Research summaries

Restoration methods of conifer plantations on ancient forest sites

In this post Associate Editor mentee Lander Baeten discusses a paper he handled by Beth Atkinson and colleagues ‘A comparison of clearfelling and gradual thinning of plantations for the restoration of insect herbivores and woodland plants’ Since the pioneering work of George Peterken in the 1970s, numerous studies have shown that many forest plant species are extremely slow to re-establish once lost from the ecosystem. … Continue reading Restoration methods of conifer plantations on ancient forest sites

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Extreme rainfall will pose a challenge for management of endangered burrowing owls in Canada

In this post Ryan Fisher discusses his paper ‘Extreme precipitation reduces reproductive output of an endangered raptor‘ in the latest Issue of Journal of Applied Ecology When we think of threats to species around the globe, we typically think of the usual, and very important, culprits of habitat loss and fragmentation. Unfortunately, the large and sometimes catastrophic effects of extreme weather on wildlife often get … Continue reading Extreme rainfall will pose a challenge for management of endangered burrowing owls in Canada

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The stage is set: Will expanding development be a sea change?

In this post Matthew Hethcoat discusses his recent paper, with Anna Chalfoun ‘Towards a mechanistic understanding of human-induced rapid environmental change: a case study linking energy development, nest predation and predators‘, which is published in Issue 52:6 of Journal of Applied Ecology, out today. North America’s sagebrush steppe, also known as the big empty, holds a secret. The sparrows, thrashers, and other songbirds that inhabit this … Continue reading The stage is set: Will expanding development be a sea change?

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Lessons in how to restore a wetland ecosystem

In this post David Moreno Mateos discusses his paper ‘Ecosystem response to interventions: lessons from restored and created wetland ecosystems’ After over 30 years and billions of dollars (and euros, pounds, and yuans) of restoring wetlands globally, and especially in the USA, the time has come to evaluate the results, and particularly to find out how wetlands are responding to our efforts. The results found … Continue reading Lessons in how to restore a wetland ecosystem

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Dining out: Fish switch from an aquatic to a terrestrial-based diet in streams impacted from metal contamination

In this post Justin Pomeranz and David Walters discuss their recent paper ‘Aquatic pollution increases use of terrestrial prey subsidies by stream fish’ Have you ever walked next to a high elevation, Rocky Mountain stream? Picked your way through downed trees, pushing your way through thick willows, listening to the water pour and bounce over rocks and settle into plunge pools? Have you ever fished … Continue reading Dining out: Fish switch from an aquatic to a terrestrial-based diet in streams impacted from metal contamination

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Early warning indicators in aquatic ecosystems

In this post Craig Allen and Hannah Birge discuss a paper from Sarah Burthe and colleagues ‘Do early warning indicators consistently predict nonlinear change in long-term ecological data?’ Complex systems of humans and nature rarely change in gradual, expected ways. Instead, changes often occur suddenly, with major, non-linear losses of human and ecological capital. Once these unexpected changes occur, it can be difficult to restore … Continue reading Early warning indicators in aquatic ecosystems

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Bird communities in a land of droughts and flooding rains: riparian tree cover as climate refugia

In this post Dale Nimmo, Angie Haslem and Andrew Bennett discuss their recent paper ‘Riparian tree cover enhances the resistance and stability of woodland bird communities during an extreme climatic event’ You can also watch a slide cast about this research and related papers, in the form of an Australian bush poem. Something alarming happened in the woodlands of southern Australia last decade. The birds … Continue reading Bird communities in a land of droughts and flooding rains: riparian tree cover as climate refugia

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The role of subordinate plant species in supporting soil food web stability

In this post Associate Editor Paul Kardol discusses a paper he recently handled by Yuanhu Shao and colleagues ‘Subordinate plants sustain the complexity and stability of soil micro-food webs in natural bamboo forest ecosystems’ Is it the dominant plant species that rule the system? Some theories suggest so. But, the idea that only the dominants are important is too simplistic and there is increasing evidence … Continue reading The role of subordinate plant species in supporting soil food web stability

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How network analyses can help to find out what happens to ostrich farming after an avian influenza outbreak

In this post Craig Allen and Hannah Birge discuss a paper from Christine Moore, John Grewar and Graeme S. Cumming ‘Quantifying network resilience: comparison before and after a major perturbation shows strengths and limitations of network metrics’ Humans are very good at creating mental models to simplify nature’s complexity, to make its many parts and interactions more understandable. Approaches that exemplify this include hierarchy theory, panarchy … Continue reading How network analyses can help to find out what happens to ostrich farming after an avian influenza outbreak

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Ecological considerations for an urban marine environment

In this post Filippo Ferrario discusses his recent paper ‘The overlooked role of biotic factors in controlling the ecological performance of artificial marine habitats’ Summer is going to be over soon and many of us have spent the vacation enjoying sea beaches, practising aquatic sports or looking for a pristine marine landscape, where to hike or a wonderful sunset to cherish. Did you realize how … Continue reading Ecological considerations for an urban marine environment

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