News and Opinion - British Ecological Society

Researchers calculate the cost of restoring Australia’s degraded ecosystems

Researchers propose a AU$41 billion nationwide plan for habitat restoration to prevent species loss.

Oil palm plantations reshape human hunting

New research shows that oil palm plantations in Borneo are not only affecting ecological landscapes, but also social landscapes.

Farmers help create ‘Virtual safe space’ to save bumblebees

BEE-STEWARD is a decision-support tool which provides a computer simulation of bumblebee colony survival in a given landscape.

BES response to the UK National Food Strategy

BES president, Professor Jane Memmott responds to National Food Strategy.

Colombia’s increasing wildfires caused by institutional cattle ranching and land-grabbing

Cattle ranching and land-grabbing are the key drivers of Colombia’s increasing wildfires, according to local stakeholders.

Managing agricultural biodiversity takes time

A three-year research project shows how functional traits drive pollinator and predator responses to semi-natural grassland strips embedded in agricultural landscapes.

Nature has enormous potential to fight climate change and biodiversity loss in the UK, according to new report

A new report by the British Ecological Society details how nature can be a powerful ally in responding to the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

Forests on caffeine: coffee waste can boost forest recovery

A new study finds that coffee pulp, a waste product of coffee production, can be used to speed up tropical forest recovery on post agricultural land.

Gulls can spread weeds over large distances and between habitats

A new model shows that gulls can disperse weeds over large distances and between different habitats, causing the exchange of weed and alien plant species between agricultural crops and natural areas.

Coffee for the birds: connecting bird-watchers with shade-grown coffee

New research that surveyed US bird watchers finds that only a small percentage buy bird-friendly coffee, with awareness being one the main constraints.

You don’t need to know nature to love it

A first of its kind study in the Global South finds that farmers in the Brazilian Amazon can develop strong connections with nature despite having little knowledge of local biodiversity.

Installing bird nest boxes improves pest control in cider apple crops

Researchers encourage farmers to abandon chemical pesticides and adopt this effective, cheap and environmentally friendly measure.

Better health – for people and the planet – grows on trees

Tropical fruit trees can improve health, reduce hunger, boost incomes and fight climate change. So why don’t we grow and eat more?

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.

Vanilla cultivation under trees promotes pest regulation

Researchers have used dummy prey to investigate the activity of natural pest predators in Madagascan vanilla plantations, finding this pest control to be advantageous for agricultural cultivation.