Research summaries

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

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied EcologyLeave a comment
Research summaries

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

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied EcologyLeave a comment
Research summaries

Defining a successful river restoration project

In this post Associate Editor Tadeu Siqueira discusses a paper he recently handled by Daniel Hering and colleagues ‘Contrasting the roles of section length and instream habitat enhancement for river restoration success: a field study of 20 European restoration projects’ Streams and rivers are among the most degraded ecosystems in the world. In comparison to oceans, these ecosystems contain a tiny portion of the total … Continue reading Defining a successful river restoration project

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied EcologyLeave a comment
Research summaries

Making the most of pollinators to improve and predict crop yields

In this post Lucas Garibaldi discusses his recent Review article ‘Trait matching of flower visitors and crops predicts fruit set better than trait diversity‘ Sustainable management of agroecosystems is a global challenge, with more than 35 % of the Earth’s land area covered by farmland. It has been suggested that species diversity is critical for sustainability because it increases the level and stability of agroecosystem … Continue reading Making the most of pollinators to improve and predict crop yields

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied Ecology1 Comment
Research summaries

Ancient woodland restoration

In this post Beth Atkinson discusses her recent paper ‘A comparison of clearfelling and gradual thinning of plantations for the restoration of insect herbivores and woodland plants’ Forests are valued across the globe for their history and heritage, as well as their importance for biodiversity. They display their historical use, for example through coppice stools, and are evocative like perhaps no other habitat, conjuring images … Continue reading Ancient woodland restoration

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied EcologyLeave a comment
Research summaries

A more natural method of biocontrol

In this post Associate Editor Yann Clough discusses a paper he recently handled by Mattias Jonsson and colleagues ‘Experimental evidence that the effectiveness of conservation biological control depends on landscape complexity’ Brassica crops worldwide are attacked by a range of herbivorous insects, and frequent insecticide use is common. New research shows that the natural biological control of pests can be achieved by establishing strips of … Continue reading A more natural method of biocontrol

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied EcologyLeave a comment
Research summaries

Satellite-tagging the black kite

In this post Fabrizio Sergio discusses his recent paper ‘No effect of satellite tagging on survival, recruitment, longevity, productivity and social dominance of a raptor, and the provisioning and condition of its offspring’ Ecologists are using ever smaller and more sophisticated electronic devices to track the movements of animal species, even small songbirds and butterflies, all around the globe. These studies are producing leapfrog advances … Continue reading Satellite-tagging the black kite

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied EcologyLeave a comment
Research summaries

Using phylogenetics to guide local management

In this post Associate Editor Akira Mori discusses a paper he recently handled by Daniel Larkin and colleagues ‘Phylogenetic measures of plant communities show long-term change and impacts of fire management in tallgrass prairie remnants’ Evaluating biological diversity is now often one of the major issues for local and regional environmental management. Numerous efforts have been made to record, monitor, and evaluate the state of … Continue reading Using phylogenetics to guide local management

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied EcologyLeave a comment
Research summaries

Species assignment from trace DNA – evaluating the reliability of DNA tests

In this post Anna MacDonald discusses her recent paper with Stephen Sarre ‘Species assignment from trace DNA sequences: an in silico assessment of the test used to survey for foxes in Tasmania’ Which species occur in an area and how do they interact with one another? These are crucial questions for ecologists and wildlife managers to address, yet answering them is rarely straightforward. Many animals … Continue reading Species assignment from trace DNA – evaluating the reliability of DNA tests

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied Ecology3 Comments
Research summaries

Helping Hawaiian spinner dolphins rest

In this post Julian Tyne discusses his paper ‘The importance of spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) resting habitat: implications for management’ Coastal dolphin populations are exposed to non-consumptive human activities that can pose conservation challenges. Consequently, effective management strategies, using rigorous scientific assessments of exposed populations and their habitats, are needed to mitigate potential negative impacts of these activities. Key habitats may function as critical for … Continue reading Helping Hawaiian spinner dolphins rest

Unknown's avatarJournal of Applied EcologyLeave a comment