Regrow, not reuse: How restoring abandoned farms can mitigate climate change
May 25, 2022 ・ B. Rose HuberThe Institute Woods near Princeton University’s campus comprises 589 acres of serene walking trails and a wooden footbridge enjoyed by hikers, runners, and birdwatchers. Like many forests in New Jersey, this local landmark was a patchwork of farm fields and…
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…
Birds’ dazzling iridescence tied to nanoscale tweak of feather structure
December 21, 2021 ・ Morgan KellyThe iridescent shimmer that makes birds such as peacocks and hummingbirds so striking is rooted in a natural nanostructure so complex that people are only just beginning to replicate it technologically. The secret to how birds produce these brilliant colors…
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,…
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…
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…
Joe Kawalec ’21 looks skyward in search of a tiny ecosystem engineer
May 11, 2021 ・ Morgan KellyThe two years Princeton Joe Kawalec spent studying the natural camouflage of the ubiquitous downy woodpecker oddly enough began and ended the same way — tracing the outlines of birds. In between, he observed patterns in tree bark through the ultraviolet…
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…
As Princeton’s Lake Carnegie opens less often for skating, a climate trend may be emerging
March 29, 2021 ・ Morgan KellyThe heavy snowfalls and frigid days of this past winter in New Jersey let Princeton sophomore Grace Liu finally experience the Northeastern winter she’d only imagined growing up in her Florida hometown of palm trees and sandy beaches. She was…
