Woodwell Climate Research Center’s Post

Rainforest Revelations: Unveiling the Hidden Histories of Mammal and Bird communities Tropical forests host more than 60% of all mammal and bird species. How these communities came about remains challenging to investigate and understand. Our recent study, led by Chia Hsieh at Rice University (Texas USA), examined how evolution and environment were related to the communities of ground-dwelling mammals and birds in 15 protected tropical rain forests as revealed by extensive camera trap data. Various analyses sought to clarify evolutionary and ecological relationships. The key insight was that mammal and bird communities have come about in different ways. For mammals, it seemed that species with longer colonization times, potentially millions of years based on the fossil record, and those that adapted to past climate shifts were more likely to coexist. For birds, elevation, and habitat diversity appeared more important. Understanding these processes, shaped by millions of years of colonization and adaptation, can inform conservation strategies and bolster our appreciation of what is at stake in protecting these irreplaceable ecosystems. The full article is here https://lnkd.in/eHnan63e #biodiversity #wur #WCS #CIFOR #ITFC #TEAM #CI #Rice #cameratraps #conservation #biogeography

AWC these progressively prospering pockets of Numbats proves what can be achieved when cats & foxes are eliminated from the equation:

THE SECRET LIVES OF SILKY SHARKS "Sharks, numbering more than 500 species, are among the most threatened groups of vertebrates. After surviving five mass extinctions through geological time, sharks are now facing the greatest threat to their survival from industrial fishing," writes Phd candidate Shona Murray and Professor Jessica Meeuwig, from The UWA Oceans Institute. Silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis) are found in tropical and subtropical waters and are targeted for their meat and fins. Read the full story, originally published in The Conversation Australia + NZ, now in The University of Western Australia's Impact here: https://lnkd.in/gd88-HwX

Scientists have warned of the danger of extinction of some representatives of Ukraine's birdlife, which are particularly affected by the hostilities. Fires, explosions, and forests destroyed as a result of the hostilities have forced birds to look for new nesting sites. More information in the news👇🏻 #ecopolitic #ecology #environment #Ukraine #animals #forest #birds #nature #flora #fauna #war #migrations

It is an offence to kill, injure, capture, or disturb Great Crested Newts. If habitats are damaged or destroyed, culprits could be issued unlimited fines and up to six months in prison per offence. Specialist ecological services conducted by our ecologists help land developers maintain compliance and protect wildlife like Great Crested Newts. Read our expert case study to find out more: https://lnkd.in/eQqRurdP #SaferHealthierPlanet #Ecology #FieldMonitoring #LandManagement

Did you know ? #Pangolins are the nature's custodians, they play a vital part in maintaining #Ecological balance by controlling #insect populations. Discover the unsung heroes of the forest and #protect them! 🎥 : WildAid #climateaction #wondersofnature #preservingforest #sustainablefuture #wildanimals #ecosystem #environmentalsustainability

We present to you, a video on Sea otters, a very cute, endangered, yet fiercest keystone species. This is the first video in an upcoming wildlife series on keystone species by Sustaina Greens LLP This video is made by me along with a map that is part of the video. Let's work together to conserve such important species, without them, the entire structure or web of species experiences an imbalance. Voiceover by Meenakshi Singh #biodiversity #gis #kelp #remotesensing #climatechange #species #ecology #marineconservation #conservation #mapping #ecosystem

#TriviaTuesday The Maya Forest Corridor has dynamic social, ecological, and economic significance not just to Belize, but to the greater Mesoamerican region. The corridor is home to many important threatened and endangered species, including the iconic jaguar, Baird’s tapir, among others.   How about testing your knowledge of these threatened and endangered species! Check out this fun photo trivia! Can you guess who's hiding in the canopy? Write your guesses in the comments below! #mayaforestcorridor #mayaforest #selvamaya #endangeredspecies #trivia

Decode shark DNA with OceanX in the Red Sea. Sharks are a critical part of the ocean ecosystem - their presence is an important indicator of the health of the sea wherever they are. But shark populations worldwide are severely threatened due to over exploitation and unregulated fisheries. In the Red Sea, there is a lack of information on the abundance and diversity of sharks which is crucially needed in order to protect them. On the Red Sea Decade Expedition, KAUST scientist Sofia Frappi had a cutting edge new way to assess the abundance of sharks by using traces of their DNA left in the sediment of the seabed. This allows for extensive biodiversity surveys in order to implement effective measures and plans for protection of these endangered species. Watch the full video now, on our YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/ep8EN3GE #RSDE #redsea #edna #sharks #shark #submersible #subdive

Dipping once again into my favourite spatial dataset, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species polygons, here is a map comparing the ranges of North Atlantic and North Pacific right whales with shipping traffic density. Right whales were once considered the prize target for whalers, and were hunted nearly to extinction. Although that threat has passed, the two species haven't had much success in recovery as ship strikes and fishing gear entanglement are still major threats to them. Further research on the habitats and behaviours of these whales is ongoing to determine the right ways (see what I did there?) to help them on their road to recovery. If you're interested in right whales, I highly recommend checking out these NOAA Fisheries pages that are full of great information: https://lnkd.in/gxDZx__X https://lnkd.in/gHtCRNJS #gis #esri #arcgis #arcgispro #cartography #mapping #conservation #biodiversity #ocean #wildlife