News and Opinion - British Ecological Society

Rewilding: Can it foster human coexistence with nature?

A new book published by the BES aims to build common ground on this divisive issue.

Why do beaked whales return to a Navy sonar range despite disturbance?

Scientists say it's the food.

Maps of chemicals in marine life could be the passport to protecting UK waters

Maps of chemicals found in jellyfish which could offer a new tool for the protection of British waters and fisheries.

New research is using drones to tackle climate change

Using light-weight unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), ecologists were able to capture aerial images of the trees which enabled her to accurately see the extent of the liana infestation.

Experts warn against mega-dams in lowland tropical forests

Mega-dams should not be built in lowland tropical forest regions due to the threat they pose to biodiversity and ecosystems, according to a new Journal of Applied Ecology study.

New study on grassland-bird nest survival published in the Journal of Applied Ecology

Tractor-based management, such as light-strip disking, and establishing native-grass practices on private grasslands, can improve nest survival of multiple grassland bird species and communities.

Roaming cats prey on their owners' minds

Owners often dislike their feline companions’ compulsion to catch wildlife but feel unable, or unwilling, to control it.

Avoiding loaded terminology in ecology

A recent paper in Journal of Ecology has been retitled “Sexual selection sustains biodiversity via producing negative density-dependent population growth”.

More “heatwave” summers will affect animals

Overheated birds have smaller offspring with lower chances of survival.

Monitoring urban biodiversity with machine learning

A new algorithm monitoring biodiversity in urban environments could improve our understanding of how cities can best support plant and animal life.

Landscapes full of maize harm bumblebee colonies

Göttingen scientists analyse growth and foraging behaviour of insects.

Soil moisture matters, even in tropical rainforests

Growth rates shape species distributions of tropical tree seedlings on a soil moisture gradient.

Sequencing pollen DNA to discover insect migratory routes

This British Ecological Society funded study shows that transcontinental pollination mediated by migrating insects is possible.

New research shows pretend porpoise sounds are helping conservation efforts

Playing back porpoise sounds to an acoustic logger can be used to assess the detection area of the device.

Ice cave reveals environmental forcing of long-term Pyrenean treeline dynamics

Subalpine forests were generally more widely distributed during the last 5700 years, when summer temperatures were warmer than today.