Does “the big bad wolf” play an important role in the modern-day food web? In this video we journey to Washington State’s Cascade Mountains, where the return of wolves could have a profound impact on a vast wilderness area. We meet up with biologist Aaron Wirsing to explore why wolves and other top predators are needed for diverse ecosystems to flourish.
Read more »Remembering Robert Burgner, professor of Aquaric and Fishery Sciences
Longtime Aquatic and Fishery Sciences professor Robert L. “Bud” Burgner, a pioneer in Alaska fisheries research, passed away in January. A leader in the aquatic sciences, Burgner helped establish and served as Director of the Fisheries Research Institute from which the Alaska Salmon Program was born. Burgner also shepherded the development of the High Seas Salmon program with his extensive international connections with Japanese and Canadian scientists.
Read more »Future of Ice: Jody Deming on life in sea ice
The third installment in our Future of Ice speaker series featured Jody Deming, Walters Endowed Professor and a faculty member in Oceanography and Astrobiology at UW. Her talk explored how life exists in sea ice, the experience of studying sea ice in the Arctic in the dead of winter, and what studying sea ice can tell us about possibility for life on other planets.
Read more »Big is not bad: Scientists call for preservation of large carnivores
The world is losing its large carnivores, their ranges are collapsing and many species are at risk of extinction. “Promoting tolerance and coexistence with large carnivores is a crucial societal challenge that will ultimately determine the fate of Earth’s largest carnivores and all that depends upon them, including humans,” write the co-authors of a review article, in the Jan. 10 issue of Science, about the largest carnivore species on Earth.
Read more »Are non-natives poised for greater success in future climatic conditions?
Is climate change going to favor non-native species? Some research suggests so. Julian Olden and Josh Lawler have been participating in an NCEAS project to examine how climate change may work to the benefit of non-native species in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
Read more at NCEAS »