Category: Guest post

Guest post

Strategic pauses in female elephant seals

A recent paper published in the Journal of Animal Ecology has found that poor-quality female southern elephant seals use breeding pauses as a tactic to produce more offspring over their lifetime.  Here to tell us more are three of the authors: Marine Desprez, Clive McMahon and Rob Harcourt. Breeding is a costly activity. In long-lived multiparous animals, some individuals may skip one or several breeding … Continue reading Strategic pauses in female elephant seals

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Guest post

Spatial disease models: picking a “useful” model for pressing ecological questions

Since all models are wrong the scientist cannot obtain a “correct” one by excessive elaboration. On the contrary following William of Occam he should seek an economical description of natural phenomena. Just as the ability to devise simple but evocative models is the signature of the great scientist so overelaboration and overparameterization is often the mark of mediocrity. – George Box Ecology is fundamentally intertwined … Continue reading Spatial disease models: picking a “useful” model for pressing ecological questions

Unknown's avatarJournal of Animal Ecology2 Comments
Guest post

New technologies for listening to bats

As well as being fascinating creatures with a unique sensory ecology, bats are also potentially useful indicator species whose population trends may help to provide broader information about the health of ecosystems. To mark Halloween, Ella Browning and Rory Gibb describe new research developing smart tools to more effectively and accurately monitor bat populations across the globe. Ella Browning and Rory Gibb are both PhD … Continue reading New technologies for listening to bats

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Guest post

Badgers and Disease Ecology

Traditionally one of the UK’s most charismatic (and certainly distinctive) mammals, the badger has received mixed attention in recent times as a result of their involvement in disease transmission.  To celebrate National Badger Day, Dr Andy Robertson  describes the long-term study of these animals in Woodchester Park.  Dr Robertson is a NERC Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the University of Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability Institute, and … Continue reading Badgers and Disease Ecology

Unknown's avatarSarah Marley1 Comment
Guest post

Hidden differences in life history trajectories of Antarctic seabirds

We live surrounded by populations. We rely on populations of plants and animals for food; we struggle to control populations of pests and pathogens. The food webs on which we depend on for natural resources are linked populations. We confront the extinction of populations due to a variety of human activities and strive to develop management strategies to preserve biodiversity. In all these interactions with … Continue reading Hidden differences in life history trajectories of Antarctic seabirds

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Guest post

Otterly Awesome

Everyone loves sea otters – not to would be ‘otter’ nonsense!  But how much do you know about them?  The last week of September is ‘otterwise’ known as Sea Otter Awareness Week, offering a perfect chance to learn more! Dr Sylvia Parsons*, a Research Associate at the Centre for Marine Science and Technology (CMST) at Curtin University, shares some ‘otterly’ amazing facts about these marine … Continue reading Otterly Awesome

Unknown's avatarSarah MarleyLeave a comment
Guest post

High Society – The social network of vultures

When you think of vultures, you might just think “feathered carrion-eaters”.  But do you think of their social networks, foraging strategies, and daily lives?  Probably not!  Dr Adam Kane (University College Cork) and Dr Kevin Healy (University of St Andrews) are postdoctoral researchers working on the behaviour, conservation and evolutionary ecology of scavengers.  As International Vulture Awareness Day was on the 3rd September, they have … Continue reading High Society – The social network of vultures

Unknown's avatarSarah MarleyLeave a comment
Conference Report, Guest post

Insights for Sustaining Life on Earth

Primate researcher Dr Xyomara Carretero-Pinzón, from the University of Queensland (Australia), recently attended the International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB) in Colombia.  Here she reports back on the conference in general and why it was so special for her in particular, finishing with a vital message for conservationists.       Late last month, between July 23rd and 27th, the 28th International Congress for Conservation Biology … Continue reading Insights for Sustaining Life on Earth

Unknown's avatarSarah MarleyLeave a comment
Guest post

Why Mark Twain was wrong about lizards

In the many discussions regarding Mark Twain, relatively few probably relate to his opinion on lizards.  However, this is the focus of our guest post by Professor Shai Meiri from Tel Aviv University, which aptly marks World Lizard Day (14th August)! One of humanities greatest wits – and one of the first modern tourists – Mark Twain, visited the Holy Land some 150 years ago … Continue reading Why Mark Twain was wrong about lizards

Unknown's avatarSarah MarleyLeave a comment
Guest post

Giving a hoot about owl populations

International Owl Day – who gives a hoot?  Dr Sarah Hoy sure does!  Sarah completed her PhD at the University of Aberdeen, which studied how the demography and dynamics of tawny owls have changed over the last 30 years in response to changing environmental conditions.  She is now a researcher in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science at Michigan Technological University, working with the … Continue reading Giving a hoot about owl populations

Unknown's avatarSarah Marley1 Comment