A study involving livestock producers in the Galápagos Islands found that the expansion and intensification of livestock farming are associated with perceived negative changes in local biodiversity.

A seven-year field experiment on King George Island, Antarctica, has revealed contrasting strategies used by the continent’s only two native vascular plants, Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis, to cope with long-term warming.

Researchers from Chile and Spain found that D. antarctica responded to warming by reducing leaf hydraulic conductivity and photosynthetic activity, suggesting a more conservative strategy focused on hydraulic stability and water conservation. In contrast, C. quitensis increased its hydraulic conductivity, photosynthetic capacity, cell-wall elasticity, and water and CO₂ transport, reflecting greater physiological plasticity and rapid acclimation.

The study, conducted using passive warming chambers in experimental plots established in 2012, is one of the longest-running in situ warming experiments in maritime Antarctica. It is also the first to examine hydraulic traits, xylem anatomy, and photosynthetic performance together in both species under sustained warming.

The findings suggest that the ability of these two species to coexist and expand in a warming Antarctica may be partly explained by their contrasting responses to environmental change. Understanding this complementarity could help scientists anticipate how Antarctic vegetation will respond to future climate change.

A new study published in PNAS examines how historical, social, and ecological processes have shaped urban segregation in Valdivia, southern Chile. Focusing on three key moments—European colonization, the 1960 earthquake, and current struggles to protect urban wetlands—the interdisciplinary research shows how socioeconomic inequality and historical legacies have influenced where people live and their access to nature and ecosystem services. The study also highlights how flooding disproportionately affects lower-income neighborhoods, where wetlands can provide critical protection against excess water. By applying the concept of the “Ecology of Segregation” to a city in the Global South, the researchers highlight the importance of inclusive urban planning, environmental justice, and the protection of urban wetlands.

The study, based on data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, found that stress, anxiety, and depression are the factors that most weaken psychological resilience.