Resolving a heated debate: How useful is prescribed burning for lowland heaths?

Prescribed burning is a controversial management tool. Here, Barbara Smith discusses new research she and colleagues conducted into the impact of burning on lowland heaths at three trophic levels over a 20 year period. Its findings provide evidence for ecologists, land managers and policy makers to support decision making in protected area management. Background Lowland heathlands, with their unique assemblage of species, were created by … Continue reading Resolving a heated debate: How useful is prescribed burning for lowland heaths?

How does replanting of oil palm plantations affect arthropod biodiversity?

Palm oil plantations require replanting every twenty to thirty years but its effects on biodiversity are widely understudied. In their latest research, Pashkevich and colleagues assess the impact of replanting on arthropod communities in an industrial plantation. Biodiversity in oil palm plantations Oil palm plantations are often in areas that were once tropical rainforests, and this conversion has resulted in widespread declines in biodiversity and … Continue reading How does replanting of oil palm plantations affect arthropod biodiversity?