Like a natural system, democracy faces collapse as polarization leads to loss of diversity
December 6, 2021 ・ Morgan KellyMuch like an overexploited ecosystem, the increasingly polarized political landscape in the United States — and much of the world — is experiencing a catastrophic loss of diversity that threatens the resilience not only of democracy, but also of society, according…
Policy interventions could help farmers economically survive in vulnerable regions
December 1, 2021 ・ B. Rose HuberIn the grasslands of Nepal’s Chitwan Valley, local farmers rely on the production of rice and other grains to generate household income. But their livelihoods are under threat, as Nepal is experiencing the effects of climate change at a much…
Princeton, HMEI experts identify priorities for UN climate summit and global actions going forward
October 28, 2021 ・ Liz Fuller-WrightHundreds of leaders and thousands of climate scholars from around the globe will gather in Glasgow, Scotland, for COP26, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12. Most experts believe this year’s meeting — the biggest…
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…
Frequent extreme events require new governance with the flexibility, resilience of natural systems
September 23, 2021From the COVID-19 pandemic to devastating wildfires and deadly heatwaves, extreme events are becoming more frequent as a result of human activity such as the burning of fossil fuels and encroachment into natural habitats. An international team that included researchers…
NSF awards Princeton, University of Arizona researchers $5M to model US water resources using machine learning
September 16, 2021As extreme weather events such as flooding and drought become more common in a climate impacted by humans, the ability to understand and predict water resources and systems is becoming more important than ever. To that end, a team of…
HMEI Biodiversity Challenge awards $600,000 to inaugural projects exploring the roots of and pressures on biodiversity
September 15, 2021 ・ Morgan KellyThe High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) has awarded nearly $600,000 in inaugural funds from the Thomas A. and Currie C. Barron Family Biodiversity Research Challenge Fund — or Biodiversity Challenge — to six projects led by Princeton University faculty that…
Climate scientist Curtis Deutsch joins Geosciences, High Meadows Environmental Institute faculty
September 7, 2021 ・ Morgan KellyClimate scientist Curtis Deutsch, whose work focuses on understanding interactions between climate and ecosystems, has joined the Princeton faculty as a Professor of Geosciences and the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI). His appointment expands the number of faculty who are…
