A long-term study by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology found that natural regeneration through seed dispersal by birds, mammals, and wind can produce biodiverse and resilient woodlands. The research suggests that incorporating passive rewilding into national planting targets could result in significant cost savings.
A team of researchers tracked the movements of hippos in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania, to better understand how anthrax outbreaks spread. They found that infected individuals roamed just as much as healthy hippos, highlighting the importance of wildlife movement in disease transmission.
A new study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution reveals that root traits can explain plant species distributions across the planet, challenging the nature of ecological trade-offs. The research found that thick and dense roots are more common in warm climates, while thin and low-density roots are more common in cold climates.
Researchers analyzed stable isotope analysis of skin, muscle, and bone tissue to study Sowerby's beaked whale spatial ecology. The results show that the species exhibits both short- and long-term habitat fidelity, with at least two subpopulations in the eastern and western Atlantic.
The researchers proposed five strategies to address colonial legacies in ecology: decolonizing the mind, understanding history, increasing access to information, recognizing diverse expertise, and establishing inclusive teams. These strategies aim to challenge biases and promote a more ethical approach to ecological research.
Researchers propose five interventions to promote equitable ecology practices, including amplifying diverse expertise, addressing data sovereignty issues, and deconstructing biases in research teams. These actions aim to connect with existing anti-colonial and anti-racist struggles and promote ecological justice.
Researchers at the HSE Institute of Ecology suggest that Russia can revise its territorial waters' baselines to ensure sovereignty, rights, and national security. Granting 'historic waters' status could also reinforce Russia's position in the Arctic by utilizing long-term use and permanent occupation of these areas.
The study adapts mathematical models from ecology to understand Twitter's interaction patterns. The researchers identified two primary behaviour patterns: a modular state with fragmented attention and a nested state during exceptional events.
Researchers studying the symbiotic bacteria of beewolves found signs of genome erosion and metabolic streamlining for antibiotic production. The bacteria's genome is being reduced as it focuses on its defensive symbiosis with the host insects, suggesting an adaptation to their mutual benefit.
Researcher Margarita López-Uribe will investigate the impact of artificial selection on pollinator ecology and evolution in agricultural landscapes. She aims to characterize changes in floral functional traits, pollinator foraging behavior, and genetic underpinnings of sensory system adaptations.
A team of experts, including Phoebe Zarnetske and Jessica Gurevitch, investigate the ecological impacts of reflecting sunlight to cool the planet. Their research highlights the complexity of cascading relationships between ecosystem function and climate under different scenarios.
Researchers investigate the ecological impacts of solar radiation modification (SRM) on Earth's ecosystems. The study predicts SRM could have complex and uneven effects on ecosystem functions and biodiversity. Climate scientists emphasize the need for continued decarbonization efforts alongside SRM research.
Researchers attached an omnidirectional camera to a humpback whale to study its resting behavior. The whale was found to be inactive for half the recorded period, with active behavior in the latter half, suggesting it may have been recovering from foraging.
Researchers found that beta-cyclocitral produced by plants after herbivore attack increases defense responses and inhibits the production of metabolites for growth in Arabidopsis thaliana. This volatile signal opens up new possibilities for developing herbicides or antimicrobial agents that block the methylerythritol 4-phosphate pathway.
A study found that male authors from a few Western countries, such as the US, Canada, and UK, dominate the scientific literature in ecology and conservation biology. The research, published in Conservation Letters, calls for measures to address gender imbalance and geographic diversity.
A study of 1051 top-authors found women and the Global South are starkly underrepresented, with only 11% female authors and 25% from the Global South. The research highlights a need to promote scientific diversity and inclusion in leadership recruitment and career development.
The paper synthesizes five leading frameworks of urban ecology to advance global urban science and achieve sustainability goals. By integrating knowledge from different disciplines, the framework offers practical tools to assess sustainability planning and improve human-environmental wellbeing.
A new study co-led by Arizona State University's Greg Asner explores the advancement of ecology from a 2D to a 3D science, leveraging remotely sensed 3D information to provide new ecological insights. The research has potential applications in addressing challenges associated with integrating dynamic oceanographic information and bette...
A new analysis of thousands of Michigan bees reveals that the most diverse bee communities have the lowest levels of three common viral pathogens. This study suggests that promoting diverse bee communities may be a win-win strategy to reduce viral infections in managed honeybee colonies while maintaining native bee biodiversity.
A study by University of Turku scientists reveals that ecology researchers underestimate the risks associated with unconscious cognitive biases, leading to overestimation of effects and poor reproducibility. The study found that career stage, gender, and affiliation country influence knowledge about biases and attitude towards them.
Researchers introduce metacoupling, an integrated approach that considers local and global scales to tackle environmental crises. The framework allows scientists to view the world as it truly is, with human actions influencing nature across space and time.
A study by Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology reveals how plants produce defensive toxins, such as diterpene glycosides, without harming themselves. These plant chemicals attack specific parts of the cell membrane, and plants store them in a non-toxic form to prevent self-harm.
A new technique using environmental DNA analysis reveals nuanced information about invasive round goby fish populations, allowing for population estimates and origin prediction. The method has the potential to overcome logistical challenges in studying elusive species, improving conservation outcomes.
Researchers mapped the distribution of territories of two warbler species in a human-made landscape with patches of natural forests and pastures. The study found that both species co-occurred without direct competitive interactions, as they foraged in different habitats and locations.
A team of researchers has developed a low-cost system to monitor bee species in the UK using retroreflective vests. The system uses real-time tracking technology to record the foraging behaviour and 3D flight path of various bees, providing valuable insights into their ecology.
Research analyzing England's early-adopter councils found that Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) policies resulted in habitat losses despite promises of net gains, with lower-quality habitats being compensated for higher-quality ones years later.
A recent study found that female faculty, single parents, and early-career researchers are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, struggling with work-life balance and experiencing increased stress. The survey of over 600 faculty members highlights the need for universities to acknowledge these challenges and implement policies to su...
Researchers used symbolic regression to explain why some species exist in certain regions and the number of species on islands increases with age, peaking at intermediate ages. This breakthrough proposes that explainable AI is a promising field for human-machine cooperation in ecology
The article argues for a revitalized view of history in ecology and evolution, proposing nine understandings of history to generalize findings and observe scientific laws. These 'flavors' include contingency, chance, chaos, capriciousness, approach, constraint, construction, turnover, and template.
The SPI-Birds initiative combines breeding population data of 1.5 million individually recognisable birds to answer ecology and evolution questions. The project aims to inspire other research communities to create their own standards, promoting FAIR data use.
The workshop aimed to address the knowledge gap in tidal marshes by discussing key issues, including public awareness, conservation efforts, and sea-level rise impacts. The meeting drew experts from various fields, from undergraduate students to retired leaders, to share perspectives on tidal marsh ecology.
A new study shows that water striders modify their leg movements to jump safely, depending on their body weight and experience. Female water striders with added weight adjust their midleg movement speed and male striders don't show similar adjustments.
Researchers used a large-scale data archive of animal movement studies to find surprising patterns and associations between climate change and the behavior of golden eagles, bears, caribou, moose, and wolves. The study demonstrates the feasibility and importance of studying animal ecology on extremely large scales.
A new paper in Nature Ecology and Evolution outlines strategies to improve fieldwork safety for researchers from diverse backgrounds. The authors recommend proactive measures such as notifying others of data collection locations and training supervisors to address these issues.
The article discusses the benefits of combining intensive lab experiences with online learning for students studying ecology and evolution. A short but intensive field period can enhance student interpersonal skills, offer more flexibility, and provide a better testing experience.
A study of common dolphins in the Hauraki Gulf found declines in carbon values, suggesting a decrease in primary productivity or changes in prey selection. The research highlights the need for careful management of marine parks and surrounding environments to prevent overfishing and nutrient runoff.
Researchers from Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that even protected biodiversity hotspots are losing significant areas to agriculture and urban sprawl. Over a quarter century, the world's most biologically diverse places lost an area three times the size of Sweden.
Researchers report a successful restoration of an ancient oak woodland in Illinois, with native plant biodiversity comparable to best remnant woodlands. The team's efforts focused on rooting up invasive plants, periodically burning, seeding native plants and culling deer, achieving a level of success rare in restoration ecology.
Researchers found that vampire bats with activated immune systems and feeling sick interacted with fewer bats, spent less time near others, and were less well-connected to the social network. This behavior helps reduce the spread of disease in highly social animals like vampire bats.
A University of Colorado Boulder-led research confirms that competition between species slows their expansion into new territories over multiple generations. The study uses tiny flour beetles as a model organism to show how interspecies competition puts certain species at greater risk of extinction.
The article highlights the importance of crabs in Oman's ecology and economy, with Barr Al Hikman nature reserve being a crucial nursery ground for numerous crab species. The research shows that millions of crabs inhabit the reserve, providing food for hundreds of thousands of birds.
Pollinator monitoring schemes offer high-quality scientific data at a much lower cost than traditional research projects. The UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme provides world-leading evidence to better understand the status of pollinators and inform conservation efforts.
A new study finds that infectious diseases in livestock can lead to increased methane emissions, exacerbating climate change. Ruminant animals infected with intestinal worms or suffering from mastitis release up to 33% and 8% more methane per kilogram of feed or milk produced.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology have found that surplus sugar from honeydew secretions by whiteflies is used to detoxify plant toxins. The discovery of a novel glucosylation pathway reveals how whiteflies prevent activation of mustard oil bomb in cruciferous plants.
A collaborative team of 28 professors from various biology fields will integrate recent discoveries about microbial symbiosis and its impact on evolution and ecology.
Professor Teja Tscharntke, a renowned agroecologist at the University of Göttingen, has received the prestigious Marsh Award for his groundbreaking research on biodiversity and ecosystem services. His work focuses on understanding how landscape structure affects local biodiversity and pollination processes.
Research shows that air pollution from ozone levels damages the scent of flowers, deterring moths. However, when given a chance, moths quickly learn that even polluted floral odors may lead to nutritious nectar rewards. This learning ability is crucial for moths to adapt to changing environments.
Research at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology found that strigolactones regulate plant defense against endophytic Trichobaris mucorea larvae by influencing jasmonate and auxin signaling pathways. This enables tobacco plants to produce defensive substances, increasing their tolerance to the weevil's attack.
A study found that climate change is causing a phenological mismatch between bees and flowers, with bees emerging later than flowers reach their peak flowering time. This disruption has the potential to reduce abundance of pollinators and plants, leading to reduced fitness losses for mutualist species.
A new study by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology found that land surface conditions can affect mesoscale convective systems, allowing for more accurate forecasts and up to six hours' warning. This will inform alert systems for communities across Africa, enabling them to better prepare for severe flooding.
A recent study published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution has challenged the prevailing view that monarch butterfly migration mortality is a major cause of population decline. The researchers found that the size of the summer population is the main determinant of yearly variation in overwintering numbers.
A review paper examines the influence of systemic inequalities on ecology and evolution, finding that racism reduces biodiversity, increases urban heat island effects, and augments climate crises. The authors advocate for environmental justice and anti-racism practices to transform biological research and conservation.
A frigatebird chick suffering from a viral infection has won the 7th BMC Ecology Image competition. The winning image showcases the intricate relationships between species and their environments. David Costantini's powerful photo highlights pressing issues in ecology, including viral outbreaks affecting bird populations.
A recent study found that less than 20% of ecological research is computationally reproducible, highlighting the need for improved sharing of code and data. The study's lead author calls for a drastic increase in code availability to address this issue.
Researchers used AI to distinguish individual birds based on plumage patterns, a task humans struggle with. The technique was tested on three bird species and showed promising results, opening up new possibilities for studying animal behavior in the wild.
Researchers successfully trained AI models to recognize individual birds using labeled images and camera traps, achieving over 90% accuracy in wild populations. This breakthrough enables long-term monitoring of populations and protects species from climate change pressures.
A study by Max Planck Institute researchers found that multicellular clusters can promote cooperative interactions between organisms, leading to a previously unknown mechanism driving the evolution of mutual aid. This discovery challenges the traditional view of evolution as a competition for resources.
A University of Michigan study found that Michigan coyotes in the Upper Peninsula have a less meat-based diet due to coexistence with gray wolves. The researchers analyzed scat samples and gut microbiomes to determine the animal's position in the local food web.
A team of international researchers found that evolution tends to dampen or smooth out variations in ecological patterns across landscapes. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, analyzed over 500 studies and identified 14 mechanisms affecting the direction of evolution's impact.
Researchers studied patterns in phylogenetic trees to understand how evolution and ecology interact. They found that ecological processes create a fractal structure in tree topology, leading to unbalanced branching.