With DNA toolkit, Rob Pringle is learning how to rebuild broken ecosystems
December 13, 2021 ・ Jeff LabrecqueIn the beginning, Rob Pringle didn’t have a choice. His grandparents were passionate naturalists who loved exploring the outdoors with him and his younger sister, and his parents’ idea of vacations when he was growing up in Ann Arbor, Michigan,…
Scientists identify genes behind tusklessness in African elephants facing poaching pressure
October 21, 2021 ・ Sharon AdarloIn regions of Africa wracked by heavy poaching, people have observed an increased incidence of African elephants without their iconic white tusks, which are prized in the multibillion-dollar wildlife black market. But there has been no direct genetic evidence indicating…
Gone one, gone all: Without Africa’s large herbivores, a woody vine could threaten the biodiversity of savanna plant communities
September 27, 2021 ・ Liana WaitThe African savanna supports one of the world’s last intact large-mammal communities. Savannas also are home to a diverse array of plant species, but human-driven declines in animal populations could disrupt the balance of both plant and animal species in…
Connection and resilience: Kuziel explores the ecology of the African savanna
May 3, 2021 ・ Liz Fuller-WrightWhen Luca Kuziel discovered the community of ecologists at Princeton, he had no idea that his experience of radical acceptance with them would change the course of his research and his life. Over the past four years, he has deepened…
From muddy boots to mathematics: Advancing the science of ecosystems and biodiversity
August 14, 2020 ・ Morgan KellyPrinceton’s vital research across the spectrum of environmental issues is today and will continue to be pivotal to solving some of humanity’s toughest problems. Our impact is built on a long, deep, broad legacy of personal commitment, intellectual leadership, perseverance…
A burning question: Senior Maria Stahl examined the role of fire in wildlife recovery
May 15, 2020 ・ Morgan Kelly“The sky above the flames was littered not only with ash, but also with huge flutters of butterflies and clouds of grasshoppers escaping the blaze. Every now and then a stray oribi or kudu darted out from the grassland to…
PEI awards $1.01 million in Water and the Environment Grand Challenge projects
October 1, 2019 ・ Morgan KellyThe ecological impacts of extreme weather, a national “climate park” in the New Jersey Meadowlands, and engineered nanoparticles that target groundwater pollutants are among the 13 projects funded by the Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI) as part of its Water and…
Petticord explores a Kenyan ecosystem one tortoise at a time
May 17, 2019 ・ Morgan KellyEach year, the Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI) supports senior-thesis research by students from departments across the University. This story is part of a series exploring the disciplinary variety of PEI-funded undergraduate research carried out by members of the Class of…
Protect and (pre)serve: Princeton students work on the ground level of environmental service
January 7, 2019 ・ Wendy PlumpPrinceton University undergraduate students — including 2018 Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI) summer intern Maria Stahl ’20 (profiled below) — demonstrate a new level of commitment to environmental conservation as they serve in research, volunteer and internship positions around the world.…
