Species diversity is a multidimensional ecological concept describing the variability of species within a community, typically quantified through measures that integrate both species richness (the number of species) and evenness (the relative abundances of those species). It underpins community structure, ecosystem functioning, and resilience by influencing processes such as resource use, trophic interactions, and stability against perturbations. Species diversity is often assessed using alpha diversity (within-community), beta diversity (turnover among communities), and gamma diversity (regional diversity), and is commonly measured with indices such as Shannon, Simpson, or Hill numbers, each emphasizing different aspects of richness and evenness.
The fact that ecosystems change is nothing new. What is new, however, is the speed and scale at which new species communities are emerging as a result of climate change. Processes that once unfolded over centuries or even ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 9, 2026
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167
A team led by a Penn State professor and doctoral student has compiled a checklist documenting the bee species in Colombia—the first of its kind for any country in the Western Hemisphere.
Plants & Animals
Oct 8, 2026
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11
Seagrasses are flowering plants that thrive in marine environments and form extensive meadows along the tropical Queensland coast. New James Cook University research shows the seagrass meadows of Trinity Inlet in Cairns Harbor ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 6, 2026
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43
The idea that ecosystems carry plenty of backup, so if a small number of species become extinct there is little harm, has been greatly overestimated, according to the largest global study of its kind.
Plants & Animals
Oct 6, 2026
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967
Municipalities are increasingly mowing dikes and verges in stages, so that insects can make longer use of the plants growing there. Mowing is essential to keep a dike strong, explains ecologist Constant Swinkels of Radboud ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 5, 2026
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8
In front of most Australian houses, between the sidewalk and the road, runs a strip of land most people never really think about. In Australia, it's called the nature strip, but it goes by other names in other regions, including ...
Ecology
Oct 4, 2026
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31
Roadsides may not look like wildlife habitat, but a few simple changes to how they are maintained could turn them into much better places for pollinators. A new uOttawa-led study found that reducing mowing and herbicide use ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 2, 2026
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88
It's a sight to behold.
Ecology
Oct 2, 2026
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15
Birds calling back and forth in the morning make up one of the defining sounds of tropical forests. We're likely to assume that hearing or seeing more types of birds indicates a healthy forest.
Evolution
Oct 2, 2026
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9
University of Melbourne researchers have found that planting native gardens on suburban nature strips can boost urban biodiversity, with insect numbers increasing sevenfold and the number of species approximately doubling.
Ecology
Sep 29, 2026
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17
