News and Opinion - British Ecological Society

Study reveals long-time scale of recovery for marine sea fans and other species

Pink seafans, Ross corals and white sea squirts could take up to 20 years to recover after an area of the seabed was closed to scallop dredging.

Protecting piping plovers

Without considering a growing predator population, counting methods may not accurately predict future plover population sizes.

Rethinking environmental legislation to include the conservation ideas of tomorrow

ZSL-led study argues for change in policy focus to capitalise on potential of rewilding to halt biodiversity loss.

Gran Chaco: Biodiversity at high risk

Immediate conservation activities could secure habitats in South America’s largest tropical dry forest

Habitat fragmentation a bigger threat to Chile’s güiña wildcat than persecution by humans

Research by conservationists at the University of Kent has found that habitat fragmentation, and the subdivision of large farms into smaller ones, are the biggest threats facing the güiña wildcat in Chile.

Scouting the eagles - Proof at last: protecting nests aids reproduction

Reproduction among bald eagles in a remote national park in Minnesota was aided when their nests were protected from human disturbance.

A new method to help recover ecological functions and foster the sustainable development of rural areas

Ecologists have developed a new method to prioritize natural sites for restoration actions aimed to improve the provision of ecosystem services.

The road to recovery: Closing roads counters effects of habitat loss for grizzly bears

It’s simple math, says scientist Clayton Lamb. The closer grizzly bears are to humans, the more ways there are for bears to die. Put more simply, more roads equals fewer grizzly bears.

Lake Michigan waterfowl botulism deaths linked to warm waters and algae

Warm waters and algae tend to precede bird deaths in the Great Lakes, likely because they promote the growth of botulism toxin-producing bacteria.

Degrading coral reefs bad news for commercial fishing

The degradation of coral reef fisheries is bad for fisheries in the long term, a new study published in Journal of Applied Ecology reveals.

Dolphin and bear studies have paved the way to improved population forecasting

A new article challenges the validity of current methods for forecasting the persistence of slow-growing species for conservation purposes.

Listening in: Acoustic monitoring devices detect illegal hunting and logging

Newly developed acoustic loggers are able to record sounds of shotguns and chainsaws, shedding light on the frequency and patterns of illegal exploitation

Physical contact may be good for your health, according to new research

Red-bellied lemurs maintain gut health through touching and ‘huddling’ each other, a new study published in Journal of Animal Ecology shows.

Higher plant species richness may not be enough to protect ecosystems from the worst impacts of climate extremes

Higher plant species richness is not always sufficient to reduce ecosystem vulnerability to climate extremes.

Study finds ways to avoid hidden dangers of accumulated stresses on seagrass

A new study has found ways to detect hidden dangers of repeated stresses on seagrass using statistical modelling.