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What is rewilding?
The term rewilding has been thrown about a lot quite recently but in many cases, the term has been misused to just be about planting trees. Here I explain how ecologists view rewilding, as well as important concepts required to understand rewilding. This is somewhat a summary of a review paper by Perino et al.Continue reading “What is rewilding?”
Gliding lizards and how disturbance helps biodiversity
Draco gliding lizards are interesting tropical animals. They have ‘wings’ that fold out from their ribs and allow them to glide from tree to tree. They also have a small flap under their chins that acts as both a flag to communicate and like the tail of a plane to stabilise their flight. When IContinue reading “Gliding lizards and how disturbance helps biodiversity”
Wildflower meadows in Malaysia, a beginners guide
Naturally occurring wildflower patches are the first step in succession. These small sun loving plants are usually the first to colonise bare land. They then help to regenerate the soil and make it suitable for secondary vegetation like shrubs and small trees to grow. It should be stated that modern wildflower meadows are not nativeContinue reading “Wildflower meadows in Malaysia, a beginners guide”
Biodiversity in Cities
In recent years, ecologists have begun to take a second look at plants and animals appearing in cities. There seems to be more ‘nature’ in urban areas than one would expect. Cities are supposed to be human territories—steel, brick and concrete—not exactly welcoming to wildlife. But urban places display a variety of species and habitatsContinue reading “Biodiversity in Cities”
Oikos: An introduction to ecology
Sometime in the 19th century, Ernest Haeckel, a naturalist, came up with the word ‘ecology’ to draw attention to something that he thought was important: the ‘entire relations’ of an organism. By this, he meant that it was not enough to study one plant or animal species at a time. He believed it was importantContinue reading “Oikos: An introduction to ecology”
Saving the Underground Farmers: Soil Ecosystems
Have you ever noticed the earth that you step on? It is where we get materials essential to our survival. It is soil that supports the growth of plants, the producers of the food chain and the sources of fibre, fodder, and fuel. At first look, it seems static and lifeless. In fact, soil hostsContinue reading “Saving the Underground Farmers: Soil Ecosystems”
Fig Trees in Town
Fig fruitImage by Couleur from Pixabay We might not all recognize them, and we might not recognize all of them but fig trees are among the native flora that have come to settle in cities with us. Some are intentionally planted in urban areas, while others continue to appear spontaneously, self-sowing, even in the lessContinue reading “Fig Trees in Town”
The City Tree
Most days, a city tree is just a tree. It stands there, out of the way, but close enough if you need a shaded parking or walk. Other days, a tree will make one pause and wonder. Cities all over the world remember to add trees to their streets and build parks from scratch toContinue reading “The City Tree”
Butterfly Gardens: Key Concepts
Butterflies are nice to have in a garden, they help to make it feel alive with colour and movement. They also become food for birds and carry out important pollination of plants. To have butterflies in a garden, you have to meet the requirements of butterflies. In no particular order, the requirements are: host plantsContinue reading “Butterfly Gardens: Key Concepts”
