Learn about how the remnants of Buffalo's industrious past have been transformed into a rich urban ecosystem. Set into motion by the Greenway Ecological Fund and the Buffalo Museum of Science, if you're in the area and are interested in restoration ecology, Tifft Nature Preserve is a must-see. In this article, my former student Emily Volker delves into forest succession and many other ecological interactions taking place in this urban habitat.
Read moreWoodland salamanders; indicators of a healthy forest?
Red-backed salamanders are some of the most abundant vertebrates living on the forest floor. In New York State alone, there is an estimated 18 billion of them! These tiny creatures play big roles in ecosystems everywhere and their abundance can be used as an environmental indicator of forest health/age. Learn more about these animals by reading this article written by my former student Antonio Seelman!
Read moreDisappearing insects; canary in the coal mine, or the nail in the coffin?
Fungal succession is mediated by dispersing wood-boring insects. Thus, the carbon cycle is highly dependent on insect diversity. A new study shows insect biomass is radically diminishing, which could mean the reduction of several ecosystem processes.
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