Discover stories in Conservation Science
Quick Study: Do REDD+ Projects Benefit People as Well as Forests?
They often provide modest but tangible benefits to local communities--and don't encourage land grabs, says a new article co-authored by the Conservancy's senior advisor on forests and climate. But challenges remain to meaningful community participation in these projects.
Silence of the Rattlesnake Researchers: Snakes, Culture and Conservation
Snakes should fear us more than we fear them. In Vermont, timber rattlesnake research unexpectedly exposes humanity's tangled relationship with snakes. Can education shape a new future?
Matchmaking for Elms: Restoring America’s Iconic Tree Through Genetics
Christian Marks runs a dating service. For elm trees.
Bison Bellows and Bones: Student-Scientists on the Prairie
Bison fighting and urinating on themselves? It's just another day at the office for student researchers on TNC's Ordway Prairie.
Quick Study: A California-Style Approach to Sustainable Fisheries
<i>Quick Study is just what it says — a rapid-fire look at a new conservation science study that might turn some heads.</i> <b>The Question(s): </b>For decades, ocean bottom trawling has been the predominate method for catching groundfish (like flounder, halibut and sole) along the U.S. West Coast. But dragging weighted nets across the seafloor is destructive to bottom habitats and can result in large amounts of bycatch (netting of other species, including some that are ecologically valuable). Could a market-based approach to buy out trawl permits, combined with a collaborative effort to identify and protect ecologically sensitive areas, help protect species and a fishing industry?
Wild Pollinators Are Critical in Keeping our Picnic Baskets Full
Bees may seem like uninvited guests at your picnic – but before you shoo them away from the fruit salad, think twice, as they play a critical role in making your picnic possible. Some of the most healthful, picnic favorites – including blueberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, cucumber, avocados and almonds – would not make it to the table without the essential work by bees and other insects. Most crops depend on pollinating insects to produce seeds or fruits. In fact, about <a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/274/1608/303.long"><b>three-quarters</b></a><b> of global food crops</b><b> </b><b>require insect pollination </b>to thrive; <b>one-third of our calories and the </b><a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0021363"><b>majority of critical micronutrients</b></a>, such as vitamins A, C and E, come from animal-pollinated food crops.
A Lock Holds the Key to Restoring Migratory Fish
<b><i>Author’s Note</i></b><i>: This blog originally ran a year ago, following time afield with shad researchers on Florida’s Apalachicola River. Recently, the researchers released new information with some exciting new results on Alabama shad restoration. This blog provides the background information on the project. Check back tomorrow for a look at the results of this project, which is making a big difference in migratory fish conservation.</i> Take PVC pipe. Attach to a home water pump. Add water. It’s a simple recipe, but one that might be enough to help move millions of the migratory fish species known as Alabama shad over dams, so they can spawn in rivers throughout the southeastern United States. For millions of dollars less than conventional methods. With potentially big gains for sport fisheries in those rivers. “It’s low cost, low risk and low tech,” says Steve Herrington, director of freshwater conservation for The Nature Conservancy in Florida. “You can buy any of the basic equipment at Home Depot. And we have the science to back it up.”
The Yucca and its Moth
It sounds too good to be true; two species helping each other survive for millions of years—each getting as much as they give.
Big Fish: Roadside Pike
Where could the pike possibly be? It turns out: In a roadside ditch.
Big Fish: Rodent-Eating Trout
Key up the Jaws soundtrack. For years, anglers have claimed Silver Creek's brown trout feed on rodents. Does the science back them up?
A Bull Fight for Conservation
Studying bison interactions may help managers make better decisions on fenced preserves and ranches -- where most bison roam today.
Oceans and Climate Change: Protecting the “Invisible”
Coral bleaching, increasing storms, the loss of polar bears: many impacts of climate change are already vivid in our minds. We naturally worry about the things we can see. Huge waves and the loss of big fish and colorful corals get our attention. But what about things we can’t see, like the tiny creatures called plankton? They are also poised for dramatic changes. A recent dive in the sapphire waters of the Caribbean offers a close encounter with plankton. While most of my dive buddies hurry to reach the bottom, I linger as I usually do, pondering the “blue” and looking out for the visible and the invisible. Suddenly, clouds of tiny filaments come sharply into focus. It’s blue-green algae--Trichodesmium--a type of phytoplankton that plays an important role in these nutrient-poor waters. They essentially break gaseous nitrogen’s tough triple bond and convert it into a form other phytoplankton can feed on. What would these waters look like without them?
