As species shift out of their historic habitats in response to climate change, the role of protected areas is in question. Can the current global system of stationary bubbles of biodiversity protection help fauna on the move?
Environmental science guides the design of environmental policies and regulations. But what happens when science does not align with law and policy? A recent study shows that a mismatch between the science of ecological "restoration" and the policy mechanism of environmental interventions has unintended consequences.
Weather can change the day-to-day life of agricultural pests, like the corn earworm moth. But how do weather systems affect large groups of migrating moths and the migrating bats that prey on them? And how might shifts to those systems caused by climate change impact agriculture?
Management of multiple ecosystem services involves balancing multiple stakeholders and their respective value systems. This involves making trade offs, but not all trade offs are equal. A recent article analyzes how these decisions affect management decisions in a small-scale tropical fishery.
Increasing intensity of human land-use makes ecological communities progressively more similar to one another, leading to an overall loss of diversity. Ecological metrics used to quantify diversity loss could provide helpful conservation benchmarks.
Analysis of global forest cover reveals that over 70 percent of remaining forests are within 1 kilometer of non-forest edge. Synthesis of long-term studies show that this will result in pervasive loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Public-private partnership approaches to natural resource management are on the rise. Members of the Dolores River Restoration Partnership share how they collectively work toward large-scale river restoration.
Desertification is one of the most pressing issues facing the world's drylands. However, the term "desertification" is only vaguely defined, leading to complications in monitoring and management at all scales.
Successful land conservation efforts require transparency and collaboration between all individuals involved, a recent analysis found. The first step is for stakeholders to engage in conversation.