News and Opinion - British Ecological Society

Wildlife 'porn' or a conservation tool? A summary of our debate on nature documentaries

A panel of producers, presenters and researchers debated the purpose of nature documentaries.

Why a focus on constant change is more important than a focus on stability

We talk and think in terms of things and entities that are stable and unchanging. This is understandable, but misguided, researchers argue.

Smaller fields and diversified crops can help spontaneous plants to make a comeback, even in the middle of fields

Scientists from INRAE and the CNRS, working with colleagues from Germany, Spain, the UK and Canada, find that increasing field border lengths could be a highly effective measure to complement agri-environmental schemes, maintaining and restoring plant diversity right to the centre of fields.

Ten BES women you should know about

We celebrate 10 women who dedicate their time and energy to ensure the BES is a dynamic, relevant, inclusive and fun society.

Human activities and underlying mechanism of green tide formation

Research proposes a novel mechanism behind the formation of green tides, which can be ecologically damaging, and explores the relationship between this mechanism and human activities.

Bridging the knowledge gap: a new platform for Applied Ecology Resources

The British Ecological Society (BES) is delighted to introduce the new Applied Ecology Resources website: appliedecologyresources.org. The new-look site will host a fully searchable information database launching later in 2020.

What’s good for livestock can be good for wildlife

With protected areas only covering 15% of the earth’s surface, it’s essential to conserve biodiversity outside of these places. New research looks at southern Kenya to explore how maintaining large open spaces can allow herders, their livestock and wildlife to co-exist.

Dragonflies are efficient predators that consume hundreds of thousands of insects, locally

Researchers quantify the staggering number of insects dragonflies and damselflies can consume.

Conservation translocation: trade-offs for species survival and biodiversity

As efforts to help wildlife ramp up after the devastating bushfire season, University of Canberra researchers warn that removing species under pressure from immediate threat must be done in a measured, species-dependent way.

Lava flows tell 600-year story of biodiversity loss on tropical island

A natural experiment created by an active volcano gives new insight into the long-term negative impacts of human colonisation of tropical forest islands.

Watching TV helps birds make better food choices

By watching videos of each other eating, blue tits and great tits can learn to avoid foods that taste disgusting and are potentially toxic, finds new study. Seeing the ‘disgust response’ in others helps them recognise distasteful prey by their conspicuous markings without having to taste them, and this can potentially increase both the birds’ and their prey’s survival rate.

Amazon forest disturbance is changing how plants are dispersed

New research finds tropical forest disturbance goes beyond species loss and includes a shift towards smaller seeds and an increase in the proportion of trees dispersed by animals, impacting how the ecosystem functions.

Call for policy makers to protect pollinators

Pollinating insects could thrive if improvements are made to agri-environment schemes across Europe, new study led by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) finds.

New software program could boost protections for animals on the move on land and at sea

An international team of conservation scientists has developed an innovative software program to improve protections for wildlife as they roam on land and at sea.

Orb-weaver spiders’ yellow and black pattern helps them lure prey

Being inconspicuous might seem the best strategy for spiders to catch potential prey in their webs, but many orb-web spiders, which hunt in this way, are brightly coloured. New research finds their distinct yellow and black pattern is actually essential in luring prey.