News and Opinion - British Ecological Society

Obituary: Lord May of Oxford

John Lawton and Michael Hassell recall a great scientist, wonderful collaborator and a true friend, following the death of Lord Robert May in April 2020.

Severe coral loss leaves reefs with larger fish but low energy turnover

Research on the Great Barrier Reef has found severe coral loss to be associated with substantial increases in the size of large, long-living herbivorous fish. However, decreased recycling of this fish biomass could leave the ecosystem vulnerable to crashing.

Wolf spiders may turn to cannibalism in a warming Arctic

Wolf spiders in a warming Arctic are getting bigger, reproducing more and eating different foods. Including other spiders.

Balancing wellbeing with research during lockdown

Rob Brooker finds some steps for maintaining mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus lockdown.

Nature reserve under water

Researchers present a new method for establishing protection zones for highly biodiverse deep sea areas.

Virtual workshops in a locked down world

The BES Policy team share how to run a successful virtual workshop.

“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.

Understanding deer damage is crucial when planting new forests

Scientists at the University of Southampton and Forest Research say understanding the risk of damage by deer to new and existing forests in Britain is crucial when considering their expansion.

Poor Amazonians go hungry despite living in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth

Poorer rural Amazonians are going hungry despite living in one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet.

Spoof phone calls

We are aware that a number of people have received spoof phone calls that appear to be from the British Ecological Society.

British Ecological Society announces journal prize winners

Today the British Ecological Society (BES) has announced the winners of its journal prizes for 2020. The prizes are awarded for the best paper by an early career researcher in six of the BES journals.

10 Practical tips for recording wildlife at home

Explore how to safely enjoy nature and contribute to scientific research during lockdown.

Applied ecology in times of COVID-19

Martin Nuñez explores how applied ecology can help solve the problems exposed by the current pandemic.

Lizards develop new 'love language'

Animal chemical signals shift after only four generations.

Conservation research, policy and practice

A new open access book addresses how to make scientific evidence have influence on conservation policies, decision making and practice.