Bewick’s swans fly less far during their autumn migration when the weather is warm. Climate change has therefore led to a shift in their common wintering areas. Now, for the first time, bird researchers have been able to use long-term GPS data to pinpoint the specific choices that individual swans make.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented scientists with a unique opportunity to study the effects of an ‘anthropause’: an abrupt reduction of, and/or alteration in, human activities.

Massive growth of submerged aquatic plants can be a nuisance, especially in summer. It's up to water managers to limit the inconvenience for swimmers, boats and fishermen in a way that is both responsible and cost-effective. Michiel Verhofstad defended his PhD thesis this week on the 'root' causes of the problem, and how best to tackle it.

It's a hidden global change: away from the public eye, residues of medicines in water have been causing increasing disruption. They can kill aquatic animals, and play havoc with their food web and reproductive cycle. An international team of researchers led by the NIOO makes an urgent case for better wastewater treatment and biodegradable pharmaceuticals.

WAGENINGEN – In the animal kingdom, travel is key: that is the conclusion of Silke Bauer’s research in a nutshell. The NIOO-ecologist and an Australian colleague list the numerous species that migrate from one location to another. According to the two researchers, the effects of these migrations on world ecosystems have been overlooked. Time to give the billions of geese, locusts, butterflies, herrings and wildebeest that wander the globe their proper due.