In this post Marieke van Katwijk discusses her recent paper ‘Global analysis of seagrass restoration: the importance of large‐scale planting’ Have you seen a lot of your restorations fail? Not immediately… but in the end? Repeatedly? Could you not find a consistent environmental correlation to explain it, nor a technique to overcome it? It happened to me. I must admit I felt stupid. I am … Continue reading Global analysis of seagrass restoration
In this post, Associate Editor Nathalie Butt discusses a recent paper by Jennifer Burt and Jeffrey Clary Initial disturbance intensity affects recovery rates and successional divergence on abandoned ski slopes Fragile habitats Montane or alpine ecosystems are among the most fragile we have, and they are therefore places where human impact can be very damaging. Of course we are attracted to these beautiful snow-covered mountains … Continue reading Can we make ski slopes less damaging to the environment?
In this blog post Associate Editor Brian Wilsey discusses a paper he recently handled by Kate Gallagher and Stuart Wagenius ‘Seed source impacts germination and early establishment of dominant grasses in prairie restorations’ Growing propagules from wild populations in cultivation could alter their genetics. For example, it has long been known that the selection pressures differ between hatchery-raised salmon and wild salmon (Waples 1991). Similar … Continue reading Seed source matters for prairie restorations
In this post Associate Editor Joseph Bennett discusses a paper he recently handled by Chris Ware and colleagues ‘Biological introduction risks from shipping in a warming Arctic’ It is well known that the Arctic is one of the most vulnerable regions to the impacts of climate change (IPCC 2014). Climate change will not only have direct impacts, it will also magnify the effects of existing … Continue reading Managing invasive species in a warming Arctic
In this post Associate Editor David Moreno Mateos discusses a paper he recently handled by Andrea Borkenhagen and David Cooper ‘Creating fen initiation conditions: a new approach for peatland reclamation in the oil sands region of Alberta Go to Google Earth and adjust the screen so you can see the whole of North America from about 7,000 km from the ground. You will see Alberta, … Continue reading Restoration of a heavily degraded ecosystem
In this post Associate Editor Akira Mori discusses a paper he recently handled by Ayesha Tulloch and colleagues ‘Understanding the importance of small patches of habitat for conservation’ Landscape perspectives are important for land management in human-modified ecosystems, and the related development of land-clearing policy. Informed by a large body of macroecological theory and field research, scientists as well as practitioners have long discussed and … Continue reading The importance of small patches of habitat for conservation
In this post Senior Editor Phil Stephens discusses a paper he recently handled by Angela Brennan and colleagues ‘Managing more than the mean: using quantile regression to identify factors related to large elk groups’ Recently, a colleague and friend left his UK university job and returned to his native Australia. As I gaze out of my window at the inky darkness of the northern afternoon, … Continue reading What does the mean mean anyway?
In this post Associate Editor mentee Lander Baeten discusses a paper he handled by Beth Atkinson and colleagues ‘A comparison of clearfelling and gradual thinning of plantations for the restoration of insect herbivores and woodland plants’ Since the pioneering work of George Peterken in the 1970s, numerous studies have shown that many forest plant species are extremely slow to re-establish once lost from the ecosystem. … Continue reading Restoration methods of conifer plantations on ancient forest sites
In this post Ryan Fisher discusses his paper ‘Extreme precipitation reduces reproductive output of an endangered raptor‘ in the latest Issue of Journal of Applied Ecology When we think of threats to species around the globe, we typically think of the usual, and very important, culprits of habitat loss and fragmentation. Unfortunately, the large and sometimes catastrophic effects of extreme weather on wildlife often get … Continue reading Extreme rainfall will pose a challenge for management of endangered burrowing owls in Canada
In this post Matthew Hethcoat discusses his recent paper, with Anna Chalfoun ‘Towards a mechanistic understanding of human-induced rapid environmental change: a case study linking energy development, nest predation and predators‘, which is published in Issue 52:6 of Journal of Applied Ecology, out today. North America’s sagebrush steppe, also known as the big empty, holds a secret. The sparrows, thrashers, and other songbirds that inhabit this … Continue reading The stage is set: Will expanding development be a sea change?
The Applied Ecologist 