Behind the Paper
The real stories behind the latest research papers, from conception to publication, the highs and the lows
Filtered by: Ecology & Evolution
A billboard announced a carbon program
A program announced by a highway billboard caught my (Jeremy) attention, but would it catch the interest and commitment of forest landowners? And given the diversity of land and landowners, who would commit?
Tiny tubeworms, big warnings: life-history clues in changing estuaries
If you want to know how an ecosystem is faring, look to its smallest residents. In estuarine and coastal habitats, where life can be tough, marine tubeworms are revealing more than just their presence. They may be offering early warnings that a habitat is heading towards collapse.
Unearthing the Resilience: How Desert Rhizospheres Tell Two Microbial Tales
This study was inspired by the extreme arid deserts of northwestern China—landscapes where the boundary between earth and sky blurs, and life persists through remarkable adaptations.
The challenging life of Miocene corals
By studying exceptionally preserved fossils of reef corals that lived millions of years ago, we are discovering how coral calcification responded to past climate change, i.e., higher temperatures and seawater acidification.
Silent influencer: How non-antibiotics tip the microbial balance of the gut microbiome
Some human-targeted drugs can alter gut microbes, creating a favorable environment for pathogens like Salmonella to thrive.
