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

Paving the way for the restoration of the Enobieta stream

Authors of a recently published research article discuss the ecological consequences of large dam removal through their study of instream habitat and invertebrate communities in a temperate, forested catchment in northern Spain. River restoration by dam removal During the last decades, increased awareness on the consequences of a degraded environment has led to new legislation, such as the EU Water Framework Directive or the Nature … Continue reading Paving the way for the restoration of the Enobieta stream

A safe passage: Protecting migratory birds in the North Sea

Maja Bradarić summarises how, alongside colleagues, they used 5 years of tracking bird radar data, weather and phenological variables to develop seasonal forecasts of bird migration over the southern North Sea. These forecasts of nocturnal bird migration may be used to define curtailment thresholds for offshore wind energy. In May 2023, turbines in two offshore wind farms in the Dutch North Sea came to a virtual … Continue reading A safe passage: Protecting migratory birds in the North Sea

Does incorporating complexity into coastal engineering increase fish diversity along urban shorelines?

Authors of a recently published research article explain how, to enhance fish diversity, it is important to provide three-dimensional habitat architecture that incorporates a wide range of microhabitat sizes and types.  Habitat complexity Habitat complexity is a key driver of marine fish diversity and essential for determining structure and function of fish communities. Many fishes use benthic habitat features (e.g. holes, crevices, vertical reliefs, and … Continue reading Does incorporating complexity into coastal engineering increase fish diversity along urban shorelines?

Bark beetles in boreal forests: Calm before the storm?

In this week’s blog post, Jostein Gohli and authors discuss their recent research which explores how climatic and management-related factors influence bark beetle population sizes in boreal forests. The European spruce bark beetle The European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) is a notorious tree-killer in spruce-dominated forests. The last 5-10 years it has caused enormous problems in Central Europe, killing hundreds of millions of spruce … Continue reading Bark beetles in boreal forests: Calm before the storm?

Adaptive Resource Management: Achieving functional eradication of invasive snakes to benefit avian conservation

Melia Nafus summarises how, alongside colleagues, they applied an Adaptive Resource Management process across three field phases of snake removal. This enabled an evaluation of whether eradication was achievable and whether it was necessary to achieve an avian response. Invasive snakes Invasive species, particularly predators, harm natural ecosystems and are a leading driver in global biodiversity loss. Invasive snakes often cause substantial ecological harm as … Continue reading Adaptive Resource Management: Achieving functional eradication of invasive snakes to benefit avian conservation

Explore Before You Restore: Enhancing ecosystem restoration with complex systems science

Sybryn L. Maes explains how they, alongside colleagues, developed an Explore Before You Restore framework, and illustrates how these concepts may impact restoration outcomes by influencing degradation and recovery trajectories. To help restore ecosystems, we, a group of international experts in resilience & restoration, propose using a new framework called Explore Before You Restore (EBYR) throughout the restoration project cycle. Even though there are international, … Continue reading Explore Before You Restore: Enhancing ecosystem restoration with complex systems science

Passive tree diversity increase after intense forest exploitation? A matter of drought-tolerant and animal-dispersed species

Miriam Selwyn discusses their latest study’s findings, conducted with colleagues. Results find ca. 30 years of passive tree species diversity increase following intense forest management release. This is largely thought to be led by animal-dispersed and higher drought tolerant species in the context of increasing temperatures and decreasing precipitations. Why does diversity matter? Tree species diversity is considered one of the main attributes promoting forest … Continue reading Passive tree diversity increase after intense forest exploitation? A matter of drought-tolerant and animal-dispersed species