April 13, 2018, Linköping University Anna Eklöf, senior lecturer, Linköping University. Credit: Anna Nilsen/LiU
A species' traits define the role it plays in the ecosystem in which it lives—this is the conclusion of a study carried out by researchers at Linköping University, Sweden. New methods can make it easier to predict the ecological role that a species will play when it is introduced, by accident or design, into a new habitat.
Planktonic microfossils in core sediments indicate anthropogenic impact over the past 1,800 years
Date:
April 4, 2018
Source:
PLOS
Summary:
Climate change and recreational activity at Walden Pond may have altered the ecology of this iconic lake during the past 1,800 years, affecting the water quality and plankton community, according to a new study.
Climate change and recreational activities at Walden Pond may have drastically altered its ecosystem.
When British naturalist Charles Darwin traveled to the Galapagos Islands in 1835, he took notice of the giant kelp forests ringing the islands. He believed that if those forests were destroyed, a significant number of species would be lost. These underwater ecosystems, Darwin believed, could be even more important than forests on land.
Effects of nutrient and stormwater reduction on bay -- nation's largest estuary
Date:
March 5, 2018
Source:
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Summary:
A new research article analyzes the positive impact of long-term nutrient reductions on an important and valuable ecosystem in the Chesapeake Bay. Scientists indicate the resurgence of underwater grasses supports nutrient reductions from EPA's Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) along with conservation incentives have resulted in a healthier Chesapeake Bay.
Nature can bounce back but full recovery is elusive
Date:
March 1, 2018
Source:
Northern Illinois University
Summary:
Billions of dollars are spent annually on repairing ecosystems damaged by people. A new meta-analysis of 400 studies that document recovery from such large-scale disturbances worldwide suggests that while ecosystems can bounce back, they rarely mend completely, with the final stages of recovery being most difficult. The study also found that more costly active restoration efforts did not consistently result in faster or more complete recovery.
