University of Maine researchers have developed a tool called “BeeMapper” that will allow blueberry growers to assess the predicted wild bee abundance in the landscape surrounding their crop fields. They will debut and demonstrate the computer-based tool on Wednesday, July 19 at the UMaine Cooperative Extension annual Wild Blueberry Summer Field Day at Blueberry Hill […]
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As virtual reality programs grow in popularity, more and more educators are using them to teach students about a variety of subjects, from science to geography to math. A team from the University of Maine recently released a beta version of one such program that allows students to learn geometry in a virtual 3-D space. […]
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Using data from a 33-year population study, University of Maine researchers have found evidence that various tree species can affect rodent populations in different ways. The results advance the understanding of interactions between seeds and rodents, as well as complex population fluctuations, according to the researchers. The study was led by then-master of wildlife conservation […]
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Ecologists and conservationists have long recognized that keystone species have major ecological importance disproportionate to their abundance or size. Think beavers, sea stars and prairie dogs — species that keep a ecosystem balanced. Similarly across landscapes, the keystone concept of disproportionate importance extends to other ecological elements, such as salt marshes in estuaries. Now an […]
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The University of Maine Center for Research on Sustainable Forests has partnered with the Maine Forest Service to develop and release the Maine Forest Dashboard website. The site provides current information about aspects of Maine’s forest, including recreation and tourism, conservation, forest products and family forests. It also provides interactive graphing capabilities with important statewide […]
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Maine’s wet 2017 winter and spring eased the 2016 drought conditions, says Sean Birkel, University of Maine research assistant professor and Maine State Climatologist. Winter precipitation was 2.3 inches more than normal on a statewide average, he says, totaling 11.7 inches water equivalent. And spring precipitation was 2.5 inches above normal, totaling 12.3 inches water […]
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Colorado potato beetles can decimate spud crops by devouring the plants’ foliage. That’s a big problem for farmers in Maine where the 2016 potato harvest was valued at more than $142 million. There’s more unsettling news — each female Colorado potato beetle can lay about 600 eggs in a growing season. And the species — […]
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Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC) has successfully completed full-scale testing of a specialized, water-lubricated bearing system and associated driveline components designed for underwater systems that capture energy from ocean tides and river currents at the University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center. The purpose is to make the systems more durable and efficient, reduce […]
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“Are we going to be dissecting something?” a Great Salt Bay third-grader asked as he entered the classroom. When he got a whiff of the empty petri dish in front of him, he announced, seemingly pleased with his guess: “Yup, this smells dissected.” For the next 45 minutes, he and other students learned about oyster […]
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Well into the 19th century, home for Native families continued to be where they camped, fished, hunted and gathered wood in Maine. For Wabanaki people, home wasn’t confined to, or defined as, one place. Nor was home bound by walls or lines on a map, says Micah Pawling, assistant professor of history and Native American […]
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