Fieldwork Insights: Himalayan hill streams and data loggers

Aashna Sharma, Associate Editor mentee for Journal of Applied Ecology, recently embarked on a fieldtrip to the Himalayas. In this stand-alone blog post, she details hers and research colleagues’ full experience, told alongside videos and photographs from the field. Introduction Fieldwork is inherent for wildlife researchers, a daily delight! Working in immaculate landscapes such as the Himalaya comes as a blessing and research stipends become … Continue reading Fieldwork Insights: Himalayan hill streams and data loggers

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

Research stories: The power of participatory research

Lead author Rachel Aronoff recalls her discovery of Hackuarium, a community laboratory, whose study on lake water quality demonstrates how meaningful environmental monitoring can be achieved with participatory research. It was late in 2015 when I first encountered Hackuarium and its ‘biohacker’ members while organising a biosensor course in collaboration with several of its members – I had never seen anything like it. Who were … Continue reading Research stories: The power of participatory research

Weighing-in: universally applicable biometric conversion equations to support comparative assessment of invasive freshwater bivalves

Invasive bivalves continue to detrimentally impact freshwater ecosystems worldwide, with their ecological effects often being standardised by body size or biomass measurements. In their latest research, Coughlan and colleagues aim to derive universally applicable conversion equations to support reliable comparative assessment of bivalve driven ecological effects. As dominant filter-feeders, most bivalves’ ecological impacts are a result of their filtration or particle clearance rates (i.e. the … Continue reading Weighing-in: universally applicable biometric conversion equations to support comparative assessment of invasive freshwater bivalves

Welcoming our new ESE Associate Editors – 2020

Following our open call for applicants over the summer, we are pleased to welcome 14 new Associate Editors to the Ecological Solutions and Evidence Editorial Board. We are delighted to further expand the expertise and diversity of our board through the open call, with ecologists joining us from 9 different countries and bringing expertise from both academic research and on-the-ground practice. You can find out … Continue reading Welcoming our new ESE Associate Editors – 2020

Editor’s choice 57:07 – An urgent need for standardised monitoring of Arctic freshwaters

Heino et al.’s recent Policy Direction provides an approach to freshwater biomonitoring that could equip us to manage the effects of climate change in the Arctic. Associate Editor, Robert Britton highlights the work as our latest Journal of Applied Ecology Editor’s Choice. Anthropogenic climate change is not resulting in uniform warming rates across the world, with some regions increasing in temperature faster than others. This … Continue reading Editor’s choice 57:07 – An urgent need for standardised monitoring of Arctic freshwaters

eDNA snapshots of invasion, infection and extinction from a freshwater crayfish tragedy

For the first time, a devastating crayfish plague outbreak has been monitored from the onset to crayfish extinction using eDNA methodology. David A. Strand and colleagues surveyed a watercourse over three years and discovered a remarkable correlation between eDNA fluctuations and host-pathogen dynamics. Noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) are macroinvertebrates that can be found in both lotic and lentic freshwater systems across most of Europe. Previously … Continue reading eDNA snapshots of invasion, infection and extinction from a freshwater crayfish tragedy

On the horizon: Plastic alternatives – the ecological impact is not always clear

Plastic and plastic pollution have been receiving a lot of attention in the media of late. But, as we explore alternative materials, how do we know what their long-term ecological impacts will be? Becky LeAnstey asks this question in our latest ‘On the horizon’ post.  A world without plastic is difficult to imagine, despite it having only been around for just over a century. Cheap manufacturing costs combined … Continue reading On the horizon: Plastic alternatives – the ecological impact is not always clear

Video: Riverine ecosystem service quantification

Dalal Hanna et. al.’s paper, A review of riverine ecosystem service quantification: Research gaps and recommendations features in issue 55:3 of Journal of Applied Ecology. Watch this video to find out more. ‘Rivers provide numerous ecosystem services, including drinking water and irrigation. They also provide habitat to some our favourite food sources like fish, and places to go for fun recreational activities like swimming. To ensure … Continue reading Video: Riverine ecosystem service quantification

Editor’s choice 54:4 – The identification of critical catchments for freshwater conservation

Issue 54:4’s Editor’s Choice post is written by Shelley Arnott. The article chosen is Critical catchments for freshwater biodiversity conservation in Europe: identification, prioritisation and gap-analysis by Savrina F. Carrizo and colleagues. Aquatic ecosystems around the world are threatened with environmental changes resulting in critical loss of biodiversity; 81% of freshwater populations monitored for the Living Planet Index have declined in abundance between 1970 and … Continue reading Editor’s choice 54:4 – The identification of critical catchments for freshwater conservation