Invasive species, Monitoring and methods, Research summaries

Inteligencia artificial para predecir el éxito de las invasiones biológicas

Las especies invasoras representan una de las mayores amenazas para la biodiversidad, la seguridad alimentaria y la salud de los ecosistemas. Cuando las plantas no-nativas se propagan en nuevos ambientes, pueden desplazar a las especies nativas, alterar los hábitats y causar daños severos a los ecosistemas y a los servicios ecosistémicos que estos brindan a los seres humanos. Continue reading Inteligencia artificial para predecir el éxito de las invasiones biológicas

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Invasive species, Monitoring and methods, Research summaries

Using machine learning to predict invasion success

Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, food security, and ecosystem health. When non-native plants spread into new environments, they can outcompete native species, disrupt habitats, and cause long-lasting damage to the natural habitats and the services that ecosystems provide to humans. Continue reading Using machine learning to predict invasion success

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Coastal and marine, Research summaries

Understanding the harvest of Chilean kelp forests: Moving toward sustainability

Blog post written by Alejandro Pérez Matus to discuss their latest study which aimed to help us understand kelp recovery after harvesting. This blog post is also available in Spanish here. Humans have been connected to kelp forests for more than 16,000 years. It is hypothesized that these underwater forests helped early coastal communities migrate from northeast Asia to the Americas. Today, the ecosystem services … Continue reading Understanding the harvest of Chilean kelp forests: Moving toward sustainability

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Coastal and marine, Research summaries

Entendiendo la cosecha de los bosques de macroalgas en Chile: Avanzando hacia la sostenibilidad

Entrada de blog escrita por Alejandro Pérez Matus para discutir su último estudio, que tenía como objetivo ayudarnos a entender la recuperación del alga después de la cosecha. Esta publicación del blog también está disponible en inglés aquí. Los humanos hemos estado conectados con los bosques de algas pardas por más de 16.000 años. Se hipotetiza que estos bosques submarinos ayudaron a las comunidades costeras … Continue reading Entendiendo la cosecha de los bosques de macroalgas en Chile: Avanzando hacia la sostenibilidad

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Monitoring and methods, Research summaries

Are we getting better at knowing what actually works in conservation? Insights from fifty years of conservation evidence

Biodiversity is declining fast, and with limited funding and resources in conservation, it matters that these resources go towards actions that genuinely make a difference. So how do we know which actions deliver results, and which don’t? The answer depends on the quality of evidence behind them – which is largely contingent on the study design used. New research from Staples et al (2026) in … Continue reading Are we getting better at knowing what actually works in conservation? Insights from fifty years of conservation evidence

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Plain language summaries, Research summaries

混合造林透過微生物和土壤有機碳的多樣性增強了土壤功能。

植樹造林常被視為恢復退化土地和改善土壤健康的策略，但並非所有造林模式都能產生相同的生態效益。土壤不僅為植物提供必需養分，還支持微生物活動、促進有機質分層並維持養分循環。 為了探討不同造林模式如何共同影響這些土壤功能，本研究比較了中國熱帶地區的裸地、純桉樹林、混合林和老齡天然林，評估了造林活動對土壤功能的影響。研究發現，造林顯著增強了土壤功能，且混合林的表現優於純林。進一步分析表明，土壤有機分子的多樣性是連接微生物碳特徵與土壤多功能的關鍵紐帶。 植樹造林——尤其是混合造林——增加了土壤有機碳分子的種類，從而促進了有機質分解、養分釋放及微生物功能的發揮。這些結果表明，熱帶地區的生態修復不應只關注植樹數量，更應重視樹種的選擇與群落組成。 在造林實踐中優先採用混合模式並專注於恢復土壤有機碳分子的多樣性，將有助於更有效地提升森林土壤健康與生態系統功能。 This is a Plain Language Summary discussing a recently published article in Journal of Applied Ecology. Find the full article here. Continue reading 混合造林透過微生物和土壤有機碳的多樣性增強了土壤功能。

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Human-wildlife interactions, Monitoring and methods, Research summaries

Pixelated pathologies: Camera trapping as a tool for monitoring wildlife health

In a world of emerging diseases that threaten both wildlife conservation and public health, finding innovative ways to monitor animal populations has never been more necessary. Traditional methods often involve capturing or handling animals, which is stressful, costly, and logistically challenging. But what if we could detect diseases without disturbing an animal? A promising solution for this challenge is the use of camera traps. This … Continue reading Pixelated pathologies: Camera trapping as a tool for monitoring wildlife health

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Plain language summaries, Research summaries

Young owls stealing food from neighbors reduces chick survival

We sought to understand whether adding many nest boxes for barn owls, a common way to help control rodents on farms, might have hidden drawbacks. While more nest boxes can boost owl numbers, it is not always clear if this improves the survival of young birds. We studied barn owls in northern Israel using small electronic tags that recorded each time a bird entered a … Continue reading Young owls stealing food from neighbors reduces chick survival

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Plain language summaries, Research summaries

Mixed tree planting boosts soil functions via microbial and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) diversity

Afforestation is widely used to restore degraded land and improve soil health, but not all planting approaches deliver the same ecological benefits. Soils perform many important functions, including supplying nutrients to plants, supporting microbial activity, decomposing organic matter and maintaining nutrient cycling. However, how different afforestation strategies influence these functions together remains poorly understood. In this study, we compared four land-use types in tropical China: … Continue reading Mixed tree planting boosts soil functions via microbial and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) diversity

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Research summaries

Field Diaries: Weaving knowledge to revive indigenous plants and practices in Mpondoland, South Africa

In our ‘Field Diaries’ series, The Applied Ecologist is sharing stories from a range of different fieldwork experiences.  About the author Mallika Sardeshpande, She/her Affiliation: Ecology interests: Agroecology, Urban ecology, Green infrastructure Overview of fieldwork In 2024, I secured my first applied project grant, to work on indigenous agroforestry in the Mpondoland Centre of Endemism in South Africa. The project was a collaboration between the indigenous people’s … Continue reading Field Diaries: Weaving knowledge to revive indigenous plants and practices in Mpondoland, South Africa

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