Department of Ecology Evolution and Environmental Biology Archives - State of the Planet

It’s Tick Season. Here Are the Latest Findings on Lyme and Babesiosis.

New research offers insights on how the tick-borne diseases spread and interact in infected animals.

by Christopher D. Shea |July 13, 2023
A forest in India

Using a People-Centered Approach to Design Restoration Projects

A new study proposes a more holistic approach to planning restoration projects that do not “leave people off the map.”

by |March 7, 2023
banyan tree in forest

Restoring Land for Livelihoods Can Have Ecological Benefits, Study Suggests

Acoustic recorders detected promising changes in the soundscape after a restoration project in India.

by |January 26, 2023
dark room with green glowing lights for bitcoin mining

Failing Crypto Could Be a Win for the Environment

The uncertainty plaguing the crypto world is devastating for investors, but it could have a positive impact on greenhouse gas emissions and the future of digital currency.

by Emma Lauterbach |December 20, 2022

Too Little, Too Late: Study Examines Why the Endangered Species Act Fails

Most species are not receiving protection until their populations are precariously small, thus dimming their prospects of recovery.

by |October 12, 2022
map of persistant and ephemeral forest in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Regrown Tropical Forests May Have Short Lifespans, Says New Study

Forest cover in many tropical regions increased in recent decades, but a new study suggests that much of the regenerated area is re-cleared within a few years, which could limit biodiversity and carbon storage benefits.

by |March 18, 2022
A bobcat caught on camera

The Art of Catching a Bobcat

Chopped beaver and chilled urine. Shiny feather boas and smelly mating lures. The extreme lengths to which ecologists must go to catch an elusive animal.

by Alice Yan |March 14, 2022
tiger heads and skins on a shelf

U.S. May Have Been Responsible for Almost Half of Recent Past Illegal Tiger Trade

A new study indicates that the scale has been underestimated.

by |January 12, 2022

Rain, More Than Wind, Led to Massive Toppling of Trees in Hurricane Maria, Says Study

The surprising finding suggests that future hurricanes stoked by warming climate may be even more destructive to forests than scientists have already projected.

by |March 9, 2020
tick on a blade of grass

Many Lyme Disease Cases Go Unreported. A New Model Could Help Change That.

Researchers have drawn on 17 years of data to develop a model that identifies areas in which the tick-borne illness is likely to emerge.

by Carla Cantor |March 6, 2020