Category: Research summaries

Research summaries

Lake Invaders! Can they get here and will they like it when they arrive?

In this post, Ben Stewart-Koster talks about his recent paper with Julian D. Olden & Pieter T.J. Johnson “Integrating landscape connectivity and habitat suitability to guide offensive and defensive invasive species management” Also, see the Associate Editor, Shelly Arnott’s blog post about this article “A practical guide to prioritize efforts to prevent the spread of invasive species“ Invasive species – these days they’re almost everywhere, and spreading … Continue reading Lake Invaders! Can they get here and will they like it when they arrive?

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied Ecology1 Comment
Research summaries

Remote cameras help ecologists understand community-level responses

In this post, Paul Lukacs discusses a paper he recently handled by Mathias Tobler and colleagues “Spatiotemporal hierarchical modelling of species richness and occupancy using camera trap data” Flipping through the pages (or scrolling through the links) of almost any applied ecological journal, you might begin to think that there is a remote camera placed in almost every patch of forest or on every fencepost. … Continue reading Remote cameras help ecologists understand community-level responses

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Research summaries

Exotic trees at risk of native insect attack

In this post, Manuela Branco talks about her recent paper “Host range expansion of native insects to exotic trees increases with area of introduction and the presence of congeneric native trees” Also, see Manuela’s cartoon illustrating how host range expansion of native insects to exotic trees increases with area of introduction and the presence of congeneric native trees Exotic tree species are used worldwide for planting, … Continue reading Exotic trees at risk of native insect attack

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Research summaries

Bison vs. rabbits: the need for science-based management decisions in livestock–wildlife conflicts

In this post, Dustin Ranglack describes his recent paper with co-authors Susan Durham and Johan du Toit “Competition on the range: science vs. perception in a bison–cattle conflict in the western USA” In the western USA, few wildlife species are as controversial as American bison (Bison bison). Bison seem to be one of the few wildlife species that aren’t allowed to be wild. They are primarily … Continue reading Bison vs. rabbits: the need for science-based management decisions in livestock–wildlife conflicts

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Safeguarding ecosystem functions of aquatic microbial communities

In this post, Jochen Zubrod talks about his recent paper “Inorganic fungicides as routinely applied in organic and conventional agriculture can increase palatability but reduce microbial decomposition of leaf litter“ The use of fungicides is considered an indispensable measure to secure global food supply. However, as an unwanted consequence of their application, these compounds also enter freshwater ecosystems, where they, due to their mode-of-action, likely affect … Continue reading Safeguarding ecosystem functions of aquatic microbial communities

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Costs of passive dispersal in fragmented landscapes

In this post, Brittany Teller (@brittzinator) describes her recent paper with co- authors Adam Miller & Katriona Shea “Conservation of passively dispersed organisms in the context of habitat degradation and destruction“ Leaving the natal location (hereafter, “dispersal”) can be a critical part of many species’ life cycles. If dispersing individuals help establish new populations, this colonization can help keep connected metapopulations viable in the face of disturbances … Continue reading Costs of passive dispersal in fragmented landscapes

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied Ecology1 Comment
Research summaries

A dilemma in conservation practice

In this post, Johan du Toit, focuses on a dilemma in conservation practice: should we do what seems best now or gather more information to (maybe) come up with a better plan? Johan handled the recent paper by Sean Maxwell (@Sean_Ecology)  et al. “How much is new information worth? Evaluating the financial benefit of resolving management uncertainty.“ Conservation practitioners are continually confronted by the question of whether … Continue reading A dilemma in conservation practice

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Silent Spring redux? Insecticides cascade up a food chain to poison carnivores

In this post, Ian Kaplan discusses a paper he recently handled by Margaret Douglas, Jason Rohr and John Tooker “Neonicotinoid insecticide travels through a soil food chain, disrupting biological control of non-target pests and decreasing soybean yield.“. The authors have also written a practitioner summary  and a press release “Insecticides foster ‘toxic’ slugs, reduce crop yields” for this paper. Despite being published >50 years ago, almost everyone … Continue reading Silent Spring redux? Insecticides cascade up a food chain to poison carnivores

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Can’t see the puffins for the auks? Estimating population size with imperfect species identification

In this post, Alison Johnston (@ali__johnston) talks about her paper published today “Modelling the abundance and distribution of marine birds accounting for uncertain species identification”. Ecological surveys balance the competing goals of data quality and data quantity. We can intensively survey a small area, or cover a larger area with less detail and precision, for example in large-scale citizen science surveys. Recently there has been … Continue reading Can’t see the puffins for the auks? Estimating population size with imperfect species identification

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied Ecology1 Comment