Wildlife trade drives animal-to-human pathogen transmission over 40 years
New in @science.org ‼️ In the most comprehensive study to date, we show that wildlife trade is driving animal-to-human zoonotic spillover at a planetary scale, with +1 spillover per host every 10 years. Live animal markets and illegal trade pose even greater risks. 🔓 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Trees cool neighborhoods, filter air pollution, and soak up stormwater. In this city, they also represent the idea “that the future is worth nurturing,” says Justin Dennis of the Trust for Public Land.
Thinner than a human hair, dragonfly wings are highly durable, w/ antimicrobial, water-resistant, and anti-reflective properties and more. In a new study, researchers examine a variety of chemical and structural qualities of dragonfly wings to seek inspiration for human technical innovation.
Deep dive into the surge in US pedestrian deaths:
"It’s not that more pedestrians are getting hit by vehicles; it’s that the ones that are getting hit are more likely to die."
"[That] seems like fairly strong evidence for the theory that the rise in large SUVs is behind the uptick in ped deaths."
Really enjoyed the opportunity to come on @thepulse.whyy.org and chat with Maiken about the wildlife trade!
Perverse market incentives related to the desirability of rare items are pushing the European eel to extinction, by favoring its exploitation despite extreme scarcity
@consletters.bsky.social @ebdonana.bsky.social @azti.bsky.social
See thread below
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
i know it's self-evident in many ways, but the role that traditional grading regimes play in this somehow feels under discussed. we can (rightfully) wax poetic about how the main point of assignments is the process of doing them, but the way we use grades often fails to reflect this
My latest article, for @yalee360.bsky.social, about South Africa's plant poaching crisis.
Please share the link!
e360.yale.edu/features/sou...
New study! 🚨 Banning wildlife trade can increase trade in other threatened species 🚨
We find Japan’s ban on 3 species led to rise in trade of others. Bans alone aren't enough—we need consumer insights & monitoring to avoid shifting overexploitation elsewhere.
theconversation.com/banning-wild...
Most #wildlife trade is legal, and the U.S. is a major importer. Many wild animals, like reptiles, spiders, clownfish, chimpanzees, and tigers, become pets, while thousands go to zoos and aquariums. Experts in #sustainability, #ecology, and #biology dive into the numbers:
New research assesses in detail the contributions of wildlife to people.
Humanity relies on an array of ecosystem services for well-being and survival, but the provision of these services rely not just on vegetation but also the wild animals that inhabit the ecosystems.
✒️ @john-cannon.bsky.social:
@boston @philly @dc
New on global conservation science:
Wildlife trade might drive species to extinction when people are willing to pay more for the last individuals but forecasting such effects on threatened species requires more evidence.
Almeida et al. in Cons. Let. conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Its always a bit shocking to consider the risks the US takes in invasive vertebrates via the exotic pet trade. With a ton of great colleagues, we identify the species that are highest risk.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
New post-doc alert🔥🔥 Come work with us to explore evidence on the biodiversity impacts of renewable energy, especially as it scales up to provide climate solutions. 2 years of funding and a 3 year possible. Rutgers is about a 45 minute train ride from New York City.
rcei.rutgers.edu
Maps and graphs of range contraction over different dynasties
This is so cool - this study used Chinese poetry to reconstruct 1400 years of range change for the Yangtze finless porpoise, and showed that most of the range loss happened in the last century
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
No instructor I know (who isn't a miserable asshole) WANTS an adversarial relationship with their students. We just want you to actually learn the material, & understand why it's important to do so. We want you as robustly capable as we can manage, on the other side of our time with you. That's it.
I wrote (ranted) on experimental design as I was frustrated as an editor at how little guidance students were getting. I underestimated the interest in the issue: it has been downloaded 10,000+ times! Clearly it’s something we need to be talking about more. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Started putting together a starter pack of researchers, institutes & organisations working specifically on the #wildlifetrade in all its forms go.bsky.app/HkVhKvE
🚨NEW PAPER🚨"Navigating #ethical challenges in online #wildlifetrade research" in #Conservation Biology by Morcatty et al @drdavidlroberts.bsky.social @dice-kent.bsky.social 💻 #illegalwildlifetrade #wildlifecrime #wildlifetrafficking #ethics #governance doi.org/10.1111/cobi...
Huge shout out to my rockstar co-authors on this, especially Mary Cate, who was an undergraduate at the time of this work!
The last paper from my dissertation is out today in @consletters.bsky.social! Economic theory predicts that people's love of rarity can drive species in the wildlife trade extinct. Here, we ask: is this actually happening? How can we monitor it?
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Fellow biologists: We must be active and vocal advocates for the support of the humanities & social sciences. Biology is enhanced by its inherent transdisciplinary connections, including understanding historical context, identifying modern-day applications/implications, & enabling future innovation.
