From the Community: moth’s green islands, poison arrow frog controversy and life in unlikely places

Poison dart frog, Dendrobates auratus Credit: Dirk van der Made

Moths create green islands in leaves, bats navigate long distances using a geomagnetic field and volcanic lake shows unexpected biodiversity. Here is what’s happening in ecology for the first week in April.

Green islands: As leaves cease photosynthesis production in preparation for winter, leaf-miners use bacteria to protect islands of green for the growth of larvae. Read more at “Caterpillars use bacteria to produce green islands in yellowing leaves.”

Robot glider: Solar- and wave-powered robotic surfboard glides on the ocean’s surface and monitors underwater conditions. The Wave Glider’s design could revolutionize marine data collection. Read more at “Oceanology: Robot ‘gliders’ swim the undersea world.”

Bat calibration: While bats use sonar to navigate in small distances, research shows “mouse-eared bats calibrate a magnetic compass with sunset cues” for longer distances, relying on a geomagntic field. Read more at “Bats Use Sun to Calibrate Geomagnetic Compass.”

Unlikely biodiversity: Inside a volcano nestled in the Andes, a lagoon reveals unexpected biodiversity, including thriving microbes, in its salty, alkali and arsenic waters. Read more at “Hostile volcanic lake teems with life.”

Poison arrow data: Biodiversity and Conservation reports on discrepancies in data surrounding the distribution of captive-bred poison arrow frog species native to South and Central America. Read more at “Poison arrow frog mystery.”

Also, hyenas’ ‘giggle’ sound contains information, forecasting the impact of climate change on fisheries, urbanized house ants create more complex colonies, and Giant Sequoias reveal information on centuries of Sierra Nevada dry spells.