Ecology is a branch of biological and environmental sciences that investigates the distribution, abundance, and dynamics of organisms in relation to each other and to their physical and chemical environments. It encompasses hierarchical levels of organization, including populations, communities, ecosystems, landscapes, and the biosphere. Ecological research examines flows of energy and cycles of matter, species interactions (such as predation, competition, and mutualism), and responses to abiotic factors like climate, nutrients, and disturbance. Quantitative ecological models and empirical studies are used to understand patterns of biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and the resilience and stability of ecological systems.
The rootstock of a coffee plant can live for 20 to 30 years. In that time, a generation, it will have good years and bad years, years where it bears large quantities of fruit and years where it fails to produce as expected.
Ecology
Nov 17, 2025
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Biological communities are rarely stable. Their composition is constantly changing, depending on the environmental conditions in the respective ecosystems—and sometimes this change is so vast that individual species completely ...
Ecology
Nov 13, 2025
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20
Many species benefit from the habitats that beavers create by building dams—and not just aquatic life. A new study by the WSL and Eawag research institutes published in the Journal of Animal Ecology shows that more bats hunt ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 13, 2025
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226
Every mind-bending molecule in nature has an evolutionary origin; a defense against being eaten, a lure for pollinators, or perhaps a happy biochemical accident. Though they seem extraordinary, life has evolved psychedelic ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 10, 2025
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34
Genome size exhibits extensive variation across the life of a tree. Previous studies have predominantly focused on interspecific comparisons. However, the ecological drivers and adaptive implications of the variation, particularly ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 5, 2025
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11
Even within a single species, animals don't all respond in the same way to environmental changes. A new study of reed frogs in East Africa reveals that understanding these differences could be key to protecting wildlife.
Evolution
Oct 23, 2025
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22
A study of elephants, giraffes and other wildlife in Namibia's Etosha National Park underscores the ways in which the environment, biological sex, and anatomical distinctions can drive variation in the gut microbiomes across ...
Ecology
Oct 15, 2025
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22
In the grand story of evolution, the crowning human distinction is our big brain. But our large heads have been slow to recognize a less admirable trait of Homo sapiens—self-centeredness.
Evolution
Oct 9, 2025
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A study by Rutgers ecologist Myla Aronson and colleagues has found "overwhelming" evidence that increasing biodiversity in cities—establishing parks, installing native plants and encouraging sustainable landscaping—can significantly ...
Ecology
Oct 9, 2025
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23
Researchers at University of Tsukuba proposed a new approach to reveal ecological niches (positions within ecosystems) and evolutionary relationships in nature through large-scale growth analysis of bacteria in strictly regulated ...
Evolution
Sep 29, 2025
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21
