World’s thinnest roots are ‘underground weapons’ in ecological competition
February 14, 2022 ・ Liz Fuller-WrightMost of us only think about the easily visible parts of plants — stems, flowers, leaves — but in a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Princeton ecologists Lars Hedin and Mingzhen Lu show that the hidden root…
Tropical birds may skip breeding when hot, dry conditions persist
July 20, 2021 ・ Liana WaitDuring the past several years, ecologists have warned that prolonged periods of drought may be leading to declines in tropical bird populations by reducing reproductive success in adults. Now, Princeton researchers report that some tropical birds may not only be…
Walbridge Fund 2021 graduate researchers explore environmental topics from carbon capture to the social power of “sacred ecology”
July 15, 2021 ・ Morgan KellyThe High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) has selected 10 Princeton University graduate students as 2021 recipients of the Walbridge Fund Graduate Award for Environmental Research. The awardees are Maria Curria, Ipsita Dey, Yuki Haba, Shannon Hoffman, Xiaohan Li, Sayumi Miyano, José Montaño…
PEI awards new Climate and Energy Challenge projects, from the natural color-scape to the right words for climate change
June 29, 2020 ・ Morgan KellyFour new projects funded by the Climate and Energy Grand Challenge program will explore topics such as the environmental impact of turbulence from offshore wind turbines, the effect of climate change on the natural color-scape, the efficient production of jet…
Study on shorebirds suggests that when conserving species, not all land is equal
June 9, 2020 ・ Morgan KellyPrinceton University researchers may have solved a long-standing mystery in conservation that could influence how natural lands are designated for the preservation of endangered species. Around the world, the migratory shorebirds that are a conspicuous feature of coastal habitats are…
Senior Cole Morokhovich’s unexpected path to studying what hummingbirds could tell us about climate change
May 7, 2020 ・ Morgan KellyPrinceton senior Cole Morokhovich still marvels at the possibility that his academic path may have come down to one five-minute window. Having come to Princeton with a focus on pre-medicine, he had taken most of the required courses and declared…
CMI Best Paper Awards recognize postdoc, graduate student published research
May 5, 2020 ・ Holly WellesThe Carbon Mitigation Initiative (CMI) recognized Jane Baldwin, a past postdoctoral fellow in the Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI), and Samantha Hartzell, a graduate student in civil and environmental engineering, at the CMI Annual Meeting for outstanding published research. Baldwin received…
Levine receives prestigious Robert MacArthur ecological research award
April 17, 2020 ・ Liz Fuller-WrightJonathan Levine, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB) and an associated faculty member in the Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI), is the 2020 recipient of the Ecological Society of America’s Robert H. MacArthur Award, the most prestigious mid-career accolade from…
Researchers find nature’s backup plan for converting nitrogen into plant nutrients
November 11, 2019 ・ Joseph AlbaneseAlthough nitrogen is essential for all living organisms — it makes up 3% of the human body — and comprises 78% of Earth’s atmosphere, it’s almost ironically difficult for plants and natural systems to access it. Atmospheric nitrogen is not…
