How does replanting of oil palm plantations affect arthropod biodiversity?

Palm oil plantations require replanting every twenty to thirty years but its effects on biodiversity are widely understudied. In their latest research, Pashkevich and colleagues assess the impact of replanting on arthropod communities in an industrial plantation. Biodiversity in oil palm plantations Oil palm plantations are often in areas that were once tropical rainforests, and this conversion has resulted in widespread declines in biodiversity and … Continue reading How does replanting of oil palm plantations affect arthropod biodiversity?

Editor’s Choice 57:10 – Testing the relative effects of biocontrol and herbicide: finding an evidence-based management decision to control invasive plants

Journal of Applied Ecology’s October Editor’s Choice compares biocontrol and herbicide as approaches to invasive species management. Associate Editor, Rafael D. Zenni introduces the selected article by Paul G. Peterson and colleagues, which explores ‘efficacy, non-target effects and secondary invasion’. This post is also available in Portuguese here. In most ecosystems, controlling invasive alien plants is necessary in order to reduce and mitigate the negative … Continue reading Editor’s Choice 57:10 – Testing the relative effects of biocontrol and herbicide: finding an evidence-based management decision to control invasive plants

Testagem dos efeitos relativos de controle biológico e herbicida no controle de plantas exóticas invasoras para tomada de decisão baseada em evidências

This Editor’s Choice summary by Rafael D. Zenni is also available in English here. O controle de plantas exóticas invasoras é uma necessidade na maioria dos ecossistemas do planeta para reduzir e mitigar os impactos negativos causados ​​por invasões biológicas a biodiversidade nativa e aos serviços ecossistêmicos. No entanto, existem vários métodos de controle e escolher a solução mais eficaz, menos prejudicial e mais permanente … Continue reading Testagem dos efeitos relativos de controle biológico e herbicida no controle de plantas exóticas invasoras para tomada de decisão baseada em evidências

Uncovering the role of protected areas and private wildlife businesses for free-ranging carnivores

In their recent Journal of Applied Ecology research, Curveira-Santos et al. look at free-ranging carnivores in South Africa to highlight the importance of maintaining areas under long-term formal protection. Across southern Africa, the attribution of rights over wildlife has deeply transformed the conservation landscape. The private commercial wildlife industry (ecotourism and hunting) now plays an important role in augmenting and connecting formal protected areas. As … Continue reading Uncovering the role of protected areas and private wildlife businesses for free-ranging carnivores

Cover stories: Indigenous and local knowledge

Journal of Applied Ecology’s September 2020 cover highlights an international Malagasy-Finnish project trying to reforest some of the damaged Malagasy forests. In the photo, a project worker shows a shoot that will be planted in one of the areas under reforestation process. Here photographer, Joan de la Malla shares some more of her work and tells the story behind the photos. The corresponding research contributes … Continue reading Cover stories: Indigenous and local knowledge

How ecological assessments can benefit from engagement with Indigenous and local knowledge

Part of a new Special Feature, Informing decision‐making with Indigenous and local knowledge and science, Pamela McElwee and colleagues look at the important role of Indigenous and local knowledge in initiatives such as the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Global Assessment. Interest in Indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) has been growing, but not everyone knows what ILK is or how it can … Continue reading How ecological assessments can benefit from engagement with Indigenous and local knowledge

Editor’s Choice 57:09 – Multi-species connectivity in a trans-frontier conservation landscape

As the September Editor’s Choice for Journal of Applied Ecology, research from Angela Brennan and colleagues moves away from a single-species approach and instead looks at movement corridors and connectivity on a large scale and across multiple species. Associate Editor, Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi shares the important impact this could have on future conservation and development plans. Continue reading Editor’s Choice 57:09 – Multi-species connectivity in a trans-frontier conservation landscape

How can we improve tree planting outcomes?

With a growing number of tree planting initiatives at regional to global scales, Karen Holl and Pedro Brancalion highlight in their latest research how planting trees is much more complicated than it seems. Here they share their findings, including guidelines to increase success of these ambitious efforts world-wide. Planting trees is so satisfying. You dig a hole, put a tree seedling in the ground, fill … Continue reading How can we improve tree planting outcomes?

Forests undergoing novel disturbances: understanding and managing the complex new reality of forests

Considering the vast impacts disturbances such as fire and insect outbreaks are having on forests worldwide, Alexandro B. Leverkus and Simon Thorn bring together a selection of work showcasing quality research into these disturbances and strategies being taken to manage them.

This Virtual Issue features articles from across the British Ecological Society journals that are free-to-read for a limited time. Continue reading Forests undergoing novel disturbances: understanding and managing the complex new reality of forests