https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/ecology/RSS feed for EcologyenThu, 28 May 2026 15:10:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/young-blue-crabs-have-been-mysteriously-dwindling-in-the-chesapeake-bay-for-years-this-winter-they-saw-a-boost-in-numbers-whats-driving-these-trends-180988839/A recent report detailed a 50 percent drop in juvenile Chesapeake blue crabs since 2010. Then, a survey found a surprising surge in the young crustaceans this yearThu, 28 May 2026 15:10:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/young-blue-crabs-have-been-mysteriously-dwindling-in-the-chesapeake-bay-for-years-this-winter-they-saw-a-boost-in-numbers-whats-driving-these-trends-180988839/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/daddy-longlegs-seem-to-hunt-frogs-in-south-america-revealing-the-gangly-arachnids-as-long-overlooked-predators-180988810/A new study suggests that harvestmen actively attack the slippery amphibians, rather than just scavenging them. The findings hint that the spineless creatures have a more complex relationship with vertebrates than previously thoughtWed, 27 May 2026 13:00:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/daddy-longlegs-seem-to-hunt-frogs-in-south-america-revealing-the-gangly-arachnids-as-long-overlooked-predators-180988810/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-mere-presence-of-humans-not-just-our-changes-to-the-land-can-alter-wild-animals-behaviors-a-new-study-suggests-180988793/Researchers examined GPS tracking data from thousands of animals representing 37 species and anonymized cellphone location data from 2020, a year of Covid-19 lockdowns, and the previous yearTue, 26 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-mere-presence-of-humans-not-just-our-changes-to-the-land-can-alter-wild-animals-behaviors-a-new-study-suggests-180988793/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gentoo-penguins-may-actually-be-four-different-species-scientists-say-revealing-theyre-not-quite-winners-of-climate-change-after-all-180988769/A new study indicates that the adaptable birds evolved into distinct lineages as isolated populations shifted to match their environmental conditions over time. The work has implications for how conservationists assess threats to gentoosWed, 20 May 2026 19:09:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gentoo-penguins-may-actually-be-four-different-species-scientists-say-revealing-theyre-not-quite-winners-of-climate-change-after-all-180988769/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/de-extinction-company-says-it-hatched-chicks-from-artificial-eggs-paving-the-way-for-resurrecting-dodos-and-other-bygone-birds-180988766/Colossal Biosciences announced that 26 live baby chickens have emerged from 3D-printed honeycomb structures. But the company does not plan to detail the system in a paper, and its mission has faced criticismTue, 19 May 2026 20:09:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/de-extinction-company-says-it-hatched-chicks-from-artificial-eggs-paving-the-way-for-resurrecting-dodos-and-other-bygone-birds-180988766/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/from-basket-weaving-to-oyster-reef-conservation-gullah-geechee-women-are-preserving-a-living-heritage-180988762/Along America’s southeastern coast, descendants of enslaved Africans pass down traditions and knowledge of crafts, ecology and food through generationsTue, 19 May 2026 17:02:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/from-basket-weaving-to-oyster-reef-conservation-gullah-geechee-women-are-preserving-a-living-heritage-180988762/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/millions-of-bright-blue-blobs-called-by-the-wind-sailors-are-littering-beaches-along-the-west-coast-180988759/The strange creatures are washing up on shores across California, Oregon and Washington this spring—and making the coast smell especially fishyTue, 19 May 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/millions-of-bright-blue-blobs-called-by-the-wind-sailors-are-littering-beaches-along-the-west-coast-180988759/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-fish-hitches-rides-in-manta-rays-buttholes-according-to-new-research-180988736/Scientists suspect that the behavior could harm the manta rays, suggesting a complex relationship between remoras and their hosts that can sometimes be parasiticThu, 14 May 2026 19:56:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-fish-hitches-rides-in-manta-rays-buttholes-according-to-new-research-180988736/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wild-cockatoos-learn-which-snacks-are-safe-to-eat-by-copying-their-friends-new-research-suggests-180988696/Munching on the wrong items can lead to illness, but social learning might help the birds avoid making a potentially deadly mistake. The phenomenon could help explain why certain cockatoos have fared so well in urban environmentsFri, 08 May 2026 15:44:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wild-cockatoos-learn-which-snacks-are-safe-to-eat-by-copying-their-friends-new-research-suggests-180988696/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australia-has-a-surprisingly-successful-truffle-industry-this-new-study-could-explain-why-180988653/Researchers examined hundreds of soil samples to uncover why the expensive fungi are thriving in the countryThu, 30 Apr 2026 17:43:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australia-has-a-surprisingly-successful-truffle-industry-this-new-study-could-explain-why-180988653/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/could-underwater-autonomous-robots-save-coral-reefs-180988626/Reef restoration is a slow process, with divers planting coral fragments one at a time by hand. But roboticists are now developing automated planters that could change the gameThu, 30 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/could-underwater-autonomous-robots-save-coral-reefs-180988626/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-snorkeling-biologist-snapped-the-first-ever-photos-of-newly-hatched-california-giant-salamanders-in-the-wild-heres-why-thats-a-big-deal-180988619/The discovery provides another key data point about a little-known species for which every observation mattersWed, 29 Apr 2026 17:16:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-snorkeling-biologist-snapped-the-first-ever-photos-of-newly-hatched-california-giant-salamanders-in-the-wild-heres-why-thats-a-big-deal-180988619/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-bone-crunching-octopus-was-nearly-the-size-of-a-semitruck-and-may-have-feasted-on-giant-reptiles-100-million-years-ago-180988616/The massive invertebrates may have been top predators, according to an analysis of their fossilized jaws. The work suggests that ancient oceans weren't completely ruled by spine-bearing creatures, as previously thoughtMon, 27 Apr 2026 16:04:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-bone-crunching-octopus-was-nearly-the-size-of-a-semitruck-and-may-have-feasted-on-giant-reptiles-100-million-years-ago-180988616/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-planet-needs-prosperous-forests-these-scientists-are-planting-more-than-33000-trees-to-find-the-perfect-species-blends-180988618/Forests provide myriad benefits, including timber, wildlife attraction, local cooling and climate resilience. At the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, ecologists are testing which tree combinations might create flourishing woodlandsFri, 24 Apr 2026 18:43:50 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-planet-needs-prosperous-forests-these-scientists-are-planting-more-than-33000-trees-to-find-the-perfect-species-blends-180988618/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gibraltars-famous-monkeys-are-eating-dirt-likely-to-alleviate-stomach-aches-from-munching-on-tourists-junk-food-180988606/The British territory's Barbary macaques are the only wild monkeys in Europe. But many are consuming human snacks high in calories, sugar, salt and dairy, and low in fiberThu, 23 Apr 2026 19:51:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gibraltars-famous-monkeys-are-eating-dirt-likely-to-alleviate-stomach-aches-from-munching-on-tourists-junk-food-180988606/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-cloud-jaguar-was-spotted-in-honduran-mountains-for-the-first-time-in-a-decade-representing-a-win-for-conservationists-180988595/The big cats are rarely seen at high elevations, so the sighting suggests that efforts to protect a wildlife corridor in the region are workingThu, 23 Apr 2026 15:37:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-cloud-jaguar-was-spotted-in-honduran-mountains-for-the-first-time-in-a-decade-representing-a-win-for-conservationists-180988595/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/camera-traps-reveal-iberian-lynxes-soaking-their-prey-a-first-ever-discovery-among-carnivores-180988591/Scientists speculate that the wild cats are trying to improve hydration or ease their cubs’ transition to solid food. The finding points to resilience in one of the world’s most endangered felinesThu, 23 Apr 2026 13:00:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/camera-traps-reveal-iberian-lynxes-soaking-their-prey-a-first-ever-discovery-among-carnivores-180988591/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/large-invasive-rodents-are-wreaking-havoc-in-california-new-research-suggests-someone-deliberately-introduced-them-180988554/Genetic testing revealed that nutria living in California since 2017 are most closely related to a population in central Oregon—too far for the creatures to have traveled on their ownThu, 16 Apr 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/large-invasive-rodents-are-wreaking-havoc-in-california-new-research-suggests-someone-deliberately-introduced-them-180988554/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-glowing-sphere-towering-over-utah-sent-an-urgent-artistic-message-the-great-salt-lake-is-drying-up-180988553/Olafur Eliasson's latest installation married visuals with a soundscape to draw the public's attention to the plight of the important ecosystemThu, 16 Apr 2026 13:00:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-glowing-sphere-towering-over-utah-sent-an-urgent-artistic-message-the-great-salt-lake-is-drying-up-180988553/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-of-the-american-wests-most-iconic-birds-is-attempting-to-mate-near-a-dangerous-airport-could-robo-birds-help-save-them-180988542/Conservationists are deploying dancing animatronic birds to lure male greater sage grouse away from the Jackson Hole Airport, where dozens of the creatures have been struck and killed by planesTue, 14 Apr 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-of-the-american-wests-most-iconic-birds-is-attempting-to-mate-near-a-dangerous-airport-could-robo-birds-help-save-them-180988542/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-these-rock-climbing-fish-scale-a-50-foot-waterfall-in-the-congo-basin-the-first-known-evidence-of-this-behavior-in-africa-180988502/The tiny fish, called shellears, use microscopic hook-like growths on their fins to ascend—and they take a lot of breaks. The full climb probably takes about ten hours, according to a new studyThu, 09 Apr 2026 15:02:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-these-rock-climbing-fish-scale-a-50-foot-waterfall-in-the-congo-basin-the-first-known-evidence-of-this-behavior-in-africa-180988502/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/endangered-proboscis-monkey-easily-identifiable-by-one-physical-trait-supersized-schnoz-180988420/When you see this primate's nose, you know you're in Borneo, where efforts are underway to restore its habitatMon, 06 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/endangered-proboscis-monkey-easily-identifiable-by-one-physical-trait-supersized-schnoz-180988420/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/purple-martins-rely-on-human-landlords-to-provide-nest-boxes-each-spring-can-that-dynamic-last-180988478/The large swallows have nested alongside human settlements for centuries. Now, the birds' breeding success depends on caretakers who are beginning to age out of the roleFri, 03 Apr 2026 12:33:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/purple-martins-rely-on-human-landlords-to-provide-nest-boxes-each-spring-can-that-dynamic-last-180988478/