Scientific design of GM farm-scale evaluations made public
The 40th anniversary issue of the British Ecology Society's Journal of Applied Ecology this month leads with two major papers describing the background, methodology and experimental design of the farm-scale evaluations of genetically modified herbicide-tolerant crops. In laying out the statistical design and methods of data collection for the... view more... (2003-02-07)
... anniversary issue of the British Ecology Society's Journal of Applied Ecology this month leads with two major papers describing the background, ... scientists. The Journal of Applied Ecology is one of the world's most prestigious periodicals of its ... by Les Firbank (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology) and Joe Perry (Rothamsted Research) and colleagues, competed ... for space through the Journal's normal process ...
From parasitism to mutualism: Partner control in asymmetric interactions
What prevents an exploitative individual from taking advantage of a cooperative partner? Most attempts to answer this question focus on reciprocity - exploitation may not pay, if it triggers retaliation. But in many encounters, only one individual can exploit the other. For example, when coral reef fish approach a `cleaner` wrasse to have their... view more... (2002-09-09)
... In the September issue of Ecology Letters, Johnstone and Bshary demonstrate that the threat of leaving by the client may nevertheless be sufficient to keep the cleaner in line, and we show that the predictions of this model match existing data on cleaner and client behaviour. Cooperation degenerates into exploitation only as the client loses the ability to escape. ...
University of Kent course run in partnership with modern wonder of the world
The news that Kew Gardens is to join the likes of the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China as a modern wonder of the world has been welcomed by teachers on the University of Kent's MSc Programme in Ethnobotany. Together with the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), the Department of Anthropology and the Royal Botanic Gardens... view more... (2003-07-11)
... Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), the Department of Anthropology and the Royal Botanic Gardens ... knowledge of plants and plant ecology in the context of their cultural, social and economic significance. ... teaching in ethnobiology and human ecology, while DICE has an international reputation for its work in ... the study and practical implementation of biodiversity management around the world. ...
Yale journal examines the global impact of cities
The global impact of cities is the focus of cutting-edge research in a special issue of Yale's Journal of Industrial Ecology. view more (2007-06-18)
... of Yale's Journal of Industrial Ecology.
"Cities are an environmental paradox. As dense centers of commerce ... in the special issue, Industrial Ecology and the Global Impact of Cities, range from the prospects ... global role to play."
"Industrial ecology, an emerging field that examines the relationship between industry and ... Program. "The application of industrial ecology to cities is beneficial at both ...
Heterosis in populations in nature of a domesticated plant
Few studies quantify evolutionary processes in populations of domesticated plants in traditional farming systems. In February's Ecology Letters, Pujol, David and McKey show that these systems offer unusual opportunities for studying microevolution. view more (2005-02-08)
... traditional farming systems. In February's Ecology Letters, Pujol, David and McKey show that these systems offer unusual opportunities for studying microevolution. Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is clonally propagated, but Amerindian cassava farmers also regularly incorporate volunteer plants from sexually produced seeds into their clonal stocks (cuttings) at harvest time. These new genotypes renew diversity lost under clonal propagation. However, whereas multiplied ...
Coexistence of identical competitors: an old doctrine challenged
An illustrious principle in ecology states that no two identical species may coexist: sooner or later all but one will drift to extinction. Researchers from the Beijing Normal University and the University of Helsinki have modeled recent data on fig-pollinating wasps that appear to contradict the old theory. The model, which is reported in a... view more... (2004-02-24)
An illustrious principle in ecology states that no two identical species may coexist: sooner or ... in a forthcoming issue of Ecology Letters, is built upon the evolutionary local mate competition theory, ... which is empirically strongly supported for fig wasps. Zhang, Lin, and Hanski show how this mechanism leads to a demographic advantage to uncommon species, which helps identical competitors coexist. ...
Mean Population Size Increases with Diversity
A long-standing debate in ecology has been the effect of diversity on the temporal stability of biological systems. Ecological theory predicts that the stability of populations should decline as community diversity increases, in part, because population size is assumed to decline with community richness. In the February issue of Ecology Letters,... view more... (2003-01-28)
A long-standing debate in ecology has been the effect of diversity on the temporal stability ... In the February issue of Ecology Letters, Valone and Hoffman, using an 11-year dataset, have shown ... that the temporal stability of 17 species of annual plants in natural communities increases with diversity. Population size also tends to increase with diversity, likely due to variation in ...
Improved estimates of population extinction risk (Harding and McNamara)
An important application of theoretical ecology is in estimation of species extinction risk. Extinction models guide the selection of management regimes for endangered species. Two vital parameters in these models are the mean population growth rate and its variance. However, empirical data on population growth are rarely perfect, but are... view more... (2003-12-10)
An important application of theoretical ecology is in estimation of species extinction risk. Extinction models guide ... In the latest issue of Ecology Letters, McNamara (U. Bristol) and Harding (U. Göteborg) show that ... sampling error has two opposite effects on estimates of population extinction risk. The errors lead to an exaggerated overall variance, but also introduce negative autocorrelations in the time ...
"Live fast, die young" applies to forests, too.
Forests provide humans with economically important and often irreplaceable products and services, and affect global climate by acting as sources and sinks of heat-trapping carbon dioxide. Yet the possible responses of forests to ongoing environmental changes are poorly understood. In the most recent issue of Ecology Letters, Stephenson and van... view more... (2005-04-19)
... the most recent issue of Ecology Letters, Stephenson and van Mantgem show that birth and death rates of trees vary in parallel with global patterns of forest productivity. In less productive forests, such as coniferous forests growing at high latitudes, a century or more can pass before half of all trees die and are replaced with new growth. In ...
Lancaster at the forefront of environmental research in Europe
One of the largest environmental research centres in Europe opens in Lancaster this week (6 July). The £25 million Lancaster Environment Centre brings together around 300 researchers and lecturers, all working to find solutions to major environmental problems. This joint venture between the Natural Environment Research Council's Centre for... view more... (2004-07-01)
... Environment Research Council's Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the University of Lancaster is housed in ... Lancaster and the Centre For Ecology and Hydrology have world-class reputations in the field of environmental ... science. Professor Lawton says, "Right now the work they do is more important than ever before." ...
U of Minnesota research reveals critical role of evolutionary processes in species coexistence
A team of researchers, led by the University of Minnesota, addressing long-standing conflicts in ecology and evolutionary science, has provided key directions for the future of community ecology. view more (2009-05-22)
... Minnesota, addressing long-standing conflicts in ecology and evolutionary science, has provided key directions for the future ... for the future of community ecology. The team comprehensively synthesized emerging work that applies knowledge of ... in the May issue of Ecology Letters, was conducted by a subgroup of researchers participating in ... bring an evolutionary perspective into ecology."
NCEAS hosts hundreds of scientists a year ...
Making maps from space
A new and improved Land Cover Map was launched today (31 October ) as a key part of the Countryside Survey 2000. In his opening speech at the launch Lord Whitty, DEFRA Science Minister, said 'Land Cover Map 2000 is, I believe, the first ever national map of land cover and habitats, as seen from space at a detailed field-by-field resolution,... view more... (2001-10-30)
... produced by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. It was made by analysing the images produced ... team at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.' The data will be used to assess ... the changing countryside in the UK. It has many potential applications such as helping to pinpoint areas of high biodiversity and evaluate the impacts of climate change. Combined ...
Media Invitation: British Ecological Society Annual Meeting, Lancaster University, 7-9 September 2004
You are invited to attend the UK's premier ecological event, the British Ecological Society's Annual Meeting, being held at Lancaster University on 7-9 September 2004. Thousands of ecologists from all four corners of the globe will be attending the meeting, which features hundreds of scientific papers and posters. Highlights include: * The BES... view more... (2004-08-17)
... future of scientific publishing in ecology. Taking part in the debate on Wednesday 8 September will ... of the Journal of Animal Ecology and Jill Lancaster of the University of Edinburgh.* An exhibition ... of the winning entries in the first BES photographic competition.* Whether organic farming is better for biodiversity than conventional agriculture.* What the decline of pollinators across Europe means ...
Top conservation award for University of Kent academic
University of Kent academic, Dr Richard Bodmer, has been given the Presidential Award for 2003 by the Chicago Zoological Society. Dr Bodmer is Reader in Conservation Ecology in the University's Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) based in the Department of Anthropology. The Award has been made in recognition of his 'personal work... view more... (2003-11-12)
... Bodmer is Reader in Conservation Ecology in the University's Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) based in the Department of Anthropology. The Award has ... for his contributions to the ecology and conservation of Amazonian mammals. Richard Bodmer joined DICE in ... 2000. His main research centres on promoting the sustainable use of wildlife in Peru's Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Communal Reserve and Pacaya-Samiria ...
New Keys to Keeping a Diverse Planet
Variation in plants and animals gives us a rich and robust assemblage of foods, medicines, industrial materials and recreation activities. But human activities are eliminating biological diversity at an unprecedented rate. view more (2007-09-27)
... a professor of evolution and ecology, and former doctoral student Richard Lankau (now a post-doctoral researcher ... UC Davis Graduate Group in Ecology that have recently been published in Science, Nature and the ... Science.
UC Davis graduate programs in ecology and evolutionary biology are among the best in the nation, ... and were ranked first in 2007 by U.S. News & World Report.
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