Combining host and vector data informs emergence and potential impact of an Usutu virus outbreak in UK wild birds

The identification of the Usutu virus in Greater London in the summer of 2020 raises questions about the extent of the incursion and its impacts on wild bird populations.

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Introducing a common taxonomy to support learning from failure in conservation

Bioclimatic context of species' populations determines community stability

Projected increases in the magnitude and frequency of extreme weather events are likely to have important consequences for species and the wider communities of which they are a part. Understanding the impacts of such events on the complex relationships that exist between the species within a particular ecosystem, and which themselves influence the stability and functioning of that ecosystem, is a conservation priority.

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Recommendations to enhance breeding bird diversity in managed plantation forests determined using LiDAR

Tree planting can contribute to the fight against both climate change and biodiversity loss if forests are planned and managed well. Forest structure data, collected using remote sensing technology, combined with bird surveys has been used to test which management regimes maximise bird diversity in managed plantations. Forests with stands of a greater variety of ages are consistently more biodiverse, suggesting that forest managers should prioritise maintaining a diversity of stand ages.

Estimating the carbon footprint of citizen science biodiversity monitoring

Understanding the impacts of climate change relies on an evidence base generated by the thousands of volunteers who participate in biodiversity monitoring. However, survey participation often carries its own carbon footprint, especially where participants travel to and from survey sites by car. Whilst it is essential that we have accurate information about how wildlife is faring in this changing world, we also need to be mindful of any side effects of our scientific activities. A key step is to estimate the emissions produced during biodiversity monitoring.