Coconut Palms Dominate Over Half of Pacific Atoll Forests
First study of its kind shows that decades of coconut palm agriculture have led to deforestation on over 80 percent of Pacific atolls, and coconut palms now cover more than…
Recovery
Running the Numbers on Global Seabird Restoration
A new database of global seabird restoration projects allows scientists to analyze trends and provides a tool for practitioners looking to effectively restore seabirds and coastal ecosystems. The Gist Led…
Peatlands Are One of Earth’s Most Underrated Ecosystems
A conservation team walks by hummocks of sphagnum moss, mist hanging in the scattered black spruce. They step onto soft, springy ground that squelches under their rubber boots, and a…
Want to Suppress Coral Disease? Bring Back Sea Cucumbers
Research from French Polynesia and TNC’s Palmyra Atoll Preserve shows that, by feeding on microbial pathogens in marine sediment, the weird and wonderful sea cucumber can enhance reef resilience by…
Can Listening to Oyster Reefs Help Us Assess Their Health?
Can Listening to Oyster Reefs Help Us Assess Their Health?
Saltmarsh Sparrow: The “Canary” of Sea-Level Rise
The saltmarsh sparrow is a small puff of a bird that is uniquely adapted to living (and nesting) within a habitat that floods regularly. Endemic to the east coast of…
Atolls are Globally Important for Seabirds
New science from Indo-Pacific atolls, including TNC’s Palmyra Preserve, reveals that global conservation efforts largely overlook the important contributions of atolls to the protection, restoration potential, and long-term survival of…
Want Resilient Coral Reefs? Bring Back Seabirds
Seabirds are ecosystem engineers, contributing valuable nutrients to reef ecosystems offshore of breeding colonies. New research, published in Science Advances, suggests eradicating rats and restoring seabird populations could increase coral…
How To Bring Back the Prairie, a Tiny Bit at a Time
In the southeastern corner of Minnesota, fields of corn and soy stretch seemingly endlessly—a far cry from the area’s native grasslands. Past surveys estimated just 1% of the state’s native…
Studying Challenges to Cozumel’s Coral Reefs
This story is part of a series designed to introduce the perspectives of alumni from the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy’s global youth externship program. Each guest author…