press release

Four gian tortises walk toward the camera with a second group following beind in the background.

Giant Tortoises Migrate Unpredictably in the Face of Climate Change

Unlike many migratory species, Galapagos giant tortoises do not use current environmental conditions to time their seasonal migration.

ESA Tipsheet for April 1, 2019

Upcoming research in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment

Woolly Stars Need Catastrophes to Live

In the Santa Ana River floodplain, an endangered plant needs the effects of intense flooding to grow and survive in loose soil

ESA Tipsheet for March 4,5, 2019

Upcoming research in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment

Pika survival rates dry up with low moisture

In the Pacific Northwest, dry air interacts with low snow conditions to affect pika abundances at different elevations February 4, 2019 For Immediate Release Contact: Zoe Gentes, 202-833-8773 ext. 211, gro.asenull@setnegz Although it has been ranked as the cutest creature in US National Parks, the American pika is tough, at home in loose alpine rocks in windswept mountain…

Why charismatic, introduced species are so difficult to manage

Researchers say mismatches of scale between social and ecological systems are a key contributor to many conflicts involving introduced-species management February 4, 2019 For Immediate Release Contact: Zoe Gentes, 202-833-8773 ext. 211, gro.asenull@setnegz Introduced and invasive species can present big problems, particularly when those species are charismatic, finds a recently published paper in the Ecological Society of America’s…

Elephants take to the road for reliable resources

In a national park, researchers study African elephant movement and vegetation using satellites January 9, 2018 For Immediate Release Contact: Zoe Gentes, 202-833-8773 ext. 211, gro.asenull@setnegz An elephant never forgets. This seems to be the case, at least, for elephants roaming about Namibia, looking for food, fresh water, and other resources. The relationship between resource availability and wildlife movement…

Does mountaintop removal also remove rattlesnakes?

Mining operations in Appalachia permanently alter habitat availability for rattlesnakes January 3, 2018 For Immediate Release Contact: Zoe Gentes, 202-833-8773 ext. 211, gro.asenull@setnegz On the Cumberland Plateau in eastern Kentucky, surface coal mining is destroying ridgelines and mountaintops, and along with them, the habitat of a surprisingly gentle reptile species – the timber rattlesnake. “Timber rattlesnakes may be…

Birds can mistake some caterpillars for snakes; can robots help?

Researchers observe a defense mechanism for caterpillars can attract unwanted attention December 17, 2018 For Immediate Release Contact: Zoe Gentes, 202-833-8773 ext. 211, gro.asenull@setnegz When a caterpillar disguises itself as a snake to ward off potential predators, it should probably expect to be treated like one. This is exactly what happened in Costa Rica earlier this year, when researchers witnessed a hummingbird defending its nest from what…

Ecologists Ask: Should We Be More Transparent with Data?

Open, readily-usable data sets and code will grow more important in future scientific research, saving time and effort for reviewers, investigators, and authors October 26, 2018 For Immediate Release Contact: Zoe Gentes, 202-833-8773 ext. 211, gro.asenull@setnegz Computational reproducibility – the ability to accurately reproduce outcomes from data sets using the same code and software – will be an…

Where the Red Fox Dens: Fox dens foster tree growth, according to new study

(September 13, 2022) – A study published in Ecosphere reveals that trees growing on and around the sites of fox dens, especially long-established fox dens, grow faster than trees without vulpine intervention.

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Canned salmon dating back to 1970s shows that marine mammals face increasing risks of intestinal parasitism

(August 3, 2022) – Cans of salmon processed between 1979 and 2019 reveal that whales and dolphins have become increasingly likely to consume prey containing parasitic worms that can cause acute gastritis in marine mammals.

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Pathogenic microbes in drying soils could present public health threat

(July 28, 2022) – Research on soil fungal communities in the southwestern United States suggests that spore-producing fungi in increasingly dry soils could represent a future threat to public health.

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Senator Rosa Galvez Selected as the 2022 ESA Regional Policy Award Winner

(July 21, 2022) – ESA will present its 15th annual Regional Policy Award to the Honorable Rosa Galvez, an independent Senator for Quebec, on Sunday, Aug 14, 5:00pm EDT, during the ESA Annual Meeting Opening Plenary.

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Journals and Publications

The Japanese endemic flowering plant Arisaema urashima possesses a spectacular thread-like sterile appendix. The plant's strange shape evokes the image of Urashima Taro—a character in a Japanese folktale—fishing, hence the plant's name. Suetsugu et al. conducted a removal experiment of the thread-like appendix to examine its functional significance. Their study, published in the September issue of Ecology, provides strong evidence for the attraction role of the thread-like appendix targeting its primary pollinators.

Ecology