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Your guide to the latest conservation research.
Journal Watch Online
244 posts
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- March 31, 2011
- 03:07 PM
- 455 views
The Hu-Flu
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
In late June 2009, researchers in Rwanda noticed a female mountain gorilla coughing as she fed in her forest home. Within days, she was dead – and a new study concludes that she and an infant gorilla were killed by a virus that appears to have spread from human visitors. The news highlights the risk […] Read More »... Read more »
Gustavo Palacios et al. (2011) Human Metapneumovirus Infection in Wild Mountain Gorillas, Rwanda. Emerging Infectious Diseases. info:/
- December 7, 2010
- 07:58 PM
- 362 views
Diversity & Disease
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
The spread of potent diseases like West Nile virus and Lyme disease is getting a boost from the loss of biodiversity, concludes a new study. But there is still a lot to be learned about the complex interplay between diversity, disease and habitat change, the researchers say.
In theory, biodiversity could play two roles in […] Read More »... Read more »
Keesing, F., Belden, L., Daszak, P., Dobson, A., Harvell, C., Holt, R., Hudson, P., Jolles, A., Jones, K., Mitchell, C.... (2010) Impacts of biodiversity on the emergence and transmission of infectious diseases. Nature, 468(7324), 647-652. DOI: 10.1038/nature09575
- November 26, 2010
- 10:30 AM
- 351 views
Mink Vs. Vole
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
A mink stole may be stylish, but a live American mink can be an ecological nightmare. The carnivores have invaded habitats around the world, wiping out everything from native seabirds to fish. Now, Scottish biologists are reporting success in ousting the enemy with a “clear and hold” campaign of epic proportions.
Since 2006, a small, […] Read More »... Read more »
Bryce, R., Oliver, M., Davies, L., Gray, H., Urquhart, J., & Lambin, X. (2010) Turning back the tide of American mink invasion at an unprecedented scale through community participation and adaptive management. Biological Conservation. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2010.10.013
- November 25, 2010
- 03:05 PM
- 347 views
Fishistory
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
Sometimes it pays to blow the dust off those old archives. An Italian research team has been able to reconstruct how fish stocks in the Northern Adriatic Sea have changed over the last 200 years thanks to a creative method for transforming the diaries of long-dead naturalists and fishmongers into crunchable data. These long-ignored “eyewitness […] Read More »... Read more »
Fortibuoni, T., Libralato, S., Raicevich, S., Giovanardi, O., & Solidoro, C. (2010) Coding Early Naturalists' Accounts into Long-Term Fish Community Changes in the Adriatic Sea (1800–2000). PLoS ONE, 5(11). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015502
- November 24, 2010
- 12:17 PM
- 398 views
Micro-Invaders
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
It’s time to get small. Scientists should pay more attention to invasions by exotic viruses, bacteria, fungi and other microbes, a new study argues. It also offers a road map for the research needed to figure out which microbes are likely to become successful invaders, and which ecosystems might be at risk.
The appearance of […] Read More »... Read more »
Litchman, E. (2010) Invisible invaders: non-pathogenic invasive microbes in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Ecology Letters, 13(12), 1560-1572. DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01544.x
- November 23, 2010
- 03:34 PM
- 275 views
Land Deal
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
Cheaper can be better when it comes to conservation. That’s the message from a new study that examines the most cost-effective way to protect 10% of Argentina’s vast grassland ecosystem. The approach suggests that putting a premium on saving the most biologically-important lands may not always be the most realistic approach.
Global conservation groups often […] Read More »... Read more »
Murdoch, W., Ranganathan, J., Polasky, S., & Regetz, J. (2010) Inaugural Article: Using return on investment to maximize conservation effectiveness in Argentine grasslands. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1011851107
- November 18, 2010
- 06:47 AM
- 327 views
Playing It SAFE
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
Which nation is more sustainable: Albania or Angola? Before you place your bet, you might want to consult a new mathematical model that tries to improve efforts to grade countries on how they manage their resources for the long-term.
Although even experts don’t agree on exactly what “sustainability” means, there have been numerous efforts to […] Read More »... Read more »
Phillis, Y., Grigoroudis, E., & Kouikoglou, V. (2010) Sustainability ranking and improvement of countries. Ecological Economics. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2010.09.037
- November 17, 2010
- 08:24 AM
- 327 views
Pollution Ecology
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
Fewer. Smaller. And things could get worse in a warmer climate. Those are just a few of the conclusions reached by a massive new study that tries to tease out the fundamental effects that industrial air pollution has on organisms and ecosystems – and some recommendations for better focusing future research.
For decades, ecologists have […] Read More »... Read more »
Kozlov, M., & Zvereva, E. (2010) A second life for old data: Global patterns in pollution ecology revealed from published observational studies. Environmental Pollution. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2010.10.028
- November 16, 2010
- 08:40 AM
- 362 views
Ease-y Does It
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
Conservation easements – legal agreements that give landowners tax benefits in exchange for forgoing development — have become a common tool for protecting habitat around the world. Just how effective they are, however, has been a subject of some debate. Now comes a study from Wyoming that takes an in-depth look at whether easements are […] Read More »... Read more »
Pocewicz, A., Kiesecker, J., Jones, G., Copeland, H., Daline, J., & Mealor, B. (2010) Effectiveness of conservation easements for reducing development and maintaining biodiversity in sagebrush ecosystems. Biological Conservation. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2010.10.012
- November 15, 2010
- 08:34 AM
- 350 views
Mystery In Alaska
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
The alarming case of the cross-billed chickadees – and crows, nuthatches and woodpeckers — began at two birdfeeders. In 1998, Alaskan biologists got reports of chickadees with grossly elongated beaks snacking at feeders in two widely separated parts of the state. Soon, birds with similar deformities began showing up across Alaska and nearby regions. Now, […] Read More »... Read more »
Handel, C., Pajot, L., Matsuoka, S., Hemert, C., Terenzi, J., Talbot, S., Mulcahy, D., Meteyer, C., & Trust, K. (2010) Epizootic of Beak Deformities Among Wild Birds in Alaska: An Emerging Disease in North America?. The Auk, 127(4), 882-898. DOI: 10.1525/auk.2010.10111
Hemert, C., & Handel, C. (2010) Beak Deformities in Northwestern Crows: Evidence of a Multispecies Epizootic. The Auk, 127(4), 746-751. DOI: 10.1525/auk.2010.10132
- November 11, 2010
- 02:58 PM
- 342 views
Feeling Energetic
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
Crashing surf and surging currents make for dramatic seaside scenery. These high-energy environments are also increasingly eyed for producing electricity, however – and that trend highlights the need for more study of the ecological implications of ocean energy projects, argues a new study.
Engineers have come up with a variety of promising ways to turn […] Read More »... Read more »
Shields, M., Woolf, D., Grist, E., Kerr, S., Jackson, A., Harris, R., Bell, M., Beharie, R., Want, A., & Osalusi, E. (2010) Marine Renewable Energy: The ecological implications of altering the hydrodynamics of the marine environment. Ocean . DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2010.10.036
- November 10, 2010
- 09:45 AM
- 309 views
Failure To Flourish
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
It’s gonna take more than a green thumb. Efforts to reintroduce endangered plants to their former habitats are struggling mightily to succeed, according to a new analysis. But a global research team says better planning – and learning from past mistakes – could help more restoration efforts prosper.
Reintroducing rare plants into the wild has, […] Read More »... Read more »
Godefroid, S., Piazza, C., Rossi, G., Buord, S., Stevens, A., Aguraiuja, R., Cowell, C., Weekley, C., Vogg, G., & Iriondo, J. (2010) How successful are plant species reintroductions?. Biological Conservation. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2010.10.003
- November 9, 2010
- 01:44 PM
- 359 views
Salt & Plover
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
A dash of salt may be just what’s needed for Asia’s beleaguered shorebirds. Salt farms in Thailand provide key habitat for wintering water birds, a new survey finds. Worryingly, however, these shallow “salt pans” are increasingly threatened with conversion to aquaculture ponds that are less appealing to birds.
The Inner Gulf of Thailand, stretching 160 […] Read More »... Read more »
Sripanomyom, S., Round, P., Savini, T., Trisurat, Y., & Gale, G. (2010) Traditional salt-pans hold major concentrations of overwintering shorebirds in Southeast Asia. Biological Conservation. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2010.10.008
- November 8, 2010
- 08:38 AM
- 297 views
Growing Protests
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
For some, planting a tree is an act of love. In many parts of the world, however, tree planting has become a source of often violent conflict. The rapid expansion of industrial plantations for wood, palm oil and rubber is sparking protest around the globe, a new analysis finds. The unrest suggests that pro-plantation policies […] Read More »... Read more »
Gerber, J. (2010) Conflicts over industrial tree plantations in the South: Who, how and why?. Global Environmental Change. DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2010.09.005
- November 6, 2010
- 12:32 PM
- 374 views
Crabs and Cancer
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
It’s an argument oft heard in conservation circles: Endangered ecosystems are chock full of chemical compounds that could be the next big blockbuster drug — but these life-saving compounds are lost every time a species goes extinct. Estimating the financial value of biodiversity, however, has been a complicated calculation. Now, researchers have put a number […] Read More »... Read more »
Erwin, P., López-Legentil, S., & Schuhmann, P. (2010) The pharmaceutical value of marine biodiversity for anti-cancer drug discovery. Ecological Economics. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2010.09.030
- November 6, 2010
- 12:15 PM
- 322 views
Et tu, Dung Beetle?
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
As one of the oldest cities in the world, Rome has seen its fair share of drama, from the fall of Julius Caesar to the rise of facism. Now comes another sad tale: a study documenting the loss of Rome’s insect inhabitants over the last century. The innovative research could help conservationists focus insect protection […] Read More »... Read more »
Fattorini, S. (2010) Insect extinction by urbanization: A long term study in Rome. Biological Conservation. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2010.09.014
- November 4, 2010
- 06:43 PM
- 313 views
Genetically Engineered Autumn
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
It’s one of those idyllic Fall scenes: Fluttering leaves touching down on a swirling river and lining the bottom of a quiet pool. But what if those leaves come from genetically modified (GM) trees? Could they alter the bugs, bacteria and other aquatic critters that live off decaying litter? To find out, an international team […] Read More »... Read more »
Axelsson, E., Hjältén, J., LeRoy, C., Julkunen-Tiitto, R., Wennström, A., & Pilate, G. (2010) Can Leaf Litter from Genetically Modified Trees Affect Aquatic Ecosystems?. Ecosystems, 13(7), 1049-1059. DOI: 10.1007/s10021-010-9373-y
- November 4, 2010
- 06:31 PM
- 357 views
Naked Chicks
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
Penguin researchers are puzzling over a disorder that leaves young penguins featherless and has shown up in colonies in South Africa and Argentina. The rare illness appears to slow growth, and may be killing some of the birds.
Researchers first noted nude African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) chicks in a South African rehabilitation center run by […] Read More »... Read more »
Olivia J. Kane, Jeffrey R. Smith, P. Dee Boersma, Nola J. Parsons, Venessa Strauss, Pablo Garcia-Borboroglu and Cecilia Villanueva. (2010) Feather-Loss Disorder in African and Magellanic Penguins . Waterbirds. DOI: 10.1675/063.033.0321
- October 30, 2010
- 12:50 PM
- 387 views
DNA Stop Sign?
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
Look hard enough, and you can find the telltale sign of asphalt in even a cricket’s DNA. Roads and highways are now having a measurable impact on the genetic makeup of everything from insects to bears, a new review finds. But while roads often create barriers that divide some populations, they can also serve as […] Read More »... Read more »
Holderegger, R., & Di Giulio, M. (2010) The genetic effects of roads: A review of empirical evidence. Basic and Applied Ecology, 11(6), 522-531. DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2010.06.006
- October 28, 2010
- 05:36 PM
- 338 views
The Anthrome Era
by Journal Watch Online in Journal Watch Online
Cities are growing – and so too is the study of urban ecosystems. A hefty new review finds that, after decades of disinterest, ecologists are piling up new insights into how urbanization can influence everything from soil bacteria to bird calls. Now, studies of the “anthrome” – the human-dominated, or anthropogenic biome – are poised […] Read More »... Read more »
Pickett, S., Cadenasso, M., Grove, J., Boone, C., Groffman, P., Irwin, E., Kaushal, S., Marshall, V., McGrath, B., & Nilon, C. (2010) Urban ecological systems: Scientific foundations and a decade of progress. Journal of Environmental Management. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.08.022
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