(A) Hodgson’s frogmouth, (B) Gould’s shortwing, (C) Fire-tailed myzornis (Phub Dorji)

The fragile Himalayas and the balancing act!

Ugyen Penjor discusses their latest research, conducted with colleagues Sherub Sherub and Rinzin Jamtsho, which explores the effects of land-use change on the functional and phylogenetic diversity of Eastern Himalayan bird communities. Envision the Himalayas – snow-clad mountains, jagged peaks, ruddy-cheeked people, and of course the ‘Abominable Snowman’ or The Yeti. But what is more exciting about the Himalayas is the biodiversity. The Himalayas can … Continue reading The fragile Himalayas and the balancing act!

Mountain lions in LA moved more efficiently during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent shutdowns in many regions around the world offered a new “human-less” environment for urban wildlife in 2020. In their latest research, Benson et al. share their findings from tracking mountain lion movements in greater Los Angeles, USA during spring 2020. Early on during the global pandemic, ecologists quickly realised that changes in human behaviour and activity brought on by … Continue reading Mountain lions in LA moved more efficiently during the COVID-19 pandemic

Trembling in the Balance: My life as a Black ecologist

For Black History Month, the British Ecological Society (BES) journals are celebrating the work of Black ecologists from around the world and sharing their stories. Christian Asante, a fifth year doctoral student at Boston College, shares his story below. I was born and raised in a sprawling urban neighbourhood in Ghana. My first awareness of nature as a child was birds flying headlong into my … Continue reading Trembling in the Balance: My life as a Black ecologist

Black and white fragmentation maps can be misleading

Recent research from Marina Antongionanni and colleagues estimates 47,000 fragments of Caatinga dry forests to be affected by chronic human disturbances. Here the authors look at how such effects are depicted, and demonstrate how this knowledge can help define large-scale conservation and management actions. Continue reading Black and white fragmentation maps can be misleading