Potential for coupling the monitoring of bush-crickets with established large-scale acoustic monitoring of bats

Bush-crickets are a little-known group of insects that inhabit our marshes, grasslands, woods, parks and gardens. Some may be seen in the summer when they are attracted to artificial lights, but as most produce noises that are on the edge of human hearing, we know little about their status. There are suggestions that some bush-crickets may be benefiting from climate change, while others may be affected by habitat changes. But how to survey something that is difficult to see and almost impossible to hear?

Neglected issues in using weather and climate information in ecology and biogeography

Doses of neighborhood nature: the benefits for mental health of living with nature

Experiences of nature provide many mental-health benefits, particularly for people living in urban areas. The natural characteristics of city residents’ neighborhoods are likely to be crucial determinants of the daily nature dose that they receive; however, which characteristics are important remains unclear. One possibility is that the greatest benefits are provided by characteristics that are most visible during the day and so most likely to be experienced by people. We demonstrate that of five neighborhood nature characteristics tested, vegetation cover and afternoon bird abundances were positively associated with a lower prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress. Furthermore, dose–response modeling shows a threshold response at which the population prevalence of mental-health issues is significantly lower beyond minimum limits of neighborhood vegetation cover (depression more than 20% cover, anxiety more than 30% cover, stress more than 20% cover). Our findings demonstrate quantifiable associations of mental health with the characteristics of nearby nature that people actually experience.

Large extents of intensive land use limit community reorganization during climate warming

Fifty years ago, volunteers began annual breeding bird surveys in woodlands as part of the Common Bird Census. Few probably would have anticipated the enormous changes the bird communities in those woodlands have shown, but their data have been a gold-mine for understanding how the many guises of environmental change are impacting birds. In our latest study we worked with colleagues at the University of Reading, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Butterfly Conservation and Natural England to assess how climate change and habitat interact to affect bird and butterfly populations.

Towards a framework for quantifying the population-level consequences of anthropogenic pressures on the environment: The case of seabirds and windfarms

Renewable energy is a key part of strategies to reduce the effects of climate change. However, there are concerns about the potential impacts of large renewable developments, such as offshore wind farms, on wildlife. A significant amount of research has been directed at understanding how these developments may affect marine wildlife, particularly seabirds. Key impacts on seabirds are likely to include increased mortality through collisions with wind turbines, and displacement from preferred foraging areas. However, whilst we can estimate what impact any development may have at an individual level, understanding what this means for the population as a whole is more complex.