Culprit Identified: Fungus Causes Deadly Bat Disease (Oct 26, 2011)
Department of Interior.
The appropriately named fungus Geomyces destructans is the cause of deadly white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats, according to research published in the journal Nature. The study provides the first direct evidence that the fungus G. destructans causes WNS, a rapidly spreading disease in North American bats.

Don't Panic: The Animal's Guide to Hitchhiking (Oct 21, 2011)
Monash University (Australia).
New research suggests that hitch-hiking, once believed to be the exclusive domain of beat poets and wanderers, is in fact an activity that daring members of the animal kingdom engage in. And it may lead to a serious ecological problem. The researchers found that particular personality traits may equip animals to become successful, if unintentional, invaders.

West Nile virus transmission linked to land use patterns, 'super-spreaders' (Oct 20, 2011)
University of California - Santa Cruz.
In most places, only a few key species of bird "hosts" and mosquito "vectors" are important in transmission of West Nile virus. Robins play a key role in transmission of West Nile virus across much of North America.

Unlikely Stowaways: Weed Seed Travel to Faraway Places on Cars, Trucks and ATVs (Oct 19, 2011)
Weed Science Society of America.
When you take your four-wheel drive out for a spin this fall, you might be bringing home more than memories. Researchers at Montana State University have found that vehicles are routinely transporting invasive weed seeds. Seeds can stow away on tires, bumpers, wheel wells or the underside of a vehicle and sometimes travel great distances before falling off in a new locale. As weed seeds sprout and grow, they can crowd out native plants, disrupt native ecosystems and wildlife habitats and reduce crop yields when they spread to nearby fields.

"Non-invasive" Cultivar? Buyer Beware (Oct 11, 2011)
ScienceDaily; American Institute of Biological Sciences.
Cultivars of popular ornamental woody plants that are being sold in the U.S. as non-invasive are probably anything but, according to an analysis by botanical researchers published in the October issue of BioScience.