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Tag Ecology

Study finds that not even the largest lakes in the world are safe from salt

December 21, 2021

Researchers used water quality data and computer models to analyze the amount of salt being carried into Lake Michigan by 234 different tributaries, from major rivers to tiny streams.

Bird’s-eye view of geology using drones offers new way to protect groundwater

November 27, 2020

Researchers at the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey are spending a little less time on the ground and more time in the air — looking at the ground. What they're finding could help improve water quality.

Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts revived under Governor’s task force

November 26, 2019

WICCI will contribute climate data informing the work of a state panel charged with advising Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Prairie preserve

October 21, 2019

On Saturday, participants in UW–Madison's Family Weekend gathered seeds from native prairie plants in the Biocore Prairie of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve on the UW campus. The prairie is a site for lab courses, research projects, service learning, and collaborative research and teaching efforts. 

From Helsinki to Minneapolis to Madison, scientist gives back in Madagascar

June 21, 2019

The former researcher at UW–Madison is returning to become his native country's only theoretical biologist. He uses mathematics to understand ecological problems, such as the deforestation in Madagascar.

Tracking dragonflies, citizen scientists gain insight to Arboretum’s wetlands

October 11, 2018

This past summer, volunteers began the Arboretum’s first-ever effort to systematically track dragonfly populations, in hopes of gaining insight into the many waterways the Arboretum is charged with protecting.

Green spaces in cities help control floods, store carbon

March 6, 2018

A new study finds that urban green spaces like backyards, city parks and golf courses contribute substantially to the ecological fabric of our cities — and the wider landscape — and should be included in ecological data.

New Arboretum director continues legacy of restoration, teaching

November 14, 2017

As fall slowly hardens to winter in Madison, part of Karen Oberhauser’s new job is to walk the trails of the UW–Madison Arboretum, getting a sense not just for the geography, but for the land itself. That’s because the land Oberhauser walks is now under her care.

All hands on deck to understand, predict, prevent abrupt ecological change

October 25, 2017

“It’s a generally thorny problem and we are often scrambling to react,” says lead principal investigator Monica Turner. “In fact, understanding abrupt change in ecological systems is among the biggest challenges in contemporary ecology.”

Citizen scientists scour Madison area for invasive jumping worms

September 15, 2017

The worms churn through leaf litter at a faster clip than their more sluggish earthworm cousins, potentially processing nutrients faster than plants are able to use them and disrupting ecosystems.

Student art exhibit explores Arboretum prairies through comics, stories

April 27, 2017

As part of her master of fine arts thesis, Liz Anna Kozik has installed an exhibit telling the story of the first restored prairie in the world, Curtis Prairie at the UW–Madison Arboretum.

When it comes to biological populations, expect the unexpected

March 30, 2017

More than three decades of data on the physical, chemical and biological variables in 11 Midwestern lakes show that while lake temperatures and nutrient concentrations rise within relatively expected ranges, biological organisms achieve high population extremes.