Ecology Archives

Photo 5726794, (c) Sean Blaney, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). This observation on iNaturalist is of a species tracked by the Northeast Alpine Flower Watch project.

Explore Biodiversity with iNaturalist

October 18, 2019October 15, 2019 Science Connectedbiodiversity, citizen science, crowd sourcing, nature

Do you want to know more about the world around you? You can get outside and explore biodiversity and the natural environment with iNaturalist! iNaturalist allows anyone, anywhere to contribute to a global record of biodiversity by uploading pictures of plants and animals with their smartphone or computer. In a new podcast episode (listen below!), co-host Justin Schell talks with Dr. Carrie Seltzer, the Stakeholder Engagement Strategist for iNaturalist, and with representatives and a volunteer from the Appalachian Mountain club. Tip: add your iNaturalist username to your SciStarter dashboard, and…

Ecology Science Debate Series Science Policy

Could Agriculture Save US Water Supply?

September 17, 2019July 10, 2023 Science Connectedagriculture, climate change, science policy, water, water shortage

Population growth and climate change are making water an even more scarce resource. Does agriculture have the power to reduce water shortages? By Mackenzie Myers This article is part of a series about key science policy issues. Please use these articles to become an informed voter, ask political candidates about the issues, and put every candidate on record about science. This time of year in California’s Central Valley, it’s easy to see where the Golden State gets its nickname. Golden sun shines on golden grasses of rolling golden hills, parched…

Citizen Science Ecology Get to Know a Scientist SciStarter Blog

STEM Career Q and A with Joe Siegrist

September 6, 2019May 2, 2021 Science Connectedbirds, citizen science, ornithology, science projects, STEM careers

In this STEM Career Q and A, we talk with the lead of Project MartinRoost. Learn about his STEM career and how you can get involved in a citizen science research project. To meet more scientists and learn about their work, check out our Get to Know a Scientist series. Q: What citizen science project do you represent? Three projects: Project MartinRoost, Project MartinWatch, and the Scout-Arrival Study. Q: What’s your professional background? I have worked as a zookeeper, a naturalist, a field biologist, an educator, and now am president…

Citizen Science Ecology SciStarter Blog

Project Martin Roost: A Scavenger Hunt in Your Backyard

August 30, 2019August 29, 2019 Science Connectedbird watching, birds, citizen science, ornithology

This is part one of three in a collaboration between SciStarter and Career in STEM, in which writers will spotlight different citizen science projects, interview project leaders about their careers, and create educational content for teachers and students. This series is available from Science Connected, Career in STEM, SciStarter, and Discover Magazine. As the sun sinks low below the horizon and the crisp night air begins to descend, a miraculous sight can be seen in many areas across the continental United States. Hundreds of thousands of birds will suddenly appear…

Ecology Opinions and Editorials Science Policy

Decolonizing Ecology for Socially Just Science

August 22, 2019June 6, 2021 Science Connectedecology, globalization

Opinion By Suzanne Xianran Ou (@suzanneou) and Adriana L. Romero-Olivares (@fungi_lover) Science attempts to describe nature at all scales, including globally. But scientists and the institutional structures and gatekeepers, such as governments, universities, and science journal editors, who determine what is considered “good science” in our modern world, represent countries with great economic power, collectively known as the Global North. To move forward with a broad perspective and as a globally connected scientific community, we must be inclusive of all scientists around the world, including those from countries with less…

Citizen Science Ecology

Monitoring Soil Health through Citizen Science

July 25, 2019December 19, 2023 Science Connectedcitizen science, ecosystem, soil health

By Sandra Arango-Caro and Terry Woodford-Thomas MO DIRT, Missourians Doing Impact Research Together, is a program that educates individuals on soil science and engages them as citizen scientists. These volunteers contribute baseline information that helps our understanding of the current health status of Missouri soils. Soil health is the ability of the soil to function as a vital ecosystem that sustains living organisms, their processes, and environmental quality. Human existence is determined in part by soil health because of its critical role in food security and climate security. Citizen science…

Ecology SciStarter Blog

Protect Local Waterways with the EarthEcho Water Challenge

July 16, 2019August 2, 2021 Science Connectedwater, water contamination, water testing, waterways

By Sean Russell On March 22, the 2019 EarthEcho Water Challenge began empowering young people and community members around the world to monitor and protect local water resources in their communities. Initiated in 2003 as the World Water Monitoring Challenge (in celebration of the U.S. Clean Water Act), this year-round, global program is designed to connect anyone, of any age, to their local water resources through water quality monitoring. Participants share their water quality data through the global EarthEcho Water Challenge online database, contributing to our understanding of the world’s…

Ecology Geology

Exploring the Science of Mountain Biodiversity

July 4, 2019November 22, 2021 Science Connectedbiodiversity, ecology, ecosystems

Mountain ecosystems contain vast biodiversity and species richness, offering opportunities to study mountain biodiversity.

Botany Ecology Environment

An Evolutionary Approach to Conserving Plant Habitats

May 23, 2019May 23, 2019 Science Connectedbiodiversity, conservation, evolution, natural habitat, plants, species

By Mackenzie Myers (@thetiniestnail) To conserve plant habitats, a traditional approach to biodiversity—species richness, or saving as many species as possible—might not be the most effective route. Instead, vulnerable landscapes might be better served by a quality-over-quantity mindset, a recent paper from a team of UC Berkeley scientists suggests. Think of going into a grocery store. On a budget and with limited cooking time, shoppers probably don’t buy the first dozen random ingredients they see on the shelf. Rather, they find it more practical to shop deliberately, perhaps by looking…

Book Reviews Ecology Oceanography SciStarter Blog

Book Review: World Without Fish

May 9, 2019February 24, 2021 Science Connectedbook review, climate change, marine biology, marine life, ocean, overfishing, science art, science education

By Patricia Balbon Day-to-day encounters of fish—at the grocery store, visiting an aquarium—passively reinforce a notion of triviality about aquatic life until we are prompted to take a pause and spare a thought for a breathtaking world beyond the shore. This month’s selection in our ongoing book review series, World Without Fish, prompts such reflection; however, as the pages turn, we witness the marine world’s vulnerability alongside its majesty. Through Mark Kurlansky’s words and Frank Stockton’s art, we are challenged by the crisis of disappearing biodiversity in our oceans. This…