Tag: ecosystem services

Research summaries

Ecological considerations for an urban marine environment

In this post Filippo Ferrario discusses his recent paper ‘The overlooked role of biotic factors in controlling the ecological performance of artificial marine habitats’ Summer is going to be over soon and many of us have spent the vacation enjoying sea beaches, practising aquatic sports or looking for a pristine marine landscape, where to hike or a wonderful sunset to cherish. Did you realize how … Continue reading Ecological considerations for an urban marine environment

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Defining a successful river restoration project

In this post Associate Editor Tadeu Siqueira discusses a paper he recently handled by Daniel Hering and colleagues ‘Contrasting the roles of section length and instream habitat enhancement for river restoration success: a field study of 20 European restoration projects’ Streams and rivers are among the most degraded ecosystems in the world. In comparison to oceans, these ecosystems contain a tiny portion of the total … Continue reading Defining a successful river restoration project

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Making the most of pollinators to improve and predict crop yields

In this post Lucas Garibaldi discusses his recent Review article ‘Trait matching of flower visitors and crops predicts fruit set better than trait diversity‘ Sustainable management of agroecosystems is a global challenge, with more than 35 % of the Earth’s land area covered by farmland. It has been suggested that species diversity is critical for sustainability because it increases the level and stability of agroecosystem … Continue reading Making the most of pollinators to improve and predict crop yields

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A more natural method of biocontrol

In this post Associate Editor Yann Clough discusses a paper he recently handled by Mattias Jonsson and colleagues ‘Experimental evidence that the effectiveness of conservation biological control depends on landscape complexity’ Brassica crops worldwide are attacked by a range of herbivorous insects, and frequent insecticide use is common. New research shows that the natural biological control of pests can be achieved by establishing strips of … Continue reading A more natural method of biocontrol

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Engineering soil complexity

In this post Kirsty Lees discusses the recent paper from Alice Johnston and colleagues ‘Effects of agricultural management practices on earthworm populations and crop yield: validation and application of a mechanistic modelling approach’ Healthy soils are essential to the provision of ecosystem services; however, increasing intensification has resulted in soil degradation in many arable systems threatening water quality, carbon storage and ultimately food security. Any … Continue reading Engineering soil complexity

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Natural vegetation and biocontrol in southern Africa

In this post Dominic Henri discusses his recent paper ‘Natural vegetation benefits synergistic control of the three main insect and pathogen pests of a fruit crop in southern Africa‘ You can also find a poster ‘Distance-dependent natural vegetation benefits to the biocontrol of multiple pests and pathogens in South Africa mango farms’ associated with the paper here. It is a widely held view among the … Continue reading Natural vegetation and biocontrol in southern Africa

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VIDEO – Doing more with less: ecosystem services in Massachusetts

For this post Meghan Blumstein has created a video about her recent paper with Jonathan Thompson “Land-use impacts on the quantity and configuration of ecosystem service provisioning in Massachusetts, USA” Ecosystem services are the benefits that we receive from nature every day, both tangible, such as clean drinking water and recreational opportunities, and some less visible, such as climactic regulation through the uptake of carbon by … Continue reading VIDEO – Doing more with less: ecosystem services in Massachusetts

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Location matters for oyster reef ecosystem services

In this post, Ashley Smyth writes about her paper “Habitat context influences nitrogen removal by restored oyster reefs”, which was published in the Issue of Journal of Applied Ecology out today. Location matters – where an oyster reef is restored relative to other habitats can influence its affect on nitrogen removal, an important ecosystem service targeted in restoration efforts. Watershed development has increased inputs of … Continue reading Location matters for oyster reef ecosystem services

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Plant species diversity improves ecosystem multifunctionality on a green roof

In this post, Jeremy Lundholm writes about his recent paper “Green roof plant species diversity improves ecosystem multifunctionality”. We can improve the benefits provided by green roofs by planting more species. Green roofs offer an attractive and useful solution to wasted space on building rooftops. Green roof coverage is growing in major cities around the world and more ecologists are paying attention to this habitat. … Continue reading Plant species diversity improves ecosystem multifunctionality on a green roof

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How common birds and rainforests help cacao farmers in Indonesia

In this post, Bea Maas writes about her recent paper with Teja Tscharntke, Shahabuddin Saleh, Dadang Dwi Putra & Yann Clough “Avian species identity drives predation success in tropical cacao agroforestry“. Birds can make farmers happy. Due to their contribution to the suppression of pest insects in agriculture, their presence can increase the quality and quantity of crop yields. Especially in the tropics, insect eating birds … Continue reading How common birds and rainforests help cacao farmers in Indonesia

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