Ecology Topics

Even just one counts

One, typically, is considered a small quantity. One more or one less doesn’t seem to make much of a difference, it seems. However, there are moments when life vividly explains that even just one counts. For example, one person can make the difference. For better, or sometimes for worse. And one morning, amidst a flurry… Read more
Dog domestication: an ecological tale?

Some days ago, I went for a walk with my dog along our favorite trail in the countryside. In silence, we passed between two plots of cultivated land, and then we followed the path on its curve on the right, which leads into a vineyard. My dog is rather playful and, I must say, a… Read more
Dancing Preys, Dancing Predators

Recently, a friend of mine embarked on an excursion through the mountains of Northern Italy, capturing the essence of wilderness through a snapshot of wolf paw imprints in the snow. As I examined the photo, an echo from the past reverberated—a conversation with an old man fifteen years ago, who mused with a knowing smile:… Read more
Are men worse than radioactivity?

The recent news reporting the Japanese government’s controversial decision to release, into the Pacific Ocean, treated water from the nuclear plant of Fukushima has sparked concerns and protests worldwide. In an era where nuclear bombs and nuclear power plants accidents have left indelible scars on our collective memory, it’s no surprise that any discussion of… Read more
The Dance of Nature: understanding mechanisms driving ecological successions

Nature has an uncanny way of finding balance, and nowhere is this delicate dance more apparent than in the intricate choreography of ecological succession. As ecosystems evolve and transform over time, species jostle for dominance, competing for resources and space. Yet, there exists a nuanced interplay between different mechanisms that include competition, facilitation, interactions with… Read more
Exploring Ecological Succession: FOUNDERS AND DOMINATORS

Have you ever observed what happens when a new product appears on the market? Take as an example a hypothetical new type of herbal tea. Let’s say a company starts producing tropical fruit herbal teas, suitable for the summer period: it is quite likely that when they first appear in supermarkets they will be placed… Read more