Research summaries

Field Diaries: Weaving knowledge to revive indigenous plants and practices in Mpondoland, South Africa

In our ‘Field Diaries’ series, The Applied Ecologist is sharing stories from a range of different fieldwork experiences.  About the author Mallika Sardeshpande, She/her Affiliation: Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, India During the field work: Institute of Natural Resources, South Africa Ecology interests: Agroecology, Urban ecology, Green infrastructure Overview of fieldwork In 2024, I secured my first applied project grant, to work on … Continue reading Field Diaries: Weaving knowledge to revive indigenous plants and practices in Mpondoland, South Africa

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Plain language summaries, Research summaries

Can AI improve decision-making in applied ecology? Only if we guide it well

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering our daily lives. As the world begins to rely on it for small decisions, such as choosing which furniture suits our garden décor, scientists are witnessing a much larger shift quietly unfolding. AI is now entering ecology, and more importantly, applied ecology, a field that supports real-time high-stakes decision-making for our planet and posterity. AI-based tools can identify species … Continue reading Can AI improve decision-making in applied ecology? Only if we guide it well

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Plant and soil ecology, Research summaries

What’s hiding beneath our feet? A new way to sample life in dryland soils

By Walter R Jubber, Andrea Fuller, Maria Paniw Drylands cover over 40% of Earth’s land surface. When we think about biodiversity in drylands, we often picture aboveground shrubs, flowers sprouting after rain, grazing animals, and maybe insects scurrying across the surface. But a key adaptation to extreme temperatures and aridity, especially for invertebrates, is spending most of their life below ground. Soil invertebrates hidden below … Continue reading What’s hiding beneath our feet? A new way to sample life in dryland soils

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Vehicle lighting can reduce the risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions

Every year, vehicle collisions with deer and wild pigs cause billions of dollars in damages and injure thousands of drivers. Most collisions occur at night when the animals are more active and when it is more difficult for drivers to see. Recent research has found that illuminating the front end of the vehicle with a lightbar can reduce dangerous encounters with deer, and newer light … Continue reading Vehicle lighting can reduce the risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions

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Prescribed burns do not make pine trees more vulnerable to the pine processionary moth

Prescribed burning does not change how vulnerable pine trees are to pine processionary moth (PPM) caterpillars in the short term. This means land managers can use this tool without increasing or decreasing the risk of pest outbreaks. Warmer winters linked to climate change are helping the PPM move into new areas where it was previously absent, while also increasing its chances of survival. These caterpillars … Continue reading Prescribed burns do not make pine trees more vulnerable to the pine processionary moth

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Monitoramento de longo prazo em florestas de várzea na Amazônia com gestão de base comunitária revela algumas das maiores densidades de onças-pintadas do mundo

O monitoramento de longo prazo mostra que as florestas alagáveis amazônicas (várzea) podem sustentar altas densidades de onças-pintadas, mas a aparente estabilidade pode mascarar um declínio populacional subjacente, destacando a necessidade de esforços contínuos de conservação diante do aumento de eventos climáticos extremos. As onças-pintadas são o maior felino das Américas e desempenham um papel fundamental na manutenção do funcionamento dos ecossistemas. Em grande parte … Continue reading Monitoramento de longo prazo em florestas de várzea na Amazônia com gestão de base comunitária revela algumas das maiores densidades de onças-pintadas do mundo

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Long-term monitoring in community-managed Amazonian floodplains reveals some of the world’s highest jaguar densities

Long-term monitoring shows that Amazonian floodplain forests (várzea) can support high jaguar densities, but apparent stability may mask underlying population decline, highlighting the need for sustained conservation efforts under increasing climate extremes. Jaguars are the largest felid in the Americas and play a key role in maintaining ecosystem function. Across much of their range, populations have declined due to habitat loss, hunting, and human–wildlife conflict. … Continue reading Long-term monitoring in community-managed Amazonian floodplains reveals some of the world’s highest jaguar densities

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Research summaries

Prawns and crayfish as biocontrol agents against disease-transmitting freshwater snails

Moscovitz et al. share their experience comparing between predation preferences of a prawn and a crayfish over four species of snails which are aquacultural pests, explaining the observed preferences – or lack thereof – by quantifying snail traits. Freshwater snails are tiny – but in aquaculture systems, they loom large. In fishponds around the world, snails act as intermediate hosts for parasitic trematodes that harm … Continue reading Prawns and crayfish as biocontrol agents against disease-transmitting freshwater snails

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When fire meets warming: Managing mountain grasslands in a hotter world

Fire has shaped mountain grasslands for thousands of years and remains essential for keeping them healthy. But as the climate warms, we need to understand how rising temperatures and fire together will affect these ecosystems. In our study, we tested how warming and different fire frequencies interact in the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa. In 2017, we added small open top chambers to a long-running … Continue reading When fire meets warming: Managing mountain grasslands in a hotter world

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Research summaries

Can rule-based mapping support nature recovery planning?

Reliable habitat maps sit at the heart of biodiversity monitoring, natural capital accounting and nature recovery planning. Recent policy developments in the UK have made this even more important. The UK Land Use Framework highlights the need for a coherent national land-use evidence base and better integration of spatial data across sectors. However, producing consistent habitat maps at large scales is not straightforward. Field surveys … Continue reading Can rule-based mapping support nature recovery planning?

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