Tag Forest and wildlife ecology
Why do birds make so many different sounds? A new UW–Madison study gets at the underlying factors
Ecological and evolutionary traits like body mass and beak size influence the vocalization frequency of bird species, such as the white-rumped shama (Copsychus… Read More
Pollutants are important to biodiversity’s role in spread of wildlife diseases
Researchers found that environmental pollutants like road salt influence whether increased biodiversity helps or hinders disease outbreaks in wildlife, which can complicate how we value protecting diverse animal communities. Read More
Summer field course centers the history, culture and experiences of Native students
This year, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University hosted LA 360: Indigenous Field-Based Learning for Land Stewardship, a weeklong summer field course that interweaves Native history and culture with science education. UW–Madison will host the course in 2024. Read More
Ticks may be able to spread chronic wasting disease between deer
Research determined that ticks can not only carry CWD prions in their blood meal, they can also carry enough of the agent to potentially infect another animal with CWD. Read More
When living closer to humans, animals encounter each other more often
Living closer to humans brings wild animals closer to each other, possibly closer than they'd like, according to new research from UW's Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Read More
Were U Wondering? The worms’ turn
In this episode of "Were U Wondering," Brad Herrick, an ecologist and research program manager at the UW–Madison Arboretum, explains why earthworms dig out of the soil when it rains, and you see them littering the sidewalks. Read More
Nationwide maps of bird species can help protect biodiversity
The high-resolution maps can help conservation managers focus their efforts where they are most likely to help birds — in individual counties or forests, rather than across whole states or regions. Read More
Nearby forest loss predicts future deforestation on protected lands
The research could help national governments and other agencies direct limited resources toward those areas at greatest risk of deforestation, which threatens biodiversity and releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Read More
Study shows how aspen forests maintain the diversity needed to adapt to changing environments
The findings are valuable for conservation biologists who want to preserve diverse forest ecosystems in the face of global warming, invasive species and other environmental changes. Read More
Hunting and hidden deaths led to estimated 30% reduction in Wisconsin’s wolf population
The findings are the first estimate of Wisconsin’s wolf population since the public hunt in February that followed the federal delisting of wolves. Read More
Polar vortex, winter heat may change bird populations
Extreme winter weather events such as a polar vortex can push some species to the edge of survival. Yet winter tends to get short shrift in climate change research. Read More
UW grad combines research, tribal traditions in wolf relationship plan
Abi Fergus says understanding tribal citizens’ attitudes toward wolves helped her stay in touch with the human dimension of her research. Read More
Weakened protections led to more disappearances of endangered Mexican wolves
“Top predators are very important to healthy ecosystems,” says researcher Adrian Treves. “They are imperiled globally by human activities.” Read More
Subscriptions to satellite alerts linked to decreased deforestation in Africa
Launched in 2016, the Global Land Analysis and Discovery system provides frequent, high-resolution alerts when it detects a drop in forest cover. Read More
How new data can make ecological forecasts as good as weather forecasts
Just as recurring changes in climate have predictable consequences for humans thanks to decades of weather data, they also have predictable effects on plants and animals. Read More
For the love of bats
Amy Wray doesn’t expect everyone to love bats like she does, but the doctoral candidate in wildlife ecology hopes to help people understand how essential they are to our ecosystem. And what better time than Halloween? Read More
Scientists connected fragments of pine savanna and new species keep showing up
A new study connecting small, restored patches of savanna to one another demonstrates a hopeful strategy in efforts to conserve plant and animal species confronting fragmented and shrinking habitats. Read More
Wood products mitigate less than 1 percent of global carbon emissions
"It's not just about lowering our emissions but pursuing strategies that might have storage potential, and harvested wood products are one of those options,” says researcher Craig Johnston. Read More
Heat kills invasive jumping worm cocoons, could help limit spread
New research is good news for ecologists and horticulturalists who are working to slow or stop the spread of the worms. But little remains known about the life cycle of these damaging invaders or how to stop them. Read More
Madison Reads Leopold returns to UW Arboretum March 1–3
Public figures and community readers will give voice to Aldo Leopold’s keen observations and eloquent philosophy as written in "A Sand County Almanac" and other works of the noted conservationist, a former UW–Madison faculty member. Read More