News and Opinion - British Ecological Society

Century-old salmon scales show historical decline in population diversity

New research reconstructs historical abundance and diversity of populations of sockeye salmon using modern genetic tools on 100 year old scales.

You don’t need to know nature to love it

A first of its kind study in the Global South finds that farmers in the Brazilian Amazon can develop strong connections with nature despite having little knowledge of local biodiversity.

Installing bird nest boxes improves pest control in cider apple crops

Researchers encourage farmers to abandon chemical pesticides and adopt this effective, cheap and environmentally friendly measure.

Large mammals make soil more fertile in tropical forests

Changes in ecosystem properties after postfire management strategies in wildfire affected Mediterranean forests

New research into Mediterranean forest fires finds that postfire management treatments can be effective in promoting multifunctionality and plant diversity.

Micro-climate moulds northern insect communities, herbivory and predation

New research explores how micro-climate shapes each level of the ecosystem to reveal how climate change may drastically reshape northern ecosystems.

Researchers make ‘high vis vests’ to help monitor bee behaviour

Researchers have been trialling low-cost ways to monitor bees by dressing them in high visibility vests.

Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain may not deliver the desired outcomes for nature

England’s proposed mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain requirement for new developments might not deliver on promises to increase biodiversity, according to new research

More frequent and extreme marine heatwaves likely to threaten starfish

Common starfish cannot survive amplified marine heatwaves projected at the end of the century and experience lasting negative effects from current heatwaves, according to new research.

Opportunities for Implementing Biodiversity Net Gain in Scotland

This event ‘Pie and a Pie’ event was jointly held online by the British Ecological Society (BES) Scottish Policy Group (SPG) and Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM).

New knowledge on how climate affects pendulous lichens in northern forests

Research from Umeå University explains how traits in pale lichens allow them to thrive in wet climates.

Vanilla cultivation under trees promotes pest regulation

Researchers have used dummy prey to investigate the activity of natural pest predators in Madagascan vanilla plantations, finding this pest control to be advantageous for agricultural cultivation.

Crayfish ‘trapping’ fails to control invasive species

Despite being championed by a host of celebrity chefs, crayfish ‘trapping’ is not helping to control invasive American signal crayfish, according to new research by UCL and King’s College London.

Pollinator monitoring more than pays for itself

Monitoring schemes to count bees and other pollinating insects provide excellent value for money, and could help save species and protect UK food security, researchers have found.

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.