legs several feet above a plot of open grassland.