Category: Research summaries

Research summaries

Forest management adaptation to climate change alters soil macro-detritivore functional diversity and soil functioning

In this post Ludovic Henneron discusses his recent paper ‘Forest management adaptation to climate change: a Cornelian dilemma between drought resistance and soil macro-detritivore functional diversity‘ Climate change is a major threat for world’s forests. Hence, an increasing number of climate-induced forest die-offs are expected to occur in the future as a result of more frequent and intense droughts. This could greatly alter ecosystem services … Continue reading Forest management adaptation to climate change alters soil macro-detritivore functional diversity and soil functioning

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Research summaries

The effects of seals on Scottish cod stock recovery

In this post Robin Cook discusses his recent paper with Steven Holmes and Robert Fryer ‘Grey seal predation impairs recovery of an over-exploited fish stock’ Both seals and humans prey on fish and so potentially compete for the same resource. Such competition is vividly illustrated in the controversy surrounding the effect grey seals have on cod in a number of regions including Canada and the … Continue reading The effects of seals on Scottish cod stock recovery

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Research summaries

Eagles and power lines: the applied value of long-term data

In this post Associate Editor Jeroen Minderman discusses a paper he recently handled by Clément Chevallier and colleagues ‘Retrofitting of power lines effectively reduces mortality by electrocution in large birds: an example with the endangered Bonelli’s eagle’ I have spent much of the past few years studying the effects of wind turbines and wind farms on bird and bat populations, and as a result when … Continue reading Eagles and power lines: the applied value of long-term data

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What is the future of soil carbon stocks?

In this post Peter Manning discusses his recent paper ‘Simple measures of climate, soil properties and plant traits predict national-scale grassland soil carbon stocks‘ Soils contain more carbon than the atmosphere and vegetation combined, but the future of this reserve is uncertain – will it remain in the ground or be released into the atmosphere, potentially amplifying climate warming by several degrees in a worst … Continue reading What is the future of soil carbon stocks?

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ExStream study assesses stream ecosystem functioning: the effects of climate warming & multiple agricultural stressors

In this post Jeremy Piggott discusses his recent paper with colleagues Dev K. Niyogi, Colin R. Townsend and Christoph D. Matthaei ‘Multiple stressors and stream ecosystem functioning: climate warming and agricultural stressors interact to affect processing of organic matter’ Measures of organic matter processing have been proposed as indices of stream ecosystem function. However, to be meaningful for ecosystem management, functional responses must be informed … Continue reading ExStream study assesses stream ecosystem functioning: the effects of climate warming & multiple agricultural stressors

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Ecological traps in urban aquatic ecosystems: theory and practice

In this post Angela Strecker discusses a Review paper she recently handled by Robin Hale and colleagues ‘Identifying, preventing and mitigating ecological traps to improve the management of urban aquatic ecosystems’. Urbanization greatly alters ecosystems, yet management attempts to mitigate these effects can be confounded by incomplete information on the potential outcomes of management activities. In particular, the responses of organisms to management efforts to … Continue reading Ecological traps in urban aquatic ecosystems: theory and practice

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Fighting fire with fire – using prescribed burning to protect threatened plant communities

In this post Brett Murphy discusses his recent paper with colleagues Mark Cochrane and Jeremy Russell-Smith ‘Prescribed burning protects endangered tropical heathlands of the Arnhem Plateau, northern Australia’ In many fire-prone landscapes, wildfires threaten a range of societal and ecological values, including human life and property, crops and domestic livestock, as well as biodiversity and ecosystem services. One of the most important tools humans have … Continue reading Fighting fire with fire – using prescribed burning to protect threatened plant communities

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Biodiversity restoration in the rice terraces of Japan

In this post Kei Uchida and Atushi Ushimaru discuss their recent paper “Land abandonment and intensification diminish spatial and temporal β-diversity of grassland plants and herbivorous insects within paddy terraces” For our recent article published in the Journal of Applied Ecology we studied the traditional paddy terraces of the agricultural lands in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan (Photo 1, Uchida & Ushimaru 2015) and compared them with … Continue reading Biodiversity restoration in the rice terraces of Japan

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Using citizen science to protect Montagu’s harrier nests

In this post Andrea Santangeli discusses his recent paper ‘Identifying effective actions to guide volunteer-based and nationwide conservation efforts for a ground-nesting farmland bird’ Countless conservation actions are implemented by local practitioners worldwide with the intention to help target species to persist in landscapes under increasing pressure from human activities. Unfortunately, still very few implemented interventions are evaluated for their effectiveness (Ferraro & Pattanayak 2006). … Continue reading Using citizen science to protect Montagu’s harrier nests

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VIDEO – Doing more with less: ecosystem services in Massachusetts

For this post Meghan Blumstein has created a video about her recent paper with Jonathan Thompson “Land-use impacts on the quantity and configuration of ecosystem service provisioning in Massachusetts, USA” Ecosystem services are the benefits that we receive from nature every day, both tangible, such as clean drinking water and recreational opportunities, and some less visible, such as climactic regulation through the uptake of carbon by … Continue reading VIDEO – Doing more with less: ecosystem services in Massachusetts

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