forest ecology – envirobites

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Not All Forestry Is Equal: How High Retention Logging Might Protect the Understory

February 7, 2023January 30, 2023 Julia Bebout 0 Comments forest ecology, forestry, logging, plant ecology

Retention logging is the practice of harvesting trees while leaving some fraction of the forest in place. Studies have shown that this type of logging speeds forest recovery and maintains forest habitat for animals. But studies mostly watched forests recover for only a few years, while forests can take decades to recover from deforestation. Does retention logging really help forest ecosystems in the long run?

Animal behavior Ecosystems

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

August 1, 2022August 31, 2022 Andrea Valcarcel 0 Comments animal behavior, bushfire, forest ecology, forestry, predation, predator-prey interactions, prescribed fire, Wildfire

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.

Animal behavior Ecosystems

Why are some animals hoarders?

April 7, 2022January 30, 2023 Julia Bebout 0 Comments animal behavior, ecosystems, evolution, forest ecology

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.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Friend or foe? Invasive earthworms can benefit agriculture but harm forests

September 17, 2019September 17, 2019 Kara Cromwell 0 Comments agriculture, carbon, Conservation, Ecology, environmental science, forest ecology, forests, invasive species, invertebrates, nutrient cycles

Earthworms are welcome guests in the garden, but it’s a different story in the forest. By consuming and removing leaf litter too fast they set in motion complex cascades of ecological changes, with long-term negative effects on soil fertility and biodiversity.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Warblers out of the Woods: Savanna Restoration Creates Bird Habitat

May 30, 2019September 18, 2022 Abigail Bezrutczyk 0 Comments birds, Conservation, disturbance, ecosystem, forest ecology, habitat, Restoration, savanna, woodland

Savannas and woodlands are being restored in the Midwest– but how is that restoration affecting birds? The new habitat can be a good thing for bird conservation.