Decisions about whether to build, remove or modify dams involve complex trade-offs that are often accompanied by social and political conflict. A group of researchers from the natural and social sciences, engineering, arts and humanities has joined forces to show how, where and when it may be possible to achieve a more efficient balance among […]
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National Geographic spoke with Brian McGill, professor of ecological modeling at the University of Maine, for the article, “Widely misinterpreted report still shows catastrophic animal decline.” The World Wildlife Fund For Nature’s recently released Living Planet Report was widely misinterpreted by many outlets, with headlines wrongly insisting that we’ve lost 60 percent of all animals […]
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Rockweed is sometimes called an “ecosystem engineer,” because its branched structure alters the surrounding environment, and creates space for other species to find shelter and food. The marine alga also is a valuable source of nutrients and other compounds with commercial purposes. In the past decade, increased harvesting has led to questions about the effects […]
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The relationship between community resilience and reuse markets is the focus of a recently funded project led by University of Maine researchers. Cynthia Isenhour, a professor of anthropology and climate change, and Andrew Crawley, a professor of regional economic development, were awarded $265,147 from the National Science Foundation to examine Maine’s reuse markets and their […]
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Facilitating effective communication between scientists working in national parks and the public is the focus of a new publication by the National Park Service (NPS) in collaboration with the University of Maine. The report, “Science in Places of Grandeur: Communication and Engagement in National Parks,” was published in the journal Integrative and Comparative Biology and […]
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A team of University of Maine researchers has been awarded $1.5 million from the National Science Foundation to examine the relationships among the spread of mosquito-transmitted diseases, perceptions of mosquito-borne disease risk and human travel, including domestic and international tourism. The five-year project, “Coupled Dynamics of Tourism and Mosquito-Borne Disease Transmission in the Americas,” is […]
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Protection of only narrowly defined zones of winter habitat is not an effective means of regional habitat conservation for white-tailed deer, according to a new University of Maine study. The study found that zoning is not an effective wildlife conservation strategy if land use is unregulated for the surrounding landscape, and that habitat protection confined […]
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Researchers in the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station and their colleagues from neighboring institutions published a report called “Bees and Their Habitats in Four New England States” this summer. The report includes previously unpublished information and a synthesis of literature relevant to Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. The report also offers recommendations for […]
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Maintaining current hunting regulations for ruffed grouse will help ensure sustainable population management in the state, according to a new University of Maine study. Ruffed grouse live in Maine’s forests year-round and are popular quarry among hunters, including a substantial number of non-resident hunters who travel to Maine to pursue the birds each year. The […]
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Explaining the dynamics of an ice age landscape to a classroom of middle-schoolers can be a daunting challenge for teachers. Researchers in the lab examine evidence such as pollen and other tiny fossils, and particulate matter contained in sediment core samples to “see” what the ancient landscape once was. But how can this data be […]
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