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Ecology

Long-form, peer-informed writing on the systems that sustain life — ecosystems and their services, the climate that shapes them, and the biodiversity that gives them resilience.

Subtopics

Where the ecology writing on this site is organized.

Start with a pillar

One in-depth foundation article per subtopic — the recommended entry point.

Ecology · EcosystemsPillar

What is an ecosystem? A working scientist's definition

An ecosystem is not a place — it's a flux. Here's what that distinction unlocks for thinking about resilience, restoration, and what we actually conserve.

Dr. Helena VegaMay 2, 20264 min read
  • ecosystems
  • ecology-fundamentals
  • energy-flow
Ecology · Climate ChangePillar

What is climate change? The mechanism, the evidence, and the open questions

Climate change refers to the long-term shift in Earth's energy balance driven by changes in atmospheric composition. Here's the mechanism, the evidence behind it, and the questions that remain genuinely open.

Dr. Lila MendezMay 2, 20265 min read
  • climate
  • fundamentals
  • greenhouse-effect
Ecology · BiodiversityPillar

Why species counts mislead conservation prioritization

Species richness is the easiest biodiversity metric to compute and the worst one to prioritize on. Functional and phylogenetic diversity are what predict ecosystem performance — and they often disagree with the species count.

Dr. Inés FournierMay 2, 20264 min read
  • biodiversity
  • conservation
  • functional-diversity

Latest in Ecology

Most recently updated writing across all subtopics.

Ecology · Ecosystems

Foundation species and the myth of functional redundancy

The claim that ecosystems are robust because species are interchangeable is comforting and largely wrong. Foundation species are how ecosystems hide their fragility.

Dr. Inés FournierMay 2, 20263 min read
  • ecosystems
  • biodiversity
  • foundation-species
Ecology · EcosystemsPillar

What is an ecosystem? A working scientist's definition

An ecosystem is not a place — it's a flux. Here's what that distinction unlocks for thinking about resilience, restoration, and what we actually conserve.

Dr. Helena VegaMay 2, 20264 min read
  • ecosystems
  • ecology-fundamentals
  • energy-flow
Ecology · Climate Change

How temperate forests are quietly losing their carbon sink capacity

A multi-decade synthesis suggests temperate forests may absorb 15–30% less carbon by 2050 than current models assume — driven by drought stress, pest expansion, and shifting growth seasons.

Dr. Helena VegaMay 2, 20263 min read
  • carbon
  • forests
  • climate
Ecology · Climate ChangePillar

What is climate change? The mechanism, the evidence, and the open questions

Climate change refers to the long-term shift in Earth's energy balance driven by changes in atmospheric composition. Here's the mechanism, the evidence behind it, and the questions that remain genuinely open.

Dr. Lila MendezMay 2, 20265 min read
  • climate
  • fundamentals
  • greenhouse-effect
Ecology · BiodiversityPillar

Why species counts mislead conservation prioritization

Species richness is the easiest biodiversity metric to compute and the worst one to prioritize on. Functional and phylogenetic diversity are what predict ecosystem performance — and they often disagree with the species count.

Dr. Inés FournierMay 2, 20264 min read
  • biodiversity
  • conservation
  • functional-diversity

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