environmental science research for everyone
Climate doesn’t just change across different biomes – even a single tree can have multiple climates. How do the canopy and forest floor differ in their climate, and how does this impact species at these locations?
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Carpenter ants play an important role in an ecosystem; they break down wood into smaller pieces that will ultimately become part of the soil. But a parasitic ant can rapidly take over and destroy a colony by simply disguising herself through chemical means.
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Marine protected areas can be very effective at protecting marine life, and they’re even more effective when the actual movements of wildlife are used to guide the drawing of their borders. By using telemetry, scientists can make shark-friendly protected areas and watch how effective they are at reducing commercial fishing.
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Why do some animals, like mice and squirrels, bury their food? Isn’t that risky? The answer has to do with natural cycles of tree seed quantity.
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Environmental DNA or eDNA is DNA that has been released by organisms into their surroundings. This article presents a fascinating discovery: sampling air for eDNA can ultimately show what terrestrial vertebrates are nearby. Long-range monitoring of vertebrate biodiversity is explored as well.
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It’s easy to imagine how a forest might look immediately after a wildfire. It’s harder to imagine how a wildfire could affect life underwater.
Read moreJust as the spread of disease can be hard to control, pollutants can transfer between ecosystems, exposing new populations to environmental risks. A collaborative team of environmental scientists are seeking to understand the nature and consequences of the spread of mining pollutants between water- and land-based ecosystems.
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 moreA recent Australian study highlights the importance of including local and indigenous people in conservation research. While examining mitigation of lizard population declines, scientists stumbled upon a surprising finding about how researchers’ cultural differences can affect fieldwork and experimental outcomes.
Read moreIn 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.
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