Wildlife

Lobster Paradox

The number of baby lobsters in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank regions has dropped to the lowest levels since about the beginning of this century.

Despite the dwindling population of juvenile lobsters, the industry has for years brought in record catches of adults.

Atlantic waters off Maine and Canada have been warming more rapidly in recent years than in most other areas of the world.

The head of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association says that once-plentiful starfish, sea urchins, sea sculpins and rock crabs are no longer being found in traps.

Nocturnal Distractions

The widespread use of artificial light at night is joining climate change, pesticide use and invasive alien species as the latest threat to pollinating insects.

New research published in the journal Nature found that nighttime illumination reduces visits of nocturnal pollinators to flowers by 62 percent.

The moths, beetles and bugs that are the leading pollinators after dark are easily distracted from their duties by the allure of bright lights, according to lead researcher Eva Knop of the University of Bern. She and colleagues made the discovery by comparing insect-plant interactions in naturally dark meadows with those in areas that are illuminated.