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BES in the news: recent press cuttings
Nature, 10 July 2008
Competing keeps bees busy
J. Ecol. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2745.2008.01405.x (2008). Bumblebees are pollinator generalists, flying to more flower species than most other insects, but a new study suggests that this behaviour depends on competition. . .
The Guardian, 30 June 2008
Prickly subject
Natasha Loder and Ben Dowell
Newspapers love animal stories - particularly when they comes with a cute picture to make readers go "ah". But by adopting the emotive language of campaigning groups, the print media could be exacerbating tension over environmental issues. Thomas Webb and Dave Raffaelli, biologists at the University of Sheffield, studied media coverage of a project to remove hedgehogs from islands in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland . . . In general the tabloids were the closest to the hedgehog groups, followed by the broadsheets. Other parts of the media backed pro-wading bird groups. Media coverage, the pair write in the current edition of Journal of Applied Ecology, has played a significant and "not always helpful role in perpetuating and polarising this conflict" . . .
New Scientist, 14 June 2008
Otter poop to aid conservationists;
Extracting DNA from otter droppings will allow governments to tally otter numbers and compensate farmers who lose fish to their greedy paws
Evaluating otter poop is not a job everyone would want, but it may be the key to saving the elusive creature from angry farmers who would have their hides for eating fish stocks . . . Using a statistical technique based on the number of times they encountered samples from the same animal, the team could then estimate the number of otters in their 300-hectare study site: 32 to 40 (Journal of Applied Ecology , vol 45, p 728). They hope to extend the method to the whole region, and to other carnivores.
The West Australian, 13 June 2008
Study to identify at-risk species
Species prone to extinction and those at risk of becoming environmental pests will be more easily identified thanks to research at the University of Adelaide. The study, published by the British Ecological Society's Journal of Ecology, examined the impact of environmental change. . .
New Scientist, 24 May 2008
Treating animals like molecules aids census;
By assuming that animals move around randomly like molecules in a gas, biologists are able to accurately gauge animal numbers in the wild
HOW many pygmy hippos are left in the wild? It's hard to estimate numbers of elusive animals, but a new census method should make it possible to uncover the secrets of even the shyest . . . The researchers tested their method in an animal reserve on two species of deer and a type of wallaby, and found the population sizes calculated matched the actual populations in the park (Journal of Applied Ecology , DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2008.01473.x).
The Daily Telegraph, 1 April 2008
Birds know which berries are most healthy
Paul Eccleston
Wild birds instinctively select the fruit which is best for their health, scientists have found. In controlled experiments fruit-eating birds actively chose berries with the highest concentrations of antioxidants - compounds that help them maintain a healthy immune system. . . The results of the study are published online in the British Ecological Society's Functional Ecology.
The Daily Telegraph, 20 March 2008
Scientists devise list of potential threats to UK
Paul Eccleston
Scientists have drawn up a list of 25 technological advances and environmental changes which pose a potential threat to the UK. They include the use of artificially created life, the building of microscopic robots through nanotechnology, the use of biofuels and the arrival of invasive species. . . The new study, in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology, says that although there are expected to be social benefits for medicine, electronics and the environment there was also a need to predict their impact on the environment. . .
The Guardian, 20 March 2008
New horizon: what we can expect as nature changes
John Vidal
Artificial life forms, robots that mimic natural processes, and even people who spend all day in front of the computer and rarely experience the real outdoors, may all fundamentally affect the quality of nature in Britain over the next 45 years. . . But many more challenges, identified in the "horizon-scanning" report, come from what now appears science fiction. Environmental manipulation could be a quick-fix way to mitigate climate change, scientists say. Putting trillions of lenses in orbit to deflect the sun's energy, building giant mirrors in space, fertilising oceans with iron filings and laying reflective covers on deserts, have all been suggested, says the paper in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology. . .
New Scientist, 20 March 2008
Named: 25 environmental threats of the future
Catherine Brahic
Forget genetically modified crops – the great environmental concerns of the future should be nanomaterials, manmade viruses and biomimetic robots. So say researchers, policymakers and environmental campaigners, who have identified 25 potential future threats to the environment in the UK, which they say researchers should focus on. . .
BBC Online, 3 March 2008
Rare birds in danger from tourism
Researchers have warned that winter sports tourism is raising stress levels among rare capercaillie birds. . . Writing in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology, the study's authors, who carried out their research in the German Black Forest, said skiing activity could affect the bird's body condition and overall fitness. . .
The Guardian, 3 March 2008
Sports craze threatens Highlands bird
James Randerson
A Highlands bird that is struggling for survival in Scotland is significantly affected by disturbance from winter sports tourism, according to a study that involved radio tracking individuals and measuring the birds' stress-hormone levels. The researchers say a craze for winter snowshoe walking is having a particular impact on the capercaillie because walkers are able to reach parts of open woodland that off-piste skiers typically don't visit. In some areas, the birds have very few undisturbed refuges left. . .
The Daily Telegraph, 3 March 2008
Capercaillie suffers from stress due to skiers
Paul Eccleston
Skiers are stressing out one of Europe's rarest birds, says a new study. The elusive capercaillie is already a threatened species facing possible extinction for the second time in Britain with only an estimated 2,000 surviving birds. . . The study, published in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology, concluded that capercaillie preferred undisturbed forests within their home ranges and avoided areas with high recreation intensity in the ski season. . .
The Times, 3 March 2008
Capercaillie’s survival threatened by close encounters of the human kind
The survival of capercaillies is threatened by the stress the birds suffer when they see people. Measurements of chemicals produced in birds under stress have shown that capercaillies suffer when approached by people even if their behaviour betrays nothing untoward. . .
The Scotsman, 3 March 2008
Stressed capercaillie denied a sporting chance
Karin Goodwin
The increasingly popularity of outdoor winter sports such as skiing, hill-walking and snow-shoeing could be putting capercaillie populations under threat, according to a new study. . . The researchers' findings, which it is hoped will help inform conservation-management programmes, are published in British Ecological Society [Journal of Applied Ecology] this week.
The Economist, 22 November 2007
The long haul
As any mum knows, carrying the kids can be exhausting. After breastfeeding, it is the most energetically expensive parental duty known to mammals. Yet despite its high cost, creatures ranging from ground dwellers to tree climbers and even flyers do it. Now it has been seen in swimmers. The calves of dolphins swim alongside their mothers in an arrangement known as echelon formation. Such behaviour was thought to promote bonding between mother and child. But Shawn Noren of the University of California at Santa Cruz has found evidence that echelon swimming is also a form of infant carrying . . . The results, which will be reported in a forthcoming issue of Functional Ecology, suggest that echelon swimming is the underwater equivalent to carrying a child . . .
Nature, 20 November 2007
Why did the chipmunk not cross the road?
Matt Kaplan
Small mammals have a habit of avoiding paved roads and being hesitant to cross them. But ecologists have not been able to agree whether the problem lies with the road itself or with the cars roaring by. A new study hints that it's the open space, rather than the noise or pollution of traffic, that puts small animals off . . . They report in The Journal of Applied Ecology that 51% of the mammals that were relocated across one road returned home, compared with 77% of those moved a similar distance but with no roads to cross. In relocations in which multiple roads needed to be crossed, the probability of returning was reduced by about 50% for each additional road. Perhaps surprisingly, traffic levels made no difference to these numbers.
Nature, 18 October 2007
Plant ecology: Grass attack
Looking for signs of biological warfare past, Carolyn Malmstrom of Michigan State University in East Lansing and her colleagues delved into herbarium specimens at two University of California sites and extracted some of the oldest plant-virus RNA ever recorded.
Science, 16 October 2007
Two's a crowd for invasive species
Matt Kaplan
An alien war is taking place on the beaches of New England. Two foreign crab species have invaded the ecosystem and are wreaking havoc. But instead of causing twice the damage--as many ecologists had expected--the aliens appear to be canceling each other out . . . the team reports in an upcoming issue of The Journal of Animal Ecology.
United Press International, 9 October 2007
Past plant viruses offer ecological clues
A U.S. study found even 90-year-old plant viruses can be of help to people involved in ecology, human health or bioterrorism prevention. Michigan State University Assistant Professor Carolyn Malmstrom and colleagues isolated historical viral RNA sequences in native and invasive grasses and found implications for the ways viruses behave today . . . The study is detailed in the Journal of Ecology.
Nature, 8 October 2007
Egg colour indicates DDT
Matt Kaplan
Collectors have long been fascinated by the colours and patterns of bird eggs. Now research has shown that these marks of beauty can also function as indicators of toxic chemicals.
BBC Online, 5 September 2007
Grizzly tree rub secrets revealed
Rebecca Morelle
The mystery behind the tree rubbing antics of North America's grizzly bears may at last have been solved. A few select trees are used by grizzlies to perform strange rubbing rituals, but for years the reasons for this behaviour have baffled ecologists. Now, a study suggests that male grizzlies seeking mates are marking the trees to communicate with other males - possibly to dodge deadly bear battles. The work will be presented next week at a British Ecological Society meeting . . .
Daily Telegraph, 4 September 2007
The real reason bears go into the woods
Nic Fleming
The reasons bears go into the woods are not those of popular belief, according to new research. A British scientist has concluded brown bears, (Ursus arctos), engage in characteristic tree rubbing to reduce the likelihood of fights with other adult males. It has been shown that different bears return to and rub themselves against the same trees. A number of theories have been advanced to explain their behaviour, such as it being a way for females to advertise reproductive availability to nearby males. Other experts thought they might be trying to get rid of parasites, or picking up sap to act as insect repellent. It has been difficult to test these theories because the bears usually live in low densities and rubbing is relatively rare. Dr Owen Nevin, an ecologist at the University of Cumbria, used four digital cameras with infra-red trips and satellite tracking devices during a two-year study of a high-density population of grizzly bears, a subspecies of brown bears, in the Knight Inlet area of British Columbia. Dr Nevin, who will present his work at the British Ecological Society's annual conference in Glasgow next week, said: "Big male bears can seriously injure and even kill each other when they get into a fight . . .
ScienceDaily.com, 16 August 2007
Sudden Oak Death: Humans Fostering Forest-destroying Disease
Enjoying your August vacation? Well, (as they say in the summer movies) there's a killer in the woods. Its strike has been consistently quiet, sudden, and deadly. Unknowingly, we have all been playing into its hands... But put down that rock -- you personally are not in any danger. It's the woods themselves that are getting axed and you may be an accomplice...the killer is an invasive, forest-destroying plant disease known as Sudden Oak Death. Caused by an (apparently) non-native water mold (Phytophthora ramorum), the disease affects a broad range of woody plants, and is particularly lethal to our native oaks. In the last few years, it has infected and killed large stands of western oaks with alarming suddenness...
BBC Online, 6 August 2007
Sugar-rushes keep bats airborne
Nectar-feeding bats burn up sugar faster than any other mammals on Earth, scientists believe. The UK-German team found that the creatures began to metabolise nectar within minutes of drinking it. The researchers said the animals needed to extract as much energy as possible from their food because their hovering flight used up so much fuel. The study, published in the journal Functional Ecology, looked at long-tongued nectar bats. . .
The Times, 6 August 2007
Bat that lives life in the fast lane
Bats that feed on nectar have been found to have the highest metabolisms of any mammals and burn up sugar three times quicker than Olympic athletes. Researchers found that by drinking nectar the bats are able to avoid the need to build up stores of fat. The Glossophaga soricina bats from South and Central America weigh 10 grams (less than half an ounce). The researchers said: “The bats depleted almost 60 per cent of their fat stores each day.” The research was carried out by Dr Christian Voigt from Berlin and Professor John Speakman of the University of Aberdeen. . .
Aberdeen Press and Journal, 6 August 2007
Bats reveal their sweet tooth
They only come out at night and have long received a bad press, from the blood-sucking variety of Bram Stoker to the rabies-carrying menaces of modern day. But now it seems bats do have one claim to fame - their ability to burn sugar faster than any other mammal on Earth. Scientists have found that nectar-feeding bats live life on an "energetic knife edge", using sugar three-times faster than even top athletes. The findings are published online in the British Ecological Society's journal Functional Ecology. . .
Cosmos, 6 August 2007
Nectar-feeding bats live on energetic knife-edge
Samantha Medina
Nectar-feeding bats burn energy faster than any other mammal or bird on Earth, and three times faster than human athletes. A new study reveals that tiny bats metabolise sugar at an incredible rate, and as a result of their reliance on this rapidly deplenished fuel, they are highly sensitive to any small changes in their environment. "These bats live on the fast track of the metabolic autobahn," said Christian Voigt from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin, Germany. "From a conservation aspect this study highlights the importance of intact forest ecosystems. If these bats don't find sufficient nectar every day, they starve". . .
Scientific American, 23 July 2007
Bumblebees get a buzz out of British gardens
Gardens provide a lifeline for Britain's dwindling bumblebee population and are a far more popular nesting location than open countryside, scientists said on Monday. The plight of the bumblebee prompted a nationwide survey by conservationists, involving more than 700 volunteers, which found Britons' popular back gardens contained the highest densities of bumblebee nests at 36 per hectare. . .
BBC Online, 23 July 2007
Gardens 'vital' for UK bumblebees
Gardens are key habitats for the UK's nesting bumblebees, a survey suggests. Scientists have found that the bees' nests are more likely to be located in gardens than in habitats such as woodlands or grasslands. The study, reported in the Journal of Applied Ecology, could aid bumblebee conservation work. . .
The Guardian, 23 July 2007
Plea to gardeners: keep a little patch unclipped to help save bumblebees
Ian Sample
Let the neighbours mutter in dismay. Unruly, overgrown gardens have been highlighted as a vital refuge for the nation's dwindling bumblebee population, in a countrywide survey by conservationists. . .
The Times, 23 July 2007
British bumblebee gets a buzz out of untidy gardens and neglected lawns
Gardeners who neglect their lawns and flower beds could be helping to preserve the British bumblebee, research suggests. The National Bumblebee Nest Survey found that bees, which are essential for the pollination of crops and wild plants, prefer long grass and sprouting weeds to neat lawns. . .
The Daily Telegraph, 23 July 2007
British bumblebee gets a buzz out of untidy gardens and neglected lawns
Paul Eccleston
The humble bumblebee gets a buzz out of British gardens, new research shows. The garden is the bumblebee's favourite place to set up a nest - especially if it has been somewhat neglected. There are 25 different species of bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum) and while some are flourishing others have suffered a dramatic decline in the past 50 years mainly because of the changes brought by intensive farming methods on their main food plants. . .
Daily Mail, 23 July 2007
Why lazy gardeners are helping to save the bumblebee
Sloppy gardeners who neglect their lawns and flower beds could be helping to preserve the British bumblebee, research suggests. A survey found that gardens are one of the bumblebee's favourite nesting places. But the insects, vital pollinators of crops and wild plants, prefer it when they can buzz around long grass and sprouting weeds. . .
Daily Express, 23 July 2007
How Britain's back gardens have rescued the bumblebee
John Ingham
Rare bumblebees are being given a lifeline by Britain's back gardens, experts revealed yesterday. A national survey showed that the insects nest in far greater numbers in gardens than in any other habitat. The research, published in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology, is based on work by more than 700 volunteers who monitored gardens and six rural habitats. . .
Glasgow Daily Record, 23 July 2007
Backyard bee 'n' bs
Bumblebees do better in back gardens than in the wild, according to a national survey. Gardens contained 36 nests per hectare of ground, compared with as few as 20 per hectare in hedgerows and 11 per hectare in grassland. The bees like gardens because
The Scotsman, 23 July 2007
Why lazy gardeners are the bumblebee's best friends
Angus Howarth
SLOPPY gardeners who neglect their lawns and flowerbeds may be helping to preserve the British bumblebee, research suggests. A survey found gardens are one of the bumblebee's favourite nesting places. But the insects, vital pollinators of crops and wild plants, prefer it when they can buzz around long grass and sprouting weeds. . .
The Economist, 14 July 2007
Plumes and plumage; Sexual selection and Chernobyl
Sometimes, scientific results come from the most unlikely places. The aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear accident, for example, might reasonably be expected to have revealed the effects of radiation on health. That it casts light on the theory of sexual selection as well is a bit of a surprise. That, nevertheless, is the inference of a paper by Anders Moller of Pierre & Marie Curie University in Paris, and Timothy Mousseau of the University of South Carolina. Dr Moller and Dr Mousseau have been looking at bird life around the wrecked reactor. One of their conclusions, just published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, is that colourful species have done less well than dull ones. Since colourful plumage is almost always a sexual signal, understanding why is instructive. . .
Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2007
Color a curse for Chernobyl birds
Amber Dance
Radioactive fallout near the site of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in northern Ukraine has reduced populations of brightly colored birds more than those of their drab cousins, scientists reported this week. Growing those vividly colored feathers uses up a lot of antioxidants, which are also needed to fight radiation damage. The research, published online Wednesday in the Journal of Applied Ecology, suggested that such birds don't have enough antioxidants left over to thrive in highly contaminated areas. . .
Cosmos, 13 July 2007
Colourful birds hardest hit at Chernobyl
Liz Williams
Brightly coloured birds have been some of the hardest hit by radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, say ecologists. High levels of radiation have also been found to have a particularly harmful effect on species that lay large eggs, or migrate long distances, say the researchers in the latest Journal of Applied Ecology. . .
Science, 12 July 2007
Chernobyl hits birds hard
Krista Zala
Entire populations of birds have dwindled because of radiation from the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl, but some species are declining in number at a rate far greater than others are, a new study finds. The greatest drops are in species whose lifestyle or appearance, such as vibrant plumage, calls for plenty of antioxidants--a substance also needed to protect against radiation. . .
Nature, 12 July 2007
Chernobyl birds are better off drab and lazy
Louis Buckley
Birds with bright plumage have suffered most from radiation around the Chernobyl nuclear plant, scientists have discovered. Species that lay large eggs or travel long distances are also more susceptible to radiation. All of these traits require large quantities of the antioxidant molecules that protect cells. Investing in them leaves birds with fewer to counter the effects of radiation, say the researchers behind the discovery. . .
Birdwatch Magazine, 12 July 2007
Chernobyl radiations affects brightly coloured birds most
Studies on birds breeding in the forests around the Chernobyl nuclear plant have found that brightly coloured birds are among the species most adversely affected by the high levels of radiation. Dr Anders Møller of the Université Pierre et Marie Curie and Professor Timothy Mousseau of the University of South Carolina examined 1,570 birds from 57 different species. They found that populations of certain groups of birds, those whose red, yellow and orange plumage is based on carotenoids, those that laid the biggest eggs, and those that migrated or dispersed the furthest, declined more than other species. .
The Guardian, 11 July 2007
Brighter birds more at risk from Chernobyl fallout
Ian Sample
Birds with brightly-coloured plumages face a greater threat from radiation released during the 1986 Chernobyl disaster than many other species, a team of ecologists claims today. . .
Hindustan Times, 11 July 2007
Migratory birds more susceptible to Chernobyl like radiation, says study
Migratory birds are more vulnerable to radiation, scientists have said. Birds with bright plumage have suffered most from radiation around the Chernobyl nuclear plant, and birds that lay large eggs or travel long distances are also more susceptible to radiation, they said. Migration or laying eggs require the birds to release large quantities of antioxidant molecules leaving them with fewer to counter the effects of radiation. . .
The Times, 11 July 2007
Survival of the dullest at Chernobyl
Mark Henderson
Brightly coloured birds were more severely affected by the Chernobyl disaster than those with a dull plumage, according to research that helps to explain why some species are more vulnerable to radiation than others. A survey of 1,570 birds from 57 species in the forests around Chernobyl, in Ukraine, has revealed that the populations of several groups declined much more than others after the nuclear reactor meltdown in 1986. . .
Spiegel, 11 July 2007
Roten und gelben Vögeln schadet Radioaktivität am meisten
An Vögeln in der Todeszone um den Unglücksreaktor von Tschernobyl können Wissenschaftler beobachten, wem andauernde Strahlung am meisten ausmacht: Es sind Tiere mit besonders prachtvollem Federkleid in den Farben Rot, Orange und Gelb - und Vielflieger, die dicke Eier legen. . .
Dziennik (Poland), 11 July 2007
Ptaki nie śpiewają w Czarnobylu
Aleksandra Postoła
Promieniowanie wokół Czarnobyla nadal wywiera szkodliwy wpływ na żywe organizmy. Na terenach silnie napromieniowanych pojawiają się ogromne ilości wolnych rodników. Trwale uszkadzają DNA, powodują wiele mutacji i chorób pisze DZIENNIK. . .
The Economist, 28 June 2007
Ain't misbehaving
From an evolutionary perspective, monogamy looks good for females and bad for males. For mothers, it means devotion as dad is going to be around to help look after the kids. For fathers it is more of a prison sentence, because it restricts a male's ability to inseminate lots of females at relatively low cost. In most circumstances, unless the young are likely to die without paternal support, a male has little incentive to stay with an individual female when he has so many other females to breed with ... Proving that, though, is a lengthy process. And it is only now that Aurélie Cohas and her colleagues at the University of Lyon, in France, seem to have done so. Their paper in July's edition of the Journal of Animal Ecology shows that for marmots, at least, a bit on the side can help a female's evolutionary chances no end ...
Science Daily, 27 June 2007
Seabird Diet History Revealed Through Analyisis Of Museum Samples
Using feathers from museum collections all over the world, a University of Guelph integrative biology professor has tested a new hypothesis about what led to population decline of a species of seabirds in Canada. Prof. Ryan Norris conducted a historical analysis of museum specimens of marbled murrelets going back more than a century to examine how dietary changes may have affected the seabirds’ numbers. The study, which will be published in the August issue of Journal of Applied Ecology, also illustrates how scientists can use museum specimens to figure out what led to a species decline and to help focus conservation efforts ...
Conservation Magazine, 25 June 2007
Hare today, gone tomorrow
Agri-environment schemes are commonly supposed to promote biodiversity, but a recently published study claims they don’t deliver. Writing in the Journal of Applied Ecology, Queen’s University Belfast biologist Neil Reid and colleagues present evidence that the Environmentally Sensitive Area scheme in Northern Ireland has resulted in greater numbers of commonplace rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus and foxes Vulpes vulpes, but has done little for the much rarer Irish hares Lepus timidus ...
Natural History Museum, 22 June 2007
Focus to save monarch butterflies
Threats to the survival of the extraordinary North American monarch butterfly migration will be highlighted next week in a lecture at the Natural History Museum. Monarch butterflies migrate from northern USA and southern Canada to warmer climes in Mexico each autumn, some travelling more than 2000 miles to reach their destination. Millions of monarchs make the two- to three-month journey and are a spectacular sight for anyone lucky enough to see it ... The annual Frederick W. Edwards Lecture on Insect Natural History is organised by the Department of Entomology at the Natural History Museum. On this occasion it has been co-sponsored by The British Enological Society, The Linnean Society of London and the Royal Entomological Society.
Farmers Guardian, 27 April 2007
Reduction in phosphorus levels doesn't affect health
Providing biodiversity, a clean environment and premium products were the topics discussed at the High Value Grassland conference at Keele University, hosted by the British Grassland Society, British Ecological Society and British Society of Animal Science. KATIE LOMAS reports ...
National Geographic News, 9 March 2007
Forests Have Replaced Tundra Due to Warming, Study Finds
John Roach
High in the Canadian Arctic, large tracts of tundra have given way to forests of spruce trees and bushes in response to a spike of warming temperatures nearly a century ago, according to a new study. The transition took place more quickly than scientists thought, suggesting that tundra could keep shrinking as temperatures continue to warm. "With the type of warming we are seeing now, the potential exists for real and rapid change," said Ryan Danby, a biologist at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. Danby and colleague David Hik made the findings by studying treeline, the transitional habitat where trees and bushes give way to tundra, a mixture of hardy shrubs, grasses, mosses, and lichens….[the authors] report their findings in the March issue of the Journal of Ecology.
Edmonton Journal, 3 March 2007
Northern tundra is disappearing
Keith Gerein
Canada’s frozen North is increasingly going green, with forests of trees and shrubs advancing into territory that was once barren tundra.process was long believed to be slow and gradual, but now University of Alberta scholars are warning that the encroachment may be occurring at a dangerously high rate, in part fuelled by warmer temperatures. Rapidly declining tundra will have dire impacts for caribou, wild sheep and other species that live in such habitat, as well as indigenous people who hunt the animals, the researchers argue in a new study that offers further evidence of the effects of climate change...Danby and Hik’s work is published in this months’ Journal of Ecology.
Farmers Weekly, 13 February 2007
Latest badger study supports anti-cull argument
Andrew Watts
Further evidence has emerged to support the thesis that culling badgers to control bovine tuberculosis is likely to increase the prevalence of disease. However, NFU deputy president Meurig Raymond said the study was “an incomplete appraisal of the contribution culling could make to the current situation”. The report: Social organization and movement influence the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in an undisturbed high-density badger (Meles meles) population, to be published in the March edition of the Journal of Animal Ecology, concludes that a stable, and therefore undisturbed, [badger] social structure may help control the spread of bovine tuberculosis among badgers . . .
Nature, 12 February 2007
Badger culling may increase TB spread
Michael Hopkin
Culling badgers to reduce the incidence of bovine tuberculosis (TB) among farm cattle may in fact worsen the spread of the disease, according to a study of the disease's prevalence among different badger groups. British government researchers surveyed more than 1,800 badgers and found that low rates of TB correspond with low levels of badger migration between groups. As culling disturbs badgers and makes them more mobile, the discovery suggests that culling would spread disease. . . . Higher rates of movement are associated with greater chance of infection, the researchers report in the Journal of Animal Ecology . . .
New York Times, 23 January 2007
A bird’s-eye View of ski trails’ Perils
Henry Fountain
While a ski trail can provide plenty of enjoyment (at least when there is enough snow to cover it), from an environmental standpoint it is a scar on the landscape. This is especially true for trails constructed below the tree line, where large patches of forest must be clear-cut to make way for skiers . . . The findings were reported in The Journal of Applied Ecology . . .
BBC News Online, 17 January 2007
High ski runs fuel habitat fears
An increase in demand for high altitude ski runs will have a serious impact on the number and diversity of Alpine bird species, Italian scientists warn. As winter snowfall at lower levels becomes less reliable, ecologists fear the demand for higher ski slopes will put pressure on the birds' habitat. The team of researchers found a marked decline in bird numbers around ski runs when compared to natural grasslands. The findings are published in the Journal of Applied Biology [sic] ...
Fox News, 22 December 2006
Popular incense may mean fewer trees
Toby Sterling, Associated Press
A word to the wise men: The world may have plenty of gold and myrrh, but it could run short of frankincense. Trees in the Horn of Africa provide most of the world's supply of the prized incense that was carried to the infant Jesus by the wise men from the East, in the New Testament's Nativity story. But researchers say the trees are failing to reproduce because they are overexploited for the sap that yields the Christmas staple. According to a study co-authored by botanists and ecologists from the Netherlands and Eritrea and published this month in The Journal of Applied Ecology, the more heavily a frankincense tree is tapped, the less likely it is to produce viable seeds. . . .
Scientific American, 22 December 2006
Popular incense may mean fewer trees
Alison Snyder
Methods for extracting frankincense, one of the aromatic gifts from the magi reputedly celebrating Christ's birth, may be affecting the sex life of Boswellia papyrifera trees in the Horn of Africa. Dutch researchers found that trees tapped for frankincense produce fewer flowers, fruits and seeds for reproduction than untapped trees. They speculate that extracting the resin may cause the trees to direct energy toward replacing the fluid rather than to their growth and reproduction . . . In one experiment Bongers and his colleagues collected seeds from trees that had not been harvested in at least four years and from trees tapped each year. Seeds from the untapped trees germinated more successfully than those from tapped trees, according to the report in the December issue of the Journal of Applied Ecology . . .
Yorkshire Post, 14 December 2006
Wise men say that frankincense
It would be hard to invent a more 21st century Christmas message ... The frankincense industry is being advised to cut back on production before it kills off the trees which produce the stuff. Frankincense is an aromatic resin which has been tapped from Boswellia trees for thousands of years, for use in incense, perfumes and medicines. In the Nativity story it was one of the gifts the Three Wise Men took to the baby Jesus – along with myrrh, a similar substance, and gold. Nowadays, it is available on eBay. The principal sources are the countries in the Horn of Africa but a report in the Journal of Applied Ecology, by scientists from Eritrea and the Netherlands, says over-tapping means Boswellia trees are producing fewer good seeds.. . .
National Post (Canada), 13 December 2006
Frankincense demand outstripping supply
Tom Spears
Frankincense, one of the gifts brought to the baby Jesus in the Christmas story, is causing an ecological crisis in the Horn of Africa because global demand and over-harvesting are killing the trees that supply it. The Christmas story tells that the Three Wise Men brought frankincense and other gifts to the newborn Jesus. Today, Dutch and Eritrean ecologists will publish a study showing over-tapping of trees is endangering the fragrant resin's sustained production. The problem is that as old Boswellia trees (the source of the resin) die off, not enough young ones are growing to replace them. For thousands of years, frankincense has been hugely important both socially and economically as an ingredient in incense and perfumes. In their study, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, the ecologists say that poor regeneration of the woodlands is due to the fact that tapping forces the tree to divert too much carbohydrate into resin, at the expense of reproductive parts such as flowers, fruit and seeds. . .
Daily Telegraph, 13 December 2006
Goats pose threat to frankincense
Charles Clover
Africa's frankincense forests are dying, scientists warned yesterday. The fragrant resin given to the infant Jesus by the Three Wise Men comes only from wild trees. The trade in frankincense once stretched across the ancient world. The hard aromatic gum is still used as incense by the Roman Catholic church, in modern perfumes and in many ceremonies in Arab countries. Yet ecologists have found that the trees are being over-tapped for their resin and that over-grazing by an expanding population of goats in the Horn of Africa is preventing the survival of the few seedlings that are produced. Present rates of tapping mean the trees devote their energies to producing resin rather than seeds and threaten the forests' future, according to the December issue of The Journal of Applied Ecology.. . .
Edmonton Journal, 13 December 2006
One of the Wise Men may be empty-handed this year
Tom Spears
Frankincense, one of the gifts brought to the baby Jesus in the Christmas story, is causing an ecological crisis in the Horn of Africa because global demand and over-harvesting are killing the trees that supply it. The Christmas story tells that the Three Wise Men brought gifts, including frankincense, gold and myrrh, to the newborn. Dutch and Eritrean ecologists publish a study today showing over-tapping of trees is endangering the fragrant resin's sustained production. The problem is that as old Boswellia trees (the source of the resin) die off, not enough young ones are growing to replace them. The ecologists have attributed the problem to a habit of tapping mature trees too aggressively, like a maple sugar bush operator who takes too much sap from a maple tree. For thousands of years, frankincense has been hugely important socially and economically as an ingredient in incense and perfumes. In their study, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, the ecologists say that poor regeneration of the woodlands is due to the fact that tapping forces the tree to divert too much carbohydrate into resin, at the expense of reproductive parts, such as flowers, fruit and seeds. . .
AD (Netherlands), 13 December 2006
Tekort aan wierook dreigt
Het gebruik van wierook beleeft een jaarlijkse piek tijdens de kerstdagen. Maar Wageningse wetenschappers waarschuwen dat er een tekort aan de geurstof dreigt, omdat de wierookboom veel te intensief wordt afgetapt. Er moeten regels komen voor de wierookwinning, zodat de bomen tijd krijgen zich te herstellen. Onderzoekers uit Wageningen hebben samen met Afrikaanse collega's de wierookwinning in Eritrea, Ethiopië en Somalië onderzocht. In de Hoorn van Afrika komt de wierookhars leverende Boswellia-boom veel voor. Er is gebleken dat bomen met veel tappunten minder vruchten en zaden aanmaken, die ook nog eens van slechte kwaliteit zijn. De soort kan daardoor verdwijnen, zo schrijven de onderzoekers in het orgaan van de British Ecological Society.
Der Standard, 12 December 2006
Weihrauchbäume werden zu viel "gemolken"
Ökologen warnen vor zu starker Nutzung des Boswellia-Baumes am Horn von Afrika - Experten fordern Umstellung der Ernte. Der Bedarf am aromatischen Harz der Weihrauch-Bäume gefährdet den natürlichen Bestand der Gewächse am Horn von Afrika. Das berichten Forscher um den niederländischen Ökologen Frans Bongers von der Universität Wageningen im "Journal of Applied Ecology". Zusammen mit Kollegen aus Eritrea beschreibt er darin, dass zu stark genutzte Bäume weniger und schlechtere Samen bilden, hieß es am Dienstag in einer Mitteilung der Britischen Ökologischen Gesellschaft in London. . .
icSurreyOnline.co.uk, 19 September 2006
Experts warn that beech trees could die out
Surrey's beech trees could become extinct if global warming and climate change continue at the present rate. Experts say because of their shallow root system the trees cannot tap deep into the soil for moisture. This means if hotter, drier summers continue, they could die. Ecologist Dr Gill Stribley, told the British Ecological Society Buckinghamshire,on Friday September: "Our studies of beech trees support the prediction that climate space for beech may disappear in southern England as the climate warms, unless greenhouse gases are stabilised.". . .
New Scientist, 9 September 2006
Good news from the 'Garden of Eden'
Iraq's "Garden of Eden" has recovered remarkably quickly since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. The first detailed ecological analysis of the Mesopotamian marshes in southern Iraq, presented at a meeting of the British Ecological Society in Oxford, UK, on 5 September, has found that 39 per cent of marshlands have been flooded again, and native species are re-establishing themselves. . .
The Express, 5 September 2006
Drought fear for beeches
The beech woods of England could be destroyed by climate change, experts warn. Global warming is expected to bring frequent droughts. And the beech seems to be particularly vulnerable to water shortages. Dr Gill Stribley will tell the British Ecological Society on Friday that the effects of global warming could be even more devastating than the 1987 hurricane which flattened large areas of woodland in the south. She will detail a study of beeches in Surrey which has revealed a dramatic decline in the trees' condition with a knock-on effect for wildlife.
Western Mail, 5 September 2006
Otters reveal success of lead petrol ban
Evidence about the success of the lead petrol ban has been gathered by a scientist at Cardiff University - from otters. A study by Dr Liz Chadwick in the university's School of Biosciences showed levels of lead in otter bones in 2004 were one-quarter those of 1992. The results are considered to have implications for human health, as lead can damage the central nervous system including the brain, as well as affect the kidneys and reduce growth, particularly in children. Dr Chadwick measured the levels of lead in rib-bones taken from more than 300 otters found dead in South- West England between 1992 and 2004. 'We compared this with levels of lead found in stream sediment.' 'While some variation related to geology, we found an extremely strong decline over time, reflecting declining emissions from car fuel.' Dr Chadwick said the research highlights the importance of long- term monitoring and archiving of samples and shows that, with help from the public, valuable use can be made of undesirable events such as wildlife road traffic accidents. Dr Chadwick will present her findings at the British Ecological Society's annual meeting at Oxford University, which will be held from September 5 to 7.
BBC Online, 30 August 2006
Iraq marshes' recovery 'in doubt'
The long-term recovery of the Iraq marshlands is in doubt because of uncertainties over water supplies to the wetlands, research suggests. The first study to look at the marshes' recovery warned that increased water demand from farmers and cities could lead to only a portion being restored. Large areas were drained in the 1990s to punish the Marsh Arabs for rebelling against former leader Saddam Hussein. The findings will be presented next week to the British Ecological Society . . .
Western Morning News, 22 August 2006
Seeking answers to the 100 most critical ecological questions
Scientists have flagged up the most pressing ecological dilemmas facing the UK in a list of 100 questions to be tackled by researchers and policymakers. The questions - the product of a two-day brainstorming session by 650 environmental experts - include many of the environmental issues affecting the Westcountry. Among them is the conundrum of how to replace low-lying wildlife habitats when they are engulfed by rising sea levels prompted by global warming, and whether to tackle bovine TB by culling badgers . . . The results of the exercise, hosted by Dr Bill Sutherland of the University of East Anglia, are published in the current edition of the Journal of Applied Ecology . . .
Edie.net, 22 August 2006
Top 100 eco-dilemmas for Britain
Goska Romanowicz
The impact of wind farms on eco-systems and the UK species likely to be wiped out by climate change were among Britain's top 100 ecological questions, as identified by environmental policy-makers in an innovative academic experiment. With scientists complaining that legislators ignore the science and policy-makers grumbling about scientists' failure to answer their questions, the two groups could do with talking to each other more, scientists from the University of East Anglia decided. In an attempt to bridge the science-policy communication gap, a team led by UEA's Professor Bill Sutherland asked hundreds of organisations involved in policy making, from government institutions to NGOs, to choose the questions they considered priority. Their top 100 are listed in a scientific paper in this month's Journal of Applied Ecology . . .
The Guardian, 21 August 2006
The key questions at the heart of the UK's environmental future
David Adam
Scientists have drawn up a list of the 100 biggest questions to face the UK environment, including controversies such as whether farmers should be allowed to kill badgers to protect their cattle from disease and how many seabirds are slaughtered by wind farms. The list, a roll call of Britain's most pressing ecological problems, is based on the suggestions of more than 650 experts in universities, conservation groups and government institutes. It is intended to inform policy-makers and steer research over the next decade to answer key questions in areas such as farming, climate change, pollution and urban development. Bill Sutherland, an ecologist at the University of East Anglia who led the exercise, said: "I was very nervous about this and whether it would work because I don't think anything like it has been done before. But scientists tend to think that policy-makers ignore the science and this was an attempt to narrow that gap." . . . Dr Sutherland said the list was an attempt to get politicians to base decisions more on the available scientific evidence, similar to the way medics treat patients based on pooled results rather than individual experience. His team published the questions in a report this month in the Journal of Applied Ecology . . .
Hindustan Times, 16 August 2006
India, Nepal take steps to revive vulture population
India and Nepal have taken concrete steps to revive the vulture population by banning the production and importation of veterinary Diclofenac from August 12, 2006. India and Nepal have also recently deregistered Diclofenac, thus preventing the manufacture or the import of the drug. Both countries are promoting the use of Meloxicam as a safe alternative to Diclofenac. This ban has been put in place in the wake of a study carried out by Dr.Rhys Green of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and University of Cambridge, who said that Asian vultures are at risk of lethal kidney failure if they feed from carcasses of a cow that died up to four days after treatment with the anti-inflammatory drug Diclofenac . . . Green's study, which appears in the latest issue of the Journal of Applied Ecology, further goes on to say concentrations of Diclofenac were found in tissues of treated Indian and European cattle . . .
FT Weekend Magazine, 12 August 2006
Buzz words The British bumblebee is fast finding itself homeless - and that is bad news for all of us
Stephen Pinnock
In the long, hot summer of 1995, a young actress I know set off on an adventure from Sydney to London to study at one of the city's famous drama schools and spend the warm evenings picnicking with other bohemian types on the banks of the Thames. At the end of one particularly mellow August day, she wrote me a letter describing the loveliness of it all, in particular the fat, lazy bumblebees that had caught her eye as they meandered from flower to flower. Perhaps the romance of that letter explains why my own eye was captured by a swarm of scientific reports on bumblebees from English researchers in recent weeks. The first I saw was a story warning that native bumblebee species - of which there are 25 - are under threat from Mediterranean varieties brought in to pollinate tomatoes in commercial glasshouses. In late June, Tom Ings from Queen Mary, University of London, and colleagues published their work online in the Journal of Applied Ecology . . .
New Scientist, 12 August 2006
Bang bang, and the world warms
Fred Pearce
The "glorious 12th" falls this weekend. It's the start of the UK's grouse-shooting season, attracting the rich and famous from around the world. But the country will be getting a bigger bang than it bargained for. Attempts to breed more grouse on the moors to meet rising demand are boosting the UK's contribution to global warming. "In terms of carbon storage, the moors can be thought of as Britain's rainforests," says Adrian Yallop, an ecologist at Cranfield University in Bedfordshire. Yet gamekeepers are burning the moors at an unprecedented rate to encourage the growth of heather, a prime habitat for grouse. The burning threatens to release billions of tonnes of carbon locked into the peat bogs underpinning the moors. "Where burning occurs, the hydrology changes and the peat is open to decomposition and erosion. This strips the moor of carbon as surely as setting fire to the Amazon forest," says Yallop. Yallop analysed aerial images of the English uplands over the past 30 years and estimates that the rate of burning has doubled over that time to 114 square kilometres a year, he will report in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Applied Ecology . . .
Science for Environment Policy, 26 July 2006
Narrowing the gap between scientists and policy makers
Recently, British environmental policy makers have come up with a list of 100 ecological questions most in need of an answer. This list is the result of a two-day workshop that brought policy makers and ecologists together to identify policy-relevant ecological research questions. This innovative experiment is intended to narrow the current gap between science and environmental policy. The results could have major impact on future ecological research and its funding. . .
Daily Telegraph, 14 July 2006
'Super-bee' invasion has sting in the tail for native species
Nic Fleming
Native bumblebees could be under threat from imported foreign varieties, says a new study. Researchers found that a Mediterranean subspecies being brought into the country to pollinate plants in commercial glasshouses can survive in the wild. Bombus terrestris dalmatinus was also shown to collect more nectar, produce far more queens, bigger colonies and larger males than its British cousin, the Bombus terrestris audax. . .
The Independent, 13 July 2006
Foreign bees a threat to local species
Michael McCarthy
Foreign bumblebees imported to pollinate plants in British commercial glasshouses could reduce natural populations if their use is not strictly controlled, a study shows. Non-native bumblebees have escaped and survived to breed in Chile and Japan, and that may happen in Britain, says this week's New Scientist magazine. The magazine reports a recent study in the Journal of Applied Ecology by Tom Ings of Queen Mary, University of London, trying to establish whether escaped commercial bees could survive in the UK. . .
Daily Mail, 13 July 2006
Foreign invaders are the plight of the bumblebee
Lucie Van Den Berg
Our native bumblebees already under threat from urbanisation and modern farming techniques face being wiped out completely by foreign varieties brought in to pollinate plants in commercial greenhouses. The new arrivals could decimate natural populations if their use is not strictly controlled, scientists have warned. . . .
New Scientist, 13 July 2006
Plight of the native bumble bee
Bumblebees may be busy as ever in your backyard, but their future looks precarious at best. Foreign bumblebees imported to pollinate plants in commercial glasshouses could decimate natural populations if their use is not strictly controlled. Non-native bumblebees have already escaped and survived to breed in both Chile and Japan. "We wanted to determine whether or not escaped commercial bees could survive in the UK countryside," says Tom Ings at Queen Mary, University of London. "Unfortunately, we found that they could" (Journal of Applied Ecology, DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2006.01199.x) . . .
The Independent, 25 May 2006
Bird that may be first UK victim of global warming
Michael McCarthy
Global warming is claiming its first real victim in Britain's wildlife - the blackbird of the mountains. Research is linking a sharp decline in the population of the ring ouzel, a close blackbird-relative which lives on cool mountain tops and high moors, to rising atmospheric temperatures. Numbers of the attractive bird - its black plumage is broken by a striking white crescent around its breast - have dropped by almost 60 per cent in the past decade, in Scotland and in the English and Welsh moorlands. Scientists fear higher temperatures in late summer, prompted by climate change, are causing the birds in northern England, the Peak District, north Wales and the Brecon Beacons to disappear completely. They have already gone from the Long Mynd, a ridge of high ground in south Shropshire, where there were 12 pairs in 1999. In Dartmoor and Exmoor they used to be plentiful, but now there are only a handful left. "We think that ring ouzels in England and Wales are being hardest hit by the warmer temperatures," said Colin Beale of the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in Aberdeen, who led the research, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology . . .
The Herald (Glasgow), 25 May 2006
Climate change threat to rare bird
The sharp decline of one of the UK's least understood birds is being linked to climate change. The population of the elusive ring ouzel, known also as the mountain blackbird, has fallen by almost 60per cent in the last decade in Scotland and the English and Welsh moors. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said scientists feared higher temperatures in late summer, prompted by climate change, were causing ring ouzels in northern England and north Wales to disappear. Scientists from the RSPB are this week starting to radio track the birds in the Scottish Highlands this week in the hope of finding a solution to their plight. Dr Colin Beale, who led research published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, said: "We think ring ouzels in England and Wales are being hit by the warmer temperatures . . .
Daily Mail, 25 May 2006
Rare 'mountain blackbird' faces its swan song
With its elusive ways and solitary nature, it has always been a rare sight on Scotland's hills and mountains. But now the ring ouzel is facing extinction as climate change threatens to wipe out its food supply. Often known as the mountain blackbird, it likes to nest in gullies and searches for food on patches of grass and moorland. But a new report claims the rise in Scotland's summer temperatures is drying out the ground and reducing the availability of earthworms and wild berry crops. Since 1990, the UK ring ouzel population has fallen by nearly 60 per cent to little more than 6,000 pairs, and a further decline is predicted. Research from the RSPB suggests the drastic drop in numbers is linked to warmer temperatures in July and August, just after the chicks fledge. Now experts plan to track 25 of the birds from the Highlands using radio equipment to help find ways of stemming the ring ouzel's decline. Dr Colin Beale, whose team carried out the study now published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, said conservationists were concerned for the bird's future. He said: 'The drop in ring ouzel numbers is not caused by reduced nesting success by the birds in fact, this has increased as the population has declined . . .
Belfast Telegraph, 25 May 2006
Bird that may be first UK victim of global warming
Global warming is claiming its first real victim in Britain's wildlife - the blackbird of the mountains. Research is linking a sharp decline in the population of the ring ouzel, a close blackbird-relative which lives on cool mountain tops and high moors, to rising atmospheric temperatures. Numbers of the attractive bird - its black plumage is broken by a striking white crescent around its breast - have dropped by almost 60 per cent in the past decade, in Scotland and in the English and Welsh moorlands. Scientists fear higher temperatures in late summer, prompted by climate change, are causing the birds in northern England, the Peak District, north Wales and the Brecon Beacons to disappear completely. They have already gone from the Long Mynd, a ridge of high ground in south Shropshire, where there were 12 pairs in 1999. In Dartmoor and Exmoor they used to be plentiful, but now there are only a handful left. "We think that ring ouzels in England and Wales are being hardest hit by the warmer temperatures," said Colin Beale of the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in Aberdeen, who led the research, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology . . .
Western Morning News, 25 May 2006
Climate threat to rare bird
Research has revealed a link between climate change and the decline of a rare bird on Britain's moorlands - Dartmoor and Exmoor among them. Sightings of the ring ouzel, popularly known as the mountain blackbird, have fallen by almost 60 per cent in the last decade, and new research by ecologists in Scotland suggests that dry summers prompted by climate change are behind the decline. Ring ouzels, which look like blackbirds but have a distinctive white flourish on their plumage, feed on grubs and worms in closely grazed meadows, while nesting in tall heather on the moorlands. The species has already disappeared from Long Mynd, Shropshire, where there were 12 pairs in 1999, and on Dartmoor and Exmoor only a handful are left. Scientists from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds are to start radio- tracking ouzels in the Scottish Highlands, in the hope of finding a solution, while the RSPB South West is preparing to survey their numbers on Dartmoor. Dr Colin Beale, who led the Scottish research, reported in the Journal of Animal Ecology, said: "We think ring ouzels in England and Wales are being hardest hit by the warmer temperatures. They just seem to be dying out rather than adapting and moving elsewhere. But that isn't to say there isn't hope for them . . .
Farmers Guardian, 12 May 2006
Oldest ecological experiment
Ecologists are getting ready to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the world's oldest ecological experiment. The Park Grass Experiment was set up at Rothamsted Research, Hertfordshire, in 1856 - three years before Darwin published Origin of Species - to test the effect of fertilisers and manures on hay yields but has since proved an invaluable resource for studying natural selection and biodiversity. To mark the occasion, a major review of Park Grass has been published in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Ecology and on May 22-24 Rothamsted Research is hosting an international symposium exploring the unique value of long-term ecological research.
Nature, 30 March 2006
Ecology: Green and pleasant trials
Peter D. Moore
In the 1980s, a large lake - Lago Guri - was created as part of a hydroelectric project in Venezuela. Islands in the lake have enabled ecologists to test a fundamental hypothesis in their discipline. Why is the world green? Why have grazing animals with their insatiable appetites not consumed all vegetation and reduced the land to dust? There have been hypotheses, of course, but as with many large-scale ecological problems, it has not proved easy to test any proposal with controlled experiments. One suggestion is that the intensity of grazing is held in check by predation of carnivores on the herbivores, and this hypothesis has at last proved testable. Writing in Journal of Ecology, John Terborgh and his colleagues describe a large-scale experiment in which the degree of predation upon grazers varies and the consequences for vegetation can be measured. They show that, without top predators, the world would be less likely to remain a green and pleasant land . . .
The Edmonton Journal, 22 February 2006
Screech, bang: the sounds of survival
Jodie Sinnema
Combination of falcon decoys and simulated rifle fire is three times better at keeping birds away from oilsands wastewater than the industry's current systems, a University of Alberta study says. The sounds are generated by a cannon that fires rifle-like bursts only when birds come near it. That can be paired with flapping and screeching peregrine falcon decoys. The combination triples industry-standard results for keeping shorebirds -- notably sandpipers, plovers and snipes -- from landing in dirty oilsands tailings ponds, the study found. "Hundreds of birds die each year after their feathers become oily or they are poisoned," said Colleen Cassady St. Clair, a behavioural ecology professor in the University of Alberta's biological sciences department . . . St. Clair, whose research is published in the latest edition of the Journal of Applied Ecology, speculated that birds that migrate each year get used to the random cannon noise and ignore it.
The Scotsman, 11 February 2006
The buzz on bumblebees
Ian Johnston
The reasons behind the declining numbers of bumblebees in the UK are to be investigated by a Stirling University ecologist. Three species of the celebrated bee have become extinct in recent years and others have suffered population slumps. Professor Dave Goulson has won British Ecological Society support to enable him to do fieldwork in southern Poland where bumblebees are still common compared to in the UK . . .
Aberdeen Press & Journal, 8 February 2006
Experts make beeline for Europe to study insect
Mike Boyle
Scientists from Stirling University have been given a £2,500 grant to investigate the plight of the British bumblebee - in Poland. Professor Dave Goulson has won the grant from the British Ecological Society to make the trip to Eastern Europe this summer because the insect's habitat has been all but destroyed in Britain . . .
SciDev.net, 19 January 2006
US$880,000 fund to connect African ecologists
Kimani Chege
Scientists in Africa and Eastern Europe can now seek support from a new fund to help them research major challenges, such as climate change, desertification and biodiversity loss. The British Ecological Society's (BES) 'capacity building for ecology fund', launched on Monday (16 January), will develop ecological science in the two regions by helping create national and regional associations. . .
Western Mail, 16 January 2006
Scientist faces eggs-hausting task
Robin Turner
Swansea University scientist Dr Patricia Lee has earned herself the distinction of becoming Britain's top "egghead". The ecology expert has won a British Ecological Society grant to unlock the secrets of the millions of eggs held in museum collections worldwide. And she will be correcting the labelling of egg displays in museums, many of which are thought to be incorrect because of the difficulty in identifying one set of eggs from another. The task will be huge. The bird collection at London's Natural History Museum alone includes more than a million bird skins and eggs, collected over the past 200 years and representing 95% of all known bird species. . .
The Veterinary Record, 17 December 2005
Effects of badgers culling on the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle
'We show that, as carried out in this experiment, culling reduces the cattle TB incidence in the areas that are culled, but increases incidence in adjoining areas. These findings are biologically consistent with previous studies, but will present challenges for policy development.' This is the conclusion drawn in one of two research papers, published online this week, investigating the effect of badger culling on both the incidence of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in cattle and the spatial organisation of badger populations . . . The second paper, which is to be published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, evaluates the hypothesis that badger culling might lead to disruption of badgers' territorial behaviour, potentially increasing the the rate of contact between infected badgers and cattle.
Western Daily Press, 16 December 2005
Badgers face TB culling fields
Thousands of badgers are likely to be slaughtered in the West next summer to stop bovine TB devastating the countryside. Scientists are convinced a mass cull is the only way to stop the spread of the disease, which is prevalent in the region. Farmers will be encouraged to shoot, gas or snare badgers in a highly controversial move that will outrage animal rights groups. Extremists are likely to try to prevent the cull, and that could see explosive confrontations with farmers across the West . . . National Farmers' Union president Tim Bennett said: "At last the Government has acknowledged the need for action to tackle the reservoir of tuberculosis from the badger population in infected areas." Not everyone is convinced killing badgers will help stop TB in cattle. As reported in yesterday's Western Daily Press, experts in the Journal of Applied Ecology argued that a cull could make the situation worse, by encouraging badgers to roam more widely. The RSPCA said it was shocked by the decision to launch a consultation on culling. Director of Science Dr Arthur Lindley said: "Any decision to cull badgers would be totally unacceptable."
Daily Post (Liverpool), 15 December 2005
Shot in the dark; Badger killing licences wont please either side in TB controversy
Andrew Forgrave
Licensed shooting of badgers to stop the spread of TB amongst cattle may be announced by the government today. The Prime Minister is understood to favour the move which will infuriate animal welfare groups and anger farm unions which had demanded widespread badger culls. Junior Defra minister Ben Bradshaw is due to announce new TB control measures later today, expected to include compulsory pre-movement testing of all cattle aged over 12 months and a category-based system for assigning compensation. But furious farmers say they will reject the proposals if they are not linked to state-sponsored measures to control badger populations. "Issuing culling licences to farmers is not the answer," said Dai Davies, deputy president of NFU Cymru. "Some farmers will do the job properly, others may only do it half-heartedly, which could worsen the situation." Today's announcement was delayed to take account of two new scientific studies published last night by Nature and the Journal of Applied Ecology.
Western Daily Press, 15 December 2005
Culling badgers will increase TB's spread
Chris Rundle
For 30 years the debate over whether badgers are spreading TB among cattle has divided farmers and animal rights groups. Farmers have long claimed that badgers are responsible for spreading the disease and believe they should be culled. But yesterday an independent study by scientists in the West Country - which coincides with an announcement in the Commons today to tackle bovine TB - strongly argued against a cull. Experts writing in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology say culling the creatures may increase, rather than diminish, the risk of them transmitting TB to cattle . . .
Western Morning News, 15 December 2005
Ministers back badger cull?
Ministers will today pave the way for a potential cull of badgers in the Westcountry in a bid to halt the spread of bovine TB. Animal Health Minister Ben Bradshaw is expected to launch a three-month consultation on a possible cull this morning as part of a package of measures designed to tackle a disease that is now out of control across large areas of Devon and Cornwall. The move comes as new scientific evidence suggests that any cull would have to be widespread and intensive to be effective. Two reports on the Government's long-running badger culling trials last night showed that although culling was effective in reducing outbreaks of TB in cattle, it also increased the risk that surviving badgers would spread the infection to neighbouring areas . . . Reports in the scientific journals Nature and the Journal of Applied Ecology gave the first indications of the so-called Krebs trials of badger culling.
Nature, 14 December 2005
To cull or not to cull
Tom Simonite
Culling badgers to prevent them spreading tuberculosis (TB) to cattle does work, say researchers trying to solve a long-running controversy in the UK - but only if the culling is aggressive. That's because any remaining badgers around culled areas tend to behave in an erratic fashion, roving around more widely and further spreading disease . . . Two new contributions to the debate from scientists funded by the UK Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) suggest an explanation for the conflicting results. A paper published online by Nature shows that extensive culling in an area of nearly 100 km2 in western England has reduced TB cases in cattle by nearly 20% compared to a similar area where badgers were left in peace. But in a 2 km-wide ring around the culling zone, TB cases went up by 29%. Work from the same group in the Journal of Applied Ecology suggests that this is the result of the remaining badgers behaving oddly and travelling further from their normal territories.
BBC Online, 14 December 2005
Policy may have spread cattle TB
Richard Black
British government policies during the last 20 years may have contributed to the spread of TB in cattle. Policy has been to cull badgers in areas near a TB outbreak; but new research says this spreads the disease because remaining badgers roam further . . . One of the new scientific papers, in the journal Nature, looked at farms just outside the proactively culled areas. "What we demonstrate is a 19% reduction inside culled areas, but an increase of 29% in surrounding areas," said Professor Christl Donnelly from Imperial College London. "From that we demonstrate that a single policy could simultaneously benefit some herds and be worse for others," she told the BBC News website. The other scientific paper, from the Journal of Applied Ecology, attempted to find a reason why culling has these apparently contradictory effects.
Daily Telegraph, 14 December 2005
Doubts over badger cull to protect cattle
Roger Highfield
Government thinking on whether badgers should be culled to control bovine TB is thrown into disarray today by a study that concludes that it can be counterproductive. Ministers had signalled that the culling of badgers to fight bovine tuberculosis could be announced within days if there was supporting scientific evidence. However, a study in Nature today shows that the culling of badgers can often spread the diseases . . .
New Scientist, 14 December 2005
Badger culls don't solve TB problem
Andy Coghlan
Seven years ago, the UK government set out to answer a seemingly simple question: does culling wild badgers, a protected species thought to be responsible for spreading tuberculosis, prevent the disease spreading to cattle? This week the answer finally arrived. But it was not the simple yes or no answer that most people had hoped for . . .
The Guardian, 30 November 2005
Birdsong gives clue to breakup of habitat
Kate Ravillious
Birds in Spain and Morocco are having trouble hearing and copying each other's songs because of the way their habitat has been broken up, according to a study published today. As a result the birds are living in more isolated groups and only learning songs from their closest neighbours. The researchers believe that these changes in song patterns are an early warning of habitat fragmentation, which could lead to lower genetic diversity and inbred populations . . . The researchers believe that an increase in agricultural land, forest plantations and roads has fragmented the arid steppe habitat, preventing the Dupont's lark from sharing songs over greater distances. "The fragmentation confines the species to smaller areas and eventually the genetic diversity of the population will erode," said Dr Laiolo, whose results are reported in the Journal of Applied Ecology.
BBC Wildlife, December 2005
Looking to the stars
Sanjida O'Connell
An astrophysicist has developed a new way of saving sharks. Zaven Arzoumanian, who is affiliated to NASA, realised that software used to locate strars and galaxies could help tag the world's largest fish, the whale shark Rhincodon typus, which has white spots, like stars, on its dark skin . . . "This is an example of space technology finding an important application here on Earth," says Arzoumanian. The beauty of the technique is that virtually anyone can help tag sharks: the researchers (whose work is published in the December issue of the Journal of Applied Ecology) have set up a website where biologists as well as tourists can post photos of whale sharks (www.ecocean.org).
Astronomy magazine, 27 October 2005
The whale shark's starry skin
Francis Reddy
Zaven Arzoumanian, an astrophysicist at the Universities Space Research Association and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, thinks a whale shark's spots can help save its skin. Along with Jason Holmberg, a U.S. software specialist, and Brad Norman, a marine biologist at Australia's Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research, Arzoumanian applied an astronomical technique for "fingerprinting" whale sharks based on their skin's spot patterns. "This is an example of space technology finding an important application here on Earth," Arzoumanian says . . . The scientists describe their work in a Journal of Applied Ecology article published online September 28; it will appear in a forthcoming issue of the print journal.
New Scientist, 24 October 2005
Star search program used to trail whale sharks
Kelly Young
Scientists have used a technique for pinpointing an object’s location in the night sky to identify and track whale sharks in the Earth's oceans. Current whale shark tracking methods include passive tagging of the sharks with serial numbers – which can fall off or irritate the sharks – and tags that can be tracked by satellite, which fail below a certain depth and have a limited battery life. So marine biologists, like Brad Norman at the Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research at Murdoch University, Australia, have ended up using each whale’s unique pattern of spots to visually identify individuals from photos – and ultimately track their movements over several years . . .
Sunday Times, 16 October 2005
Calls for green tax on energy
Jonathan Leake
Two senior government figures have called for the introduction of a green tax system to force individuals and firms to cut energy consumption. Sir David King, the chief scientist, and Elliot Morley, an environment minister, want to introduce personal energy quotas, fossil fuel rationing and surcharges on flights. They spoke out separately before the next major round of climate talks, which are due to start in Montreal next month. Ministers will be trying to negotiate a successor to the Kyoto treaty on climate change that expires in 2012. King outlined his views in a paper in the Journal of Applied Ecology. He warns that the 1997 Kyoto treaty, under which signatory countries agreed to cut carbon emissions, was only the start of a longer process and must be followed by talks on tougher measures. He says: "It is the first step to attaching a fiscal value to not emitting carbon dioxide. This will be a key driver in reducing emissions and, once it is running, the process will have to be ratcheted up so that we can bring emissions sufficiently under control." . . .
The Australian, 10 October 2005
Scientists spot a way to put bite on sharks' extinction
Andrea Mayes
A new method of identifying and recording individual whale sharks could help save the giant fish from extinction. Scientists have discovered that the sharks -- considered a threatened species internationally -- can be tracked by the unique patterns of spots on their skin. The new technique involves photographing an area of their skin behind their gill slits and feeding the images into a special computer program that can distinguish the subtle differences between them and identify in dividual sharks using pattern-recognition tools. Developed by Australian marine biologist Brad Norman, together with NASA astronomer Zaven Arzoumanian and US software expert Jason Holmberg, the program is based on the software used by NASA in the Hubble space telescope to map the stars in the galaxies. . . .
The Engineer Online, 7 October 2005
Spotting shark spots
Computer software developed by astrophysicists to locate stars and galaxies in the night sky could help save the whale shark - whose spotted skin is like a starry sky - from extinction, according to new research published in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology. Together with Australian marine biologist Brad Norman and JAVA programmer and software specialist Jason Holmberg, astrophysicist Dr. Zaven Arzoumanian of the Universities Space Research Association and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland discovered that a pattern-matching algorithm developed by astronomers to locate celestial objects could be used to identify individual whale sharks . . .
SpaceDaily, 7 October 2005
Why a whale shark's spots could help save its skin
Computer software developed by astrophysicists to locate stars and galaxies in the night sky could help save the whale shark - whose spotted skin is like a starry sky - from extinction, according to new research published in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology. Together with Australian marine biologist Brad Norman and JAVA programmer and software specialist Jason Holmberg, astrophysicist Dr Zaven Arzoumanian of the Universities Space Research Association and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland discovered that a pattern-matching algorithm developed by astronomers to locate celestial objects could be used to identify individual whale sharks. . . .
Science Now, 7 October 2005
Sky to sea
Does the whale shark get around as much as its relatives? Researchers may soon find out thanks to pattern-recognition software originally developed to locate astronomical objects in the sky. A NASA astrophysicist and his colleagues have begun a Web-based photo library to track these gentle giants, whose starry spots are as unique as fingerprints, the team reports in the upcoming December issue of the Journal of Applied Ecology.
Nature, 6 October 2005
Stars beneath the waves
David W. Sims
Astronomy and population ecology seemingly have little in common. But they meet in a paper by Zaven Arzoumanian and colleagues, who have developed a way of recognizing individual spot-patterns of whale sharks by adapting an algorithm used for comparing star patterns in images of the night sky (J. Appl. Ecol. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2005.01117x). . .
BBC Online, 3 October 2005
Climate to increase British flies
Richard Black
Fly populations in Britain could soar this century because of climate change, according to a new study. Houseflies and bluebottles reproduce more quickly in warmer temperatures. Using computer models, researchers at Southampton University calculated that fly and bluebottle populations could rise by nearly 250% by the year 2080. Writing in the Journal of Applied Ecology, they warn this might lead to a rise in infections transmitted by insects, including diarrhoeal disease . . .
Sunday Express, 18 September 2005
Stuart Winter is the birdman
Stuart Winter
Stuck indoors during the height of autumn migration by a combination of wet weather, the Ashes climax, dog-sitting duties and the petrol drought left me staring forlornly out of the window. Norfolk was beckoning with a wonderful sprinkle of migrant greenish warblers, wrynecks and red-backed shrikes. The rare bird information services were reporting their busiest day ever as scores of birdwatchers took advantage of the weather to feast on a banquet of migrating birds. All I could do was bemoan the fact that the local garage was out of fuel and Kevin Pietersen was still at the crease and smashing the A ussies' dreams to pieces. It was then I heard one of autumn's plaintive bird calls, the melancholic 'huitt' of a chiffchaff. One was working its way through the thick foliage of my hawthorn hedgerow looking for insects to fuel its journey to the Mediterranean. As the rain eased, more birds arrived to stock up on food. Blue and great tits performed daring acrobatics among the brambles, along with dunnocks, chaffinches, goldfinches and house sparrows. Watching the dunnocks is always a thrill. They live a life of tangled polygamy and it was fascinating seeing them interact and trying to work out exactly what was going on in their little social whirl. The value of garden observations by armchair twitchers is priceless . . . This week results from the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch survey were published in the Journal of Applied Ecology by BTO and University of Sheffield scientists. Called Trends in the use of private gardens by wild birds in Great Britain 19952002, it points to worrying declines in species of high conservation concern such as house sparrow, song thrush and starling.
Daily Express, 3 September 2005
Foreign invaders
Nigel Blundell
Britain is being invaded - and this time our defences are down. The attacks come from land, sea and air. And the threat is all the greater because the enemy within has not announced itself. This insidious assault is on Britain's unique world of nature. Animals that have lived within our protected shores for thousands of years are being wiped out at an alarming rate by breeds from abroad. These foreign bullies are either bigger, greedier, randier or dirtier. They eat our native species out of their home territory, they out-breed them and they pass on diseases to which they are not resistant. "They arrive here unannounced, settle themselves in - then go ballistic, " says Dr Michael Majerus of Cambridge University, a leading member of our Home Guard defence team against these "non-native invasive species". He has prepared evidence for a conference next week, called by the British Ecological Society, when scientists from around the globe will discuss the crisis. Dr Majerus is particularly concerned about the fate of Britain's favourite bug, the red-and-black spotted ladybird, about to be obliterated by an unwanted immigrant, the voracious harlequin ladybird which crossed the Channel only last year. The most recent crisis has been the spread of an Asian fish accidentally included in a consignment for a fish farm in Hampshire - with a parasite that could eradicate much of our homegrown stocks. "It has now broken into our river system, " says Barnaby Smith of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. Dr Jill Kerby, editor of the Journal of Applied Ecology, says: "The danger comes from species that did not evolve in this country being suddenly introduced here. They can simply take over. We should think of them in the same terms as a computer virus."
Farmers Guardian, 19 August 2005
Cattle may be passing Bovine TB to badgers
Bovine TB could be transmitted from cattle to badgers as well as vice versa, scientists have claimed in a new study. The study, from the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB, found that most TB-infected badgers are caught within 1km of infected cattle herds, while uninfected badgers live further from infected cattle, and that badgers and cattle carrying the same strain of TB live especially close together. "This suggests that TB is indeed transmitted between the two species - but this could be because cattle give TB to badgers, as well as badgers giving TB to cattle," the authors say. Researchers have urged policy makers to field test any new strategy to control the spread of TB between badgers and cattle, and for badger culls to be based on sound science. The recommendation comes in a new study that reveals evidence of a close spatial association between bovine tuberculosis (TB) in badgers and cattle. Using data from the Randomised Badger Culling Trial, Dr Rosie Woodroffe and colleagues, whose report was published in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology, looked at local geographical associations between TB infection in badgers and cattle. They found that TB infection occurs in clusters in both badgers and cattle and these clusters are spatially associated on a scale of 1-2km . . .
Nature, 18 August 2005
UK ecologists pledge $1m to keep in touch with Africa
The British Ecological Society has pledged US$1 million over the next five years to support environmental researchers in developing nations, mostly in Africa. The initiative is aimed at boosting communication between scientists in poor countries and established ecological societies in the developed world, says the society's president, Alastair Fitter. He made the announcement on 9 August in Montreal, at a gathering of the heads of 13 ecological societies. Participants emphasized the importance of helping local ecologists find regional solutions to environmental issues such as habitat loss, desertification and species conservation.
Liverpool Daily Post, 18 August 2005
Study sparks fresh call for badger cull
Andrew Forgrave
Farmers have seized on a new scientific study which, they claim, supports their calls for a nationwide cull of badgers. A report in the Journal of Applied Ecology has revealed that TB-infected badgers and cattle tend to live in the same areas and suffer from the same types of TB. The Farmers Union of Wales claims this proves badgers were to blame for latest figures showing a 34% rise in TB-related cattle slaughterings in 2005. Evan R Thomas, the Union's TB spokesman, called on the government to permit the shooting of badgers. He said: "TB-infected social groups should be controlled using rifles, which experience has shown is far more efficient and humane than trapping." The National Federation of Badger Groups (NFBG) accused farm unions of mis-interpreting the report which establishes a link between badgers and cattle but fails to establish culpability. It's possible that local clusters of infection may have been caused by cattle passing the disease to badgers, rather than the other way round, said NFBG vice chairman Richard Turner . . .
Western Mail, 16 August 2005
TB hotspot cripples 8% of herds
Steve Dube
More than 8% of cattle herds in West Wales are now unable to trade because of bovine tuberculosis. Figures released by NFU Cymru at the United Counties Show spell out the area as the country's TB hotspot, and union deputy president Dai Davies said no end was in sight . . . Meanwhile a new scientific report on bovine TB has again enabled either side of the divide to draw contradictory conclusions. The National Federation of Badger Groups welcomed the report from the British Ecological Society as showing, 'no credible foundation to demands from the farming unions for the slaughter of thousands of badgers'.
Western Morning News, 15 August 2005
Farmers dismiss badger claims
Farming leaders have dismissed claims by environmentalists that new research indicates that killing infected badgers is not the answer to the spread of bovine tuberculosis through the Westcountry. These arguments showed how little the pro-badger lobby understood about the issue, said Anthony Gibson, regional director of the South West National Farmers' Union, in response to a statement from the National Federation of Badger Groups (NFBG). The report, by Rosie Woodroffe of the British Ecological Society, showed that badgers might get TB from cattle, rather than the other way round, claimed the NFBG. It argued that although there was a link between bovine TB in cattle and badgers, it was not possible to show the extent to which one species might pass the disease to the other . . .
Business Weekly, 15 August 2005
Offshore renewables researchers ignoring ecological implications
Lautaro Vargas
Researchers who investigate offshore renewable energy options have been blasted for ignoring the ecological implications of such work in a major new report from Cranfield University. Despite an explosion of academic interest in the subject - almost 400 papers on renewable energy were published in peer-reviewed journals in 2003, compared with fewer than 35 in any year before 1991 - only a fraction of the papers looked at environmental impact. Dr Andrew Gill, whose review was published in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology, said: "Less than 1% of the articles considered the potential environmental risks of renewable energy exploitation and none was specifically related to coastal ecology. Ecological factors are not being considered properly and are under-represented in any discussion of the costs and benefits of adopting offshore renewable energy sources."
The News-Gazette (Illinois), 28 July 2005
Monkey business: Researchers examine link between health of an ecosystem, health of its residents
Greg Kline
In and around the tropical forest of Kibale National Park in Uganda, Thomas Gillespie sees firsthand how the health of an ecosystem affects the health of its residents. In this case, those residents are the black and white colobus, red colobus and red-tailed guenon monkeys that the University of Illinois scientist studies in forest that is pristine in places and was logged more than 30 years ago in others. The British logged the area, which then became a forest preserve and finally a national park after Uganda gained its independence. But parts of the forest have never recovered, the land overrun by an invasive shrub and elephants that eat it, as well as trample new trees that do take root. Gillespie and colleagues have found that the change in the landscape has left the red-tailed guenon more susceptible to parasites, including three not found in the undisturbed forest, and pushed the population into a decline that continues . . . The study by Gillespie and researchers Colin Chapman at McGill University in Canada and Ellis Greiner at the University of Florida is appearing in the Journal of Applied Ecology.
BBC Online, 21 July 2005
Basking sharks 'canny hunters'
Basking sharks are cannier hunters than previously thought, a report in the Journal of Animal Ecology has claimed. A tagging study has shown that the massive fish adapt their diving behaviour to foil the escape strategies of their main prey, zooplankton. It is the first time these sharks have been witnessed deviating from their seemingly rigid routines. The researchers hope to inform conservation initiatives as well as illuminate basking shark behaviour. "This has big implications for conservation," said co-author David Sims from the Marine Biological Association (MBA), UK. "With this information [ecologists] can build in the probabilistic estimates for how often you should see a shark in [UK] waters."
Independent Online (South Africa), 11 July 2005
Vietnam war devices used to track elephants
Listening devices developed more than three decades ago by the United States to monitor enemy troops movements through the jungle of Vietnam are being deployed to count elephants in the thick bushes of Namibia's Etosha National Park. Researchers under Jason Wood from Stanford University in California set up a test device called a geophone near a game path leading to a watering hole in the vast park. "Conservation management would be improved by more accurate methods for monitoring and estimating the size of elephant populations or other large mammals in central Africa, as these populations are relatively small and threatened by poaching," Wood wrote in the Journal Of Applied Ecology, published by the British Ecological Society.
Bath Chronicle, 6 July 2005
Trip aims to solve riddle of dying trees
Amy Wilson
Botanist Henry Ford will be heading off to East Africa for the second time next year in a bid to study the disappearing habitat of the Djibouti Frankolin. The rare East African partridge-like bird lives off 20-metre high juniper trees, but the Bath-based 55-year- old says they are rapidly disappearing. Mr Ford went out to Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, last year to study the bird for the World Pheasant Association. While there he discovered the habitat was fast dwindling, and for no apparent reason. Now he has put together a team of three other experts for a return trip, and the British Ecological Society has given £2,500 towards his venture . . .
The Independent (The Gambia), 6 July 2005
Makasutu Wildlife Trust donates to schools
On July 1st the Makasutu Wildlife Trust (MWT) presented to the Department of State for Education 1200 copies of books on common butterflies, reptiles and mammals, and 400 posters on ecological research in West Africa. The materials, which the trust is presenting of behave of the Darwin Trust, is to be distributed to lower basic schools round the country . . .400 copies of each book were presented to the Department of State for Education for distribution to Lower Basic Schools in The Gambia, to encourage Gambian children to take an interest in their biodiversity from an early age. 400 copies of a poster produced by the British Ecological Society on biodiversity research in West Africa were also given for distribution. Mr. Emms, Executive Director of MWT, said, "The children of today are the adults of tomorrow and they will be responsible for looking after our environment. We want to get children to be enthusiastic about the wildlife in The Gambia and to find out more about it."
New Scientist, 25 June 2005
Army gadget tracks rumble in the jungle
A device used to track enemy troop movements during the Vietnam war may give conservationists a better understanding of elephant behaviour. Forest elephants, thought to be a different species from their kin on Africa's savannahs, have been difficult to count because dense tree cover hides them from aerial surveys. Until now, the best estimates have come from counting dung balls, but this is labour-intensive and error-prone. Jason Wood and his colleagues at Stanford University in California instead tried using a small seismic detector, or geophone, to track the rumble of elephant footfalls. The researchers buried a geophone near a waterhole in Etosha National Park in Namibia and recorded animals as they passed. When they analysed the recordings, they found they could distinguish elephant footsteps from those of other large mammals by a stronger low-frequency component to the rumble. They were also able to estimate the number of animals in a group from the total energy generated by their footfalls (Journal of Applied Ecology, vol 42, p 587).
Manchester Evening News, 21 June 2005
War sensors may save elephants
Seismic sensors developed to track enemy troop movements during the Vietnam war could be used to aid elephant conservation, a new study suggests. Researchers set up a buried sensor called a "geophone" to record vibrations from the footsteps of elephants and other large mammals, including giraffes, lions and humans. The device was placed near a path leading to a watering hole in Namibia's Etosha National Park. It was possible for the researchers to tell with 82% accuracy when elephants were passing the geophone, and estimate their numbers . . . Findings from the research appear in the Journal of Applied Ecology, published by the British Ecological Society.
Spiegel Online, 21 June 2005
Elefanten klingen dumpf
Von Volker Mrasek
Wie zählt man Elefanten und Giraffen, die sich im dichten Wald verstecken? Die für Tierschützer und Wissenschaftler eminent wichtige Frage könnte jetzt beantwortet sein: Man lauscht dem Trampeln der Tiere.
Science Daily, 19 June 2005
Rare chalk grassland takes 50 years to recover from military use
Rare and fragmented chalk grasslands may take at least half a century to recover from the damage done to them by military training, according to new research published in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology. Working with historical aerial photographs taken on the Salisbury Plain Training Area between 1945 and 1995, Dr Rachel Hirst and colleagues from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the University of Liverpool identified 82 sites from which they sampled vegetation and soil. They found that, while neutral (mesotrophic) grasslands took between 30 and 40 years to re-establish after disturbance during military training, areas of chalk grassland took at least 50 years to recover.
Press Association, 19 June 2005
Hi-tech way to hear elephants walking
John von Radowitz
Seismic sensors developed to track enemy troop movements during the Vietnam war could be used to aid elephant conservation, a new study suggests. Researchers set up a buried sensor called a "geophone" to record vibrations from the footsteps of elephants and other large mammals, including giraffes, lions and humans. The device was placed near a path leading to a watering hole in Namibia's Etosha National Park . . . Findings from the research appear in the Journal of Applied Ecology, published by the British Ecological Society.
BBC Online, 18 June 2005
Seismic sensors count elephants
Fiona Proffitt
American scientists have come up with a hi-tech method of surveying elephants, using military-designed seismic sensors to detect their footsteps. Researchers from the Geophysics Department at Stanford University used the sensors to monitor African elephants and other large mammals in Etosha National Park, Namibia. The "geophones" - originally designed by the US military to detect enemy troop movements in the Vietnam War - were deployed to pick up vibrations caused by animals walking to a waterhole . . . The results, reported in the Journal of Applied Ecology, show that the technique worked well at distinguishing elephants from other animals (giraffes, lions, gemsbok and humans), with an average success rate of 82%.
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, June 2005
Skiing threatens alpine vegetation
Jane Bradbury
The last skiiers have long since carved their way down the ski trails of Europe, but as the remaining snow melts, what sort of vegetation is emerging on the runs and how does it compare to that on the surrounding hillsides? Not surprisingly, according to Christian Rixen (Swiss Federal Instutite for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland) "all types of piste preparation have an impact on the natural vegetation . . ." To investigate the ecological effects of trail preparatio |
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