News and Opinion - British Ecological Society

Oil palm replanting may decrease arthropod biodiversity

New study finds that oil palm replanting may decrease the biodiversity of arthropods, such as insects and spiders.

BES response to the UN’s Global Biodiversity Outlook report

Insect diversity boosted by combination of crop diversity and semi-natural habitats

To enhance the number of beneficial insect species in agricultural land, preserving semi-natural habitats and promoting crop diversity are both needed, according to new research published in the British Ecological Society’s Journal of Applied of Ecology.

When landscapes change, conservation strategies must change as well

New research published in Journal of Applied Ecology explores the complex ways agriculture impacts biodiversity. Looking at Gran Chaco, a global deforestation hotspot, researchers find that trade-offs between agriculture and biodiversity change when the landscape changes, with species responding differently to the same level of agricultural intensity, depending on how much forest is left.

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.

Birds, bees and butter – new study underlines importance of biodiversity for crop production and West African livelihoods

Shea trees are in important crop in Senegal and Uganda and they benefit from bees pollinating their flowers to produce fruit. New research finds that in sites with low tree and shrub diversity, fruit production is severely limited by a lack of pollination.

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

“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.

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.

What’s good for livestock can be good for wildlife

With protected areas only covering 15% of the earth’s surface, it’s essential to conserve biodiversity outside of these places. New research looks at southern Kenya to explore how maintaining large open spaces can allow herders, their livestock and wildlife to co-exist.

Call for policy makers to protect pollinators

Pollinating insects could thrive if improvements are made to agri-environment schemes across Europe, new study led by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) finds.

Global study finds predators are most likely to be lost when habitats are converted for human use

A first of its kind, global study on the impacts of human land-use on different groups of animals has found that predators, especially small invertebrates like spiders and ladybirds, are the most likely to be lost when natural habitats are converted to agricultural land or towns and cities.

Study finds that multi-species grassland mixtures increase yield stability, even under drought conditions

In a two-year experiment in Ireland and Switzerland, researchers found a positive relationship between plant diversity and yield stability in intensely managed grassland, even under experimental drought conditions. The results are presented today at the British Ecological Society’s annual meeting in Belfast.