Key Concepts in Ecology: Populations

This blog post on ‘Populations’ is part of the BES ‘Key Concepts in Ecology’ series, designed to help ecologists in learning the key topics in ecology! Take a look at the full series for a list of key topics you might typically find in an ecology textbook, each providing a quick introduction to the topic, and a list of suggested papers for students to refer … Continue reading Key Concepts in Ecology: Populations

How can we efficiently create protected areas in inaccessible, yet threatened, areas?

Delphine Ducros discusses the latest research with colleagues which saw how a suite of modelling tools can be used to identify and protect remote, data-poor natural areas in regions that are in need of urgent conservation policy. The challenge of sampling remote areas Human footprint is increasing worldwide, reaching even the most remote places, with potential threats to biodiversity. In isolated places, assessing and anticipating … Continue reading How can we efficiently create protected areas in inaccessible, yet threatened, areas?

Expansion of hydropower plants drives the risk of extinction of an imperiled and endemic freshwater turtle

André Luis Regolin talks us through the latest research from themselves and colleagues on conserving the rare Williams’ side-necked turtle. The study uses a new methodological approach to evaluate how current and future scenarios of hydroelectric generation affect the species’ distribution. The problem The Williams’ side-necked turtle (Phrynops williamsi) was only described to science in 1983 and since then little attention and research efforts have … Continue reading Expansion of hydropower plants drives the risk of extinction of an imperiled and endemic freshwater turtle

Where do escaped farmed salmon go after unintentional release from aquaculture facilities?

The unintentional release of domesticated salmon poses a significant risk to wild Atlantic salmon populations. In their latest research, Mahlum and colleagues use a hierarchical species distribution model to determine the spread and potential impact of domesticated salmon, following escape events in aquaculture facilities. Atlantic salmon is a culturally and economically important species that has been subjugated to intense anthropogenic pressures over the last century. … Continue reading Where do escaped farmed salmon go after unintentional release from aquaculture facilities?

Jaguar habitat use outside protected areas in Central America: accounting for the detection process generates new insights

We’re turning our attention to wide-ranging animals, specifically jaguars of Central America. Lisanne Petracca discusses her recent article, Robust inference on large-scale species habitat use with interview data: The status of jaguars outside protected areas in Central America. The team also share video summaries of their work in English and Spanish.  For wide-ranging animals such as our focal species, the jaguar (Panthera onca), it is … Continue reading Jaguar habitat use outside protected areas in Central America: accounting for the detection process generates new insights