Author: Journal of Applied Ecology

Monitoring and methods, Pathogens and disease, Research summaries

Emerging gastric parasite risks in mountain gorillas: What we found and why it matters

Mountain gorillas are often celebrated as a conservation success story. Their numbers have increased thanks to long-term protection from conservation organisations, park authorities and local communities. However, the remaining two populations live in small, environmentally constrained habitats and recent veterinary records have documented cases of severe gastritis associated with strongylid nematodes in Virunga Massif. This raised an important question for us: are there changes in … Continue reading Emerging gastric parasite risks in mountain gorillas: What we found and why it matters

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Coastal and marine, Research summaries

Critically endangered penguins face higher risk of fisheries competition when fish are scarce

The decline of the African penguin The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) population has plummeted by nearly 80% in the past three decades, in part due to competition with the local purse-seine fishery which targets the penguins’ key prey of sardines and anchovies. To understand the role of fisheries in the penguin decline, a fishery closure experiment was conducted between 2008 and 2021 around two pairs … Continue reading Critically endangered penguins face higher risk of fisheries competition when fish are scarce

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Human-wildlife interactions, Research summaries

The landscapes we created hold clues to today’s wildfires

Wildfires are becoming larger, more frequent and more severe in many parts of the world. In Mediterranean-type regions, extreme wildfires that once seemed exceptional now return every year. According to Copernicus data, over 670,000 hectares burned Spain and Portugal in 2025, mostly during August. Nearly 400,000 hectares burned in Spain alone, the largest area since these records began. These extreme events have led many to … Continue reading The landscapes we created hold clues to today’s wildfires

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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

Konektivitas habitat menentukan hasil keanekaragaman hayati di hutan yang dikelola masyarakat

Kami menemukan bahwa hutan yang dikelola oleh masyarakat lokal dapat mendukung kehidupan satwa liar seperti halnya kawasan hutan lindung di sekitarnya, terutama ketika hutan-hutan tersebut tetap terhubung dengan baik di seluruh bentang alam. Temuan ini memiliki implikasi penting tentang bagaimana perhutanan sosial dapat dimasukkan ke dalam strategi konservasi di masa mendatang. Di seluruh dunia, para pemerintah semakin banyak memberikan hak kepada masyarakat lokal untuk mengelola … Continue reading Konektivitas habitat menentukan hasil keanekaragaman hayati di hutan yang dikelola masyarakat

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Plain language summaries, Research summaries

Habitat connectivity shapes biodiversity outcomes in community forests

We found that community-managed forests can support wildlife just as well as nearby protection forests, especially when forests remain well connected across the landscape. This has important implications for how community forestry is included in future conservation strategies. Across the world, governments are increasingly giving local communities the rights to manage forests. Indonesia is rapidly expanding its community forestry programme, and aims to place 12.7 … Continue reading Habitat connectivity shapes biodiversity outcomes in community forests

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