Maldwyn J. Evans

Habitat loss and fragmentation are major threats to biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Our current understanding of the impacts of habitat loss and fragmentation is based largely on studies that focus on either short-term or long-term responses. Short-term responses are often used to predict long-term responses and make management decisions. The lack of studies comparing short- and long-term responses to fragmentation means we do not adequately understand when and how well short-term response

Translocations are an important conservation tool that enable the restoration of species and their ecological functions. They are particularly important during the current environmental crisis. We used a combination of text‐analysis tools to track the history and evolution of the peer‐reviewed scientific literature on animal translocation science. We compared this corpus with research showcased in the IUCNs Global Conservation Translocation Perspectives, a curated collection of non‐peer‐reviewed

Abstract Invasive predators are responsible for declines in many animal species across the globe. To redress these declines, conservationists have undertaken substantial work to remove invasive predators or mitigate their effects. Yet, the challenges associated with removal of invasive predators mean that most successful conservation programs have been restricted to small islands, enclosures (“safe havens”), or refuge habitats where threatened species can persist. While these approaches have bee

Reintroduction biology is a key tool for mitigating the catastrophic reduction in species’ ranges, caused by humans over the last 500 years. To assess where reintroduction biology scientific research is targeted, we used text-analysis methods to extract taxonomic and geographic mentions from animal reintroduction-focused articles published between 1990 and 2022 (n = 2061). We then related our results to the IUCN’s Red List and countries’ GDPs. We found most articles were targeted towards species

1. The succession of carrion‐associated (necrophilous) insects on decomposing carrion is well documented. To exploit the changing nutritious and dynamic resources available throughout the carrion decomposition process, different species colonise and consume carrion in a predictable temporal sequence. The traits of these necrophilous insects should reflect their ecological strategies. Morphological traits of these insects, such as body size and wing size, however, have not previously been examine

Concerning declines in insect populations have been reported from Europe and the United States, yet there are gaps in our knowledge of the drivers of insect trends and their distribution across the world. We report on our analysis of a spatially extensive, 14-year study of ground-dwelling beetles in four natural forest biomes spanning Japan's entire latitudinal range (3000 km). Beetle species richness, abundance and biomass declined in evergreen coniferous forests but increased in broadleaf-coni

Artificial water bodies in agricultural landscapes (hereafter ‘farm dams’) are established primarily to support livestock and crop production but also provide habitats for a wide range of native species. Managing water quality in farm dams is essential to animal production and biodiversity. Farm dam enhancement, which includes restricting direct access of stock to dams, can improve water quality in farm dams, by reducing soil erosion and direct faecal contamination, as well as reducing the tramp

Abstract Urbanization is increasing globally with wide‐ranging consequences for biodiversity and the ecological processes it performs. Yet knowledge of the range of ecological processes supported by biodiversity in urban environments, and the different taxa that perform these processes is poorly understood. We used a text‐analysis approach to identify the research trends and gaps in knowledge in the literature on ecological processes provided by animals in urban environments. We found a divide i

1. Habitat fragmentation and transformation are key drivers of species declines in landscapes. Most of the current understanding of species' responses to environmental change originates from studies of populations and communities. However, phenotypic variation offers another key aspect of species responses and could provide additional insights into the functional drivers of population change. 2. The goal of this study was to address this gap by exploring the morphological changes of a species of