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Dormancy

All articles tagged with #dormancy

science27 days ago•5 min saved

Dormant Volcanoes May Be Breathing Magma, Study Finds

ETH Zurich researchers mapped Methana volcano over 700,000 years and found a surge of zircon crystals during a long dormancy, indicating massive magma buildup beneath the surface even when eruptions cease. This challenges the idea that long inactivity means extinction and suggests subduction-zone volcanism can quietly reawaken. The team notes that monitoring gas, ground deformation, earthquakes, and gravity changes is crucial to detect reawakening in dormant volcanoes; the findings, published in Science Advances, have broader implications for volcanic hazard assessment.

via ScienceAlert|

#dormancy #magma #methana

planet-earth3 months ago•91 min saved

Dormant deep-Earth microbes may wake after millions of years

A Live Science feature explores 'intraterrestrials'—microbes living deep in Earth's crust that can remain dormant for hundreds of thousands to millions of years. Scientists propose these organisms may awaken only when slow geological processes bring them back to nutrient-rich surface environments, raising questions about Darwinian evolution in nongrowing life and suggesting long-term dormancy could offer a selective advantage (GASP) as they wait for events like island subsidence, volcanic activity, or plate movement to “reawaken” them.

via Live Science|

#deep-biosphere #dormancy #evolution

science1 year ago•3 min saved

Tracing the Origins of the First Seeds

The first seeds emerged during the Devonian period, around 372 million years ago, as plants transitioned from spores to seeds for reproduction. This evolution provided plants with advantages such as protective shells, food storage, and adaptability to diverse environments, allowing them to thrive and diversify. Seeds can remain dormant, enabling them to survive across generations and travel long distances, contributing to their evolutionary success.

via Livescience.com|

#devonian-period #dormancy #plant-evolution

science2 years ago•8 min saved

"Earth's Life Largely Dormant After Hitting 'Emergency Brake'"

Researchers have discovered a protein called Balon that can halt protein production in cells, inducing dormancy. Found in Arctic bacteria, Balon is common across many organisms and represents a novel mechanism for dormancy, crucial for survival in harsh conditions. This discovery could help engineer organisms to withstand climate change and reframes dormancy as a vital, universal survival strategy.

via Quanta Magazine|

#balon-protein #climate-change #dormancy

ecology2 years ago•3 min saved

"The Looming Ecological Threat of Invasive Plant Time Bombs"

A new study led by the University of California, Davis reveals that invasive plants can remain dormant for decades or even centuries before rapidly expanding and causing ecological damage. The research, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, analyzed over 5,700 species of invasive plants in nine regions globally, finding that nearly one-third exhibited lag periods between introduction and rapid expansion, with the average time being 40 years. The study emphasizes the need to consider dormancy periods in managing pests and preventing widespread invasion and economic losses in the future.

via Phys.org|

#climate-adaptation #dormancy #ecological-threat

earth-science2 years ago•6 min saved

Ciomadul study reveals rapid and explosive eruptions of long dormant volcanoes

Hungarian scientists studying the Ciomadul volcano have found that even after tens of thousands of years of dormancy, a volcano can rapidly become active and pose a previously unknown threat. By analyzing the mineral composition of volcanic rocks, the researchers identified the conditions and processes that lead to explosive eruptions. They discovered that the presence of distinct amphibole compositions in the magma played a key role in triggering the explosive eruptions. This research highlights the importance of studying long-dormant volcanoes and understanding their potential hazards.

via Phys.org|

#dormancy #earth-science #eruption