News and Opinion - British Ecological Society

Nature reserve under water

Researchers present a new method for establishing protection zones for highly biodiverse deep sea areas.

“Superfoods”, a super-impact on the environment

Eating quinoa may not be as “eco-friendly” as you think: the environmental impact of “superfoods” under the spotlight.

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.

Poor Amazonians go hungry despite living in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth

Poorer rural Amazonians are going hungry despite living in one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet.

British Ecological Society announces journal prize winners

Today the British Ecological Society (BES) has announced the winners of its journal prizes for 2020. The prizes are awarded for the best paper by an early career researcher in six of the BES journals.

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.

West African lions show no preference between national parks and hunting zones

A University of Michigan-led study, believed to be the largest wildlife camera wildlife camera survey ever undertaken in West Africa, finds West African lions surprisingly show no preference between national parks and trophy-hunting areas.

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.

Fishing for Mammals: How DNA from rivers could revolutionise mammal detection on land

Scientists from the University of Salford have identified that DNA collected from river water is a new and effective way of monitoring the entire community of mammals on the landscape.

Why a focus on constant change is more important than a focus on stability

We talk and think in terms of things and entities that are stable and unchanging. This is understandable, but misguided, researchers argue.

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.

Human activities and underlying mechanism of green tide formation

Research proposes a novel mechanism behind the formation of green tides, which can be ecologically damaging, and explores the relationship between this mechanism and human activities.

Dragonflies are efficient predators that consume hundreds of thousands of insects, locally

Researchers quantify the staggering number of insects dragonflies and damselflies can consume.