Ecology explores the intricate relationships between living organisms and their environments, revealing how life adapts, interacts, and sustains itself across the planet. From microscopic soil communities to vast migratory patterns, this field examines the delicate balance that keeps ecosystems functioning and resilient. Understanding these connections is vital for addressing urgent challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss.

At Gist.Science, we make the latest research from bioRxiv accessible to everyone. We process every new preprint in this category as it appears, offering both clear plain-language explanations and detailed technical summaries to suit every reader. This approach ensures that groundbreaking findings in ecological science are not locked behind complex terminology but are available for immediate understanding and discussion.

Below are the latest papers in ecology, curated to help you stay informed about the evolving story of life on Earth.

🌿 ecology

Beaver population decline on Michipicoten Island, Ontario leads to satellite-measured surface water area reductions

This study demonstrates that satellite imagery can effectively detect significant reductions in beaver pond surface water area on Michipicoten Island following a major beaver population decline caused by grey wolves, establishing a cost-effective method for monitoring large-scale beaver population trends in the boreal zone.

Fraser, R. H., Olthof, I., McLaren, A., Patterson, B.2026-02-21
🌿 ecology

Harvest probabilities of European ducks: the very first estimation based on reward rings

This study presents the first reward-ring analysis of European ducks, revealing that approximately two-thirds of standard rings are reported and that harvest mortality is highest immediately after ringing before declining in subsequent years due to selective survival and behavioral adaptation.

Souchay, G., Caizergues, A., Bacon, L., Champagnon, J., Devineau, O., Gelin, M., Grzegorczyk, E., Lebreton, J.-D., Plaqu (…)2026-02-20
🌿 ecology

What is the cost of that fence? The impact of fences on the movements of ungulates in a hyper-arid landscape

This study demonstrates that fences and roads in the hyper-arid Greater Sossusvlei Namib Landscape significantly restrict ungulate movements and reduce home ranges, with varying degrees of impact across species like springbok and gemsbok, thereby highlighting specific barriers that require modification to restore habitat connectivity.

Hauptfleisch, M. L., Urban, S., Scott-Hayward, L., MacKenzie, M., Uiseb, K.2026-02-19
🌿 ecology

Management strategy evaluation for real-time closures in the short mackerel fishery in the Gulf of Thailand

This study demonstrates that real-time closures (RTCs) are more effective than static closures for managing the Gulf of Thailand's short mackerel fishery, as they offer greater flexibility, require smaller closure areas, and successfully mitigate fishing mortality for migratory species by utilizing near real-time surveillance data.

Meeanan, C., Noranarttragoon, P., Sinanun, P., Sanitmajjaro, W., Takahashi, Y., Kaewnern, M., Matsuishi, T. F.2026-02-19
🌿 ecology

Thermal niche warming is more consistent than range shifts in marine species under climate change

Based on long-term surveys in the North Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, this study reveals that while marine fish have experienced substantial warming in their realized thermal niches over the past three decades, their spatial redistributions across latitude, longitude, and depth have been generally small and region-specific, challenging the assumption that species can effectively shift their ranges to escape rising ocean temperatures.

Maioli, F., Denderen, P. D. v., Lindmark, M., Montanyes, M., Ward, E. J., Anderson, S. C., Lindegren, M.2026-02-19
🌿 ecology

Rearing Istocheta aldrichi (Diptera: Tachinidae) from field-collected Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica): 1. Methods to improve insect collection and parasitoid pupariation

This study evaluates how collection timing, methods, and rearing conditions affect the successful collection and pupariation of the Japanese beetle parasitoid *Istocheta aldrichi*, ultimately providing optimized guidelines for its use in biological control programs.

Legault, S., Doyon, J., Abram, P. K., Brodeur, J.2026-02-19
🌿 ecology

Bridging the gaps between field-based ecology and remote sensing to estimate plant functional diversity: a systematic review

This systematic review evaluates the conceptual and methodological convergence between field-based ecology and remote sensing, highlighting their growing alignment on key functional traits while identifying persistent gaps in biome coverage and emphasizing the need for harmonized definitions and scaling assumptions to create a unified framework for monitoring plant functional diversity.

Cerda-Paredes, J. M., Pacheco-Labrador, J., Craven, D., Lopatin, J.2026-02-19
🌿 ecology

Temporal Trends: Phase-shifted time-series analysis reveals highly correlated reproductive behaviors in the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)

This study utilizes phase-shifted time-series analysis to demonstrate that mating activity in black soldier flies is highly correlated with subsequent reproductive metrics, specifically peaking at a 2-day lag for trap oviposition and a 3-day lag for other fertility indicators, thereby revealing the predictable temporal dynamics of their reproductive cycle.

Lemke, N. B., Li, C., De Smet, J.2026-02-18