Insect farming can repeat the invasion mistakes of aquaculture – unless we act early – The Applied Ecologist

Insect farming is often promoted as a sustainable alternative to conventional livestock, with the potential to reduce land use, emissions, and pressure on natural resources. However, scaling up any food production system also carries environmental risks. In this study, we show that one important risk – biological invasions caused by escaped farmed species – has […]

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Using sediment to restore evolving saltmarshes in the subtropics – The Applied Ecologist

Coastal wetlands such as saltmarshes and mangrove forests provide benefits including storm protection and fisheries support to millions of people around the world. Yet, these habitats are changing rapidly as sea levels rise and temperatures warm, especially in areas affected by both of these stressors at the same time. In the subtropics, for example, saltmarshes […]

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Qualitatively Assessing Carbon Management Trade-offs at the Nature Conservancy’s Meyer Preserve – The Applied Ecologist

Written by Rylee McMillan and Adrienne Keller At The Nature Conservancy’s Newell and Ann Meyer Preserve in Wisconsin, USA, managers face an increasingly difficult challenge: understanding the trade-offs and benefits of managing for carbon outcomes among other management objectives.  This challenge is not unique. Ecosystems globally are witnessing clear and intensifying effects of climate change, […]

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UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The 2030 Ambition and Bridging the Gap Between Global Goals and Ground-Level Reality

In 2015, the world pivoted toward a collective vision of the future. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—a suite of 17 interconnected objectives—were adopted by all 193 Member States as a “blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet.” Now, passing the ten-year mark since their inception, the narrative of the SDGs […]

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EU Moves to Ban Destruction of Unsold Clothing Under New Circular Economy Rules

In a significant shift toward sustainable industry practices, the European Union has adopted new measures to curb one of the fashion sector’s most controversial waste practices: the destruction of unsold clothing, footwear and accessories. These rules, part of the bloc’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), aim to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions and […]

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Where Could Ireland and Britain’s Temperate Rainforest Actually Go? – The Applied Ecologist

Katerina Chernyuk highlights the need to understand the various factors impacting temperate rainforests and shares her team’s research investigating the potential climate envelopes in Ireland and Britain. Recently, temperate rainforests have captured public awareness across Ireland and Britain, with everything from award-winning books, media articles and restoration projects, leading to attention from both NGOs and […]

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How does climate change affect carbon uptake in montane meadows? |

Rose Brinkoff and Olivia Vought, University of Michigan, discuss their article: The impact of warming on peak-season ecosystem carbon uptake is influenced by dominant species in warmer sites Ecosystems both absorb and release carbon. Carbon dioxide gas (CO2) in the atmosphere is taken up by plants through the process of photosynthesis and released by plants […]

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The plant that inspired pollination ecology |

Markus Wagner, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Sandra Varga, University of Lincoln, and Richard Jefferson, former Natural England grassland specialist, discuss their article: Biological Flora of Britain and Ireland: Geranium sylvaticum Wood crane’s-bill as a model species for pollination ecology and plant breeding systems The structural adaptations of wood crane’s-bill (Geranium sylvaticum) to facilitate […]

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Have your say on the EU’s post-2030 climate policy framework

The Commission has launched two open public consultations and calls for evidence for the preparation of the EU climate policy framework for the period after 2030, focusing on the role of national climate targets and flexibilities and on the possible use of international credits. These consultations will play a critical role in shaping the preparation […]

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