The warming arctic, herbivore outbreaks and the importance of long-term field studies – Functional Ecologists

In our latest post, Myrsky Eero, a PhD student at the University of Helsinki, presents his work ‘Higher vascular plant abundance associated with decreased ecosystem respiration after 20 years of…

What are you doing in a place like this? Connecting plants’ climate preferences with functional traits – Functional Ecologists

Camila Medeiros—a post-doc at University of California Los Angeles, USA—presents her work ‘Predicting plant species climate preferences on the basis of mechanistic traits’. She discusses the connection between traits and…

Rising Temperatures Show Climate’s Hidden Impact on Substance Use

Summary: A new study reveals a direct correlation between elevated temperatures and increased hospital visits due to alcohol and substance disorders. Not only does this shed light on unforeseen implications…

Wildland firefighters face a huge pay cut without action by Congress – here’s how physically demanding this lifesaving job is

Radios crackle with chatter from a wildfire incident command post. Up the fireline, firefighters in yellow jerseys are swinging Pulaskis, axlike hand tools, to carve a fuel break into the…

Wildland firefighters face a huge pay cut without action by Congress – in the midst of strenuous, dangerous work during fire season

Radios crackle with chatter from a wildfire incident command post. Up the fireline, firefighters in yellow jerseys are swinging Pulaskis, axlike hand tools, to carve a fuel break into the…

Flesh-eating bacteria infections are on the rise in the US − a microbiologist explains how to protect yourself

Flesh-eating bacteria sounds like the premise of a bad horror movie, but it’s a growing – and potentially fatal – threat to people. In September 2023, the Centers for Disease…

Invasive engineers—global drivers of ecological change – Functional Ecologists

In this post, Prof. Gil Rilov—Senior Scientist at the National Institute of Oceanography, Israeli Limnological and Oceanographic Research (IOLR), as well as Associate Professor, at the University of Haifa, Israel—discusses…

A day fighting wildfires can require as much endurance as riding the Tour de France

For three weeks in July, the world’s most elite bike racers climb steep mountains and sprint along historic cobblestones to capture the coveted yellow jersey or the race leader in…

Extreme heat is particularly hard on older adults – an aging population and climate change are putting ever more people at risk

Scorching temperatures have put millions of Americans in danger this summer, with heat extremes stretching from coast to coast in the Southern U.S. Phoenix hit 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius)…

Extreme heat is particularly hard on older adults, and an aging population and climate change are putting ever more people at risk

Scorching temperatures have put millions of Americans in danger this summer, with heat extremes stretching from coast to coast in the Southern U.S. Phoenix hit 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius)…