{"id":21198,"date":"2022-10-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-19T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=21198"},"modified":"2022-11-09T14:00:58","modified_gmt":"2022-11-09T13:00:58","slug":"qa-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/2022\/10\/20\/qa-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&A"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Q &<\/span> A<\/h2>\n\n

Email your questions to wildquestions@immediate.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Whales can be remarkably loud, and their songs can travel great distances underwater <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
How loud are whales? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n
CHRIS VICK ANSWERS: <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Very! Whales make all kinds of noises for a variety of reasons and there are some truly spectacular examples. The song of the humpback whale is not especially loud, but it can travel over hundreds or even thousands of kilometres. <\/p>\n\n

The blue whale \u2013 the largest animal ever to have existed \u2013 has been recorded vocalising up to 188 decibels. To put that into perspective, a jet engine when a plane takes off emits about 140 decibels, and the threshold before humans experience pain is 120 decibels. Sperm whales can be even louder when they make sonic \u2018clicks\u2019 to explore the waters. Divers report \u2018feeling\u2019 the clicks and sonic booms reverberating through them. <\/p>\n\n

Many whales rely on sound and the use of sonar to navigate their watery habitat. Yet the oceans are filling with human-made noise \u2013 oil and gas exploration, boats, military sonar and more. And whales may struggle to make themselves heard. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
The common gull is smaller than the herring gull, with a yellow bill and yellow legs <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
Why aren\u2019t common gulls all that common? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n
DAVID LINDO ANSWERS: <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

This dainty gull is very similar looking to its larger cousin, the herring gull, and thus is often overlooked. And despite the name, it is actually one of the scarcest of our regular gulls. It is principally a winter visitor to most of the UK, with numbers augmented by many Scandinavian birds. They are partial to loafing on sports fields, landfill sites and the green spaces within housing estates. Their breeding populations in the UK are based predominately in northern England and Scotland. <\/p>\n\n

The name \u2018common gull\u2019 was first coined by Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant in 1768 because he thought that it was our most numerous gull. The accepted thinking now is that it is so named because it breeds on common land in parts of Scotland and winters on common land throughout the rest of Britain. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Plotting world domination or just keeping clean? <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
Why do flies rub their hands together? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n
ERICA MCALISTER ANSWERS: <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Okay, first off \u2013 flies don\u2019t actually have hands, instead they have something called tarsi (from the Greek tarsos, <\/em>which roughly means \u2018flat surface\u2019). The tarsus is the segment on the leg that is furthest from the body and comprises several smaller segments, ending with one or two claws. <\/p>\n\n

A fly\u2019s tarsi are used for walking, grabbing, tasting and, importantly, cleaning. For although you may think that flies have some less-than-salubrious habits, to maintain all of their activities they must keep their sensory equipment clean. And so, with these often rather hirsute tarsi, they clean their heads \u2013 particularly their eyes \u2013 wiping away any particles that may have become stuck there. <\/p>\n\n

Not only are they cleaning their heads, but by rubbing the tarsi they are also freshening-up the smell and taste receptors located on them. Tasting with your feet is incredibly useful in helping you determine whether something is edible without having to get your delicate mouthparts out. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
An onion\u2019s effect on us is multi-layered <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Why do we react badly to onions and chillies? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
DAVID HAMILTON ANSWERS: <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Growing onions absorb sulphur from the soil. This is stored in cells in the form of amino acid sulfoxides. When the onion is cut, its cells release special enzymes along with these amino acids. These react together, forming sulphenic acid, which quickly converts into a catchily-named gas called syn-propanethial S-oxide. On contact with our eyes, this gas overstimulates basal tears as our eyes try to eliminate it. <\/p>\n\n

Chillies also burn, but rather than forming an acid, they work in a slightly different way. The burning sensation we feel is thanks to a compound called capsaicin. When you chow down on a chilli, this capsaicin binds with pain receptors in the tongue that trick the brain into thinking the mouth is on fire. The body then does what it can to get rid of this perceived danger \u2013 causing our eyes to water and our skin to create sweat. <\/p>\n\n

<\/div>
\n
RECORD BREAKER! <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
The reticulated python is able to climb trees <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s the world\u2019s longest snake? <\/h5>\n\n\n\n

This accolade is awarded to the reticulated python, which can be found in the rainforests, grasslands, woodlands and occasionally even the sewers of South and South-East Asia. The longest ever recorded individual was found in 1912 and measured 10m, and the longest in captivity was a female in the USA that measured 7.67m. This non-venomous species is also amongst the three heaviest snakes. MS <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

<\/div>
\n

FACT. <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Nine-banded armadillos always give birth to quadruplets. After fertilisation of a female\u2019s single egg by a male, the zygote implants in the uterus and splits into four identical embryos.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

WHAT ON EARTH?<\/h5>\n\n
Sticky situation <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n

The description of a fellow human as \u201cno stick insect\u201d is rarely meant as a compliment. Directed at a member of the Proscopioidea, though, it is just a statement of taxonomic reality. These twiggy characters look, move and eat like stick insects \u2013 in this case, one that looks as if it has just been caught raiding the fridge after midnight \u2013 but they belong to an entirely different group of insects. Stick grasshoppers, as they are less formally known, are found across tropical America and can be distinguished from their twiggy lookalikes by hind legs built for jumping, elongated faces and high-set eyes. SB <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

What is a false autumn? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n
ANDREW SMITH ANSWERS: <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n
\"\"
The drought of this summer caused early leaf drop in some trees <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

When and why the leaves of a tree change colour and drop depends on many different things as trees react to their environment and adapt to their growth. <\/p>\n\n

When it\u2019s hot and dry, a tree may be losing too much water and so drops some of its leaves. This is known as \u2018summer leaf drop\u2019. It can be mistaken as autumn but is in fact a \u2018false autumn\u2019 where typically only 20 per cent of a tree\u2019s leaves are lost. This is a normal response and doesn\u2019t usually affect the health of the tree \u2013 unless it happens for several years in a row. <\/p>\n\n

Of course, tree species react in a range of ways and some are more tolerant of hot, dry weather. Even individuals of the same species planted in different conditions can react differently. Planting a variety of species using seed from separate provenances will ensure the resilience of our nation\u2019s forests in a changing climate. <\/p>\n\n

<\/div>
\n
FAST ANSWERS<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Ugly or just misjudged? <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Why is the blobfish so ugly? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Droopy, gelatinous and with a large bulbous nose, the blobfish rose to fame when it was voted the ugliest fish in the world in a public poll. However, it\u2019s worth noting that specimens of this fish species suffer from decompression damage when brought to the surface. At the extreme depths where it is naturally found, it actually looks like a normal fish \u2013 so perhaps we\u2019ve all been judging it too harshly. MS <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
What are daddy long-legs? <\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

It depends who you ask! Usually this refers to spider species in the Pholcidae family, particularly the cellar spider (pictured) \u2013 the species that hangs out on ceilings and vibrates dizzyingly fast if touched. However, the name \u2018daddy long-legs\u2019 is also sometimes used to refer to craneflies or harvestmen. MS <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are there any animals named after Pok\u00e9mon? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve previously covered the Pok\u00e9mon creatures based on real-life animals (see discoverwildlife.com\/pokemon<\/a>), but did you know that it\u2019s also happened in reverse? In 2016, an entomologist named a Chilean bee species after the draconic Charizard, calling it Chilicola charizard. <\/em>MS <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Charizard inspired the naming of a bee in Chile <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n
INSTANT EXPERT<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

The phenotype: nature via nurture<\/h4>\n\n

WITH EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST JV CHAMARY <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"\"
A beaver dam is an extended phenotype, an idea proposed by Richard Dawkins<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

ANY OBSERVABLE CHARACTERISTIC or combination of traits \u2013 not just something like colour or behaviour, but features you can\u2019t easily see, such as physiology \u2013 are known as an organism\u2019s phenotype. These features are a product of genes and influenced by the environment \u2013 so a phenotype is the physical manifestation of genetic instructions. <\/p>\n\n

What\u2019s the genotype? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

The genotype is the combination of genes that produces a particular phenotype. When an individual inherits one copy of a gene from its mother and one from its father, those two copies are either distinct genetic variants (alleles) or the same. Two variants will differ in their DNA sequence, but the distinction between them is traditionally represented by capital and lowercase versions of a letter. <\/p>\n\n

A classic example comes from Gregor Mendel \u2013 a19th-century monk and father of genetics \u2013 who studied flower colour as part of his breeding experiments in pea plants. From a single gene with two variants, \u2018A\u2019 and \u2018a\u2019, a copy from each parent gives four possible genotypes: AA, Aa, aA, aa. By crossing two pure-bred parents \u2013 one with white flowers, the other purple \u2013 Mendel showed that offspring had purple flowers if they carried the dominant \u2018A\u2019 variant of a gene, but had to inherit both copies as the \u2018a\u2019 (recessive) variant to end-up with the white phenotype. That study inspired the concept of \u2018dominance\u2019, one of Mendel\u2019s laws of inheritance. <\/p>\n\n

So genotype determines phenotype? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Sometimes, but be wary of \u2018genetic determinism\u2019! That\u2019s the belief that traits are caused by genetics alone. It\u2019s important to note that many phenotypes aren\u2019t simply \u2018monogenic\u2019 traits dictated by a single gene, as phenotypes can also be \u2018polygenic\u2019 traits that depend on multiple genes. Saying that genes determine traits is a convenient shorthand, and one genotype can actually produce a variety of different phenotypes. <\/p>\n\n

Why might a phenotype not reflect its genotype? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Because the link between them can be influenced by environmental factors, such as a habitat\u2019s resources or how an individual is raised. If you\u2019re not careful, that idea can lead you to believe that traits are determined by either genes or the environment \u2013 nature or <\/em>nurture, which is another common misconception. <\/p>\n\n

Variation in phenotypes exist because genes aren\u2019t isolated from other factors that cause \u2018gene-by-environment\u2019 interactions. <\/p>\n\n

Think of twins with identical genotypes for the potential to grow muscle: only the one who lifts weights ends up with a muscular body. So a phenotype is the result of nature via <\/em>nurture. <\/p>\n\n

How do phenotypes affect evolution? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

A genotype is often invisible to natural selection because variants are hidden behind environmental factors or a genetic phenomenon like dominance. That means \u2018survival of the fittest\u2019 actually occurs between individuals according to their visible phenotype. Because only survivors pass genes to the next generation, an organism\u2019s genotype survives by being dragged along with its phenotype. <\/p>\n\n

That effect explains why harmful genetic variants (\u2018bad mutations\u2019) can persist in a population\u2019s gene pool over time. For example, with sickle-cell anaemia, people who inherit two copies of a defective gene have abnormal haemoglobin and short-lived, crescent-shaped red blood cells. Carrying just one copy causes \u2018sicklecell trait\u2019, where a person will carry the abnormal variant (and may pass it on to their children), yet won\u2019t suffer from disease. Although affected individuals are less likely to survive and reproduce, the variant survives in places where malaria is endemic because the parasite is less able to infect people with sickle-cell phenotypes. <\/p>\n\n

What\u2019s the \u2018extended phenotype\u2019? <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

It\u2019s a concept proposed by Richard Dawkins, who argued that a gene\u2019s effect can extend beyond the body to produce phenotypes in an organism\u2019s surroundings. Humans are an obvious case, because we create structures such as buildings and roads, but in his book, The Extended Phenotype, <\/em>Dawkins presented the example of a beaver\u2019s dam \u2013 an artificial structure that the animal makes through planning and dexterity, which is ultimately determined by its genes. <\/p>\n\n

NEXT MONTH WITH JV <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

EYES AND VISION <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

How animals see the world <\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
<\/div>
\n
BBC WILDLIFE EXPERTS<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

Photos: SNAKE: MICHAEL D. KERN\/NPL(CAPTIVE); ONION: GETTY; FLY: DOUG WECHSLER\/NATUREPL.COM; STICK GRASSHOPPER: NICKY BAY, SPIDER: GETTY; BLOBFISH: WIKIMEDIA\/CREATIVE COMMONS; ASPEN TREE: JUAN CARLOS MUNOZ\/NATUREPL.COM<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Q & A Email your questions to wildquestions@immediate.co.uk How loud are whales? CHRIS VICK ANSWERS: Very! Whales make all kinds of noises for a variety of reasons and there are some truly spectacular examples. The song of the humpback whale is not especially loud, but it can travel over hundreds or even thousands of kilometres. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":21622,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"82","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"82","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_82-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_82-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"November-2022","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"November-2022","purple_external_id":"November-2022-82-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"November-2022-82-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000087237||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000087237||","purple_android_product":"com.im.wildlife.497","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.wildlife.497","purple_ios_product":"com.im.wildlife.497","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.wildlife.497","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"58d61955-0ac4-406c-83f1-ab6f21d86b70","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2022-10-20T09:01:34Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"af84247c-4769-41c2-96cf-73fdd7a6a94f","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2022-10-21T12:55:22Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABw==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Ar4QkfEdpQcKWz3P916apTw","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[28],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/10\/P6089594-NickyBay_cmyk_preview.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"11","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/10\/P6089594-NickyBay_cmyk_preview.jpg",1600,1200,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/10\/P6089594-NickyBay_cmyk_preview-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/10\/P6089594-NickyBay_cmyk_preview-300x225.jpg",300,225,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/10\/P6089594-NickyBay_cmyk_preview-768x576.jpg",768,576,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/10\/P6089594-NickyBay_cmyk_preview-1024x768.jpg",800,600,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/10\/P6089594-NickyBay_cmyk_preview-1536x1152.jpg",1536,1152,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2022\/10\/P6089594-NickyBay_cmyk_preview.jpg",1600,1200,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Q & A Email your questions to wildquestions@immediate.co.uk How loud are whales? CHRIS VICK ANSWERS: Very! Whales make all kinds of noises for a variety of reasons and there are some truly spectacular examples. The song of the humpback whale is not especially loud, but it can travel over hundreds or even thousands of kilometres.…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21198"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21198"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21198\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22368,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21198\/revisions\/22368"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}