Long-term monitoring in community-managed Amazonian floodplains reveals some of the world’s highest jaguar densities – The Applied Ecologist

Long-term monitoring shows that Amazonian floodplain forests (várzea) can support high jaguar densities, but apparent stability may mask underlying population decline, highlighting the need for sustained conservation efforts under increasing climate extremes. Jaguars are the largest felid in the Americas and play a key role in maintaining ecosystem function. Across much of their range, populations […]

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Monitoramento de longo prazo em florestas de várzea na Amazônia com gestão de base comunitária revela algumas das maiores densidades de onças-pintadas do mundo – The Applied Ecologist

O monitoramento de longo prazo mostra que as florestas alagáveis amazônicas (várzea) podem sustentar altas densidades de onças-pintadas, mas a aparente estabilidade pode mascarar um declínio populacional subjacente, destacando a necessidade de esforços contínuos de conservação diante do aumento de eventos climáticos extremos. As onças-pintadas são o maior felino das Américas e desempenham um papel […]

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Are we getting better at knowing what actually works in conservation? Insights from fifty years of conservation evidence – The Applied Ecologist

Biodiversity is declining fast, and with limited funding and resources in conservation, it matters that these resources go towards actions that genuinely make a difference. So how do we know which actions deliver results, and which don’t? The answer depends on the quality of evidence behind them – which is largely contingent on the study […]

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Come migliorare la stima dell’abbondanza locale dei pesci costieri del Mediterraneo – The Applied Ecologist

Stimare quanti pesci vivono nelle aree costiere è fondamentale per proteggere gli ecosistemi marini e gestire le risorse in modo sostenibile. In questo studio, mettiamo in evidenza che il DNA presente nell’acqua di mare può aiutare a stimare meglio l’abbondanza dei pesci. Infatti, contare i pesci non è sempre facile. I metodi tradizionali, come quelli […]

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Vehicle lighting can reduce the risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions – The Applied Ecologist

Every year, vehicle collisions with deer and wild pigs cause billions of dollars in damages and injure thousands of drivers. Most collisions occur at night when the animals are more active and when it is more difficult for drivers to see. Recent research has found that illuminating the front end of the vehicle with a […]

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Can AI improve decision-making in applied ecology? Only if we guide it well – The Applied Ecologist

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly entering our daily lives. As the world begins to rely on it for small decisions, such as choosing which furniture suits our garden décor, scientists are witnessing a much larger shift quietly unfolding. AI is now entering ecology, and more importantly, applied ecology, a field that supports real-time high-stakes decision-making […]

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Camera trapping as a tool for monitoring wildlife health – The Applied Ecologist

In a world of emerging diseases that threaten both wildlife conservation and public health, finding innovative ways to monitor animal populations has never been more necessary. Traditional methods often involve capturing or handling animals, which is stressful, costly, and logistically challenging. But what if we could detect diseases without disturbing an animal? A promising solution […]

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Camera trapping as a tool for monitoring wildlife health – The Applied Ecologist

In a world of emerging diseases that threaten both wildlife conservation and public health, finding innovative ways to monitor animal populations has never been more necessary. Traditional methods often involve capturing or handling animals, which is stressful, costly, and logistically challenging. But what if we could detect diseases without disturbing an animal? A promising solution […]

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Creating small clearings helps herbivores keep trees from taking over savannas – The Applied Ecologist

In many parts of the world, grasslands and savannas are being taken over by trees. This change reduces biodiversity and alters how these ecosystems work. We wanted to test a simple, low-cost way to slow this process and help restore open grassy areas. In our study, we created small clearings (“glades”) by cutting trees in […]

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Managing mountain grasslands in a hotter world – The Applied Ecologist

Fire has shaped mountain grasslands for thousands of years and remains essential for keeping them healthy. But as the climate warms, we need to understand how rising temperatures and fire together will affect these ecosystems. In our study, we tested how warming and different fire frequencies interact in the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa. In […]

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