Home is where the heat is: Thermoregulation of European bats inhabiting artificial roosts and the threat of heat waves

In their new study, Czenze and colleagues demonstrate the importance of placing bat boxes in diverse locations to provide varied roost microclimates. There are over 1400 species of bats on the planet that live in a wide variety of roosts, including caves, buildings, and trees. Many bat species are threatened by climate change and habitat destruction, and this is particularly true for forest bats. Due … Continue reading Home is where the heat is: Thermoregulation of European bats inhabiting artificial roosts and the threat of heat waves

Apparently stable albatross population is actually decreasing due to mouse predation

Conservation organisations struggle to directly assist all threatened species, so deciding where to spend limited resources is a common problem. In a new paper, Oppel and colleagues show that, for long-lived species, a population may decrease long before this trend becomes evident in the part of the population that can be counted. Albatrosses are among the largest flying birds in the world, and they can … Continue reading Apparently stable albatross population is actually decreasing due to mouse predation

A quantitative feasibility assessment for translocating highly mobile, endangered species

Using long-term data, IPMs, & expert judgement, Fischer et al. demonstrate how translocation feasibility can be assessed quantitatively and transparently for endangered, philopatric, and highly mobile species, such as Kuaka. Kuaka, or Whenua Hou Diving Petrels, are in dire straits. The population of this Critically Endangered seabird is estimated at ~200 adults. Kuaka occupy the smallest breeding area of any bird species in Aotearoa New … Continue reading A quantitative feasibility assessment for translocating highly mobile, endangered species

Evaluating the success of upland hay meadow restoration using green hay transfer

Ruth Starr-Keddle describes her latest research with the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership to further the knowledge base on upland hay meadows and investigate the success of seed addition of key indicator species for restoring the landscape. Over the last 50 years there have been substantial declines in botanical diversity of traditionally managed species-rich upland hay meadows (conforming to the UK National … Continue reading Evaluating the success of upland hay meadow restoration using green hay transfer

Hotspots in the Grid: Avian sensitivity and vulnerability to collision risk from energy infrastructure interactions In Europe and North Africa

A new paper, led by Jethro Gauld from the University of East Anglia and colleagues from across Europe, demonstrates how GPS tracking data can be a powerful tool for identifying areas where birds are most sensitive to new renewable energy development due to collision risks. The transition to zero carbon energy is essential to avoid runaway climate change. As nations strive to achieve their Net … Continue reading Hotspots in the Grid: Avian sensitivity and vulnerability to collision risk from energy infrastructure interactions In Europe and North Africa

Linking research and action: protecting seabirds in the face of climate change

In their latest research, Henry Hakkinen and colleagues explore how existing knowledge can be brought together in a pressure-state-response framework that connects climate change ecology, conservation evidence assessments and management. The impacts of human activities on ecosystems and natural resources across the world are well known, and now extend to nearly every ecosystem on Earth. Given the scale and severity of human-driven impacts on the … Continue reading Linking research and action: protecting seabirds in the face of climate change

The response of sub-adult savanna trees to six successive annual fires in the Guinean savannas of West Africa.

In a six year experimental field study, N’Dri and colleagues demonstrate how burning during the annual long dry season can be managed to maintain a target density of trees, with implications for use in the other humid savannas. Fires in humid savannas are set by humans for different management purposes. In the Guinean savannas of West Africa, successive annual fires are common, with stakeholders generally … Continue reading The response of sub-adult savanna trees to six successive annual fires in the Guinean savannas of West Africa.

Counting the ghosts of the mountains: sampling snow leopard populations at large spatial scales

Effective management of large carnivores requires robust monitoring at all scales. In their latest research, Manvi Sharma and colleagues describe the first systematic effort at estimating snow leopard populations at a large regional scale. The high-altitude mountains of the Himalaya are important habitats for unique flora and fauna adapted to these regions. The most charming of these species that has taken home here is the … Continue reading Counting the ghosts of the mountains: sampling snow leopard populations at large spatial scales

Impacting habitat connectivity of the endangered Florida panther for the transition to utility‐scale solar energy

In a new study, Leskova and colleagues examined the impacts of utility-scale solar energy (USSE) facility installations on habitat connectivity for Florida Panther within Peninsular Florida. Faced with the challenge of meeting increasing global energy demands and pressure to shift from conventional fossil fuels to renewable energy sources to mitigate climate change, the environmental trade-offs associated with renewable energy’s implementation are becoming increasingly apparent. Unfortunately, … Continue reading Impacting habitat connectivity of the endangered Florida panther for the transition to utility‐scale solar energy

How does bat box design affect box temperatures and their suitability as maternity habitats?

In this podcast, authors Joy O’Keefe and Frank Tillman are interviewed about their latest research that seeks to better understand how bat box design affect internal temperatures – a critical factor for a species that spend more than half a day at roosts. Bat boxes are becoming important tools for conservationists worldwide. In our latest study published in Ecological Solutions and Evidence, we compared the … Continue reading How does bat box design affect box temperatures and their suitability as maternity habitats?