Conservation – Page 3

Friday, April 19, 2024

Which Nature is Your Nature?

February 19, 2020February 19, 2020 Riley Lovejoy 0 Comments Conservation, Culture, Language, nature, policy

Cultural understandings of nature vary widely, but global conservation efforts often fail to consider multiple perspectives regarding nature. Researchers have suggested a framework through which to better understand cultural conceptualizations of nature through language. By incorporating this framework into their correspondences, scientists may be better equipped to communicate their findings, and policy makers will have a platform from which to promote more inclusive legislation.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

The Cows and the Bees

February 4, 2020February 5, 2020 Abigail Bezrutczyk 0 Comments agriculture, biodiversity, Conservation, ecosystems, environmental science, pollinators, rangeland, Sustainability

In the age of the sixth extinction, we need to think carefully about how we use our land– especially when different land uses are at odds. As a way to advance conservation, researchers in Israel examined “land sharing” of rangelands: a way of using land to benefit agriculture and biodiversity alike.

Ecosystems

How identifying the proper questions to ask can help save a non-charismatic animal

January 24, 2020January 24, 2020 Sarah Shainker 0 Comments Conservation, freshwater mussels

Pandas and whales grab a lot of our conservation attention (and funds), but what about the finelined pocketbook? This daintily named species, along with other freshwater mussels, is in deep trouble. Scientists worked together to identify research priorities for their conservation.

Case Studies Cities Environmental Science

Begging birds: behavioral responses to human feeding in China

January 16, 2020January 16, 2020 Kevin Aviles Rodriguez 0 Comments behaviour ecology, cities, Conservation, Ecology

Bird feeding is a popular activity enjoyed around the globe. However, we don’t really understand how bird feeding can impact the behavior of birds. A new study from China took on this question by studying black-headed gulls. Read on to find out how food provisionings affected the behaviors of these birds

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Excavating Extinction Histories

December 19, 2019January 15, 2020 Riley Lovejoy 0 Comments bones, Conservation, extinction, paleoecology, tortoises

Extinct organisms may seem like grim study subjects, but their bones can teach us a lot about their role in the environment and what led to their extinction. By knowing how these animals contributed to their environment, we can better understand how ecosystems have changed over time. Studying their bones can also give us insight into why the organisms went extinct so that we can help prevent similar extinctions of modern species.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Is 3D printing the future of conservation ecology?

December 13, 2019 Lauren Bonatakis 0 Comments 3D printing, Conservation, coral reefs, damselfish

3D printing is a new tool that is starting to be used in ecology. Researchers from the University of Delaware conducted an experiment to test whether 3D printed corals impact the behavior of a coral reef fish, the blue green chromis, in a laboratory setting. The results of experiments like these can pave the way for innovative techniques for habitat manipulation studies in the future.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Microbes for Disappearing Dunes

November 17, 2019November 16, 2019 Abigail Bezrutczyk 0 Comments Climate Change, Coastal Changes, Conservation, environmental science, erosion, hurricanes, microbes, plant diversity, Restoration, Sustainability

A major challenge our coastal ecosystems face is rapid loss of sand dunes due to coastal erosion. Plants play an important role in sand dune restoration. However, without the right microbes these plants may not be able to establish themselves in the dunes.

Case Studies

Escape in the Serengeti: Hyraxes have become accustomed to increasing human disturbances

November 13, 2019 Kevin Aviles Rodriguez 0 Comments Conservation, Ecology, ecotourism

As human population increases, many wild animals are increasingly exposed to the presence of humans. Furthermore, nature based tourism can also increase exposure of wild populations to humans. Read on to find out how hyraxes, small African mammals, have been affected by increasing encounters with humans.

Climate Ecosystems Science through time

What is scarier than zombies, ghosts, and witches? A modern mass extinction

October 31, 2019November 12, 2019 Ashley Riane Booth 0 Comments biodiversity, Climate Change, Conservation, extinction, modeling

When I was a little kid, the things that scared me were a little silly – the slime monster from Ghostwriter, caterpillars, or a sinkhole developing underneath my bed that would swallow me while I slept. While I’ve gotten over these mostly ridiculous fears, being an adult doesn’t mean I am now fearless. Instead, the things that I consider “scary” have shifted. Now, the things that scare me are all too real – things like climate change and mass extinction.

Environmental Science

Listen for a Change: Bioacoustics in Restored Habitat Combats the Bird Decline

October 30, 2019October 23, 2019 Abigail Bezrutczyk 0 Comments Alaska, bioacoustics, bird decline, birds, Conservation, Ecology, environmental science, habitat restoration, ornithology, Restoration

Excerpt: A recent study has revealed that 3 billion birds have disappeared since 1970 in North America. Restoring habitat can help reverse this loss, and technology in listening for birds can be a vital tool to see if this approach to restoring bird habitat is working.