News and Opinion

Nature documentaries increasingly talk about threats to nature, but still don’t show them

Researchers analysing recent BBC and Netflix nature documentaries found that although they increasingly mention threats to nature, visual depictions of these threats remain scarce, potentially misleading audiences on the state of the natural world.

Wildlife and wind farms: Are British gulls staying safe in the winter sun?

New research shows that Lesser Black-backed Gulls breeding in Britain could be vulnerable to collisions with wind turbines whilst on migration and during the winter months as well as during the breeding season.

Flowering wild plants to promote beneficial insects in the field

Research details which flowering plants are used by pollinators and beneficial insects as food sources over the course of the year.

eDNA: a new tool to establish invasive species eradication success

Research published today examined how environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys can be used as a cost-effective method to detect invasive species present at  low densities.

Using artificial intelligence to track birds’ dark-of-night migrations

Daisies that close at night have camouflaged petals to protect them from herbivores

Species of daisy that close their flowers at night, produce colour in their exposed lower petals that makes them harder to spot for herbivores, reducing herbivory rates of flowers

Single event or epidemic? Mating behaviour and movement patterns influence the dynamics of animal diseases

Research published in explores how the movement patterns of wild boar influence outbreaks of classical swine fever

Angry birds: loud aeroplane noise causes birds to become aggressive

Aircraft affect chiffchaffs’ ability to communicate with mates and rivals – providing new insight for airport planners and wildlife conservation.

British Ecological Society launches large-scale study to test whether ‘blinding’ reduces bias in science publishing

A two-year randomised controlled trial in the British Ecological Society journal Functional Ecology will be the largest of its kind to date to assess whether hiding author details during peer review reduces bias against underrepresented groups in the science publishing process.

Mosquitoes push northern limits with time-capsule eggs to survive winters

Asian tiger mosquitoes in northern parts of the United States are rapidly adapting to survive colder winters

Connected forest networks on oil palm plantations key to protecting endangered species

Research published in Journal of Applied Ecology suggests more sustainable palm oil can be achieved through connecting areas of high quality forest within plantations.

Shasta dam releases can be managed to benefit both salmon and sturgeon, study finds

The needs of endangered winter-run chinook salmon, threatened green sturgeon and people can be met through optimised water releases into the Sacramento River.

Large herbivores increase biodiversity in tropical forests

Joint extinction of tapirs and peccaries leads to reduction in tropical forest diversity, finds 10 year study

Rare antelopes and black cats

Researchers develop tools to help manage seagrass survival

New statistical tools help prevent seagrass loss