Wildfires reshape forests and change the behavior of animals that live there

Wildfires are remaking western US forests. Decisions about managing forests that have burned should factor in how fires change animal behavior and interactions between predators and prey.

Taylor Ganz, PhD Candidate in Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington • conversation
Oct. 19, 2022 • ~9 min

'Silent Spring' 60 years on: 4 essential reads on pesticides and the environment

Published in 1962, ‘Silent Spring’ called attention to collateral damage from widespread use of synthetic pesticides. Many problems the book anticipated persist today in new forms.

Jennifer Weeks, Senior Environment + Energy Editor, The Conversation • conversation
Oct. 11, 2022 • ~8 min

What is a wetland? An ecologist explains

The US Supreme Court opens its 2022-2023 term with a case that could greatly reduce federal protection for wetlands. Here is what makes these ecosystems valuable.

Jon Sweetman, Assistant Research Professor of Ecosystem Science and Management, Penn State • conversation
Sept. 30, 2022 • ~5 min

Indigenous defenders stand between illegal roads and survival of the Amazon rainforest – Brazil's runoff election could be a turning point

Illegal roads have brought deforestation, fire and other environmental damage to the Amazon. The results of the 2022 presidential runoff could have a major impact for the future.

David S. Salisbury, Associate Professor of Geography, Environment, and Sustainability, University of Richmond • conversation
Sept. 29, 2022 • ~13 min

Indigenous defenders stand between illegal roads and survival of the Amazon rainforest – elections in Brazil and Peru could be a turning point

Illegal roads have brought deforestation, fire and other environmental damage to the Amazon. Indigenous territory in many areas has blocked them.

David S. Salisbury, Associate Professor of Geography, Environment, and Sustainability, University of Richmond • conversation
Sept. 29, 2022 • ~12 min

Do chemicals in sunscreens threaten aquatic life? A new report says a thorough assessment is 'urgently needed,' while also calling sunscreens essential protection against skin cancer

Rising concern about possible environmental damage from the active ingredients in sunscreens could have ripple effects on public health if it causes people to use less of them.

Karen Glanz, George A. Weiss University Professor and Director, UPenn Prevention Research Center, University of Pennsylvania • conversation
Aug. 9, 2022 • ~10 min

Coyotes are here to stay in North American cities – here's how to appreciate them from a distance

Urban coyotes prey on rodents and spread plant seeds. It’s OK to observe them from a distance, but then you should chase them off.

Mary Magnuson, Master's student in Environment and Resources, University of Wisconsin-Madison • conversation
Aug. 3, 2022 • ~8 min

The westward spread of zebra and quagga mussels shows how tiny invaders can cause big problems

Zebra and quagga mussels entered the Great Lakes in large ships’ ballast water. Now, local boaters and anglers are spreading them into the southern and western US.

Christine Keiner, Chair, Department of Science, Technology, and Society, Rochester Institute of Technology • conversation
July 19, 2022 • ~10 min

Light pollution is disrupting the seasonal rhythms of plants and trees, lengthening pollen season in US cities

Artificial light is upending trees’ ability to use the natural day-night cycle as a signal of seasonal change.

Yuyu Zhou, Associate Professor of Environmental Science, Iowa State University • conversation
July 12, 2022 • ~5 min

Restoring native predators can control invasive species – if they pass these tests

Once hated, native predators are now credited with limiting invasive prey populations.

Xavier Lambin, Chair in Zoology, University of Aberdeen • conversation
June 16, 2022 • ~6 min

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