News and Opinion - British Ecological Society

Bird-friendly agriculture: finding the right balance to benefit birds and farmers

New research finds that whole-scale farm diversification can promote higher abundances of beneficial birds in farmland.

New conservation tool calculates the optimal time to spend researching a habitat before protecting it

Deciding when to stop learning and take action is a common, but difficult decision in conservation. Using a new method, this trade-off can be managed by determining the amount of time to spend on research at the outset.

Ecological trade off? Utility-scale solar energy impedes endangered florida panthers

New study first to document effects of utility-scale Solar energy installations on a large carnivore.

Urban gardens are a dependable food source for pollinators through the year, study suggests

Gardens in cities provide a long and continuous supply of energy-rich nectar from March to October.

Newly discovered fish songs demonstrate reef restoration success

Whoops, croaks, growls, raspberries and foghorns are among the sounds that demonstrate the success of a coral reef restoration project.

Ecological knowledge of local populations more accurate than 10 years of conventional scientific monitoring

The ecological knowledge of local populations proved to be more accurate than 10 years of conventional scientific monitoring for animal abundance in the Amazon

Invasive ants can threaten ecosystems by damaging plants at the roots

New study reveals how big-headed ants disrupt photosynthesis and plant growth.

New guide to interdisciplinary research

A new free guide for researchers embarking on their first interdisciplinary project.

Loss of tree species has cumulative impact on biodiversity

Diseases affecting different UK tree species have shown to have a multiplying effect on the loss of associated biodiversity.

Woodland and hedgerow creation will be crucial to support pollinators in Wales

The largest survey of pollinator abundance in Wales has found that woodland and hedgerow creation can play a crucial role in action to reverse declines in insects.

Helping smooth New Zealand sea lions’ road home

Researchers create a new way of redefining New Zealand sea lions’ habitat. The work will help take the surprise out of coming across sea lions on a forest hike.

A reef in two gears: new patterns of coral recovery discovered

Damaged coral reefs show slower than expected recovery for up to six years before switching to a faster phase of regrowth.

Large wild herbivores reduce the fast biodiversity decline of plants in a tropical forestry hotspot

A 10 year experiment in Brazil's Atlantic Forests finds that areas where large herbivores are present show lower loss of biodiversity than areas they're excluded from.

Honeybees’ waggle dance reveals bees in rural areas travel further for food

By decoding honeybees’ waggle dances, researchers have found that bees in agricultural areas travel further for food than those in urban areas.

An “evolutionary rescue route” towards coexistence of competitive plant species

New research establishes a novel mechanism for the coexistence of competing flowering species.