Tag: Ecology
-
Scientists declare gene-editing war on pests
Should all pests be wiped out? New Zealand’s government plans to kill all rats and invasive predators by 2050. Some want to use genetic modification, but others warn of ecological disaster.
-
Judi Dench, tree talk and the Wood Wide Web
Can trees converse? Scientists have written about their powers of communication. In a new documentary Dame Judi Dench looks at the ways they interact. How much do they share with humans?
-
World on the edge of ‘ecological Armageddon’
Should insects have rights? According to scientists insect populations are plummeting. This could have disastrous consequences for humanity and ecosystems all across the world.
-
Wild lynx to return to UK after 1,300 years
Lynx have long been extinct in the UK, but a new scheme aims to bring them back. Should we repopulate the planet with lost predators, or is ‘rewilding’ a fantasy fuelled by nostalgia?
-
Governments try to ban alien invaders
When foreign plants and creatures arrive in a country they can do great damage to the environment. Governments are trying to stop them. But should we be interfering with nature at all?
-
New rules threaten ancient woods with the chop
Conservationists are up in arms over government proposals that could allow centuries-old woodlands to be cut down. But do trees really matter when human needs are at stake?
-
‘Serial killer’ cats menace New Zealand wildlife
Domestic cats are among the most lethal creatures on the planet, slaughtering up to 20 billion animals every year. Now, a campaigner in New Zealand has a simple solution: get rid of them.
-
World’s richest ecosystems on brink of collapse
The coral reefs of the Caribbean are some of the most varied and beautiful natural habitats on the planet. But a new survey brings grim news: the reefs are dying.
-
American cougars return from the brink
After years on the endangered list, cougars have made a comeback in the USA. It is great news for the big cats – but can humans live with these deadly predators?
-
An ecosystem wiped out in a single generation
Coral reefs – among the world's most exciting habitats – are set for extinction. For the first time in history, humans will have destroyed not just a species but a whole living ecosystem.
-
Ship-sinking jellyfish and seas of slime
A new study has revealed that jellyfish are ecological 'vampires', sucking energy out of vulnerable food chains. And they're becoming ever more common. Could jellies take over the world?
-
‘Godzilla’ fish invade the Caribbean
Predatory fish, escaped from aquariums, are spreading 'like locusts' across Caribbean coral reefs. These alien intruders are devastating native species. Can they be stopped? And should they be?
-
Birds, bears and mammoths – coming soon?
A UK revival for the world’s heaviest flying bird is being funded by the EU. Now other extinct species could be on their way back.