News and Opinion - British Ecological Society

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.

British Ecological Society award winners 2021 announced

The British Ecological Society (BES) announced today the winners of its annual awards and prizes.

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.

Unite solutions to climate and biodiversity crises to save life on earth, says ZSL-led study

Landmark research led by ZSL climate and biodiversity experts concludes that both global emergencies must be tackled in unison.

Elephants benefit from having older siblings, especially sisters

A study of semi-captive Asian elephants has found that calves benefit from having older sisters more than older brothers.

Leaving by staying: dispersal decisions of young giraffes

Research finds that when male giraffes reach reproductive age and leave home, a significant proportion disperse by simply switching to a new social community, avoiding the risks of moving far from home.

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.

Bee flight suffers under temperature extremes

Rising temperatures could help some bees fly better, but more frequent extreme weather events could push them past their limits.

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.

For trees, carbs are key to surviving insect defoliation

New research discovers the threshold of reserves necessary for oak trees to survive repeated caterpillar onslaughts.

Mountain lions in greater Los Angeles moved less during the covid-19 stay-at-home order

Contrary to popular belief, a new study shows mountain lions used smaller areas and moved shorter distances when human activity was far below normal.

Captive breeding programme essential for vultures’ survival

Supporting a declining population of the Egyptian vulture with captive-reared young birds every year could delay extinction.

BES response to the UK National Food Strategy

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