What maintains stability within an ecosystem and prevents a single best competitor from displacing other species from a community? Does ecosystem stability depend upon the presence of a wide variety of species, as early ecologists believed, or does diversity do the exact opposite, and lead to instability, as modern theory predicts?

Classified as: biodiversity, Sustainability
Published on: 21 Mar 2024

More than ever before, there is a growing interest in dedicating resources to stop the loss of biodiversity, as recently exemplified by the

Classified as: mcgill research, Andrew Gonzalez, brian leung, Department of Biology, Bieler School of Environment, Faculty of Science, biodiversity
Published on: 16 Feb 2024

It's not every day that a university assignment transforms into a real-world conservation initiative. Yet, that's precisely what happened with the Macdonald Campus Pollination Meadow project. What began as coursework evolved into an ecological marvel, all thanks to the hard work and vision of a group of Macdonald students led by Alex Kuijper Dickson BEng’23 (Bioresource) and Heather Brown BSc(AgEnvSc)’24.

Classified as: biodiversity
Published on: 29 Nov 2023

Dr. Murray Humphries (PhD’01), a passionate wildlife biology professor at the Macdonald Campus, spends his days immersed in the fascinating world of biodiversity—the colorful, complex tapestry of life on Earth. At the Macdonald Campus, we don't just study this diversity, we celebrate it.

Classified as: Murray Humphries, biodiversity
Published on: 29 Nov 2023

Insect populations are widely influenced by weather anomalies, with decreasing numbers observed during unfavorable conditions and a spike in normal periods, according to a new study. The study published in Nature tries to resolve a debated topic: Are insect populations declining? Several studies have reported a decline in insect populations and diversity while others have questioned this. (Nature)

Here is an expert from McGill University who can provide comment on this issue:

Classified as: McGill experts, biodiversity, Andrew Gonzalez, Department of Biology
Category:
Published on: 3 Oct 2023

NSERC Alliance Grant supports McGill-led Canadian team, new global climate center on AI for biodiversity change

Classified as: AI, biodiversity, climate & global modelling, climate change, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mila Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute
Published on: 18 Sep 2023
For years, pollinator declines have been a pressing issue for ecosystem health and food security in the face of climate change and human impacts on the environment. Even in their sleep, pollinating insects cannot catch a break – for fear they’ll be taken down by a small, but mighty predator: the candy-striped spider. Research published in Ecology took a closer look into this spider’s behaviour and found that the result of their stealth attacks could have substantial impacts on ecosystems.
Classified as: mcgill research, McGill News, Catherine Scott, Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, candy-striped spiders, spiders, ecosystem, pollination, biodiversity, climate change, Sustainability, Lyman Lab
Category:
Published on: 19 Apr 2023

When natural habitats are cleared to make way for cities, roads and agriculture, this often leaves behind “islands” of fragmented habitat that can place species at risk of extinction. Species are at risk when they find it hard to move among habitat patches to find resources and reproduce.

Classified as: Andrew Gonzalez, biodiversity, Faculty of Science
Category:
Published on: 22 Mar 2023

The 2022 United Nations Biodiversity Conference of the Parties (COP15) was held in Montreal on December 7-19, 2022. The conference’s outcome agreement, known as “30×30” means the protection of 30 per cent of land and oceans by 2030.

Classified as: Faculty of Science, Faculty of Law, Biology Department, biodiversity, Montreal
Published on: 13 Jan 2023

Tackling climate change and preserving biodiversity a key priority for McGill and Quebec

The Fonds de recherche du Québec announced its latest rounds of funding earlier this month in support of research, training, and initiatives to tackle major societal challenges—including climate change and biodiversity loss.

Classified as: agricultural practices, agriculture, biodiversity, FRQSC, Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science, Fonds de recherche du Québec – santé (FRQS), Liber Ero Chair in Biodiversity Conservation, Fonds de recherche du Québec - Nature et technologies (FRQNT), polymer
Published on: 30 Jun 2022

Professors Murray Humphries, Director of the McGill Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment (CINE), and Treena Delormier and Hugo Melgar-Quinonez, both from the School of Human Nutrition, will play key roles in the NFRF-T project, Biodiversity Conservation and the Health and Well-being of Indigenous Peoples, led by the University of A

Classified as: Murray Humphries, Treena Wasonti:io Delormier, Hugo Melgar-Quinonez, CINE, Truth and Reconciliation, biodiversity, conservation
Published on: 24 Jan 2022

As the global community is called to re-examine our relationship to the natural world, one thing is certain: despite all our technological advances, humans are completely dependent on healthy and vibrant ecosystems for water, food, medicines, clothes, fuel, shelter, and energy, just to name a few. The 2021 theme, “We’re part of the solution”, was chosen to be a continuation of the momentum generated last year under the over-arching theme, “Our solutions are in nature”, which served as a reminder that biodiversity remains the answer to several sustainable development challenges.

Classified as: McGill experts, biodiversity, biological diversity, International Day for Biological Diversity, Department of Biology, Redpath Museum, Bieler School of Environment, Sustainability, brian leung, laura pollock, Anthony Ricciardi, climate change, Andrew Gonzalez
Category:
Published on: 19 May 2021

For decades, scientists have wrestled with rival theories to explain how interactions between species, like competition, influence biodiversity. Tracking microbial life across the planet, researchers from McGill University show that biodiversity does in fact foster further diversity in microbiomes that are initially less diverse. However, diversity rates plateau with increased competition for survival and space in more diverse microbiomes.

Classified as: microbiome, biodiversity, loss, microbial life, diversity begets diversity, Jesse Shapiro, Sustainability
Published on: 3 Feb 2021

The Group on Earth Observations - Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON), a global research network and community of practice dedicated to improved monitoring of Earth’s biodiversity, announces the relocation of its headquarters from Leipzig, Germany, to Montreal, Canada.

GEO BON responds to the urgent need for the best possible data and knowledge to support decisions to avoid unsustainable biodiversity loss. The information it provides will support international and national actions to meet biodiversity targets and Sustainable Development Goals.

Classified as: Andrew Gonzalez, Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science, biodiversity, Sustainability
Category:
Published on: 6 Jul 2020

May 22 is International Day for Biological Diversity. As the global community is called to re-examine its relationship to the natural world, one thing is certain: despite all our technological advances we are completely dependent on healthy and vibrant ecosystems for our water, food, medicines, clothes, fuel, shelter and energy, just to name a few. The 2020 theme “Our solutions are in nature” emphasizes hope, solidarity and the importance of working together at all levels to build a future of life in harmony with nature.

Classified as: International Day for Biological Diversity, biodiversity, anna hargreaves, Anthony Ricciardi, Sustainability
Category:
Published on: 21 May 2020

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