Ecosystems

Ecosystems

Prairie Revival

Prairie restoration is attracting interest, but because so little long-term monitoring and comparative studies have been done, researchers are still wondering whether it's really possible to re-create a prairie.

Ecosystems

Tortoise Genes and Island Beings

Geneticists and conservation biologists are joining forces to untangle the evolutionary history of giant Galápagos tortoises and to safeguard the animals' future.

Ecosystems

Biota Behaving Badly

Members of an established ecosystem develop a sense of balance, usually permitting at least limited biodiversity and a stable structure. When interlopers arrive that aren’t responsive to the same environmental checks and balances, they can overrun the ecosystem, eliminating some members and quickly dominating others. Such bullying immigrants are known as invasive species—and they can […]

Ecosystems

Bee All

With continuing concerns about the decline of honeybees in North America—and especially the newly recognized Colony Collapse Disorder—here’s a site to learn more about the important role these and other bees play in plant health and agriculture. This academic site links to plenty of related places on the Web that also address threats to not […]

Ecosystems

Sea Change: People have affected what penguins eat

Adélie penguins in Antarctica significantly changed their eating habits about 200 years ago, after whaling and other human activities transformed the ocean ecosystem.

Ecosystems

Sawfish Central

Sawfish will soon be getting United Nations protection from exploitation. Right now, the only U.S. state where these ancient fish can generally be found—and then, only rarely—is Florida. Here’s a site to view the fish, a member of the shark family, and link to research aimed at rescuing populations of its seven beleaguered species worldwide. […]

Ecosystems

Slime Dwellers

The health of corals, and their adaptability in the face of adversity, may rest largely on the microbes they recruit into a slime that coats their surfaces.

Ecosystems

The Great Turtle Race

This international conservation event involves 11 leatherback turtles that are “racing” toward feeding areas south of the Galapagos Islands. Pick your favorite of these endangered animals and follow its progress, as tracked by satellite, from April 16 to April 29. Go to: http://greatturtlerace.com

Ecosystems

Lakeshore Nature Preserve

This nature preserve at the University of Wisconsin–Madison protects undeveloped lands along the shore of Lake Mendota. Even if you can’t visit it in person, the award-winning interactive map will help you appreciate the qualities of this beautiful slice of nature. Go to: http://www.lakeshorepreserve.wisc.edu

Ecosystems

Warming Sign? Larger dead zones form off Oregon coast

Unprecedented recent changes in the yearly pattern of ocean currents off North America's West Coast have wreaked havoc on aquatic ecosystems there, another possible symptom of Earth's warming climate.

Ecosystems

An unexpected, thriving ecosystem

A diverse group of creatures beneath an Antarctic ice shelf could give pause to researchers who infer past ecological conditions from fossils found in such sediments.

Ecosystems

Saving Whales the Easy Way? Less lobstering could mean fewer deaths

A provocative proposal suggests that the U.S. lobster fleet in the Gulf of Maine could reduce the number of traps, maintain its profits, and improve life for endangered right whales.