Bringing you the latest articles, opinion and analysis in the conservation world
New research from the Caribbean shows that pressures on seagrass meadows, such as clearance for tourism development, will leave coastlines more prone to erosion and flooding. The rich marine life that live in these meadows will also be lost, so urgent conservation action is required to save them.
International research has discovered that approximately one quarter of the world’s carnivorous plants may be at risk of extinction. The causes behind the losses include climate change, poaching and habitat loss, and this could have detrimental impacts in many ecosystems.
Scientists are warning that coral reefs in the Aleutian Islands’ kelp forests are on the verge of collapse. This is due to climate change exacerbating the impact of sea urchins, and the loss of the urchins’ natural predator, the sea otter.
In some good news, leopard populations in the Serengeti are healthy, and show similar numbers to other protected areas. However these do vary by season, believed to be due to the abundance of prey animals.
The Komodo Dragon, already under threat from habitat loss, has found to be also threatened by climate change – both rising temperatures and rising sea-levels. Researchers predict local extinctions and urge rapid intervention.
New research investigates the impacts of forest loss on species and biodiversity over time, and reveals both losses and gains in species. This highlights the far-reaching effects of forest cover loss on global biodiversity.
Despite the perception that predators are most at risk of extinction, a new study has revealed that it is actually herbivores that are more likely to go extinct. Currently over a quarter of the world’s herbivores are threatened.
Many migratory bird species are facing global declines. A new study has examined how climate change and changes to land cover are driving those declines, and states that conservation efforts must be directed in the regions they inhabit throughout the year.
A debate around the effectiveness of protected areas has been increasing in recent years. However, new research shows that, when well-funded and well-placed, they are a vital conservation tool and can protect and even enhance wildlife populations.
A recently developed global roads database has been used to calculate the impact of existing and planned road networks on habitat crucial for tiger survival. Scientists conclude that both tigers and their prey will be seriously affected.