Biodiversity News

The PeatPic Project used over 3,700 smartphone photographs from 27 peatlands in 10 countries to gather data about how climate change is impacting them. Scott J. Davidson, Assistant Professor and CARCLIQUE Research Chair, Groupe de recherche interuniversitaire en limnologie (GRIL), Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) Avni Malhotra, Earth Scientist, Department of Geography, University of Zurich Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Many of these extraordinary places are increasingly at risk due to escalating climate change, invasive species, and and a lack of consistent funding to protect them. Jessica Beaudette, Visiting Scholar, Center for Biodiversity Outcomes, Arizona State University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia’s only known shrew has been declared extinct. Its loss emphasises the need for national protection of Australia’s rare and unique wildlife. John Woinarski, Professor of Conservation Biology, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Labor is close to a deal on its environmental law reforms. Will they strong enough to protect nature? Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Phillipa C. McCormack, Future Making Fellow, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide Yung En Chee, Senior Research Fellow, Environmental Science, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Wombats’ whiskery noses help them snuffle for food, navigate burrows and sense friend or foe. Julie Old, Associate Professor in Biology, Zoology and Animal Science, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Blast-fished reefs are unlikely to recover naturally without human intervention. Satrio Hani Samudra, Data Manager, UCL Tries Blandine Razak, Researcher, School of Coral Reef Restoration, IPB University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Urban sprawl has forced native animals and humans to live close together. Here are eight ways to make your home a refuge for wildlife. Bethany Kiss, PhD Candidate, RMIT University Mark Jacques, Professor of Architecture, RMIT University. Director, Openwork Pty Ltd., RMIT University Sarah Bekessy, Professor in Sustainability and Urban Planning, Leader, Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Research Group (ICON Science), RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

From snails to skunks, squirrels to cicadas, most of our neighbors are quiet and seldom interact with us, but they play important roles in the world. Steven Sullivan, Director of the Hefner Museum of Natural History, Miami University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new paper highlights the importance of assessing social feasibility before reintroductions of predators like pine martens take place to ensure success. Roger Auster, Lecturer in Environmental Social Science, Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste, University of Exeter Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Climate stability and economic health depend on biodiversity. Yet this foundation is hardly mentioned as the federal government seeks to shore up Canada’s economic future. Chris Johnson, Professor of Wildlife and Conservation Ecology, University of Northern British Columbia Justina C. Ray, Adjunct professor, Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Toronto Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The author, an obsessive plant hunter, has created a botanical resource for Britain like no other. Richard Milne, Senior Lecturer in Plant Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A healthy economy relies on healthy natural systems. But at the economic roundtable, this fact was all but absent. Michael Vardon, Associate Professor at the Fenner School, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Advances in imaging, text recognition and machine learning are transforming what can be done with collections of plants and fungi in herbaria and museums globally. Robert Turnbull, Senior Research Data Specialist, The University of Melbourne Joanne Birch, Senior Lecturer in the School of BioSciences, and Herbarium Curator, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Iran’s accelerating biodiversity crisis is a warning sign, but it does not exist in isolation. Shooka Bidarian, Media and Journalism Fellow, Sustainability and Climate at United Nations University Institute of Water Health and Environment, United Nations University Mark Maslin, UCL Professor of Earth System Science and UNU Lead for Climate, Health and Security, UCL Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Many birds on Rēkohu Chatham Islands show how ‘island syndrome’ influences evolution – they are distinct but remain closely related to species on the mainland. Nic Rawlence, Associate Professor in Ancient DNA, University of Otago Alan Tennyson, Curator of Vertebrates, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Levi Lanauze, Chief executive of Hokotehi Moriori Trust, Indigenous Knowledge Pascale Lubbe, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Molecular Ecology, University of Otago Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Cool autumns and dry springs could help earwig populations recover. John Murray, Senior Research Fellow, School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Research genomic data shows that small island animal populations are more resilient than we thought. Sabhrina Gita Aninta, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Copenhagen Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

There is a wide range of simple actions anyone can take to regenerate and conserve biodiversity right at home. Ann Dale, Professor Emerita, Environment & Sustainability, Royal Roads University Sabrina Careri, Lab Manager and Senior Research Analyst, Ecological Design Lab, Toronto Metropolitan University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The SA government has convened an emergency meeting today to discuss taking cuttlefish eggs from the wild, due to the impending threat of the algal bloom which could wipe them out forever. Zoe Doubleday, Marine Ecologist and ARC Future Fellow, University of South Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Our nights are getting brighter and we are all paying the price. Nick Dunn, Professor of Urban Design, Lancaster University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.