Swimming crab trapped in plastic bottle survived two months on the ocean
Researchers investigated this unusual marine mystery, revealing a lesser-known impact of marine plastic pollution on crustaceans.
Press Releases
Disturbance has a greater effect on giant kelp productivity than does resource availability
The amount of kelp that survives winter storms greatly influences the productivity of the giant kelp forest in the next growing season.
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The “creeping normality” of large language models is quietly reshaping the life sciences
Large language models are transforming research in the life sciences in ways that extend far beyond improving productivity, and are becoming a new normal before scientists have agreed where the limits of their use should be.
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Media Tip Sheet: Wildfire Ecology at ESA’s 2026 Annual Meeting
ESA’s upcoming Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, July 26–31, features the latest research on how wildfire is transforming ecosystems and influencing wildlife, as well as strategies to reduce the risks of severe fire.
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Nature’s Portfolio: How Diversity Buffers Ecosystems Against Change
In a new synthesis paper, researchers examine the ecological structures and processes that help ecosystems withstand disturbances while continuing to provide the benefits that people and wildlife depend on.
Woodcock charge deer to defend nests, UMaine researchers find
Researchers captured what may be the first recorded evidence of nesting birds aggressively driving away deer.
June research news from the Ecological Society of America
The origins of Snake River trout, a simple means of improving prairie restoration and more from ESA’s journals.
Media Tip Sheet: AI in ecology at ESA’s 2026 Annual Meeting
At the ESA Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, presentations across the program will examine how ecologists are adapting AI technologies for use in the study and stewardship of natural systems.
Media Tip Sheet: Science of the Intermountain West at ESA’s 2026 Annual Meeting
As scientists gather in Salt Lake City for this year’s ESA Annual Meeting, many presentations will focus on the ecological challenges and opportunities facing the Intermountain West.
50 years of data reveals true extent of climate change impacts on kelp forests
New research has found that some kelp forests around Vancouver Island were disappearing far earlier than previously thought.
Brian Enquist receives Robert H. MacArthur Award
SFI External Professor Brian Enquist (University of Arizona) has been awarded the Ecological Society of America’s prestigious Robert H. MacArthur Award, which celebrates a mid-career ecologist.
Research news from the Ecological Society of America’s journals
The use of historical art to see ecosystems of the past, owls as a pest-control strategy and more from ESA’s journals.
Trees in Cattle Pastures Boost Biodiversity
A global study shows a strong positive impact of agroforestry on biodiversity—but restoration measures are not a substitute for forest conservation.
Biology Professor Honored For Research That Illuminates Impact of Climate Change
Susana Wadgymar, a professor at Davidson College, was recently honored by the Ecological Society of America for her research that sheds light on plants’ ability to weather climate change.
K Students Sweep Ecology Conference Awards
Three students recently represented Kalamazoo College at the 2026 meeting of the Great Lakes Chapter of the Ecological Society of America, where two of them swept the top undergraduate honors for their research presentations.
Warming Accelerates Ecological State Shift Along Maine Coast
As large swaths of Maine’s kelp forests transition into a new state, a study by Bigelow Laboratory scientists reveals what’s driving the northward progression of turf algae and the loss of kelp forests.
MEDIA ADVISORY: Save the Date for ESA’s 2026 Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah
The Ecological Society of America is convening July 26-31 for its 2026 Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah.
RMBL Scientists Jill Anderson and Ian Breckheimer Win 2026 ESA W.S. Cooper Award
Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory scientists Jill Anderson and Ian Breckheimer have received the 2026 W.S. Cooper Award from the Ecological Society of America.
Scorched shrubs sprout anew, researchers find in controlled fire study
After a short, low intensity burn that scorches leaves and chars stems, at least some invading species resprout and grow back.
New Study Eavesdrops on the Secret Lives of Birds
Scientists use microphones to identify how birds respond to predators.