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Seasonal timing
Species can adapt over the course of time. As the lives of species are altered by climate change, a different seasonal timing could make them adapt to an early spring, for example. How does this work, and what are the limits to such adaptations? -
Bewick’s swans choose wintering areas based on the weather
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. -
Symposium Migratory birds under pressure
On Thursday 7 September 2023 our Animal Ecology department is organising a symposium on migratory birds under pressure, followed by the PhD thesis defence of Kees Schreven the next day. -
PhD Thesis defence Kees Schreven: range expansion in Arctic-breeding geese
On Friday 8 September 2023, our colleague Kees Schreven will defend his PhD thesis "Geese colonising New Land: causes and mechanisms of range expansion in an Arctic-breeding migrant". -
‘Insects need our help in a warming world, now’
‘If no action is taken to better understand and reduce the impact of climate change on insects, we will drastically limit our chances of a sustainable future with healthy ecosystems.’ This warning in a very topical paper in Ecological Monographs comes from 70 scientists from 19 countries around the world. But, they also provide ways to help insects in a warming world complete with management strategies. -
Common insecticide linked to extreme decline in freshwater insects
Thiacloprid, a widely-used pesticide, can cause a large-scale decline in freshwater insects. This was discovered by a team of researchers from Leiden University, including current NIOO-director Geert de Snoo. -
Arctic migratory birds project wins Netherlands Polar Programme funding
28/08/2020 The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has awarded funding to Bart Nolet's project 'Arctic migratory birds over the edge?' -
Researchers united on international road map to insect recovery
It’s no secret that many insects are struggling worldwide. But we could fix these insects’ problems, according to more than 70 scientists from 21 countries. Their road map to insect conservation and recovery is published in Nature Ecology & Evolution this week. From urgent ‘no-regret’ solutions to long-term global comparisons. -
Polarised debate: polar bear blogs reveal dangerous gap between climate-change facts and opinions
Climate-change discussions on social media are very influential. A new study in BioScience shows that when it comes to iconic topics such as polar bears and retreating sea ice, climate blogs fall into two distinct camps. With little or no overlap between deniers and the available scientific facts. The study’s first author, NIOO-KNAW researcher Jeff Harvey says: “It’s time for scientists to counter the misinformation and engage directly with the public far more.” -
Can barnacle geese predict the climate?
The breeding grounds of Arctic migratory birds such as the barnacle goose are changing rapidly due to accelerated warming in the polar regions. They won't be able to keep up with these climatic changes unless they can somehow anticipate them. A team of researchers from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) employed computer models to assess the prospects of the geese and their young. The results can be found in the scientific journal Global Change Biology.