Tag Ecology
All hands on deck to understand, predict, prevent abrupt ecological change
“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
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.
With deer season on horizon, lab ramps up for CWD testing
Chronic wasting diesease (CWD), an infectious neurological disease, has been found in both wild and captive deer in at least 24 Wisconsin counties, mostly in the southern half of the state.
UW Arboretum workshop tracks endangered bees with photos
Following the listing of the rusty patched bumble bee as an endangered species in March, more than two dozen people came to the Arboretum to learn how to use photography to identify pollinators.
Cultural value of natural world doesn’t depend only on species diversity
Researcher Rose Graves' work in North Carolina has implications for other regions with deep ties to nature, such as lake- and forest-filled Wisconsin.
Student art exhibit explores Arboretum prairies through comics, stories
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
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.
Enormous swarms of midges teach about interconnected landscapes
Research into the insects' behavior aims to better understand lake-dominated environments, including those of Wisconsin.
UW botanist leads petition to give Venus flytrap endangered species protection
The plant faces multiple threats: habitat loss, diminished genetic diversity, predators and outbreaks of disease.
Arboretum prairies offer rare refuge for vanishing bumblebee
A proposal by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to seek endangered status for the rusty-patched bumblebee has focused renewed attention on bumblebees living in the 1,200-acre natural area.
New study examines where and how climate change is altering species
A new study shows how and where changing climate conditions could affect the communities of species in any given area. In…
Thrive or fail: Examining forest resilience in the face of fires
“It’s not only western forests where these things matter, where disturbances and changing environments shape regional landscapes,” says Wisconsin researcher Monica Turner.
Giant forest fires exterminate spotted owls, long-term study finds
A UW–Madison research group has documented an exodus of owls following the fierce, 99,000 acre King Fire in California in 2014.
Town of Dunn award highlights UW role in local land ethic
A talk with two of Wisconsin's most prominent wetland biologists occurs in a wetland located just south of Madison.
Friendly fire
UW Arboretum land care staff member Austin Pethan uses a drip torch as a 10-person staff manages a prescribed fire at Juniper Knoll on March 29. Fire is used as a wildland management tool to help control competing vegetation, reduce potential buildup of excess flammable materials, and perpetuate fire-dependent species.
No snow, no hares: Climate change pushes emblematic species north
UW researchers report that the range of the snowshoe hare in Wisconsin is creeping north by about five and a half miles per decade.
60 years after pioneering survey, Wisconsin prairies are changing rapidly
Researchers have found that human influence has accelerated the rate of species change in these prairies and likely in other natural places.
UW-Madison researcher chosen to lead Ecological Society of America
Monica Turner has made a career of studying ecosystem resilience in the face of ecological challenges, from severe forest fires and bark beetle outbreaks in Greater Yellowstone and the northern Rockies to climate and land use change in Wisconsin.
Embrace the chaos: Predictable ecosystems may be more fragile
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says managing our environment for predictable outcomes is risky. In fact, more often than not, it backfires.
Ecologist/hunter talks deer, plants, hunters and balance
UW-Madison Professor of Botany Donald Waller is a pioneer in exploring the impact of deer in natural habitats. For more than 20 years, Waller - who counts himself among the state's deer hunters - has led research on the economic, health and environmental impacts of deer, including: