Ecology
Unlike many other areas of biology, which are concerned with individual organisms, ecologists study how organisms affect, and are affected by, their environment. Ecosystems are formed from a delicate web of habitat, food sources, prey and predators, and an imbalance can be devastating to all links in the chain. The ways in which human activity is influencing a broad range of ecosystems is of particular importance, as it is leading to a huge loss of biodiversity.
Articles about ecology
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Despite its amazing ability to explain how species change and diverge there are some areas of evolution that scientists are still working to understand.
Delve deeper into evolution
How many species are unknown to science? And will we ever know the true number, before many of them are wiped out?
Delve deeper into undiscovered species
We see birds around us every day, so you might think we know all there is to know about our feathered friends – but that is far from the case!
Delve deeper into birds
Scientists agree that human activities are causing climate change, but the finer details are still unknown.
Delve deeper into climate change
The origins of life – where and how did life begin?
Delve deeper into origin of life
Sharks are one of our most poorly understood animals, hard to study, dangerous and diverse, impacting the ecosystem and sometimes our daily lives.
Delve deeper into sharks
Specialised articles...
If a keystone species is lost, the entire ecosystem can collapse.
Delve deeper into keystone species
Ebola is one of the most contagious and dangerous diseases, but between outbreaks the disease must be hiding somewhere. Some suspect bats, but is this really true?
Delve deeper into bats and ebola
There’s still a whole herd of things we don’t know about bovine TB, its nature, spread and the effects of badger culling: could culling reduce it - or make it worse?
Delve deeper into bovine tb
Blog posts about ecology
Our blog posts are often written by scientists about their ongoing research
