Monday, June 15, 2026

Ecosystems

Animal behaviorEcosystems
Andrea Valcarcel

Fire and Animal Behavior: How Forest Fires are Mediating Predator-Prey Interactions

Fires, both from intentional and unintentional sources, have been altering our ecosystems for as long as history has been recorded, yet little is known about how these occurrences affect animal behavior, especially concerning predator-prey interactions. Countless factors, including the extent of the fire and the adaptability of both predator and prey to these new conditions affect the behavior and survivability of both predator and prey. In the end, change is inevitable, but if we improve our understanding of how fires influence animal behavior, we can then help rehabilitate affected populations in more effective and efficient ways.

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Animal behaviorCase StudiesEcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Brianne Palmer

How Citizen Science Led to The Discovery of Tree-Dwelling Toads

Two groups of citizen scientists in the UK discovered something previously unknown to science– toads living in trees. Read on to learn about how citizen science and collaborations with scientists can lead to more interesting questions and discoveries.

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ClimateEcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Etienne Herrick

Managing soil carbon for short and long-term benefits: Have we cracked the code?

Increasing carbon in soils has potential to help fight climate change and support crop growth, but researchers are still figuring out if and how we can do both at the same time. Read on to find out if they’ve discovered a solution!

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EcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Julia Bebout

Buried Alive: How Plants Bounce Back from Volcanic Debris

When a volcano erupts, what happens to plants growing nearby? Some are buried by volcanic tephra, dust and rocks thrown into the air by the volcano. Amazingly, newly published results suggest that this might not kill the plant community under the debris.

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EcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Andrea Valcarcel

Microplastics In Our Fish: How Fish Food Is Affecting Our Food Supply and Our Health

Microplastics are small plastic particles ranging in size from 1μm (the size of a human hair) to 5mm (the size of a pencil-top eraser) that don’t dissolve in water and are usually fragmented from larger pieces of plastics. That sounds like something that should never end up on our plates, right? Well, researchers have found that these small plastics have, unfortunately, found their way into our food chain.

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Ecosystems
Brandi Pessman

Oversimplified – Deforestation cuts down spider species

We tend to value simplification over complexity in our day-to-day lives, but animals rely on complex environments to maintain diversity. When we cut down forests for agriculture, livestock, or manufacturing, we simplify environments by reducing the diversity of plants – a disturbance that forces out many vital animals. A recent study showed that converting the diverse Atlantic Forest in Argentina into rows of pine trees for paper production has had severe consequences for spider species. Can time heal the wounds caused by clear-cutting?

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ClimateEcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Maria Marlin

Is the Bark Stronger Than the Bite? The Use of Models to Predict Bark Beetle-Induced Tree Mortality

Bark beetles can cause widespread tree mortality by disrupting the flow of water and nutrients. These trees are critical in sequestering carbon from greenhouse gas emissions. By accounting for beetle phenology as well as tree physiology, modeling can help predict bark-beetle induced tree mortality that can result from climate change.

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ClimateEcosystemsRemediation
Andrea Valcarcel

Relief for the Reef – Connecting Coral Resilience with Restoration Efforts

Coral reefs are ecologically important for both marine and land species, offering support for high biodiversity. They also represent one of the most threatened ecosystems, especially as a result of climate change and human intervention. Due to their vulnerability and significance, many efforts have been made to restore these vital ecosystems, yet the worldwide success rates for coral reef restoration aren’t nearly as high as scientists had hoped. So, now the question is: is there anything that can be done to make coral reefs and their restoration more resilient to the threats they face?

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