News and Opinion - British Ecological Society

Saving your data together helps bird research

Researchers publish the first scientific paper from the SPI-Birds network, a large‐scale initiative connecting data on wild populations of birds.

New knowledge on how climate affects pendulous lichens in northern forests

Research from Umeå University explains how traits in pale lichens allow them to thrive in wet climates.

Bumblebee queens migrate for hundreds of kilometres

New research shows that bumblebee queens don’t always remain in the same place, but cover distances up to hundreds of kilometres.

How top predators and fisheries can survive on the same prey

New research determines the amount of prey required for marine top predators to thrive, improving fisheries management.

Crayfish ‘trapping’ fails to control invasive species

Despite being championed by a host of celebrity chefs, crayfish ‘trapping’ is not helping to control invasive American signal crayfish, according to new research by UCL and King’s College London.

Debate needed on the potential culling of generalist predators such as crows and foxes to protect Europe's declining ground-nesting birds

Further studies and debate are needed on the potential culling of generalist predators such as crows and foxes as a means of protecting Europe's ever declining number of ground-nesting birds.

Wild bees depend on the landscape structure

A Research team led by University of Göttingen finds flower strips, organic farming and small crop fields combine to encourage bees and hoverflies.

Lack of insects in cities limits breeding success of urban birds

Urban insect populations would need to increase by a factor of at least 2.5 for urban great tits to have same breeding success as those living in forests.

How does an increase in nitrogen application affect grasslands?

Researchers at the University of Bern share the first results of the largest biodiversity-ecosystem functioning experiment in Switzerland

Understanding deer damage is crucial when planting new forests

Scientists at the University of Southampton and Forest Research say understanding the risk of damage by deer to new and existing forests in Britain is crucial when considering their expansion.

Lizards develop new 'love language'

Animal chemical signals shift after only four generations.

Ash dieback is less severe in isolated ash trees

New research finds that ash dieback is far less severe in the isolated conditions ash is often found in, such as forests with low ash density or in open canopies like hedges, suggesting the long term impact of the disease on Europe's ash trees will be more limited than previously thought.

Parasite carried by grey squirrels negatively impacts red squirrel behaviour

Research reveals a new mechanism of how grey squirrels affect native red squirrels in Europe through parasite-mediated competition.

More taxpayers’ money for the environment and public benefit

3,647 researchers call for Common Agricultural Policy reform with science to be taken into consideration.

Smaller fields and diversified crops can help spontaneous plants to make a comeback, even in the middle of fields

Scientists from INRAE and the CNRS, working with colleagues from Germany, Spain, the UK and Canada, find that increasing field border lengths could be a highly effective measure to complement agri-environmental schemes, maintaining and restoring plant diversity right to the centre of fields.