Category: Research summaries

Careers, Forests, Plant and soil ecology, Research summaries

Ricard Arasa-Gisbert: Forest loss and treeless matrices cause the functional impoverishment of sapling communities in old-growth forest patches across tropical regions

Shortlisted for the Southwood Prize 2022. Ricard Arasa-Gisbert discusses his and research colleagues’ article on forest loss and the functional impoverishment of sapling communities in tropical regions. Continue reading Ricard Arasa-Gisbert: Forest loss and treeless matrices cause the functional impoverishment of sapling communities in old-growth forest patches across tropical regions

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Agriculture, Careers, Pollinators, Research summaries

Corina Maurer: Different types of semi-natural habitat are required to sustain diverse wild bee communities across agricultural landscapes

Shortlisted for the Southwood Prize 2022 Corina Maurer talks us through her and colleagues’ research on how different kinds of habitats are able to maintain a diverse bee community throughout agricultural landscapes. Habitats and bees Open habitat mosaics, such as grasslands interspersed with hedgerows that existed more than 150 years ago, were home to very diverse wild bee communities. But, the once so diverse and … Continue reading Corina Maurer: Different types of semi-natural habitat are required to sustain diverse wild bee communities across agricultural landscapes

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Careers, Freshwater, Monitoring and methods, Perspectives, Research summaries

Lucy Dowdall: The Natural Capital approach to estuaries

Shortlisted for the Georgina Mace Prize 2022 In their latest Perspective, Lucy Dowdall and colleagues present a framework for successful recovery of nature in estuaries using the Natural Capital approach. Estuaries are the transitional zones between freshwater rivers and saltwater seas. They are also some of the most complex and unique habitats on earth. They provide important habitats for a wide range of key species, … Continue reading Lucy Dowdall: The Natural Capital approach to estuaries

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Careers, Freshwater, Monitoring and methods, Research summaries

Kieran Gething: Predicting invertebrate richness and rarity in aquatic-terrestrial ecosystems

Shortlisted for the Georgina Mace Prize 2022 In their latest research, Kieran Gething and colleagues use a citizen science habitat survey to predict the richness and rarity of invertebrate communities in frequently inundated river sediments in order to guide monitoring and management of these dynamic habitats. River channels and their surrounding areas are dynamic ecosystems in which the extent of water varies in space and … Continue reading Kieran Gething: Predicting invertebrate richness and rarity in aquatic-terrestrial ecosystems

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Coastal and marine, Human-wildlife interactions, Research summaries

What is the real impact of eco-tourism on the environment?

In this blog post, Andrew Torsney and Yvonne Buckley share findings from their latest research aiming to better understand and identify the drivers of tourism-related impacts on the environment. As we increasingly recognize the ancillary benefits of nature, such as improved mental health, the demand for access to nature is rising. While this presents potential benefits, it also brings conflicts related to environmental management. Research … Continue reading What is the real impact of eco-tourism on the environment?

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Careers, Invasive species, Practitioners, Research summaries, Urban ecosystems

Luke Potgieter: Prioritizing sites to manage invasive aliens in urban ecosystems

Shortlisted for the Georgina Mace Prize 2022 In their latest research article, Luke Potgieter and colleagues developed a strategic, spatial prioritization approach for identifying sites most vulnerable to new or expanding terrestrial non-native plant invasions in urban landscapes. Cities have historically been under-studied in ecology and have not seen sufficient development of conservation and biodiversity management policy. This dearth of urban-focused applied ecology and conservation … Continue reading Luke Potgieter: Prioritizing sites to manage invasive aliens in urban ecosystems

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Human-wildlife interactions, Monitoring and methods, Research summaries

Multiple incentives to harvest can increase the extinction risk of rare species

Ryan Almeida talks us through recent research on extinction risk with Juan Bonachela and Julie Lockwood. Through a case study on the ground pangolin, or the Smutsia temminckii, the study uses models to consider rare species extinction risk and the rate at which overexploitation occurs. The economics of exploitation Overexploitation, the unsustainable harvest of species from the wild, is recognized as one of the “big … Continue reading Multiple incentives to harvest can increase the extinction risk of rare species

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Forests, Policy, Practitioners, Research summaries

Effective knowledge exchange in forestry: What is it and what’s effective?

Co-authors Jenna Hutchen and MJ Robertson discuss how their latest research in interdisciplinary forest science led to a typology of Knowledge Exchange practices. Managing forests is not as simple as growing or cutting down trees. Global forest management is the complex interplay of government policies and directives, cultural and spiritual values, stakeholder perspectives, and efforts from both industry and conservationists to maintain ecological functions of … Continue reading Effective knowledge exchange in forestry: What is it and what’s effective?

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Agriculture, Human-wildlife interactions, Pollinators, Research summaries

Smart orchard design improves crop pollination

In their new research article, Mina Anders (University of Göttingen, Germany) and colleagues compared the effects of agronomic practices, including agronomic inputs (irrigation and managed honey bees), orchard design without external inputs (spatial orchard structure), and landscape factors on nut production in South African macadamia orchards. The need for sustainable agricultural practices Conventional agricultural intensification causes biodiversity loss and environmental degradation. To reduce these impacts, … Continue reading Smart orchard design improves crop pollination

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Coastal and marine, Human-wildlife interactions, Monitoring and methods, Research summaries

How can soundscapes enhance recruitment and habitat building on new oyster reef restorations?

Author Dominic McAfee talks us through his and colleagues’ recently published research article which experimented with the use of home-made speakers to boost oyster recruitment at sites throughout Australia. We’ve all, at one time or another, used music as a band aid. Perhaps to mend a broken heart, or to help us through challenging times. And in this regard, it seems we are not alone … Continue reading How can soundscapes enhance recruitment and habitat building on new oyster reef restorations?

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