Articles tagged with Applied Ecology
Researchers from Göttingen and Hohenheim found hand pollination used worldwide for 20 crops, including apples and vanillas. The method can reduce losses and improve crop quality, but also brings challenges due to labor intensity and cost.
The ReNature project has launched an interactive online toolkit to help address societal challenges using nature-based solutions. The toolkit provides a range of color-coded options, indicating the level of evidence supporting each solution type to address specific challenges.
A new study from the University of California, Santa Cruz, develops a comprehensive framework to determine when short-term changes in behavior caused by human activities have biological significance. The framework highlights the importance of life history traits and specific characteristics of disturbances in assessing vulnerability.
A study by researchers at the University of Göttingen found that bumblebees thrive in faba bean fields, with populations more than twice as high as in non-bean landscapes. In contrast, other wild bees do not benefit from faba bean cultivation but rely on semi-natural habitats for survival.
Researchers investigate plant molecular structures for climate adaptation, discovering novel pathways subject to natural selection. The project sheds light on convergent evolution and potential applications in ecology and agriculture.
A UNSW-led study demonstrates long-term control of cane toads by erecting fences around dams, effectively converting their invasion refuges into ecological traps. The approach could work on a large scale to halt the spread of these toxic amphibians across Australia.
Researchers developed a non-intrusive load monitoring system to track electricity consumption in single-family homes, providing households with a more accurate picture of their energy usage. The system uses machine-learning algorithms to identify appliances and reduce energy waste, potentially leading to cheaper bills and greener homes.
A 25-year study on Welsh streams found that climate change hampers long-term recovery from acid rain effects. Despite improvements in acid levels, only four new insect species colonized the improving rivers, falling short of expected numbers.
Caterpillars' shelter-building habits impact insect communities by reducing diversity, whereas artificial habitats have similar effects as natural ones. The study suggests regional patterns of insect herbivore diversity may be influenced by these ecosystem engineers.