https://phys.org/biology-news/ecology/ en-us The latest science and research news on ecology Denny Glover was hoping for a big catch when he went fishing with buddies on the Sacramento River, but he wasn't expecting a fully grown humpback whale. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-humpback-whale-california-river-miles.html Ecology Sat, 19 Sep 2026 10:08:16 EDT news709031271 For nearly two decades, biologist Lauren Deaner has worked with Florida scrub-jays, contributing to population recovery efforts and translocations. Now, as a doctoral researcher in UCF's integrative biology program, she is using that field experience to investigate how genetics, behavior and population dynamics influence the long-term recovery of imperiled species. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-florida-jays-unusually-young-age.html Ecology Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:40:01 EDT news709006754 During routine beach litter surveys on the subtropical island of Okinawa, Japan, researchers came across small, brightly colored specks in the pale coral rubble. Back at the lab, spectroscopic and microscopic analyses revealed that these specks are, in fact, melted polymers from common household plastics that have seeped inseparably into the skeletal pores of the dead coral pieces. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-plasticorals-coral-rubble-fused-plastic.html Ecology Fri, 18 Sep 2026 12:00:02 EDT news708944281 A new study by Chester Zoo and Nottingham Trent University scientists revealed that just over a third (38%) of more than 230 householders in Cheshire and North Wales were willing or able to introduce more wildlife-friendly features to their gardens. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-small-gardens-big-barrier-nature.html Ecology Fri, 18 Sep 2026 10:20:04 EDT news708934562 Five baby orangutans abandoned in an Indian forest have exposed a "massive" exotic wildlife trade, with traffickers smuggling increasingly rare species into the country, experts say. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-baby-orangutans-india-expose-scale.html Ecology Fri, 18 Sep 2026 03:00:01 EDT news708918144 President Donald Trump's administration will no longer treat the unintentional killing of protected wildlife as unlawful, officials confirmed Thursday, in a shift conservationists say could gut the Endangered Species Act (ESA). https://phys.org/news/2026-09-trump-administration-overhauls-key-endangered.html Ecology Thu, 17 Sep 2026 17:40:04 EDT news708869005 Old-growth forests are some of Europe's most valuable natural ecosystems, but they are also among the most threatened. Their role in conserving biodiversity, regulating the climate, preserving cultural heritage and supporting people's well-being is invaluable. According to a rough estimate, only around 3% of Europe's forests meet the criteria for primary or old-growth forests, and their extent continues to decline rapidly in Northern Europe. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-growth-forests-northern-europe-requires.html Ecology Thu, 17 Sep 2026 17:10:01 EDT news708882421 A new study reveals that an important pollinator is rapidly losing genetic diversity in Britain. Moss carder bumblebees were once widespread across the UK, living in flower-rich meadows, marshes and heathlands, where they pollinated a wide variety of plants. However, the loss of these habitats has caused the species to retreat into strongholds along the country's coasts and islands. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-threatened-bumblebee-populations-england-wales.html Ecology Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:20:21 EDT news708859322 Researchers have discovered 16 new species of fungus living unnoticed inside garden flowers and wildflowers across northern Thailand, more than quintupling the number of such fungi known to occur in the country. The findings are published in the journal IMA Fungus. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-sixteen-fungus-species-thailand.html Ecology Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:40:17 EDT news708856470 In 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico with maximum sustained winds of 250 kilometers per hour (155 mph). It devastated communities and infrastructure, was associated with nearly 3,000 deaths and caused tens of billions of dollars in losses. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-climate-easier-invasive-species-succeed.html Ecology Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:20:27 EDT news708851942 Ask any zoo-goer and they will tell you that capybaras are adorable. Ask a scientist specializing in the rodents, which resemble oversized guinea pigs, and they will tell you they are obligate semiaquatic herbivores that indicate persistent riparian ecosystems. In plain English: Capybaras like it wet. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-capybaras-fossil-atacama-world-oldest.html Ecology Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:20:24 EDT news708856372 Antarctic krill are tiny shrimp-like creatures that were previously thought to mostly inhabit the upper layer of the Southern Ocean. Although they had occasionally been observed at deeper levels, they were never seen near deep-sea hydrothermal vents until 2024, when a group of oceanographers observed them there for the first time. The team's new study, published in Communications Biology, describes the discovery and why the team thinks pregnant krill may actually be spending a lot of time near hydrothermal vents. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-deep-sea-hydrothermal-vents-hot.html Plants & Animals Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:20:17 EDT news708863182 In a study published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Forest Research and collaborating organizations present the first-ever European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) pangenome, using high-quality DNA to aid research into natural ash dieback resistance. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-european-ash-pangenome-generation-trees.html Ecology Thu, 17 Sep 2026 11:55:08 EDT news708864782 Populations of the Western honeybee (Apis mellifera) are under immense pressure in the wild in Europe. New research published in Conservation Science and Practice from the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart and Agroscope in Zürich shows that there are frequent occurrences of honeybees in the wild in Europe. However, the researchers estimate that the populations of these bee populations in the European Union (EU) will fall by about 56% within 10 years without the influx of swarms from beekeepers. Therefore, wild honeybees are now officially classified as "endangered" across the EU on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-wild-honeybee-populations-eu-red.html Plants & Animals Thu, 17 Sep 2026 11:20:02 EDT news708854361 Some types of marine life appear to have it easy. While exploring thousands of meters below the waves in the Chilean Margin in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, scientists observed tiny shrimp-like crustaceans known as amphipods (Mesopleustes abyssorum) clinging tightly to much larger giant sea spiders (Colossendeis colossea) that were scuttling on the ocean floor. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-deep-sea-crustaceans-caught-hitching.html Plants & Animals Thu, 17 Sep 2026 10:50:01 EDT news708859334 A study led by a doctoral researcher at the University of Liverpool has found that beavers may help restore degraded peatlands by keeping landscapes wetter and making them more resilient to drought. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-beaver-reintroduction-peatland-storage-drought.html Plants & Animals Thu, 17 Sep 2026 10:20:01 EDT news708854161 New research led by the University of Otago—Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka shows some bird species may be taking advantage of natural geothermal "health spas." https://phys.org/news/2026-09-birds-basking-natural-saunas.html Ecology Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:20:01 EDT news708844741 A new livestream from a remote waterhole in the Northern Territory is giving people around the world the opportunity to observe wildlife in real time. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-livestream-remote-australian-arid-zone.html Plants & Animals Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:00:01 EDT news708844682 Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), which supports a major commercial fishery along the U.S. East Coast and serves as essential prey for fish, seabirds and marine mammals, may be less able to sustain fishing pressure than some assessments suggest. A new study finds that a key estimate of deaths from natural causes was substantially overstated, potentially making the population appear more productive than its biology supports. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-atlantic-menhaden-fishing.html Ecology Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:00:02 EDT news708838081 When most Australians say 'spring is in the air,' they're speaking metaphorically, as the days become longer and warmer. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-melbourne.html Ecology Wed, 16 Sep 2026 22:20:01 EDT news708771419 Understanding the migration pathways of sharks and rays is key to conserving some of the world's most endangered marine species, according to new University of Queensland research. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-sharks-expose-international-efforts.html Ecology Wed, 16 Sep 2026 20:40:01 EDT news708771451 A study in Pollino National Park shows that large trees, complex canopies and deadwood diversity play a major role in shaping vascular plant communities, highlighting the ecological value of one of Italy's most remarkable old-growth forest landscapes. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-forest-topography-diversity-southern-apennine.html Plants & Animals Wed, 16 Sep 2026 20:00:04 EDT news708793321 Large-scale oyster reef restoration in the Chesapeake Bay is successfully creating three-dimensional habitats that support larger, more diverse fish communities, according to new research from scientists at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The study, published in Ecosphere, provides compelling evidence that restoration efforts are shifting underwater ecosystems from communities dominated by small, transient schooling fish to those supporting larger, resident species. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-term-oyster-reef-success-murky.html Plants & Animals Wed, 16 Sep 2026 19:50:01 EDT news708796802 A rare Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) on Kangaroo Island has been confirmed to have died from highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu. The sea lion had recently been attacked by a shark, weakening it. Testing revealed that the virus caused its death. Another dead sea lion is being tested. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-bird-flu-australian-sea-lion.html Ecology Wed, 16 Sep 2026 18:40:01 EDT news708788881 In recent years, numerous attempts have been made to use artificial intelligence to decipher the communication of bats, whales, birds and other animals. However, a new study led by a team of researchers from Tel Aviv University points to a fundamental problem with this approach: AI models focus on the physical properties of a sound, but this does not mean they understand the meaning attributed to it by the animal receiving it. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ai-struggles-decipher-animal-language.html Ecology Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:40:05 EDT news708786001 A research team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology discovered a previously unknown strategy by which certain fungi neutralize spruce defense compounds. These fungi are introduced into trees by bark beetles, and their success makes it easier for bark beetles to invade the trees. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-fungi-neutralize-spruce-defense-mechanisms.html Ecology Wed, 16 Sep 2026 16:40:02 EDT news708782401 University of Georgia researchers recently located the mammal equivalent of a needle in a haystack: weasels. Weasels are extremely difficult to find, so not much is known about their preferred habitats and overall population health in the Southeast. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-dog-cameras-uncover-weasels-georgia.html Plants & Animals Wed, 16 Sep 2026 15:00:11 EDT news708771301 Right whales forage near the water's surface at night, putting them at greater risk of potentially fatal collisions with boats, Jay Kirkham at Dalhousie University, Canada, and colleagues report Sept. 16, 2026, in the journal PLOS ONE. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ai-reveals-nighttime-behaviors-whales.html Plants & Animals Wed, 16 Sep 2026 14:00:03 EDT news708611281 Common, wide-ranging vertebrate species, such as foxes, may be finding more suitable habitat in towns and cities than in the wider landscape, while rarer species—which live in smaller areas—appear to favor different habitats, according to new research into species across Europe. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-intensity-affect-suitability-habitats-wildlife.html Ecology Wed, 16 Sep 2026 12:40:04 EDT news708768483 A healthy, green lawn can be the envy of any neighborhood, but how does someone cultivate a yard like that? Assistant Professor of Ecosystem Science Amber Churchill has been getting her hands dirty and digging into the science behind it. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-science-greener-healthier-lawns.html Ecology Wed, 16 Sep 2026 11:40:08 EDT news708766501