Close to the edge: Spatial variation in plant diversity, biomass and floral resources in conventional and agri-environment cereal fields

Laura Sutcliffe discusses her latest study where, alongside colleagues, she investigated the spatial distribution of vascular plant species richness and their contribution to the food web via biomass and flower units in conventional and agri-environment cereal fields. The study: Arable plants Arable plants are usually simply referred to as weeds, reflecting their low status in society and also in biodiversity research. Whilst there is a … Continue reading Close to the edge: Spatial variation in plant diversity, biomass and floral resources in conventional and agri-environment cereal fields

Integrated policies could help solar farms fulfil their climate and ecological potentials

In their latest Policy Direction, authors Fabio Carvalho, Hollie Blaydes and Alona Armstrong highlight key policy implications in relation to solar farm development and operation, and their usage in both addressing climate change and providing ecosystem benefits. Back in April last year, we wrote about the need to gather standardised evidence on the impacts of solar farms on hosting ecosystems to inform industry best practice … Continue reading Integrated policies could help solar farms fulfil their climate and ecological potentials

Meet the Associate Editor: Ardiantiono

Next in Journal of Applied Ecology’s series of Meet the Editors, get to know Ardiantiono – one of the mentees on our 2024 Associate Editor Mentoring Scheme. What are you currently working on and why is it important? My research focuses on integrating ecological and sociological information to improve wildlife conservation management. Most of my work takes place in Southeast Asian tropics, particularly Indonesia. Specifically, … Continue reading Meet the Associate Editor: Ardiantiono

Salvage logging and subsequent post-windthrow management diminish forest bird communities for two decades

In this blog post, Michał Walesiak shares how increased bird diversity in an area of unmanaged windthrow persisted over a 20-year span in Poland. Natural disturbances in forests, such as hurricanes, fires, bark beetle outbreaks, often evoke negative emotions in people. Many find it hard to believe that hurricanes, fires, bark beetles… may actually bring some benefits to nature, such as increase in biodiversity! This … Continue reading Salvage logging and subsequent post-windthrow management diminish forest bird communities for two decades

Supportive effect of uncut refuge strips on grassland arthropods may depend on the amount and width of strips

In this blog post, author Kitti Révész and her team share their latest study exploring the effects of uncut refuge strips on the abundance and diversity of arthropods. What is the best management practice of hay meadows from an arthropod conservation point of view? Grassland arthropods are declining as a consequence of land-use change and intensive management. There are efforts to spread extensive management through … Continue reading Supportive effect of uncut refuge strips on grassland arthropods may depend on the amount and width of strips

Meet our Commissioning Editor: Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi

In this latest installation of Journal of Applied Ecology’s Meet the Editor series, we’re joined by our new Commissioning Editor, Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi! What can you tell us about the first paper you published? That was a dream come true and the beginning of a life-long commitment to ecological research. I had completed my master’s dissertation studying the blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) in the Himalaya. We found that … Continue reading Meet our Commissioning Editor: Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi

Mixed forests and delicious seeds: How tree species change the relationship between rodents and seeds

In this blog post, Pedro Mittelman and Bernado Araújo discuss how forest composition can affect plant–animal interactions without necessarily altering animal communities or population densities. Forest mortality We are walking through a dead forest. It is not yet winter, but as we move amid still standing Norway spruce (Picea abies) trunks along the Harz mountains, we find no leaves attached to them. Here, approximately 20,000 … Continue reading Mixed forests and delicious seeds: How tree species change the relationship between rodents and seeds

Meet the Associate Editor: Javier Lopatin

In this latest installation of Journal of Applied Ecology’s Meet the Editor series, we’re joined by Associate Editor mentee Javier Lopatin. What are you currently working on and why is it important? I’m working on two main macro topics: advancing deep learning tools for ecological analysis and understanding land-atmosphere feedbacks at the local scale and their relationship to functional diversity in the Chilean Andes. For the … Continue reading Meet the Associate Editor: Javier Lopatin

Meet the Associate Editor: Priscila Powell

In this latest installation of Journal of Applied Ecology’s Meet the Editor series, we’re joined by Associate Editor mentee Priscila Powell. 1. What are you currently working on and why is it important? I am working as a researcher at CONICET (Argentina’s main public research institution), studying the ecology of invasive alien species and co-developing management actions to tackle the negative impacts of invasions in native … Continue reading Meet the Associate Editor: Priscila Powell

Indigenous science has a lot to contribute to ecology

Martin Nuñez is a Senior Editor for Journal of Applied Ecology. He is also a Professor at Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Argentina, as well as a researcher at CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council), Argentina. Martin’s research interests include biological invasions, conservation, mycorrhizal ecology and forestry. In this blog post, he shares his experience at the 2024 Turtle Island Indigenous Science Conference. I am … Continue reading Indigenous science has a lot to contribute to ecology