News: Research
Urban Gardens Are Good for Ecosystems and Humans
Traditionally, it has been assumed that cultivating food leads to a loss of biodiversity and negative impacts on an ecosystem.
Loss of Reptiles Poses Threat for Small Islands Where Humans May Have Caused Extinctions
A new study has startling conclusions about how, on smaller islands in the Caribbean where human impact was greatest, extinctions have led to the loss of up to two-thirds of the supports for the ecosystem that native reptile species once provided there.
UT News
Legacy of Colonialism Influences Science in the Caribbean
An international collaboration of researchers shows how the legacy of colonialism remains deeply entrenched within scientific practice across the Caribbean.
A More Nuanced Approach is Needed to Manage Coral Reef Ecosystems
Instead of focusing entirely on biomass and one-size-fits-all solutions, researchers recommend finding which fish provide the most useful functions in each reef system and protecting them.
UT News
Invading Hordes of Crazy Ants May Have Finally Met Their Kryptonite
UT Austin scientists have demonstrated how to use a naturally occurring fungus to crush local populations of invasive tawny crazy ants.
Some Trees May Play an Outsized Role in the Fight on Global Warming
A new study shows that nitrogen-fixing trees could help forests remove more heat-trapping COS from the atmosphere than previously thought.
Switchgrass Genes Offer Advantages as Climate Change Tool
This native grass can capture atmospheric carbon in its substantial root system.
Like Their Domestic Cousins, Native Bees are Hurt by Pesticides
Numerous studies have found negative impacts of agrochemicals, such as neonicotinoids, on both honey bees and native bees, and researchers like Felicity Muth and her lab at UT Austin are contributing to this field.
UT News
New Study on Climate Change Impacts on Plants Could Lead to Better Conservation Strategies
The loss of plant species that are especially vulnerable to climate change might lead to bigger problems than previous studies have suggested
Long-Living Tropical Trees Play Outsized Role in Carbon Storage
A group of trees that grow fast, live long lives and reproduce slowly account for the bulk of the biomass.