In their latest research, Service and colleagues map the distribution and frequency of the ‘Spirit bear’ allele to support conservation planning of these culturally important phenotypic variants. Author Christina Service shares her team’s findings below. Continue reading New study reveals rarity of the Spirit Bear and gaps in their protection in Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest
Successful restoration of degraded land often depends on well-timed interventions to control invasive species. In their recently published article, Taylor and colleagues present a case study of the effects of incorporating phenology information into invasive plant control operations at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), USA. The authors share their story below. Towards the end of April, millions of birds, including warblers, tanagers, buntings, grosbeaks … Continue reading Using phenology to guide invasive plant management
In their new research, Mattia Bessone and colleagues demonstrate how camera trap distance sampling can be used to develop conservation strategies and protect threatened species. The impact humans are exerting on the planet is accelerating the loss of biodiversity, with animal species disappearing at such unprecedented rate that scientists have labelled the current era ‘Earth’s sixth mass extinction’. To preserve the remnants of wildlife we … Continue reading Camera traps reveal hidden treasures of the rainforest
New research by Sales and colleagues looks at the monitoring of terrestrial mammal communities and compares the efficacy of landscape-level monitoring using environmental DNA (eDNA) to that of conventional methods. Here the authors summarise their findings. Accurately and effectively monitoring biodiversity is a key consideration in this rapidly changing world. Consistent and regular monitoring of species communities is pivotal for ongoing management, conservation and policy … Continue reading Fishing for mammals: using environmental DNA from rivers to monitor mammals on land
In newly published research, A framework for mapping the distribution of seabirds by integrating tracking, demography and phenology, Ana P. B. Carneiro et al. present a new framework aiming to tackle challenges of tracking seabird movement and ultimately improve bycatch mitigation measures. There is increased global awareness that our oceans are under threat. Marine megafauna such as seabirds, marine turtles, marine mammals, sharks and rays … Continue reading Identifying hotspots of threats to marine megafauna
Following the recent Journal of Animal Ecology Special Feature on biologging, Associate Editor, Steph Januchowski-Hartley takes a look at how research in this and similar methods are affecting the field of applied ecology today. Advances in technology have allowed for small electronic loggers and transmitters to be developed not only for biomedical monitoring for humans (think of the tech we can use for monitoring hearts, … Continue reading Showcasing developments in biologging and related methods in applied ecology
Developments in tracking data are uncovering important conservation sites, the significance of which had previously been unknown. Associate Editor, Chi-Yeung explains more about the recently published work of Ying‐Chi Chan and colleagues. An increasing number of tracking studies on animals over the last few decades have revealed interesting behaviour and habits that are otherwise impossible to observe in the field. This is particularly the case … Continue reading Using tracking data to guide research and conservation efforts in long-distance migratory birds
In issue 56:8 we showcase the research, technology and mitigation efforts going into the management of wide-ranging species today. Join Associate Editor, Johan du Toit in exploring this selection of work, free to read in the journal for a limited time. The ability to range widely across our planet conveys a game-changing advantage to certain animals, as was realised by humans when they discovered that … Continue reading Spotlight: management of wide-ranging species
Using the recent case study of wolverines in Scandinavia as an example, Associate Editor, Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi highlights why management initiatives for transboundary populations need to collaborate across borders – and what happens when they don’t. Globally, carnivore conservation has two very different objectives. First, to protect the population of the carnivore species from going extinct. Second, to mitigate the impact of the carnivore on the … Continue reading Carnivores without borders: management of transboundary populations when objectives differ
When it comes to developing management tools, how do we keep up with constantly changing ecosystems? Associate Editor, Annabel Smith explains the important step forward made by Welch et al’s research into dynamic management tools. Scientists have been very good at developing guidelines for management of natural systems. Streams of conceptual frameworks are published every year, to the point that we now have frameworks for … Continue reading Dynamic technology for dynamic ecosystems
The Applied Ecologist 