Working hard or hardly working? Modelling success of current grassland agri-environment schemes

Shortlisted for the Georgina Mace Prize 2023 In this blog post, author Bede West describe his team’s study analysing the potential for agri-environment schemes to achieve positive changes in plant biodiversity. Plants and soils are the trophic foundations of most temperate terrestrial ecosystems but they are being progressively impacted by climate change, biodiversity loss and a plethora of other environmental impacts. These issues must be … Continue reading Working hard or hardly working? Modelling success of current grassland agri-environment schemes

Lucien Besnard: Mercury isotope clocks predict coastal residency and migration timing of hammerhead sharks

Shortlisted for the 2023 Southwood Prize Lucien Besnard reflects on how he and colleagues used mercury isotopes, within the framework of isotopic clocks, to provide a more precise assessment of hammerhead shark movement. As a result, this method may be used as a complementary tool for stock management through predicting the timing of animal migration – a key aspect in the conservation of marine taxa. … Continue reading Lucien Besnard: Mercury isotope clocks predict coastal residency and migration timing of hammerhead sharks

Samuel Fischer: How can invasive species management benefit from smartphone data?

Shortlisted for the 2023 Southwood Prize Samuel Fischer discusses how he and colleagues researched and utilised an angler smartphone app to build a stochastic model for angler traffic in the Canadian province of Alberta. Anglers facilitate the spread of whirling disease, a parasite-induced fish disease, meaning this model demonstrates the importance of individual-specific behaviour of vectors for propagule transport. From smartphone data to invasive species … Continue reading Samuel Fischer: How can invasive species management benefit from smartphone data?

Salomé Jaramillo Gil: Whale shark and ecotourism management

Shortlisted for the 2023 Southwood Prize Salomé Jaramillo Gil talks us through her research, conducted with colleagues, which aimed to predict whale shark abundance. Through results obtained via modelling and photo identification, it is suggested that local authorities apply the model each spring. Ecotourism and conservation Nowadays, ecotourism with wildlife has witnessed unprecedented growth, attracting tourists seeking immersive experiences with nature. However, when ecotourism guidelines … Continue reading Salomé Jaramillo Gil: Whale shark and ecotourism management

Andrea Radici: Looking for winners and losers of marine resources management

Shortlisted for the 2023 Southwood Prize Andrea Radici talks us through his team’s development of a comprehensive metapopulation framework, which provides a tool for assessing area-based management measures aimed at improving fisheries outcomes and describing the spatial distribution of costs and benefits. This can help guide effective spatially-distributed management. Ecosystems and mathematics In Chapter 151 of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, … Continue reading Andrea Radici: Looking for winners and losers of marine resources management

Southwood Prize 2023: Shortlist announced for early career researcher award

The Southwood Prize, awarded by Journal of Applied Ecology, is an annual award given to the best paper by an author at the start of their research career. The following 12 papers were shortlisted by our Senior Editors and span the 60th volume of the journal. Andrea Radici with ‘Assessing fish–fishery dynamics from a spatially explicit metapopulation perspective reveals winners and losers in fisheries management’ … Continue reading Southwood Prize 2023: Shortlist announced for early career researcher award

Georgina Mace Prize 2023: Shortlist announced for early career researcher award

Each year, Ecological Solutions and Evidence awards the Georgina Mace Prize to the best article published by an early career author. Today, we present the shortlisted articles for this year’s award based on the previous volume of the journal. This is the fourth year we’ll be awarding the prize in honour of Professor Dame Georgina Mace, a pioneer in conservation science and policy who was a strong advocate for supporting … Continue reading Georgina Mace Prize 2023: Shortlist announced for early career researcher award

Associate Editor Mentoring: 2024 applications now open!

***Please note that applications for the 2024 scheme are now closed. If you would like to apply for the 2025 scheme, applications will reopen in September 2024*** Are you less than five years post-PhD, live in or are from the Global South, and looking to gain hands-on experience with an editorial board? Why not apply for the 2024 mentoring scheme with Journal of Applied Ecology! … Continue reading Associate Editor Mentoring: 2024 applications now open!

Cheap microclimate sensor networks in the wild

Shortlisted for the Georgina Mace Prize 2023 Author Lina K. Mühlbauer summarises her team’s latest study exploring the use of Arduinos as a novel cost-effective method for microclimate monitoring in remote systems. Why measure microclimate? A great challenge of our times is to predict and mitigate the impacts of global climate change on the world’s ecosystems. To do so, a lot of information is needed … Continue reading Cheap microclimate sensor networks in the wild

ECR Journeys: PREDICTS – Using data for Conservation

This month, The Applied Ecologist is amplifying the voice of early career ecologists from around the world working in the field of applied ecology to help inspire the next generation. In this post, Victoria Burton at the Natural History Museum, shares her story below. My Background I am a post-doctoral research assistant at the Natural History Museum and a trustee for the Amateur Entomologists’ Society. … Continue reading ECR Journeys: PREDICTS – Using data for Conservation