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The launch of Plain Language Summaries: Journal of Applied Ecology – The Applied Ecologist
Following author feedback collected as part of our recent Editorial on how we can make research published in Journal of Applied Ecology more accessible, we are delighted to announce the launch of Plain Language Summaries. What are they? Plain Language Summaries, also referred to as lay summaries, are simple short-form overviews of published academic articles.…
Listening to solitary bees to learn about their activity patterns – The Applied Ecologist
Susič et al. share their experience studying solitary bee activity at nesting boxes using passive acoustic monitoring and analysing the data using neural networks. © Anton Gradišek There are thousands of species of solitary bees and they play important roles in their ecosystems, the best known being the pollinators of various plants. Several species choose…
Documenting decades of change in urban ancient woodlands – The Applied Ecologist
Holly Claire Woo shares her team's experience investigating the impact of urbanisation on ancient woodlands in the UK. Imagine yourself in an ancient woodland: with a dappled canopy of broadleaf trees, some showing signs of historic coppicing, and a carpet of English bluebells, studded with Wood Anemones, Greater Stitchwort, Early Purple orchids, Herb Paris and…
Impacts of proactive health management on cattle and horse diets and dung biodiversity in Danish rewilding areas – The Applied Ecologist
Emil S. Thomassen explains the recent diet study of rewilded cattle and horses, showing functional differences between the two species and reveals the impacts of management actions on this functionality as described in their latest research. The use of DNA metabarcoding for herbivorous diet analysis is a promising tool, yielding high-resolution data on plant consumption.…
Overcoming writing and publishing barriers – The Applied Ecologist
In this blog post, Martin Nuñez, one of Journal of Applied Ecology's Senior Editors tells us about the importance of being able to write effectively and how his latest book can help researchers to do just that. © Nuñez 2025, drawn by Walter Policelli Working as an editor for Journal of Applied Ecology has made…
Don’t forget the little guys: improving monitoring efforts for African small carnivores – The Applied Ecologist
Small carnivores are ecologically important species and key indicators of environmental change. However, for many of these species, we lack robust information on their conservation status, geographic distribution, and tolerance to anthropogenic threats. In this post, researchers from Nelson Mandela University share their experience with an emerging camera trapping method aimed at improving monitoring efforts…
Conspecific vocalisations as a Wryneck conservation tool: if you play it, will they settle? – The Applied Ecologist
Paula Schatte and co-authors share insight from their recent study examining the relative importance of food availability and conspecific vocalisations for breeding habitat selection during both the prospecting and breeding periods of a regionally endangered woodpecker, the Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla). Fig. 1: A diverse landscape of extensive vineyards, hedgerows, dry stone walls, solitary trees…
Research and Elimination of Archipelago Racoon Dogs – The Applied Ecologist
Mikko Toivola and co-authors share a summary about their latest study which focuses on the movements of an invasive mesopredator within the Archipelago areas of Finland. The raccoon dog has been known to occur in the archipelago areas of Finland for a long time. However, the role of the species as part of the archipelago…
Smarter planning to bring rivers back to life – The Applied Ecologist
In this blog post, Virgilio Hermoso explains how to plan the recovery of longitudinal and lateral connectivity to restore free-flowing rivers in their latest study. Rivers are more than lines on a map—they are living networks. They connect mountains to coasts, nourish floodplains, and support incredible biodiversity. But over the past century, we have fragmented…
Albatrosses make distinct flight hops when following fishing vessels – The Applied Ecologist
In their new study, “Immersion patterns alone can predict vessel following by albatrosses”, Jonathan Rutter et al. present a new behaviour-based method to detect previously hidden interactions between seabirds and fishing vessels. In oceans around the world, seabirds follow fishing vessels looking for easy meal. This puts them at risk of bycatch, when birds are…
Field Diaries: Mariana Silva Ferriera – The Applied Ecologist
In our ‘Field Diaries’ series, The Applied Ecologist is sharing stories from a range of different fieldwork experiences. Mariana Silva Ferreira shares being involved in the largest long-term monitoring study on small mammals based in Brazil. About the Author Mariana with a juvenile opossum, Didelphis aurita © Mariana Silva Ferreira Mariana Silva Ferreira, she/her Affiliation: Associate Researcher,…
Cover crop mixtures enhance multiple ecosystem functions: A global meta-analysis – The Applied Ecologist
In this blog post, Yunhui Liu and team share insights from their recent global meta-analysis on how cover crop mixtures can enhance agricultural sustainability by promoting multiple ecosystem functions. As agriculture faces growing challenges from climate change and land degradation, cover crops are increasingly recognized as an essential tool for improving soil health and farm…
BES Annual Meeting 2024: More than just a conference – The Applied Ecologist
Ardiantiono, Associate Editor mentee of Journal of Applied Ecology, writes about his experience attending the British Ecological Society's 2024 Annual Meeting for the first time. Registration for the 2025 Annual Meeting in Edinburgh is now open. Liverpool has long been on my travel wish list. Especially as I initially wanted to visit for Eurovision 2023,…
Field Diaries: A regenerative agriculture model rooted in Goan tradition – The Applied Ecologist
In our 'Field Diaries' series, The Applied Ecologist is sharing stories from a range of different fieldwork experiences. In this first-person pictorial account, Apeksha Khedekar explores their time spent researching the sustainability of homestead farming among tribal populations in Goa. About the author Apeksha Khedekar © Shivanjali Phalke ; Jaya Gaude I was a master's…
Exploring Regeneration Projects in South Wales: A Case Study – The Applied Ecologist
Field reflections written by Zac, Jack, Chris, Josh and Finn, students attending the University of Surrey's BSc in Environment and Sustainability degree programme. What have you been working on? Since the 1980s, the valleys have been widely impacted by the coal mine closures, impacting not only local communities but also the surrounding wildlife. Cwmtillery, a…
From the Ground Up: Stories about Community Regeneration in South Wales – The Applied Ecologist
Field reflections written by Charlotte, Emily, Tara, Diesha and Anouk who are studying on the University of Surrey's BSc in Environment and Sustainability degree programme. What have you been working on? In April 2025 we went to Gwent in South Wales for a regeneration residential. Our aim was to study how different regions can regenerate…
Breaking Boundaries: Why Knowledge Exchange is the Missing Link for Impact in the Ecology Sector – The Applied Ecologist
By Valentine Seymour, Sarah Golding, Melissa Marselle. Meet Melissa, Sarah and Valentine Melissa Marselle is a Lecturer in Environmental Psychology at the University of Surrey, with expertise in the application of psychological theory and methods to biodiversity conservation questions. Melissa Marselle (University of Surrey ©) Sarah Golding is a Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the University…
Restoring Landscapes: can sustainable harvesting of wild plants and fungi help to restore landscapes? – The Applied Ecologist
In the ‘Restoring Landscapes’ blog series, we are promoting knowledge exchange from restoration projects around the world. Wild plants and fungi have long provided food, medicine, and income for communities around the world, and underpinned multiple food, cosmetic and health supply chains. But could they also help restore degraded landscapes? A new toolkit developed through…
The impact of downhill skiing on birds – The Applied Ecologist
Mattia Brambilla & Francesca Roseo share their experience researching the impact of skiing on biodiversity. Up and down mountains, along with their winged inhabitants For many years, both of us have been passionate skiers. We engaged in ski competitions in our youth and deeply enjoyed downhill skiing, along with the other various outdoor activities in…
LGBTQ+ inclusion in science and society: Resilience in uncertain times and the importance of community – The Applied Ecologist
To celebrate Pride Month 2025, we are excited to share a series of blogs and podcasts highlighting useful articles and resources for LGBTQIA+ ecologists and researchers. In each post, the authors behind these resources explain what they are, how they came to produce them, and why they are important. The authors Nathan Alexander (he/him) ResearchGate:…
Fire season and drought influence fire effects on invasive grasses – The Applied Ecologist
In this Q&A, we discussed with author Charlotte Reemts the background behind her team’s recently published meta-analysis focused on invasive bluestems. Why study this group of grasses? Warm-season grasses from these two genera (Bothriochloa and Dichanthium) are interesting because they are important species in their native ranges but have also been introduced into other grasslands…
The potential of second-growth forests for bird diversity in a small holder landscape – The Applied Ecologist
Mareike Kortmann and co-authors share a summary about their latest study which focusses on the ability of sample coverage to impact diversity measures of bird communities in tropical lowland forests. Tropical old-growth forests are disappearing at an alarming rate, leading to concerning biodiversity loss. But amidst this global decline, some forest areas are also recovering.…
Field Diaries: From the High-Altitude Cold Dessert Ecosystem – A Place of Subsistence and Resilience – The Applied Ecologist
In our ‘Field Diaries’ series, we are sharing stories from those out in the field. In this post, Shiwani from Dr. B.R Ambedkar University Delhi shares her experience doing field research in Ladakh, a trans-Himalayan region in India. In this technology-driven era, where vast data can be generated through remote access, the significance of experiential learning is…
Field Diaries: Protecting the peatlands of the central Congo Basin – The Applied Ecologist
In our 'Field Diaries' series, The Applied Ecologist is sharing stories from a range of different fieldwork experiences. In this post, Cassandra Dummett shares her story researching options to protect the peatlands of the central Congo Basin. Tell us about yourself Cassandra Dummett © I am Cassandra Dummett, and I work at University College London…
Field Diaries: Space4Nature project – The Applied Ecologist
In our 'Field Diaries' series, The Applied Ecologist is sharing stories from a range of different fieldwork experiences. In this post, Daniel Banks shares their story collecting citizen science data as part of the Surrey Wildlife Trust's Space4Nature project. Tell us abut yourself Daniel Banks © My name is Daniel Banks and I work at…
Field Diaries: Tracking Agricultural Impact on Iran’s Wetlands with Remote Sensing – The Applied Ecologist
In our 'Field Diaries' series, The Applied Ecologist is sharing stories from a range of different fieldwork experiences. In this post, Mohammad Javad Soltani shares their story visiting wetlands in Iran and studying them with remote sensing. Overview of fieldwork project I am a M.Sc. student in the 'Remote Sensing for Ecology and Ecosystem Conservation…
What determines the rarity of large carnivores in the Omo Valley of Ethiopia? – The Applied Ecologist
Asfaw et al. investigate the presence of large carnivores in the Omo Valley of Ethiopia and share their experience. Populations of large carnivores have been declining in Ethiopia for many years due to a range of factors including reduced prey populations, pressure from neighbouring human settlements, habitat fragmentation and loss, and low political interest in…
Field Diaries: A PhD Student’s Journey into Waterfowl Research – The Applied Ecologist
In our 'Field Diaries' series, The Applied Ecologist is sharing stories from a range of different fieldwork experiences. In this post, Cassidy Waldrep shares her story working with waterfowl across the Atlantic Flyway. In the waterfowl world, many biologists grow up with a love for ducks and geese, some having hunted since they could walk.…
Georgina Mace Prize 2024: Winner Announcement – The Applied Ecologist
Ecological Solutions and Evidence is thrilled to announce the winner of our annual Georgina Mace Prize! This award is given to an outstanding article published in the journal by an author at the start of their career. The winner was selected by our Senior Editors who had to choose from our list of highly impressive…
Southwood Prize 2024: Winner announced for early career researcher award – The Applied Ecologist
Journal of Applied Ecology is happy to share that Agostina Torres is the winner of this year's Southwood Prize! This annual award is given to the best article in the journal by an author at the start of their career. This year, Agostina was selected by the Senior Editors amid an impressive shortlist of 10 articles. Winner: Agostina Torres…
Nancy Burrell: The inadequacy of current carbon storage assessment methods for rewilding – The Applied Ecologist
Shortlisted for the Georgina Mace Prize 2024 Nancy Burrell gives an insight into her team's study investigating how carbon storage is measured and valued in rewilded landscapes. About the Research Overview Our research dives into a critical blind spot in carbon accounting—how we measure and value carbon storage in rewilded landscapes. While tree planting is…
Maja Bradarić: Forecasting nocturnal bird migration for dynamic aeroconservation – The Applied Ecologist
Shortlisted for the 2024 Southwood Prize Maja Bradarić details how, alongside colleagues, utilising radar data, weather and phenological variables allowed for the development of seasonal near-term forecasts of low-altitude nocturnal bird migration over the southern North Sea. About the research Overview Our research explores environmental drivers and spatiotemporal patterns of nocturnal bird migration over the…
Sarah Kingsbury: A new tool for setting biodiversity management priorities adapted from aquatic invasive species management – The Applied Ecologist
Shortlisted for the Georgina Mace Prize 2024 Sarah Kingsbury shares insights into her team's study investigating a new integrated management approach to better assess the effects and risks of aquatic invasive species on Atlantic salmon. About the Research Overview Our idea was to develop an integrated management plan to inform aquatic invasive species and Atlantic salmon management…
Ying Ki Law: The role of forests in landslide occurrence, recurrence and recovery – The Applied Ecologist
Shortlisted for the 2024 Southwood Prize Ying Ki Law explains how her team investigated post-landslide vegetation recovery patterns and the role of forests in occurrence and recurrence probability. About the research Overview Our paper examines how landslides recover and what factors influence their regrowth and landslide risk. While landslide management often focuses on engineering solutions,…
Fredrick Ssali: Associations between Lantana camara and common native species – The Applied Ecologist
Shortlisted for the Georgina Mace Prize 2024 Fredrick Ssali discusses his team's study on the impact the invasive flowering plant Lantana camara has on common native species in western Uganda. About the Research Overview The shortlisted paper “Associations between Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) and common native species in an African savanna” is an output of…
Agostina Torres: The order and timing of removal of invasive species influence community reassembly – The Applied Ecologist
Shortlisted for the 2024 Southwood Prize Agostina Torres introduces us to her latest research which evaluated the dependence of community reassembly on inverse priority effects by experimentally removing the target invasives in field and mesocosm communities. About the research Overview The study emerged as part of my PhD doctorate. Along with my supervisors, Drs. Martin…
Ruth Dunn: Marine bird abundance estimates during the non-breeding season – The Applied Ecologist
Shortlisted for the Georgina Mace Prize 2024 Ruth Dunn shares her team's research investigating the number of marine birds that may be undetectable when underwater during at-sea surveys outside of their breeding seasons. About the Research Overview The aim of our paper was to help improve the accuracy of marine bird abundance estimates generated from…
Janina Heinen: Diversified cropping strengthens herbivore regulation – The Applied Ecologist
Shortlisted for the 2024 Southwood Prize Janina Heinen talks us through her and colleagues' latest study which explores how agricultural practices impact predation pressure across prey taxa. About the research Overview We explored predator-prey dynamics in agroecosystems by examining how carabid predator diet preferences shift throughout the crop growing season, and are influenced by the…
Micha V. Jackson: Shorebird habitat selection and foraging behaviour – The Applied Ecologist
Shortlisted for the Georgina Mace Prize 2024 Micha V. Jackson discusses her team's research looking into the distribution of shorebirds and their feeding behaviour within a wetland to better understand habitat selection and quality. About the Research Overview Shorebirds undertake some of the most spectacular migrations on earth, but are also one of the world’s…
Natália Medeiros: Critical shortfalls for restoration of tropical grassy biomes – The Applied Ecologist
Shortlisted for the 2024 Southwood Prize Natália Medeiros explains their latest research into tropical grassy biomes, which involved reviewing the association of restoration techniques and degradation sources, and investigating the diversity of indicators used to monitor restoration outcomes. About the research Overview My shortlisted paper is about where and how ecological restoration of tropical open…