Ecology papers, explained by their researchers.
The gist
Ecology Podcast is a research-led British Ecological Society series built around papers, methods, and the people behind them. Recent episodes move from urban green space and mental health to elm restoration, museum specimen labels, acoustic monitoring, penguin timing, beavers, bats, and plant ecology careers.
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About Ecology Podcast
Ecology Podcast is a British Ecological Society series about ecological research, publishing, methods, and scientific careers. Its centre of gravity is the paper interview. A named researcher arrives with a recent article, and the conversation works through the background, study design, findings, uncertainties, and wider meaning. The pace is patient. Episodes often begin with how someone entered ecology before moving into the technical substance of the work. That structure gives the science a human frame without turning it into personality-led chat. Recent subjects range widely across the field. One episode follows Michaela Lowe’s work with the Equity and Diversity for All Genders and Ecology Network, focusing on visibility, volunteer labour, collaboration, and support within ecology. Another examines mental health benefits linked to urban green space, while also stressing limits in geographic representation and study samples. The elm episode treats restoration as more than a biological problem, asking who cares about lost tree species and why that care matters. A methods conversation with Margot Bello looks at automated extraction from museum specimen labels and the role of AI in cataloguing collections. Other episodes compare sensors, camera traps, and observer-based monitoring for terrestrial mammals. Climate change appears through penguin phenology, especially settlement timing and its consequences for breeding seasons. Beaver-engineered streams bring in bats, insects, canopy heterogeneity, and standing deadwood. The eminent ecologist interview with Angela Moles shifts toward plant ecology, seed size, survival, introduced species, and large-scale patterns. Across these conversations, the show keeps returning to evidence, method, context, and the limits of what can be claimed. It is especially useful for students, working ecologists, journal readers, and scientifically curious listeners who want accessible research talk without flattening the complexity.
Made for: For ecology students, researchers, conservation professionals, journal readers, and science-minded listeners who prefer careful explanation over quick headlines. It also suits anyone interested in how ecological knowledge is produced, questioned, and applied.
What sets it apart: The show pairs current BES-linked papers with direct researcher conversations, so methods, caveats, field context, and career paths sit beside the headline findings. Its strength is not spectacle but careful access to the reasoning behind ecological work.
In their own words
Podcasts from the British Ecological Society
As heard by us
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Ecology Podcast makes research leadership concrete through careful interviews about methods, careers, collaboration and the institutions surrounding ecological work.
Ecology Podcast turns published research into conversations about how ecological work is designed, interpreted and carried into professional practice.
Why you'd press play
Beavers leave deadwood, bats benefit, and you get to find out why.
Press play if you want
- to learn why pollen can matter to bats when insects are scarce
- to watch a neat seed-size rule change when you count a plant's whole lifetime
Talks about
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Episodes
- 1
ELM Network | Episode 2: Motivation to lead with Professor Jane K. Hill
·42m - 2
Michaela Guo Ying Lo talks about gender representation in ecology
·29m - 3
Mental health and urban green | The Story Behind the Paper
·24m - 4
The fall and rise of elm | The Story Behind the Paper
·32m - 5
Black History Month 2023: Perpetra Akite on Entomology, Representation and Collaboration
·47m - 6
Reproductive Performance of Peregrine Falcons in southern Scotland
·3m - 7
Black History Month 2023: Yoseph Araya on Nature, Role Models and Academia
·25m - 8
French Translation - Disgust in animals audio abstract
·3m - 9
Automatic information extraction from museum specimen labels | the story behind the paper
·28m - 10
Sensors versus surveyors | the story behind the paper
·24m - 11
Los Pingüinos y sus Respuestas Fenológicas al Cambio Climático | La Historia Detrás del Artículo
·17m - 12
Penguins and Their Phenological Responses to Climate Change | The Story Behind the Paper
·34m - 13
Beavers Boost Bat Biodiversity | The Story Behind the Paper
·27m - 14
Eminent Ecologist 2025: Angela Moles | Lessons in starting out as an ecologist
·34m - 15
Pollen essential amino acids shape bat–flower interaction networks with Fernando Gonçalves
·31m - 16
Spiders Spotted Using Trapped Fireflies to Lure Prey | The Story Behind The Paper
·57m - 17
Included in Nature with Clare Rishbeth | Introduction
·8m - 18
Included in Nature with Clare Rishbeth | Case Report 1 - Disabilities
·12m - 19
Included in Nature with Clare Rishbeth | Case Report 2 - Low Income Areas
·13m - 20
Included in Nature with Clare Rishbeth | Case Report 3 - Older People
·11m - 21
Included in Nature with Clare Rishbeth | Case Report 4 - Ethnic Minorities
·20m - 22
Included in Nature with Clare Rishbeth | Claire's Current and Future Research
·6m - 23
Special Interest Groups | Rewilding
·37m - 24
Functional Ecology | Jennifer Apland: Isolating the effects of floral temperature on visitation and behaviour of wild bee and fly pollinators
·28m - 25
Revista de Ecología Animal | Experiencia del Editor: Dr Mariano Rodriguez-Cabal
·18m - 26
Journal of Animal Ecology | Editor Expertise: Dr Mariano Rodriguez-Cabal
·16m - 27
BES Special Feature | Marine Heatwaves
·29m - 28
Methods in Ecology and Evolution | Dr René Steinmann : Decoding the footsteps of the African savanna
·27m - 29
ELM Network | Episode 3: Leadership lessons from Professor Malcolm Press
·28m - 30
Journal of Animal Ecology | Editor Expertise: Dr Roberto Salguero-Gómez
·25m - 31
Annual Meeting | In conversation with Dr. Rob Brooker
·16m - 32
Journal Club episode 1: Can developing climbing routes be a threat to endemic plants?
·51m - 33
Journal of Animal Ecology | Editor Expertise: Professor Darren Evans
·54m - 34
Functional Ecology | Dr Abbey Yatsko: Why are trees hollow? Termites, microbes and tree internal stem damage in a tropical savanna
·31m - 35
Functional Ecology | Adam Devenish: Mutualistic interactions facilitate invasive species spread
·25m - 36
Journal of Animal Ecology | Editor Expertise: Professor Jean-Michel Gaillard
·18m - 37
Black History Month 2023: Jhan Salazar on The Wonder of Nature and Importance of Representation
·31m - 38
Black History Month 2023: Gideon Deme on his Journey, Barriers to Ecology, and Inspirations
·1h 1m - 39
Black History Month 2023: Reuben Fakoya-Brooks on Academia, Barrier-Breaking and Creativity
·54m - 40
A balanced spatial distribution of green areas creates healthier urban landscapes
·14m - 41
The searchscape of fear: A global analysis of internet search trends for biophobias
·30m - 42
Sea-weeding: Manual removal of macroalgae facilitates rapid coral recovery
·19m - 43
FE Special Feature: Fire as a dynamic ecological and evolutionary force
·37m - 44
Seeking a ‘just right’ site for the Western Swamp Turtle
·35m - 45
Forests that keep fires small, and how they do it
·38m - 46
Animal Functional Traits: A Special Focus
·30m - 47
Where to fish in the forest? Mangrove quality, fish and crustaceans
·17m - 48
2022 nominee: Feeding from up to bottom—belowground herbivory impacts on plant-soil feedbacks
·20m - 49
A conversation with Sarah Schwieger: Rewetting in peatlands
·7m - 50
A conversation with Paula Prist: Yellow fever virus dispersion
·11m - 51
2022 Haldane Prize nominee: Transgenerational behavioral plasticity in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
·31m - 52
A conversation with Liz Koziol: Manipulating plant microbiomes in the field
·10m - 53
The Mechanisms and Consequences of Infection-Induced Phenotypes: cross-journal SF
·33m - 54
Connections Matter: How Patterns of Habitat Connectivity Affect Population Dynamics
·32m - 55
Disgust in animals and the application of disease avoidance to wildlife management and conservation
·3m - 56
The effect of high-intensity fires on woody plant encroachment in an African savanna
·22m - 57
Flower patterns improve foraging efficiency in bumblebees by guiding approach flight and landing
·30m - 58
Acoustic signature reveals blue whales tune life-history transitions to oceanographic conditions
·28m - 59
Eusociality and the transition from biparental to alloparental care in termites
·39m - 60
BES Collaborates with The Root Of The Science Podcast for a special BHM 2022 panel discussion
·50m - 61
BHM 2022: Sandra Klemet-N'Guessan - How to cultivate a more equitable and diverse landscape
·32m - 62
MEEin3: The Movebank system for studying global animal movement and demography
·4m - 63
Journal of Animal Ecology: Citizen Science Special Issue, episode 1 Ian Thornhill
·28m - 64
MEEin3: Identifying latent behavioral states in animal movement
·3m - 65
MEEin3: Adapting a turkey fryer to manipulate water temperature
·7m - 66
MEEin3: A standardisation framework for bio-logging data
·6m - 67
Using functional traits to identify conservation priorities for the world's crocodylians
·41m - 68
MEEin3 Pilot: Preserving benthic arthropods for DNA metabarcoding
·5m - 69
Tree species that live slow, die older enhance tropical peat swamp restoration
·13m - 70
Simulated winter warming negatively impacts survival of Antarctica’s only endemic insect
·24m - 71
Emerging relationships among microbes, soil carbon storage and climate change
·23m - 72
Understanding climate change response in the age of genomics
·1h 3m - 73
JEC JOURNAL CLUB: Extinction, climate change and the ecology of Homo sapiens
·25m - 74
FE: Lara Ferry talks to Lillian Tuttle about differential learning by native vs invasive predators
·11m - 75
FE: Emma Sayer talks to Kelsey Shaw about disease transmission and considering the community
·15m - 76
FE: Enrico Rezende talks to Ummat Somjee about New Zealand giraffe weevils
·21m - 77
Journal of Animal Ecology - Christyn Bailey tells the #storybehindthepaper
·7m - 78
FE Haldane 2020: Anderson Feijo talks to Lara Ferry
·4m - 79
Journal of Animal Ecology: Citizen Science Special Issue, episode 5 Mark Ditmer
·22m - 80
Journal of Animal Ecology: Citizen Science Special Issue, episode 4 Heather Williams
·16m - 81
Journal of Animal Ecology: Citizen Science Special Issue, episode 3 Chris Latimer
·20m - 82
Journal of Animal Ecology: Citizen Science Special Issue, episode 2 Frank La Sorte
·16m - 83
FE: Terrie Williams talks to Emma Sayer on the costs of surviving at the top of the food chain
·17m - 84
Eminent Ecologist 2020 - Bernhard Schmid Interview
·23m - 85
Guidelines for using NHCs to better understand how biological events are responding to global change
Michael Bailitz discusses his paper on using natural history collections to study phenological responses to global change, with a focus on Lepidoptera.
·35m - 86
ELM Network | Episode 4: Leading with clarity and kindness with Professor Sallie Bailey
Professor Sallie Bailey discusses leading with clarity and kindness in ecology management on the ELM Network podcast.
·45m - 87
The Superb Lyrebird: Nature’s Ecosystem Engineer - The Story Behind the Paper
·26m - 88
Ella Plumanns Pouton: How do intervals between fires influence canopy seed production and viability?
·36m - 89
ELM Network | Episode 1: What leadership looks like with Professor Yadvindar Malhi
·38m - 90
Journal of Animal Ecology | Editor Expertise: Dr Lesley Lancaster
·28m - 91
Black History Month 2024: Mthokozisi Moyo on Research in Africa, Funding, and Representation
·21m - 92
Black History Month 2024: Damilola Olanipon on Mycorrhiza, Opportunities and Reclaiming Narratives
·30m - 93
Patrick Finnerty: Plant odour enables patch choice by mammalian herbivores from afar
·24m - 94
PhD student Nina Bosch on post-fire recovery in heathlands and her BES Annual Meeting experience
·16m - 95
Journal of Animal Ecology | Editor Expertise: Dr Nathan J Sanders
·29m - 96
2023 Haldane Prize Shortlist: André Luza
·19m - 97
Southwood Prize 2023: Dominic McAfee on Oysters and Soundscapes
·26m - 98
2023 Haldane Prize Shortlist: Ximena Cibils
·49m - 99
Black History Month 2023: Jeanelle Brisbane on Conservation, Education and Representation
·41m - 100
Passive acoustic monitoring provides a fresh perspective on fundamental ecological questions
·55m - 101
Michaela Guo Ying Lo talks about gender representation in ecology
Hidden gemEcology Podcast features Michaela Lowe, a postdoctoral researcher at the Dora Institute of Conservation and Ecology at the University of Kent, on gender representation in ecology.
Mar 9, 2026·29m·2 clips - 102
Mental health and urban green | The Story Behind the Paper
Hidden gemMarilisa Hership of Dresden University of Technology discusses a February 2026 People and Nature paper combining 56 pre-post-control experiments on urban green and mental health.
Mar 6, 2026·24m·1 clip - 103
The fall and rise of elm | The Story Behind the Paper
Hidden gemFritha West discusses her 2025 People and Nature perspective on the social and cultural restoration of elm after Dutch elm disease.
Feb 12, 2026·32m·2 clips - 104
Automatic information extraction from museum specimen labels | the story behind the paper
Margot Bello discusses her paper on using AI to automate extraction of information from museum specimen labels for entomological collections.
Feb 11, 2026·28m - 105
Sensors versus surveyors | the story behind the paper
Sebastian discusses his research comparing passive acoustic monitoring, camera trapping, and observer-based methods for monitoring terrestrial mammals.
Jan 26, 2026·24m - 106
Los Pingüinos y sus Respuestas Fenológicas al Cambio Climático | La Historia Detrás del Artículo
Jan 20, 2026·17m - 107
Penguins and Their Phenological Responses to Climate Change | The Story Behind the Paper
Antarctic penguin colonies warmed at half a degree per year from 2012 to 2022, exceeding the Paris Agreement warming target 2.5 times over in a decade, according to research by Dr.
Jan 20, 2026·34m·2 clips - 108
Beavers Boost Bat Biodiversity | The Story Behind the Paper
In beaver-engineered streams in Switzerland, bat feeding activity was 2.3 times higher than in control areas just 500 meters away, according to PhD student Valentin Mauser of WSL and Eawag.
Jan 14, 2026·27m·2 clips - 109
Eminent Ecologist 2025: Angela Moles | Lessons in starting out as an ecologist
Hidden gemAngela Moles tells Richard Bargett that she "never decided" to become an ecologist, and traces that path from a high-school biology teacher to Kath Dickinson, Donald Drake, and Mark Westerby.
Dec 4, 2025·34m·2 clips - 110
Pollen essential amino acids shape bat–flower interaction networks with Fernando Gonçalves
Hidden gemFernando Gonçalves argues that pollen essential amino acids, not nectar alone, help shape bat-flower interaction networks in the Pantanal.
Oct 31, 2025·31m·3 clips - 111
ELM Network | Episode 4: Leading with clarity and kindness with Professor Sallie Bailey
Oct 30, 2025·45m - 112
Spiders Spotted Using Trapped Fireflies to Lure Prey | The Story Behind The Paper
Oct 21, 2025·57m - 113
Included in Nature with Clare Rishbeth | Introduction
Oct 7, 2025·8m - 114
Included in Nature with Clare Rishbeth | Case Report 4 - Ethnic Minorities
Professor Clare Rishbeth discusses barriers to nature access for ethnic minorities, including urban living and lack of garden access.
Oct 7, 2025·20m - 115
Included in Nature with Clare Rishbeth | Claire's Current and Future Research
Oct 7, 2025·6m - 116
Included in Nature with Clare Rishbeth | Case Report 3 - Older People
Oct 7, 2025·11m - 117
Included in Nature with Clare Rishbeth | Case Report 2 - Low Income Areas
Oct 7, 2025·13m - 118
Included in Nature with Clare Rishbeth | Case Report 1 - Disabilities
Oct 7, 2025·12m - 119
Functional Ecology | Jennifer Apland: Isolating the effects of floral temperature on visitation and behaviour of wild bee and fly pollinators
Sep 19, 2025·28m - 120
Journal of Animal Ecology | Editor Expertise: Dr Mariano Rodriguez-Cabal
Aug 20, 2025·16m - 121
Revista de Ecología Animal | Experiencia del Editor: Dr Mariano Rodriguez-Cabal
Aug 20, 2025·18m - 122
BES Special Feature | Marine Heatwaves
Aug 6, 2025·29m - 123
Methods in Ecology and Evolution | Dr René Steinmann : Decoding the footsteps of the African savanna
Jul 31, 2025·27m - 124
ELM Network | Episode 3: Leadership lessons from Professor Malcolm Press
Jul 17, 2025·28m - 125
Journal of Animal Ecology | Editor Expertise: Dr Roberto Salguero-Gómez
Jun 30, 2025·25m - 126
Journal Club episode 1: Can developing climbing routes be a threat to endemic plants?
Jun 19, 2025·51m - 127
Journal of Animal Ecology | Editor Expertise: Professor Darren Evans
May 15, 2025·54m - 128
Functional Ecology | Dr Abbey Yatsko: Why are trees hollow? Termites, microbes and tree internal stem damage in a tropical savanna
May 6, 2025·31m - 129
Functional Ecology | Adam Devenish: Mutualistic interactions facilitate invasive species spread
Apr 16, 2025·25m - 130
Journal of Animal Ecology | Editor Expertise: Professor Jean-Michel Gaillard
Apr 8, 2025·18m - 131
ELM Network | Episode 2: Motivation to lead with Professor Jane K. Hill
Professor Jane Hill discusses her motivation to lead and her roles in ecology, including as a former British Ecological Society trustee.
Mar 25, 2025·42m - 132
The Superb Lyrebird: Nature’s Ecosystem Engineer - The Story Behind the Paper
Mar 5, 2025·26m - 133
Ella Plumanns Pouton: How do intervals between fires influence canopy seed production and viability?
Jan 31, 2025·36m - 134
ELM Network | Episode 1: What leadership looks like with Professor Yadvindar Malhi
An introduction to the ELM podcast for emerging leaders in ecology, featuring a discussion with Professor Yadvindar Malhi on leadership and management.
Dec 3, 2024·38m - 135
Journal of Animal Ecology | Editor Expertise: Dr Lesley Lancaster
Nov 7, 2024·28m - 136
Black History Month 2024: Mthokozisi Moyo on Research in Africa, Funding, and Representation
Oct 31, 2024·21m - 137
Black History Month 2024: Damilola Olanipon on Mycorrhiza, Opportunities and Reclaiming Narratives
Oct 25, 2024·30m - 138
Patrick Finnerty: Plant odour enables patch choice by mammalian herbivores from afar
Oct 24, 2024·24m - 139
PhD student Nina Bosch on post-fire recovery in heathlands and her BES Annual Meeting experience
Oct 20, 2024·16m - 140
Special Interest Groups | Rewilding
Oct 8, 2024·37m - 141
Annual Meeting | In conversation with Dr. Rob Brooker
Oct 1, 2024·16m - 142
Journal of Animal Ecology | Editor Expertise: Dr Nathan J Sanders
Aug 29, 2024·29m - 143
2023 Haldane Prize Shortlist: André Luza
Apr 2, 2024·19m - 144
Southwood Prize 2023: Dominic McAfee on Oysters and Soundscapes
Mar 26, 2024·26m - 145
2023 Haldane Prize Shortlist: Ximena Cibils
Mar 22, 2024·49m - 146
Black History Month 2023: Jeanelle Brisbane on Conservation, Education and Representation
Nov 27, 2023·41m - 147
Passive acoustic monitoring provides a fresh perspective on fundamental ecological questions
Nov 23, 2023·55m - 148
Black History Month 2023: Jhan Salazar on The Wonder of Nature and Importance of Representation
Nov 10, 2023·31m - 149
Black History Month 2023: Gideon Deme on his Journey, Barriers to Ecology, and Inspirations
Nov 2, 2023·1h 1m - 150
Black History Month 2023: Reuben Fakoya-Brooks on Academia, Barrier-Breaking and Creativity
Nov 1, 2023·54m