September research news from the Ecological Society of America

October 7, 2026
For Immediate Release

Contact: Mayda Nathan, mayda@esa.org

The Ecological Society of America (ESA) presents a roundup of five research articles recently published across its esteemed journals. Widely recognized for fostering innovation and advancing ecological knowledge, ESA’s journals consistently feature illuminating and impactful studies. This compilation of papers explores using sea slugs as ecological ambassadors, the role of insect decomposers in Australia, how marine predators connect reef and oceanic realms, the lasting impact of historical events on New Mexico fire regimes and a new vision for environmental impact assessments.

From Earth Stewardship:

Sea slugs spark interest in coastal conservation   
Author contact: Richelle Li Tanner (richelle.tanner@richelletanner.com)

Poking around tidepools can be a useful activity for boosting environmental awareness and interest among the public, proposes a new study. Researchers recruited knowledgeable amateurs to guide city dwellers, particularly non-English-speaking adults, on short treks exploring California’s intertidal zones and teach them about the nudibranchs — also known as sea slugs — that often dwell in tidepools. It was hoped that learning more about these colorful crawlers and the multitude of other sea creatures that abound in tidepools would spark greater curiosity about the marine world among the novice naturalists, leading to deeper appreciation of the issues affecting coastal ecosystems. Moreover, cultivating stronger connections to the ocean at both the personal and community level engenders greater support for large-scale conservation efforts that might otherwise be met with skepticism, such as the establishment of protected areas and no-fishing zones. The study reinforces the view that environmental stewardship requires building relationships between people and the natural world through participatory nature-based activities, particularly for engaging communities that are historically less represented in outdoor recreation and conservation.

Read the article: Broadening the community of nudibranch enthusiasts through multilingual educational programming to increase climate advocacy engagement

From Ecology:

Though they be but little, bugs are fierce decomposers
Author contact: Thomas M. Newsome (thomas.newsome@sydney.edu.au)

Insects in the rugged mountains of Australia’s Kosciuszko National Park can be even more voracious scavengers than their much larger vertebrate counterparts, according to a new study. Understanding who does the work of recycling animal carcasses matters because scavengers help return nutrients to ecosystems, and scientists are increasingly interested in whether some scavengers can compensate when others are absent due to environmental change. Comparing how long the carcasses of 64 kangaroos lasted under different experimental conditions and across seasons, researchers found that insects, mainly flies and beetles, were the primary drivers of decomposition during warmer times of the year, while brushtail possums, ravens, dingoes and other vertebrate scavengers played a relatively minor role. In fact, insects were able to make up for an absence of vertebrate scavengers, producing similar rates of carcass decomposition even when vertebrates were excluded. During chillier months, however, decomposition slowed dramatically as insect activity declined. Although vertebrate scavengers visited carcasses more frequently during these cooler periods, they failed to compensate for the insects’ absence, leaving kangaroo carcasses to persist for long periods. The findings challenge the common assumption that vertebrates are the dominant force behind carrion removal and suggest that, in this Australian ecosystem, tiny insects may be the unsung heroes keeping nature’s recycling system running.

Read the article: Tiny but mighty: Insects can drive carrion decomposition in the absence of facultative vertebrate scavengers

From Ecosphere:

Human history leaves a fiery legacy in the U.S. Southwest
Author contact: E. Q. Margolis (emargolis@usgs.gov)   

European settlement dramatically altered fire patterns across the southwestern U.S. landscape, suggests a new study. Analysis of the rings of ancient trees growing in New Mexico’s Rio Grande del Norte National Monument suggests that fires were common from the 1400s to the 1600s, occurring on average every 8–12 years. Following Spanish colonization beginning around 1650, however, wildfire frequency declined sharply, with large burns only every 38–166 years. This trend continued even through the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, during which Indigenous groups drove away Spanish settlers for more than a decade. Because climate conditions were stable during this time, the researchers attribute the marked reduction in fire to human-related causes, specifically intensive livestock grazing reducing the amount of grass and herbs to fuel fires and fewer intentional ignitions by Indigenous people. In addition to implications for effective management and conservation of the region’s unique ecosystems, the findings also reflect the enduring environmental effects that can be triggered by abrupt social change. 

Read the article: Fire regime shift reveals 17th century socio-ecological change in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, New Mexico

From Ecological Applications:

Palau’s predators bridge reef and oceanic realms
Author contact: Natalie S. Arnoldi (nataliearnoldi90@gmail.com)

What happens when fish roam between coral reefs and the open ocean? A new study suggests they can carry surprising amounts of energy and nutrients with them. Focusing on 33 species of predatory fish in Palau, a western Pacific island nation surrounded by coral reefs and open-ocean waters, researchers investigated how large marine predators help connect these neighboring ecosystems. Understanding these links is increasingly important for fisheries management and conservation, as climate change, habitat degradation and overfishing reshape marine food webs. Analysis of chemical signatures in muscle tissues and examination of stomach contents, which provide clues about where an animal has been and what it has been eating, revealed that the predatory fish frequenting these waters transport substantial quantities of energy and nutrients between reef and ocean habitats. However, this exchange is not equal — while oceanic predators like marlin and tuna largely stick with oceanic prey and only occasionally venture into reef habitats, reef-based predators like snapper and grey reef sharks regularly feed on both reef and open-ocean prey. The lopsided flow of nutrients indicates that Palau’s reefs are more dependent on inputs from the open ocean than the other way around. The findings demonstrate that predatory fish can forge important links between seemingly distinct marine habitats, but that the strength and direction of those connections vary considerably with habitat, species and environmental conditions. A better understanding of how energy and nutrients move through marine ecosystems could help improve the effectiveness of fisheries management and marine conservation efforts.

Read the article: Predator-mediated trophic connectivity between reef and oceanic habitats in Palau

From Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment:

Rethinking environmental reviews for a nature-positive future
Author contact: Holly Kirk (holly.kirk@curtin.edu.au)

What if new housing developments, roads, solar farms and other infrastructure could leave nature better off than before it was built? The authors of this study argue that environmental impact assessments (EIAs) should focus not only on reducing environmental harm but also on delivering measurable gains in biodiversity. Current EIAs are typically triggered by the presence of threatened species or other protected ecological features, meaning degraded sites with restoration potential may receive little ecological attention. To address this gap, the researchers propose adding a complementary “biodiversity gains assessment” to the traditional EIA process. In addition to identifying and mitigating potential harms, developers would assess a site’s ecological potential and identify opportunities to improve it. For example, a vacant urban lot could be transformed with native plants, wetlands and green roofs that create habitat and connect nearby green spaces. Such an approach would shift EIAs from simply limiting biodiversity losses to actively increasing biodiversity. Reframing nature as something to be enhanced, measured and rewarded, rather than merely an obstacle to development or an administrative box to be checked, could help move development toward a truly “nature positive” future.

Read the article: Rethinking Environmental Impact Assessment for nature positive development

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The Ecological Society of America, founded in 1915, is the world’s largest community of professional ecologists and a trusted source of ecological knowledge, committed to advancing the understanding of life on Earth. The 8,000 member Society publishes six journals and a membership bulletin and broadly shares ecological information through policy, media outreach and education initiatives. The Society’s Annual Meeting attracts 4,000 attendees and features the most recent advances in ecological science. Visit the ESA website at https://www.esa.org

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