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Bushfires: Can ecosystems recover from such dramatic losses of biodiversity?

Fears for familiar and charismatic animals affected by the bushfires, such as koala, have been expressed by conservationists.

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Darren Evans, Newcastle University

The sheer scale and intensity of the Australian bushfire crisis have led to apocalyptic scenes making the front pages of newspapers the world over. An estimated 10 million hectares (100,000 sq km) of land have burned since 1 July 2019. At least 28 people have died. And over a billion animals are estimated to have been killed to date. Of course, the actual toll will be much higher if major animal groups, such as insects, are included in these estimates.

The impacts of climate change – in particular, the consequences of the increasing frequency of extreme weather events on all life should be abundantly clear. People finally seem to be taking this seriously, but there is an undercurrent of opinion about the “naturalness” of wildfires. Some are still questioning the role of climate change in driving the Australian bushfires.

It is true that wildfires naturally occur in many parts of the world, and benefit plants and animals in ecosystems that have been uniquely shaped by fire over evolutionary time. And people have been using fire to manage ecosystems for thousands of years. We could learn a thing or two from Aboriginal people and the techniques they have traditionally used to prevent bushfires.

But make no mistake, the scientific evidence shows that human-caused climate change is a key driver of the rapid and unprecedented increases in wildfire activity. What is particularly worrying is the extent to which this is eroding the resilience of ecosystems across wide regions. Yes, it is plausible to expect most plants and animals that have adapted to fire will recover. But the ecological costs of huge, repetitive, high-severity wildfires on ecosystems could be colossal.

Out of control

And it’s unclear how much the natural world can tolerate such dramatic disturbance. Wildfires are increasing in severity around the world. The Australian bushfires are larger than some of the deadliest recorded. Incidences are also increasing in ecosystems where wildfires are uncommon, such as the UK uplands. Not to mention the widespread deliberate burning of areas of high conservation value for agriculture, as has been recently reported in large parts of the Brazilian Amazon for beef production and in Indonesia for palm oil.

Unsurprisingly, given the shocking numbers of animals that must have perished as a result of these wildfires, many are questioning whether burned ecosystems can recover from such dramatic losses of biodiversity. In Australia, for example, some estimate that the fires could drive more than 700 insect species to extinction.

The world’s biodiversity is already severely struggling – we are in the midst of what scientists describe as the sixth mass extinction. A recent report has highlighted that about a quarter of assessed species are threatened with extinction. Australia already has the highest rate of mammal loss for any region in the world, signalling the fragility of existing ecosystems that might struggle to function in a warming, fire prone world.

Fears for familiar and charismatic animals affected by the bushfires, such as koala, have been expressed by conservationists. The outlook for already critically endangered species, such as the regent honeyeater and western ground parrot, meanwhile, is uncertain. But to establish the true ecological costs of wildfires it is important to consider biodiversity in terms of networks, not particular species or numbers of animals.

All species are embedded in complex networks of interactions where they are directly and indirectly dependent on each other. A food web is a good example of such networks. The simultaneous loss of such large numbers of plants and animals could have cascading impacts on the ways species interact – and hence the ability of ecosystems to bounce back and properly function following high-severity wildfires.

A fragile system

And so it’s key that we consider biodiversity loss due to wildfires in terms of entire networks of interacting organisms, including humans, rather than simply one or two charismatic animals. I have studied and recently published research about the loss of plants and animals due to wildfires in Portugal, using new methods in ecology that can examine the resilience of ecosystems to species extinctions. My team found that networks of interacting plants and animals at burned sites became fragile and more prone to species extinctions.

Our study looked at the impacts of a large wildfire in 2012 on one of the many ecological interactions that keep ecosystems healthy – insect pollination. We examined the responses of moths, which are important but often overlooked pollinators, to wildfire by comparing those we caught in burned and neighbouring unburned areas.

By collecting, counting and identifying the thousands of pollen grains they were carrying, we were able to decipher the plant-insect network of interacting species. In this way, it was possible to examine not only the responses of the plants and animals to wildfire, but crucially the impacts on pollination processes.

We then used these networks to model the resilience of the ecosystem more generally. We found that burned areas had significantly more abundant flowers (due to a flush of plants whose seeds and roots survived in the soil) but less abundant and species‐rich moths. The total amount of pollen being transported by the moths in burned areas was just 20% of that at unburned areas.

Our analysis revealed important differences in the way these species interacted as a result of the wildfire. Although the study was only a snapshot in time, we were able to show that plant-insect communities at burned sites were less able to resist the effects of any further disturbances without suffering species extinctions.

And so as people start rebuilding their homes, livelihoods and communities in Australia following the devastating bushfires, it is crucial that governments and land managers around the world take sensible decisions that will build resilience into ecosystems. To do this, ecological interaction networks need to be considered, rather than specific species. Cutting-edge network approaches that examine the complex ways in which entire communities of species interact can and should help with this.

Over 45 years ago, the American evolutionary ecologist and conservationist Dan Janzen wrote: “There is a much more insidious kind of extinction: the extinction of ecological interactions.” We should all be concerned not just about the loss of animals, but about the unravelling of species interactions within ecosystems on which we all depend for our survival.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Amazon launches new Kindle Paperwhite with 16 GB storage

The global e-reader market continues to grow, with readers increasingly embracing digital platforms that blend convenience with expansive content libraries, a trend Amazon leverages with this launch.

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Amazon headquarters with workforce restructuring news

On Wednesday, Amazon introduced the latest Kindle Paperwhite in India, elevating the e-reading experience with cutting-edge upgrades. The U.S.-based tech leader announced that the new model boasts 25% faster page turns, ensuring a seamless and immersive reading journey for book enthusiasts.

The Kindle Paperwhite features a 7-inch waterproof display with a crisp 300 ppi resolution, powered by an oxide thin-film transistor for a sharper contrast ratio that enhances text clarity. Its improved keyword touch-response system makes navigation intuitive, catering to users who value speed and precision. Readers can personalize their experience with adjustable warm light settings and a dark mode option, ideal for day or night reading.

Amazon touts an impressive battery life of up to 12 weeks on a single charge, making the device a reliable companion for avid readers. With 16 GB of storage, the Kindle Paperwhite accommodates a vast library, supported by features like X-Ray, which offers instant insights into characters, places, or terms within a book. The built-in dictionary provides quick word lookups and translations, while Word Wise displays simple definitions above challenging words, aiding language learners.

The device grants access to over 1.5 crore titles across genres, including eBooks in regional languages like Hindi, Tamil, and Marathi. Kindle Unlimited subscribers can explore more than 20 lakh eBooks, while Amazon Prime members enjoy a rotating selection of titles at no extra cost. The global e-reader market continues to grow, with readers increasingly embracing digital platforms that blend convenience with expansive content libraries, a trend Amazon leverages with this launch.

Priced at ₹16,999, the Kindle Paperwhite is available in Black and can be purchased on Amazon’s platform. This release underscores Amazon’s commitment to refining e-reader technology, blending user-friendly design with robust functionality. As digital reading gains traction in India, the new Kindle Paperwhite is poised to capture the attention of both casual readers and literary aficionados, offering a gateway to a world of stories in a sleek, portable package.

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HP launches new range of Copilot+ AI laptops in India

This enables AI functionalities to operate offline, ensuring faster processing and enhanced data privacy—a boon for users in India’s fast-evolving digital landscape.

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HP has unveiled an exciting new lineup of Copilot+ PCs in India, introducing four laptops crafted to deliver cutting-edge AI experiences directly on the device. Launched under the HP EliteBook, ProBook, and OmniBook series, these models cater to a wide range of users, from corporate professionals to creative minds like graphic designers and content creators.

Powered by processors from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm, these laptops feature dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPUs) that perform 40 to 55 trillion operations per second. This enables AI functionalities to operate offline, ensuring faster processing and enhanced data privacy—a boon for users in India’s fast-evolving digital landscape.

The laptops come loaded with HP’s AI-driven tools, including the AI Companion, myHP software, and Poly Camera Pro, designed to streamline productivity and elevate communication. These tools offer real-time file analysis, crystal-clear voice output, and smart camera features for seamless video calls, making them ideal for both professional and creative tasks.

The EliteBook series, starting at Rs 87,440, targets business users with models like the EliteBook 8 and 6 series, alongside the ProBook 4. These machines boast extended battery life, robust security features, and noise-cancellation technology for distraction-free meetings. Meanwhile, the OmniBook series, priced from Rs 78,999, is tailored for content creators and collaborative professionals. This range includes the OmniBook Ultra 14, 5 16, 7 Aero 13, and X 14, offering versatility for dynamic workloads.

HP’s AI Companion enables offline file searches, saving time for busy users. The Poly Camera Pro transforms video calls with multi-camera support, background effects, and streaming-ready features, while Poly Audio ensures clear conversations by filtering out background noise and balancing volume levels.

“India is poised to lead the global AI revolution, with its vibrant talent pool and dynamic growth,” said Ipsita Dasgupta, Managing Director of HP India. “Our expanded Copilot+ portfolio empowers everyone—from entrepreneurs to students—with AI tools to thrive in this new era.”

These Copilot+ PCs will soon be available through HP’s online store and retail partners across India, promising to redefine how Indians work and create.

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Samsung Galaxy S25 FE may skip chip upgrade, could reuse Exynos 2400e

Samsung’s next Fan Edition smartphone, the Galaxy S25 FE, is likely to feature the same Exynos 2400e processor as last year’s model, according to new leaks.

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Samsung

Samsung appears to be following a conservative route for its upcoming Galaxy S25 FE, with reports suggesting that the smartphone will feature the same Exynos 2400e chipset used in last year’s Galaxy S24 FE. While the tech giant has not officially confirmed the device’s launch, leaks hint that the handset—codenamed R13—is already under development.

According to internal code seen by the media, the Galaxy S25 FE carries the codename siop_r13s_s5e9945, confirming its chipset as Exynos 2400/2400e. This is the same processor seen in the Galaxy S24 FE, indicating that Samsung may skip a processor upgrade this year.

If accurate, this decision places the S25 FE behind newer premium chipsets like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Snapdragon 8 Elite, and MediaTek Dimensity 9400, potentially making the device less powerful in comparison to flagship competitors in 2025.

The Galaxy S25 FE is expected to launch towards the end of Q3 or early Q4 2025, as a more affordable variant of the Galaxy S25 series. Much like its predecessor, it will likely aim to strike a balance between performance and price, appealing to cost-conscious consumers.

Last year’s Galaxy S24 FE, launched in September 2024, came at a price of Rs. 59,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model. It featured a 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, 50MP triple rear camera, 10MP selfie camera, 4700mAh battery, and support for Galaxy AI features. If Samsung follows suit, the S25 FE could retain many of these specifications, making only minor hardware or software tweaks.

The report also mentions that the Indian variant of the Galaxy M36 5G may be powered by the Exynos 1380 chipset, the same one used in the Galaxy M35 5G. This suggests Samsung might be keeping things uniform across its mid-range portfolio for 2025.

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