Saturday, June 6, 2026

Welcome to Envirobites

We want to make cutting edge research in the environmental sciences accessible to all by highlighting recent studies and explaining how these advances shape the understanding of our world.

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CitiesEnvironmental Science
Brandi Pessman

Celebrating Community Science Month – How you can get involved

If you are a science enthusiast looking for ways to become more involved, community science is the perfect activity for you and your friends and family. Community scientists are people interested in science who volunteer to make observations, collect data, and report findings. Recently, community scientists in Ohio worked with experts to track declining native ladybugs in their backyards. April is global community science month and the perfect time to get involved with projects like these!

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Environmental Science
Munim Deen

Deforestation-related warming reduces productivity of rural workers

Global warming is often accompanied and related to deforestation. Deforestation amplifies many effects of global warming. Recent research has highlighted the effects of deforestation and warmer temperatures on workers in rural areas.

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Environmental ScienceScience through time
Jessica Espinosa

Melanism in Monarchs: The Use and Importance of Museum Collections in Scientific Research

Original Paper: Echevarría Ramos, M. and C.M. Hulshof. 2019. Using digitized museum collections to understand the effects of habitat on

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Animal behaviorCase StudiesClimateEnvironmental Science
Elisabeth Lang

Increasing Temperatures and Decreasing Insect Populations

Without insects, we wouldn’t have all of the edible plants that we rely on as important parts of our diets and entire ecosystems would be in trouble. Despite their importance, insects face many threats, including climate change. Through a literature review, a group of scientists found that increasing temperatures due to climate change and the resulting ecosystem changes are a leading cause of insect population declines globally. Some species have disappeared completely. However, different species respond to climate change differently. Monitoring and understanding their responses can help us prevent their loss.

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Case StudiesEcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Kevin Aviles Rodriguez

Helping a vulnerable rabbit species hop along with non-invasive genetic sampling

Many species face harsh challenges to persist in a human modified world. In order to design and implement conservation plans to support these imperiled species, we need to study wild populations. Advancements in genetics have made it easier to monitor wild populations and obtain relevant data to make informed choices regarding management and conservation policies. Check out this ebite to learn more about the conservation genetics of the New England cottontail rabbits.

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Animal behaviorCitiesEcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Brianne Palmer

Can Human Infrastructure Improve Biodiversity?

Electrical towers are dotted across landscapes around the world, bringing power to people in cities and the country. But can these towers be used to help wildlife? In a new study, researchers in Sevilla, Spain modified the base of these towers to attract wildlife. They found that not only do these man-made structures attract wildlife, but they can also act as wildlife corridors — providing safe passage for critters as they move across human-modified landscapes.

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CitiesEcosystems
Brandi Pessman

Dead and Gone? – The loss of decaying wood communities in urban forests

Forests are beautiful. From flourishing plants to tranquil wildlife to decaying logs, all parts are beautiful, vital, and connected. Dead logs are responsible for maintaining a healthy forest thanks to teams of fungi and wood-dependent insects inside. These organisms break down plant material to add nutrients back to the ecosystem. Forests are essential for human health and well-being, but human disturbance could threaten these ecosystems. To keep our forests healthy and beautiful, we depend on these decomposers, but can they rely on us?

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EcosystemsEnvironmental Science
Elisabeth Lang

Penguins and Conservation: How penguins can help us conserve an entire ecosystem

Marine protected areas (MPAs) can be a good way to protect species threatened by human activities and climate change. Antarctica has two MPAs right now, but there are plans for several more in the future. To help decide where these MPAs would be most effective, a group of researchers studied different penguin species. The presence and health of a penguin population shows that the ecosystem has good habitat and food sources, which indicates a healthy ecosystem. Protecting healthy ecosystems within the future MPAs will offer protection for all of the species that live within it.

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Animal behaviorClimateEcosystemsEnvironmental ScienceHuman Exposure and Public HealthToxicology
Brianne Palmer

The “Heartbreaking” Effect of Algal Blooms – Heart disease and the Southern Sea Otter

Our favorite hand-holding marine mammals, sea otters, are threatened by environmental toxins. Chemicals produced by algae blooms move up the food chain and cause a multitude of diseases in top predators. A new study documented how algae blooms cause heart disease in sea otters, what this means for our own seafood consumption, and proposes solutions to our pollution.

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