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Addressing observational biases in data-driven approaches of zoonotic hazard prediction – Methods Blog
Post provided by Andrea Tonelli Over the past five decades, more than half of emerging infectious diseases in humans originated from animals, with zoonotic pathogens posing a growing threat to global health. Shifts in land use, climate change, direct use of wildlife and biodiversity loss all influence human exposure to pathogens of wild animals, shaping…
Unde Venis Species? RRphylogeography, a new accurate method finds the area of origin of species – Methods Blog
Post provided by Pasquale Raia (he/him), Alessandro Mondanaro (he/him) and Silvia Castiglione (she/her) Quo Vadis? Latin for Where Are You Going? was a huge 1951 box office hit produced by Metro Goldwyn Mayer. The film (which is based on an 1896 book wrote by the Polish novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz) was set in ancient Rome during…
Our February issue is out now! – Methods Blog
This issue contains the latest methods in ecology and evolution. Read to find out about this month’s featured articles and the article behind our cover! Featured Ten practical guidelines for microclimate research in terrestrial ecosystems This review presents 10 practical guidelines for ground-based research of terrestrial microclimates, covering methods and best practices from initial conceptualisation…
Into the Swarm-Verse: quantifying collective motion across species and contexts – Methods Blog
Post provided by Marina Papadopoulou Authors We are three researchers interested in collective animal behaviour. Marina Papadopoulou is a postdoctoral researcher at Tuscia University in Italy, Simon Garnier is a Professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (USA), and Andrew King is an Associate Professor at Swansea University (UK). As a Greek-French-Welsh team with…
Avoiding Confusion: Modelling Image Identification Surveys with Classification Errors – Methods Blog
Post provided by Jon Barry We are a group comprised of statisticians, ecologists and a computer scientist. Back in 2021 when this work started, we were all employed at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquacultural Science (Cefas) at Lowestoft, U.K. Since then, Robert, our computer scientist, has ‘jumped ship’ (no pun intended) to the…
It is only by understanding what causes sampling bias that we can correct it – Methods Blog
Post provided by Rob J. Boyd Colleagues and I recently published a paper in MEE, and its title might induce a bit of head scratching: “Using causal diagrams … to correct geographic sampling biases in biodiversity monitoring data” (Boyd et al., 2025). If you’re familiar with causal inference, you might be wondering, “What have causal…
Ten practical guidelines for microclimate research in terrestrial ecosystems – Methods Blog
Post provided by Jonas Lembrechts. Blogpost adapted from: www.the3dlab.org: Ten practical guidelines | The 3D lab Ecologists and biogeographers are increasingly recognizing the critical role of microclimate in addressing a wide range of research questions. Consequently, many researchers are incorporating microclimate sensors into their studies. While deploying these sensors might seem straightforward—simply plugging them in…
Our January issue is out now! – Methods Blog
This issue contains the latest methods in ecology and evolution, including our first Felsenstein Review! Read to find out about this month’s featured articles and the article behind our cover! Featured Simpson's tachytely or bradytely? The importance of quantifying rate uncertainty The spectacular variation in species forms and richness across space and time can be…
From the Field to Museums: Uncovering the Hidden Insect World of the Galápagos Islands. – Methods Blog
In this series, we explore the unique experiences of field ecologists conducting research in remote field stations during the holiday season. Through personal stories and reflections, our contributors share what it's like to conduct scientific work in remote, biodiverse environments, where the challenges of research intersect with the spirit of the holidays. From the solitude…
A Remote Holiday Season: Research and Reflections at the Succulent Karoo Station. – Methods Blog
In this series, we explore the unique experiences of field ecologists conducting research in remote field stations during the holiday season. Through personal stories and reflections, our contributors share what it's like to conduct scientific work in remote, biodiverse environments, where the challenges of research intersect with the spirit of the holidays. From the solitude…
Look inside: a handy tool for casting the enclosed nest structure of birds – Methods Blog
Post provided by Jing-Chia Guo. To understand something, we often describe its appearance and shape: The ball is round, the can is cylinder, and the pillow is kind of rectangle. However, most natural creatures are irregular in shape, so it’s difficult for people to quantify or define them. Sometimes, scientists are even unable to get…
Discovering population dynamics and community interactions of migratory birds by individual-based model – Methods Blog
It has been a few weeks since the 15th Chinese Symposium on Biodiversity Science and Conservation, where the first “Seminar on Methods in Ecology and Evolution in China” was held. In these blog posts, we hear from some of the winners of the “Outstanding Young Scholar Award in Ecological and Evolutionary Methodology in China”. Here,…
For worse and for better: the complicated marriage between biologging and wild animal welfare – Methods Blog
Post provided by Michaël Beaulieu A cold Encounter in the Wild When talking about animal welfare to scientists who commonly use biologging tools to monitor the behaviour or physiology of wild animals in an ecological or conservation context, I have noticed that the first thing that usually comes to mind for them is the unwanted…
From fieldwork to theoretical modelling – my journey in measuring biodiversity – Methods Blog
It has been a few weeks since the 15th Chinese Symposium on Biodiversity Science and Conservation, where the first “Seminar on Methods in Ecology and Evolution in China” was held. In these blog posts, we hear from some of the winners of the “Outstanding Young Scholar Award in Ecological and Evolutionary Methodology in China”. Here, winner…
From lost Wood Thrushes to scientific breakthroughs: How a fieldwork challenge sparked a new way to think about occupancy models – Methods Blog
Post provided by Vitek Jirinec In 2013, I found myself knee-deep in the marshes and forests of southeastern Virginia, USA, embarking on what would become an unpredictable journey in my career. Fresh into my graduate thesis at the College of William & Mary under the guidance of Matthias Leu, the plan was studying the habitat…
Bringing UV into the Light: A New Tool for Monitoring Ultraviolet Light Exposure Over Time – Methods Blog
Post provided by Matthew Lattanzio. Hello there! My name is Matthew Lattanzio, and I am an Associate Professor at Christopher Newport University where I study how reptiles and amphibians interact with and respond to environmental variability. I grew up as a nature enthusiast, and so it is exciting to still carry that curiosity through to…
Improving Reporting Standards For Simulation Studies – Methods Blog
Post provided by Coralie Williams Have you ever wondered if your simulation study could be replicated? The replication crisis has been a hot topic in empirical research for years, but it’s only recently that we’ve started discussing it in statistical method research (Boulesteix et al., 2020; Luijken et al., 2024). Methodological research often relies on…
Introducing ‘Life on the edge’, a new toolbox for predicting population responses to global change – Methods Blog
Post provided by Chris Barratt Chris is a Researcher in the Animal Breeding and Genomics group (Centre for Genetic Resources Netherlands) at Wageningen University and Research, and a guest researcher at Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden. Caught somewhere between being a quantitative geneticist, a spatial modeller and a conservationist, he is committed to finding new…
Unveiling Earth’s Giants: A Lidar-Based Journey into Asia’s Tallest Trees – Methods Blog
It has been a few weeks since the 15th Chinese Symposium on Biodiversity Science and Conservation, where the first "Seminar on Methods in Ecology and Evolution in China" was held. In these blog posts, we hear from some of the winners of the “Outstanding Young Scholar Award in Ecological and Evolutionary Methodology in China”. Here,…
首届“生态与进化生物学方法讨论会”成功举办 – Methods Blog
This post is also available in English 2024年9月24日，首届“生态与进化生物学方法讨论会（暨生态学期刊交流会）”在河南农业大学龙子湖校区举行。此次会议依托于第十五届全国生物多样性科学与保护研讨会，由中国科学院动物研究所乔慧捷研究员主持，Methods in Ecology and Evolution杂志高级编辑Natalie Cooper和来自国内的各个领域内专家屈延华、练琚愉、赖江山、斯幸峰、刘春龙、徐武兵等莅临出席。 来自国内多所著名高校及科研机构的青年学者们分享了各自在生态与进化生物学方法研究领域的最新成果，形式丰富，内容精彩。与会专家从科研素养、报告能力等方面对参会报告进行了综合评价。最终，北京大学刘金博士（报告题目：基于个体模型探究迁徙物种的时间生态位共存）、北京大学任淯博士（报告题目：三维视角下巨树寻找与测量的方法学讨论）、西交利物浦大学邹怡博士（报告题目：rarestR: an R package using rarefaction metrics to estimate α- and β-diversity for incomplete samples）、中国科学院武汉植物园黄猇同学（报告题目：“假毛虫”无法反应真实生物互作—人本位的实验设计偏差）荣获由中国科学院生物多样性委员会与Methods in Ecology and Evolution杂志联名颁发的首届“生态与进化生物方法学优秀青年学者”奖。Natalie Cooper教授与赖江山教授共同为获奖者颁发了奖项与纪念品，以鼓励他们在生态与进化生物学方法领域的创新与探索。 除学术报告外，Natalie Cooper还详细介绍了英国生态学会（BES）旗下期刊的相关信息，以及如何在这些期刊上成功投稿及发表学术论文的关键要点。中国科学院植物研究所文献中心主任周玉荣介绍了植物研究所下属期刊在数据共享及科研出版方面的探索与实践，分享了促进科研数据开放与透明的经验。与会者围绕这些话题进行了深入讨论。 本次会议旨在为生态与进化生物学方法研究领域的学者搭建高水平的学术交流平台，促进该领域的研究合作与成果共享。研讨会的主要组织者乔慧捷研究员对“生态与进化生物学方法讨论会”的未来充满期许，期望会议能实现常态化，吸引更多学者参与，共同推动生态与进化生物学方法学的持续发展与进步。
Inaugural Seminar on Methods in Ecology and Evolution Held in China – Methods Blog
Post provided by Xiao Huang This post is also provided in Chinese. On September 24, 2024, the first "Seminar on Methods in Ecology and Evolution in China" was held at the Longzi Lake Campus of Henan Agricultural University. Organized in conjunction with the 15th Chinese Symposium on Biodiversity Science and Conservation, the event was chaired…
Tackling uncertainty in landscape connectivity – Methods Blog
Post provided by Maëlis Kervellec An Increased Interest Towards Landscape Connectivity Human activities not only contribute to climate change by producing greenhouse gases, but also directly degrade habitats. According to the 2019 IPBES report , about 75% of the Earth’s land surfaces have been heavily modified. Moreover, in Europe, 50% of the land is within 1.5…
Introducing sabinaNSDM: A New R Package for Improved Species Distribution Modeling based on Spatially-Nested Hierarchical models – Methods Blog
Post provided by Teresa Goicolea and Alejandra Zarzo Esta publicación también está disponible en español. Species Distribution Models (SDMs) are essential tools for scientists and conservationists to predict where species are likely to be found, where they have existed in the past, and where they might appear in the future. As we face urgent issues…
Introducción a sabinaNSDM: Un nuevo paquete de R para mejorar los modelos de la distribución de especies basado en modelos jerárquicos anidados espacialmente – Methods Blog
Post escrito por Teresa Goicolea y Alejandra Zarzo This post in also available in English. Los Modelos de Distribución de Especies (SDMs, por sus siglas en inglés) son herramientas esenciales para que científicos y especialistas de la conservación puedan predecir dónde es probable encontrar especies, dónde han existido en el pasado y dónde podrían aparecer…
The Evolution and Diversity of Peer Review – Methods Blog
Post provided by Lydia Morley Today, peer review is a foundation of academic publishing. It serves as a checks and balances system to ensure that researchers present work of high quality, novelty, and relevance to the greater academic community. When our work is accepted for publication, it has quite literally been judged by a jury…
Pride Month 2024: Nathaniel Wells – Methods Blog
Happy Pride Month! Join the British Ecological Society in this annual, global celebration as we share stories from STEM researchers who belong to the LGBTQ+ community. This post is by Nathaniel Wells. About me Nathaniel hiking the Green Gardens Trail located in Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland and Labrador My name is Nathaniel, and…
Commissioning Excellence: Insights from Hooman Latifi, Commissioning Editor for Methods – Methods Blog
Hi there! I'm Hooman Latifi, an Associate Professor of Ecological Remote Sensing. With an academic background in Forest Inventory, Remote Sensing and Aerial Photogrammetry at diverse universities in Germany and Iran, I am currently affiliated with the Dept. of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing of the K. N. Toosi University of Technology, the oldest technical university…
Associate Editor (Blog) –Methods in Ecology and Evolution – Methods Blog
Methods in Ecology and Evolution is looking for two new Editors to help run their highly successful blog. The Methods Blog is the widely-read blog for the journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution, which receives over 100,000 views a year. We are looking for two engaging researchers with expertise in the fields of evolutionary biology and ecology and a…
Robert May Prize 2023: Winner announced for early career researcher award – Methods Blog
We're excited to announce Willem Bonnaffé as the winner of the 2023 Robert May Prize, celebrating the best article in the journal by an author at the start of their career. Winner: Willem Bonnaffé Research: Fast fitting of neural ordinary differential equations by Bayesian neural gradient matching to infer ecological interactions from time-series data About…
Measuring the mighty mudsnails with superpixels – Methods Blog
Post provided by Liam MacNeil Collecting data from thousands of biological specimens can reveal wide scale patterns, however, doing this manually is time intensive. In this blog post, Liam MacNeil describes their automated approach to data collection and the insights this provided on mudsnail morphology. Evolution on the beach Charles Darwin begins his masterwork On…
Detangling NODEs – Methods Blog
I'm Willem Bonnaffé, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford. In my research, I integrate biological data, mathematical modelling, and machine learning. I spend most of my time modelling natural systems with neural ordinary differential equations - NODEs or Neural ODEs for short. In this blog post, I am hoping to shed light on…
Does my species senesce? – Methods Blog
Post provided by Lotte de Vries Animals and plants exhibit a wide range of patterns of longevity, growth, and reproduction but the general drivers of this enormous variation in life history are poorly understood. Comparative demography uses large demographic databases to attempt to identify patterns in life-history strategies across the tree of life (e.g. this…
Increasing Complexity in Species Distribution Modelling – Methods Blog
Megan Laxton and colleagues originally set out to translate an existing example of a species distribution model into a new software framework. However, what originated as a simple modelling example developed into a discussion on structural complexity in species distribution models. Complexity in Species Distribution Models The original idea for our paper was to provide…
The Data Double Standard: how this article came to be – Methods Blog
Post provided by Alison Binley As a new Master’s student at Carleton University, I was excited to learn the ins and outs of using community science data (also known commonly as citizen science, participatory research, and crowd-sourced data) to conduct conservation research. I was working on estimating population trends using eBird, a popular, opportunistic community…
Early career research: Increasing access, reproducibility and transparency in phylogenetic analyses with Cristian Román-Palacios – Methods Blog
Photo of Cristian Román-Palacios I was born in the Colombian Andes (Armenia, Quindío) back in the 90s. I received my bachelor's degree in Biology from Universidad del Valle, in Cali, Colombia, in 2015. I moved to the US in 2016 to pursue a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona –…
2023 Robert May Prize Shortlist: Methods Ecology and Evolution’s Award for Early Career Researchers – Methods Blog
The Robert May Prize is awarded by the British Ecological Society each year for the best paper in Methods in Ecology and Evolution written by an early career author. With entries spanning the 14th Volume of the journal, our Senior Editors carefully shortlisted the following 9 papers: Megan Laxton; Balancing structural complexity with ecological insight in Spatio-temporal…
Methods in Ecology and Evolution: International Women’s Day 2024 – Methods Blog
To celebrate International Women's Day 2024, we are excited to share a collection of blog posts showcasing the work of some of our new Associate Editors. In each post, our editors discuss their experiences in ecology, as well as what this year's theme, 'Inspire Inclusion', means to them. Dr Lorna Hernandez-Santin (She/her) What work do…
Key Concepts in Ecology: Competition – Methods Blog
This blog post on ‘Competition’ is part of the BES ‘Key Concepts in Ecology’ series, designed to help ecologists in learning the key topics in ecology! Take a look at the full series for a list of key topics you might typically find in an ecology textbook, each providing a quick introduction to the topic,…
Opening Ecology to Local, Traditional, and Indigenous Knowledge – Methods Blog
Post provided by James T. Thorson Ecologists have a social responsibility to document, interpret, and forecast how human activities are impacting our shared world. There’s an ongoing movement to open ecology to new voices: for example, the Biden-Harris Administration has directed US agencies to incorporate Indigenous Knowledge through ethical and mutually beneficial relationships with tribal…
ToxTrac: A free and user-friendly animal tracking software – Methods Blog
Post provided by Magnus Andersson Animal tracking software no longer has to be costly or require advanced computational science skills to operate. Over the last decade, a significant number of free animal tracking software options have been released. However, many of these options suffer from infrequent updates and demand considerable computational expertise to utilize effectively.…