Lichens, we like them: Considering intimate relationships in biodiversity conservation
Learning about lichens, and their contribution to biodiversity and ecosystem function.
Read moreLearning about lichens, and their contribution to biodiversity and ecosystem function.
Read moreAuthor: Samantha E Andres Source: Calvo, Paco, et al. “Plants are intelligent, here’s how.” Annals of Botany 125.1 (2020): 11-28. What is
Read moreInvasive predators can have major impacts on native prey species. Eradication, if possible, can help native species rebound, but many invasion scenarios are complex and include multiple invasive predators. How do we decide which species to target first? While such decisions can be difficult, recent theoretical work has shed light on the most effective strategies.
Read moreWhat comes to mind when you think of human and wildlife conflict? One major source of conflict is predation of livestock by wild carnivores. Livestock management strategies can help lessen conflict by reducing predation events, but those strategies must be based on sound ecological concepts to be most effective.
Read moreGlobal ocean temperatures are currently rising and have been for decades. Scientists are working to discover how this changing climate affects species around the world, from the very large to the very small. This includes phytoplankton, the microscopic marine algae that live in most bodies of water around the globe and produce half the world’s oxygen. But some of these species are toxic, and can cause harm to human and wildlife alike if they are able to grow out of control. Though a number of studies have been undertaken to try and understand more about these harmful algal blooms, much is still unknown about their growth. A group of scientists were interested in how changing ocean temperatures affected the geographic ranges of harmful algal blooms over time in order to better predict blooms in the future.
Read moreI’ve always been a big fan of animals. I love visiting pet shops and looking at all the cool animals. However, movement of animals via the pet trade has resulted in the introduction of exotic wildlife to many ecosystems globally. A particularly widespread invader is the red-eared slider turtle. Read on to find out how these invaders in red have spread and whether policy has been effective in controlling them.
Read moreAuthor: Samantha E Andres ARTICLE: Bastin, Jean-Francois, et al. “The global tree restoration potential.” Science 365.6448 (2019): 76-79. DOI: 10.1126/science.aax0848
Read moreScience predicts that climate change will disrupt many natural processes and cycles and there is ever increasing media coverage regarding expectations for Earth’s future under these pressures. Yet there is little popular discussion about how plant communities will be impacted by these changes despite the fact that they represent the first level of the food web, support entire ecosystems of species, and contain one of the only organisms that can capture free energy to produce life. Understanding the ways that these communities are changing and will change in the future is crucially important to seeing the full picture of how climate change will re-shape life as we know it.
Read moreThe ground under our feet might have more say in the landscape than we realize– researchers are studying the feedback loops between fungi and trees.
Read moreBird 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
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