Behind the cover 3:2 – Fire protects grasslands from woody species and benefits the birds that call this landscape home

Biodiversity is most rapidly declining on grasslands of all the terrestrial biomes, and large-scale interventions are much needed to restore these landscapes. In their latest Practice Insights, Caleb Roberts and colleagues showcase long-term efforts in successfully restoring the Loess Canyons, USA, using fire as tool. Find out more about the story behind the cover of our latest issue. Imagining the Great Plains of the United … Continue reading Behind the cover 3:2 – Fire protects grasslands from woody species and benefits the birds that call this landscape home

Behind the cover 2:3 – Sand addition augments gharial nesting in degrading aquatic habitats

Gaurav Vashistha and colleagues describe their latest research attempting to reverse the observed decline in gharial nesting by improving nesting site conditions. Find out more about the research behind the cover of our latest issue. The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a critically threatened, freshwater crocodile. Gharials nest in sandy substrates such as river banks and mid-river sand bars where females dig holes and lay their … Continue reading Behind the cover 2:3 – Sand addition augments gharial nesting in degrading aquatic habitats

Behind the cover 2:1 – Q&A with David O’Brien

In this Q&A, we find out more about the author and research: “A co‐development approach to conservation leads to informed habitat design and rapid establishment of amphibian communities” behind the cover image of our first issue of 2021. The research What’s your article about? Our article describes habitat creation and management for amphibians in economically active sites. We worked with farmers, foresters and a golf … Continue reading Behind the cover 2:1 – Q&A with David O’Brien

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

Behind the Cover 1:1 – Q&A with Alex Braczkowski

In this Q&A, we find out more about the author and research: “Detecting early warnings of pressure on an African lion (Panthera leo) population in the Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area, Uganda” behind the brilliant cover image of our inaugural issue. The research What’s your article about? Our article is about the status of African lions in western Uganda and how a recently developed population survey technique … Continue reading Behind the Cover 1:1 – Q&A with Alex Braczkowski

Cover stories: celebrating the beauty of pollinators

This month’s Journal of Applied Ecology cover shows a foraging male Habropoda tarsata. Photographer, David Kleijn shares the joy of rediscovering your passion for your study species. These days when we talk and write about pollinators, it is often in the context of their role as providers of pollination services. Pollinators are important for maintaining the production of the insect-pollinated crops that provide most of … Continue reading Cover stories: celebrating the beauty of pollinators

Editor’s Choice 57:03 – The economic implications of pollination by bats

For our March Editor’s Choice, Michael Pocock (Associate Editor) highlights the importance of recent research by Tremlett et al into pollination by bats and the value this brings to communities in Mexico. The slideshow above of images by César Guzmánr shows the journey of the pitaya fruit, for which bats are of key importance, from growth to market. One of the reoccurring themes in applied … Continue reading Editor’s Choice 57:03 – The economic implications of pollination by bats

How can citizen science help solve environmental crises?

Isabel Bishop (Research Manager) and Toos Van Noordwijk (Science, Policy and Innovation Director) from Earthwatch Europe reflect on discussions from the recent British Ecological Society Annual Meeting about how citizen science can deliver real impact. The session was beautifully captured in the graphic recording above by Holly McKelvey, holly draws.  ‘Citizen science’ and the related terms ‘community science’ and ‘participatory monitoring’ have become buzz words … Continue reading How can citizen science help solve environmental crises?

Cover stories: conservation set-asides

This month’s cover image by Robin Hayward (University of Stirling) shows a conservation set-aside within a large oil palm plantation in Sabah, Borneo. Sarah Scriven (University of York), lead author of the corresponding article, Testing the benefits of conservation set-asides for improved habitat connectivity in tropical agricultural landscapes, tells us more about the story behind the photograph. The cover image shows a Roundtable on Sustainable … Continue reading Cover stories: conservation set-asides