In this blog post, Martin Nuñez, one of Journal of Applied Ecology’s Senior Editors tells us about the importance of being able to write effectively and how his latest book can help researchers to do just that. Working as an editor for Journal of Applied Ecology has made me think a lot about the barriers researchers face in getting their papers published. There are many … Continue reading Overcoming writing and publishing barriers
Emil S. Thomassen explains the recent diet study of rewilded cattle and horses, showing functional differences between the two species and reveals the impacts of management actions on this functionality as described in their latest research. The use of DNA metabarcoding for herbivorous diet analysis is a promising tool, yielding high-resolution data on plant consumption. In a time, where nature restoration and conservation are of … Continue reading Impacts of proactive health management on cattle and horse diets and dung biodiversity in Danish rewilding areas
In this blog post, Virgilio Hermoso explains how to plan the recovery of longitudinal and lateral connectivity to restore free-flowing rivers in their latest study. Rivers are more than lines on a map—they are living networks. They connect mountains to coasts, nourish floodplains, and support incredible biodiversity. But over the past century, we have fragmented these systems with dams, weirs, levees and floodwalls, breaking the … Continue reading Smarter planning to bring rivers back to life
In their new study, “Immersion patterns alone can predict vessel following by albatrosses”, Jonathan Rutter et al. present a new behaviour-based method to detect previously hidden interactions between seabirds and fishing vessels. In oceans around the world, seabirds follow fishing vessels looking for easy meal. This puts them at risk of bycatch, when birds are killed after getting caught or colliding with fishing gear. A … Continue reading Albatrosses make distinct flight hops when following fishing vessels
In this blog post, Yunhui Liu and team share insights from their recent global meta-analysis on how cover crop mixtures can enhance agricultural sustainability by promoting multiple ecosystem functions. As agriculture faces growing challenges from climate change and land degradation, cover crops are increasingly recognized as an essential tool for improving soil health and farm resilience. While the use of single-species cover crops is well … Continue reading Cover crop mixtures enhance multiple ecosystem functions: A global meta-analysis
Ardiantiono, Associate Editor mentee of Journal of Applied Ecology, writes about his experience attending the British Ecological Society’s 2024 Annual Meeting for the first time. Registration for the 2025 Annual Meeting in Edinburgh is now open. Liverpool has long been on my travel wish list. Especially as I initially wanted to visit for Eurovision 2023, but tickets were impossible to get! Fast forward to December … Continue reading BES Annual Meeting 2024: More than just a conference
In our ‘Field Diaries’ series, The Applied Ecologist is sharing stories from a range of different fieldwork experiences. In this first-person pictorial account, Apeksha Khedekar explores their time spent researching the sustainability of homestead farming among tribal populations in Goa. About the author I was a master’s student in environmental science with a specialisation in ecological sciences at the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development … Continue reading Field Diaries: A regenerative agriculture model rooted in Goan tradition
To celebrate Pride Month 2025, we are excited to share a series of blogs and podcasts highlighting useful articles and resources for LGBTQIA+ ecologists and researchers. In each post, the authors behind these resources explain what they are, how they came to produce them, and why they are important. The authors Nathan Alexander (he/him) ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nathan-Alexander Bluesky: smammalbio@bsky.social Jaime Coon (they/them, she/her) ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jaime-Coon Instagram: … Continue reading LGBTQ+ inclusion in science and society: Resilience in uncertain times and the importance of community
In this Q&A, we discussed with author Charlotte Reemts the background behind her team’s recently published meta-analysis focused on invasive bluestems. Why study this group of grasses? Warm-season grasses from these two genera (Bothriochloa and Dichanthium) are interesting because they are important species in their native ranges but have also been introduced into other grasslands around the world. In many grasslands around the world, you … Continue reading Fire season and drought influence fire effects on invasive grasses
Mareike Kortmann and co-authors share a summary about their latest study which focusses on the ability of sample coverage to impact diversity measures of bird communities in tropical lowland forests. Tropical old-growth forests are disappearing at an alarming rate, leading to concerning biodiversity loss. But amidst this global decline, some forest areas are also recovering. Second-growth forests—those that regenerate after agricultural use—may offer valuable contributions … Continue reading The potential of second-growth forests for bird diversity in a small holder landscape
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