Press Releases — Page 49

Honduran earthquake of 2009 destroyed half of coral reefs of Belizean Barrier Reef lagoon Earthquake underscores need for conservation planning to take into account infrequent natural disasters Earth’s coral reefs have not been faring well in recent decades, facing multiple threats from pollution, disease, elevated water temperatures, and overfishing.  Often referred to as the “rainforests of the Sea,” coral reefs support…

Bat conservation and the emerging field of aeroecology to be featured at ESA’s 2011 Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas Golf courses and coffee plantations are some of the unlikely bat habitats that could be considered in conservation plans, say scientists presenting research at the Ecological Society of Americas (ESA) 96th Annual Meeting from August 7-12, 2011. Using Doppler weather radar…

Ecological Society of America announces 2011 award recipients The Ecological Society of America (ESA) will present seven awards to distinguished ecologists at its 96th Annual Meeting from August 7-12, 2011 in Austin, Texas. The meeting, which has the theme “Earth Stewardship: Preserving and enhancing the earth’s life-support systems,” draws a critical combination of more than 3,500 scientists, policymakers and concerned…

The Ecological Society of America (ESA) will present its fourth annual Regional Policy Award to Karen Hixon of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (TPWC) at the Society’s 96th Annual Meeting on Sunday August 7 in Austin, Texas. The ESA award recognizes a regional or local policymaker who has an outstanding record of informing political decision-making with ecological science. Hixon…

This month in ecological science, researchers evaluate the U.S. National Fire Plan to restore western U.S. forests, fire’s key role in the return of a native lizard to the Ozarks and what historical fire records and sediment cores can tell us about the Arctic Tundra’s fire regime.  These articles are available online or published in recent issues of the Ecological…

Press registration now open for meeting of the world’s largest organization of ecological scientists Registration is now open to members of the media for the Ecological Society of America’s (ESA) 96th Annual Meeting on August 7-12, 2011 in Austin, Texas. The meeting, which has the theme “Earth Stewardship: Preserving and enhancing the earth’s life-support systems,” is expected to  draw more than…

Research shows that low frequency sound, such as noise produced by offshore activities, causes lesions in the sensory organs of squid, octopus and cuttlefish Noise pollution in the oceans has been shown to cause physical and behavioral changes in marine life, especially in dolphins and whales, which rely on sound for daily activities. However, low frequency sound produced by large…

Lowering ship speed reduces encounter distances with humpback whales and off-road vehicles alter moose distribution and habitats This month in ecological science, researchers find that cruise ships travelling at faster speeds have closer encounters with humpback whales in Alaskan waterways and ecologists assess the damage to wildlife from off-road vehicles in rural Alaska. These articles are available online or published in…

Graduate students from the University of Illinois, West Virginia University and University of Washington will travel to nation’s capital to speak to lawmakers about investment in science WASHINGTON, DC — The Ecological Society of America (ESA), a professional organization of 10,000 ecological scientists, is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2011 Graduate Student Policy Award.   The award affords ESA…

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment issue examines the basic elements of life In the search for life on Mars or any planet, there is much more than the presence of carbon and oxygen to consider. Using Earth’s biogeochemical cycles as a reference point, elements like nitrogen, iron and sulfur are just as important for supporting life. As explored in…

Ask the Eucalyptus connoisseurs Koalas may be the pickiest marsupials around: They evolved to feed almost exclusively on the leaves of Eucalyptus trees, and they are highly selective when it comes to which species and even which individual trees they visit. When the furry leaf-eater settles on a particular tree, it relies on a number of factors, including taste, to…

Study finds that bare, beetle-killed trees may actually decrease crown fire likelihood Conventional wisdom about the effects of the mountain pine beetle (MPB) on forest fires across western North America has often assumed that the beetle-induced death of trees has led to an increase in rapidly spreading forest fires. However, in a study published online recently in Ecological Monographs, a journal…

Study shows a one percent annual energy loss and 44-93 percent reduction in bat fatalities While wind energy has shown strong potential as a large-scale, emission-free energy source, bat and bird collisions at wind turbines result in thousands of fatalities annually. Migratory bats, such as the hoary bat, are especially at risk for collision with wind turbines as they fly…

F. Stuart “Terry” Chapin, III, Professor of Ecology from the Institute for Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks has been named President of the Ecological Society of America (ESA). Elected by the members of ESA for a one-year term, Chapin presides over the world’s largest professional organization of ecologists—representing some 10,000 scientists in the United States and around…

Scientists emphasize the increasing importance of natural science collections worldwide Currently unfolding in Russia is the potential loss of more than 5,000 distinct varieties of fruit trees and plants, most of which are extinct or endangered around the world. These plants are held at the Pavlovsk Experiment Station near Saint Petersburg and the site is slated to be auctioned off…

Previous research has claimed that the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 is helping restore quaking aspen in risky areas where wolves prowl. But apparently elk hungry for winter food had a different idea. They did not know they were supposed to be responding to a “landscape of fear.” According to a study set to be published…

Research on invasive species, pollution and environmental disasters at ESA’s Annual Meeting Research is continually emerging on the impacts of invasive species, pollution and environmental disasters on ecosystems and communities. Ecological scientists will discuss widespread environmental changes—from the recent discovery of genetically modified plants in the wild to the implications of mercury found in bottlenose dolphin skin, and even exploring…

Infectious disease, nanotechnology and urban ecology to be explored at ESA’s Annual Meeting Whether it is a single rock being overturned or an entire mountaintop being removed, humans play a continuous role in environmental processes, and vice versa. Ecological scientists will discuss findings on human-ecosystem interactions—from the effects of nanomaterials on plant growth to the diversity of insect species on…

Mate selection, foraging and defense mechanisms explored at ESA’s Annual Meeting In this time of global change, understanding the basics of animal behavior and environmental interactions is just as important as predicting and planning for widespread impacts. Ecological scientists will assess the fundamentals of animal behavior—such as plant toxin detection in bushbaby foraging—and current adaptations to global change—like defense mechanisms…

Successful environmental strategies are tied to engaging society in science What can we do for the environment? What can individual scientists, agencies and institutions do to improve the quality of environmental decision-making? These are among the questions explored by scientists and communications experts in a Special Issue of the Ecological Society of America’s (ESA) peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Ecology and the…