youngquist, 38, is the lead researcher on the chicago shedd aquarium’s “amphibian response to habitat restoration” project, where she has worked since 2019. youngquist works on experimental sites across la grange park woods and salt creek woods nature preserve, each about 30 minutes west of the aquarium, located in chicago’s south loop. 

over the past several years, she has worked with the shedd aquarium in chicago; the chicago park district, which oversees more than 600 parks in chicago; and the forest preserves of cook county, which oversees over 70,000 acres of land in chicago and the chicago-area suburbs, to transform these degraded areas into flourishing savannas and wetlands to welcome frogs and other amphibians. she analyzes how this restoration can help native species thrive.

it’s a battle between fighting off the dense, shadowy “wicked witch of the west” woods to restore the budding “cinderella” woods, with increased sunlight and biodiversity, said krystyna kurth, shedd’s coordinator of conservation action, who leads restoration at the skokie lagoons, a man made site roughly 45 minutes north of chicago’s downtown.

“in addition to the ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, holding water and mitigating drought and flooding, all the birds, all the mammals, all the amphibians, all the reptiles, the insects, they are all relying on these habitats that only hold water for a few months every year,” youngquist said. “[ephemeral wetlands] are little hidden gems that have an outsized role in our well-being.”

laying the groundwork

currently, youngquist is examining the adverse effects of invasive species on wetlands and the native species that inhabit them. 

when youngquist started, she focused on removing buckthorn, an invasive shrub that grows in a dense monoculture, she said. a monoculture is when one shrub excels and pushes out all the other plant species, affecting the biodiversity of the habitat. buckthorn’s berries act as a laxative, so when animals eat them, the plant spreads everywhere, kurth said.

native to eurasia, buckthorn was brought to north america in the 1800s as an ornamental plant but has since infiltrated the wild. the dense buckthorn creates shading over wetlands, which affects the water temperature and blocks the sunlight necessary for algae to grow — a crucial food resource for tadpoles, including chorus frogs and toads, and insects, youngquist said. other species, such as invasive cattails, have similar effects. 

“with shading, you get colder water, and [the amphibians] grow slower, so there’s a higher risk that they won’t make it out before the pond dries,” youngquist said.

she added that buckthorn also contains a chemical called emodin, which can contaminate the wetlands and lead to deformities in tree frogs’ and other amphibians’ eggs and even prevent them from hatching. those that do hatch can suffer liver damage as tadpoles.

after graduating with a b.s. from pacific lutheran university in washington, youngquist went on to pursue her ph.d. in ecology, evolution and environmental biology at miami university. there, she found a project studying amphibian communities and agricultural landscapes, supporting her lifelong love of amphibians and reptiles, and has pursued research on amphibians ever since, she said.

she focuses on nine ponds across la grange park woods — removing invasive species at 15, 10 and zero meters from the ponds’ edges, and salt creek woods nature preserve — where all buckthorn has been removed — to see various effects of restoration on habitats for amphibian and plant life.

“the idea … is to figure out, if you only clear a very small area of buckthorn, does that have a measurable effect right on the plants and animals,” youngquist said.

she said at 15 meters of restoration, grasses and flowering plants make a prominent return. at 10 meters, there is less biodiversity restoration due to shade from the buckthorn.

invasive species are also altering the physical structure of the wetlands, youngquist said. restoration is important so that these wetlands, especially the manmade skokie lagoons, north of the city, can properly manage water.

“wetlands are really important for flood management and water control, keeping water on the landscape during drought years, and also managing water during very wet years when you get flooding,” she said. “by having a properly structured and functioning wetland, you’re helping people with that water management as well.”

taking action

the negative effects of buckthorn go beyond youngquist’s experimental site and the skokie lagoons, which are under jurisdiction of the forest preserves of cook county. four sites in the southeast side of chicago, under jurisdiction of the park district, suffer degradation as well.

the southeast side parks allow youngquist’s team to further monitor amphibian response to the removal of invasive species as well as their response to installation of water control structures and regrading shorelines, said cassi saari, a project manager for the chicago park district. like youngquist’s experiment, these changes help restore biodiversity in wetland habitats.

“a lot of these sites have an industrial pass … where it’s just a street with a steep drop off, and so there’s very limited habitat between aquatic ecosystem and the terrestrial ecosystem. so we’ve been regrading shorelines to make it a much more gentle slope,” saari said. “that allows a huge variety of plants that could grow in that slope area, compared to if it’s just a steep drop off.”

youngquist also collaborates with community volunteers organized through shedd’s “action days” program. volunteers remove buckthorn around ponds in the winter so that the area is clear for youngquist to do her research in the spring and summer months.

kurth leads restoration and recreational programming that takes places outside of shedd. “action days,” devoted to sites such as the skokie lagoons, encompass the largest program. 

kurth, 27, said many of the volunteers do not have a background in science, rather they range from young adults to retirees wanting to get involved in the work in their own backyard. she added that she believes aquariums appeal to a wide audience and offer a “cool gateway opportunity” for volunteering.

“our team works really hard to build a dedicated volunteer community from the sites that we’re working out,” kurth said.

some volunteers are fairly new. allison witek began volunteering with the forest preserves in the fall as part of a class project. she graduated from chicago’s roosevelt university in december with a degree in sustainability studies. volunteering has inspired her to pursue a career in fieldwork, rather than behind a desk, and she hopes to turn her commitment into a more permanent role.

others are more seasoned. phillip stalley, a professor of political science at depaul university in chicago, has been a part of this volunteer community for three years. volunteering not only feels great, he said, but also makes small steps to calm his “ecoanxiety” about the state of the planet.

 “to be out here and be part of the solution is great for mental health,” stalley said.

kurth has worked at the shedd’s skokie lagoons site just north of the city since 2019. she also assists youngquist at la grange park woods and salt creek woods nature preserve. this has allowed her to apply her learnings from the experimental site to the skokie site and copy and paste some of the work youngquist is doing, kurth said.

the restored “cinderella woods,” otherwise known as woodland savannas, are home to massive oak trees, spread out to allow sunlight through, restoring the biodiversity of grasses and shrubs, kurth said. they are also better at carbon sequestration, the process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making small contributions to combat climate change.

increased biodiversity also makes habitats more resilient in the face of climate change.

“having more diverse animals and plants gives you this idea we would call ‘redundancy,’ so that if one species is lost and the role that species plays in the environment is lost, another species is doing the same thing and can replace it,” youngquist said. “that creates that resiliency by having lots of different species all kind of overlapping in their sort of ecosystem role and services.”

restoration and revival

kurth said the skokie lagoons took “extra muscle” to bring back to life. figuring out what seeds can be replanted and thrive naturally in a man-made area is a very fine-tuned task. in their restoration efforts, researchers are planting hyper localized seeds — from no more than 20 miles away.

kurth first replants “weedier natives,” such as goldenrod, that are able to fight back against the buckthorn resprouting. then, she can thin out the heartier natives and plant more sensitive ones to thrive without the threat of buckthorn.

“as we remove these invasives, we’re putting back these awesome, diverse natives that not only help the amphibians, but the whole food chain there,” kurth said.

despite restoration of plant diversity, youngquist has yet to see effects in amphibian and insect populations. climate change is altering precipitation patterns and leading to droughts in some areas. the rain is coming in the summer, despite the amphibians needing it in the spring, which affects breeding, she said.

“having that drought effect from climate change and extreme events is kind of overshadowing the only buckthorn effect that we have,” youngquist said.

despite the last five dry springs, youngquist said she hopes the next few years bring rain so that she can better observe the effects of buckthorn removal and restoration on amphibian populations. she wants to continue examining the wetlands across la grange park woods and salt creek woods nature preserve for the next decade or so in order to see the full effects of climate change and restoration efforts on such a crucial habitat.

“hopefully, it’ll be a decade or two of data, so we can really see how weather and climate are impacting amphibians across a large area,” she said.

these intertidal objects form an ecological installation that protects eroding shorelines while providing shelter for sea life. designed by object territories, a design firm based in brooklyn and hong kong, the installation is being tested in the waters off randall’s island as a nature-based solution to coastal erosion. the project will soon expand to the coastline off nearby governors island as part of an initiative that will provide entrepreneurs with real-world labs for testing prototypes that address climate-change solutions.

a living lab for testing

the trust for governors island, which operates and manages much of the island, welcomes entrepreneurs to use the 172-acre island and its two miles of waterfront and helps funding innovative projects through its annual climate solutions challenge.

clare newman, ceo of the trust for governors island, says the trust is positioning the island as leader in piloting climate solutions for the new york city region. “let people come and try stuff,” newman said. “you’re not testing in isolation in a lab, but in a real-world environment and you can see how people respond.”

last year, object territories was one of six winners selected for the trust’s challenge on water abundance. in addition to $10,000 in grant support, the winners will have access to the island to develop and demonstrate their projects.

access to these kinds of living labs is critical for object territories, as the firm seeks to improve upon their intertidal objects. their prototypes first came to life in hong kong. the city hired the team, along with several others, to design coastal armoring units and sea wall panels. this effort kick-started their initial research and resulted in two different prototypes that were tested in the hong kong harbor: the octahedron and the rock pool, a miniature tidal pool that siphons water and sea life in and out.

the intertidal objects are a constant work in progress. “each time we try to improve by adding elements, like increasing the surface area with more dents to help self-shade or applying different textures,” said marcus carter, co-founder and architect of object territories.

when the team discovered, for instance, that larger holes made it easy for predators to come pick off baby oysters, they added smaller concavities that oysters can wedge in until they grow big enough to push out and have a better chance of surviving. they also applied different textures to the forms that make it easier for barnacles and algae to attach, enhancing the aquatic ecosystem and adding new voids for fish to lay eggs in.

“we also made sure that the objects could be placed in any orientation, forming a visible, almost gordian texture,” carter said. what stays the same in every installation, however, is the geometrical form, which easily integrates in existing stone sea wall structures.

working with nature, protecting by design

according to the new york city mayor’s office of climate and environmental justice, climate change is causing cloudburst events, coastal storms, and sea level rise to become more frequent and intense. in addition to creating a habitat for sea life, the intertidal objects offer a nature-based solution to help protect shorelines from the devasting ecological impact of coastal erosion and storm surges.

figuring out how to better protect new york city has been part of the public conversation since hurricane sandy hit new york in 2012. flooding became a reality for residents throughout the city and raised the question of how to fortify shorelines in ways that are not at war with nature, unlike the bulkheads or seawalls that have long been used to protect people and property. these traditional concrete structures may address immediate threats, but are inflexible to the faster changing climate and they can cause problems elsewhere, like loss of biodiversity and habitat degradation.

by contrast, the intertidal objects can be integrated into hard existing stone sea walls and promote a living shoreline. “they are only one ingredient in a very layered landscape,” carter said. they add an extra dimension to an existing sea wall, transforming it to a smart structure that not only protects the coastline, but also creates bio habitats. “or you can stack them like lego’s to build an artificial coastline,” carter said.

resilient defenders

providing object territories with access to governors island offers another opportunity: public education. in addition to being an ideal location to situate and experiment with their objects in the water, the island provides ample locations to showcase the concrete forms on land. visitors can see, touch and learn about the forms, which could give rise to potential collaborations with landscape-architecture firms.

the intertidal objects will soon be tested and placed in the existing stone coastline at governors island, gradually becoming camouflaged within and inhabited by new communities of aquatic creatures in the tidal waters of the east river.

the pilot will also monitor the objects on both locations under starkly different water conditions: the brackish water surrounding randall’s island and the faster-moving waters at governors island, closer to the mouth of the harbor. engineered to support natural spaces, the intertidal objects may soon add an essential layer of protection for new york shores, the people, and sea life.

despite its villainous talon and fierce claws, a delectable meat, laden with protein and nutrients lies beneath the scorpion’s segmented shell. the scorpion isn’t the villain of desert nightmares but potentially a hero in our agricultural future.

the path to sustainable food production in an increasingly resource-constrained world appears unpopular but revolutionary: insects and arachnids, eight-legged creatures such as scorpions and spiders. while just about everyone calls spiders, “insects,” this idea isn’t exactly correct. insects and arachnids are both arthropods, but insects have six legs and three body parts, while arachnids have eight legs and two body parts, with no antennae or wings.

the problem “at steak”

our current agricultural system, particularly the meat industry, is facing a crisis of sustainability. according to the food and agriculture organization, livestock production and grazing occupies approximately 30% of the earth’s ice-free land surface and accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. a single pound of beef requires up to 1,800 gallons of water to produce — a staggering figure when compared to other protein sources.

“we’ve been raising cattle for thousands of years, and (edible) insects for only the past decade commercially,” said nathan laurenz, an entomologist and edible insect enthusiast based in singapore. “there’s a lot of learning left to do.”

the uncomfortable truth is that our appetite for traditional meat is putting immense pressure on planetary resources. as the global population rises toward 10 billion by 2050, our current agricultural model simply cannot scale without devastating environmental consequences. deforestation, water scarcity, and climate change are already accelerating due to conventional livestock farming.

according to the un’s food and agriculture organization, meat production is expected to double by 2050, growing from 258 million tons in 2006 to around 455 million tons. this projected growth comes at a time when we desperately need to reduce, not increase, our environmental footprint.

“in time, we’re going to run out of land for cattle, and we’re going to have to replace that protein with something. insects are a good replacement,” said jim louderman, assistant collector at the field museum and a beetle enthusiast with over 70 years of experience studying insects.

insects: a historical delicacy

what many westerners don’t realize is that insect consumption, known as entomophagy, has been a normal part of human diets throughout history and across cultures.

“all sorts of indigenous cultures around the world have been eating insects for as long as humans have been around. it’s probably one of our first meat sources as a species,” laurenz said. the selection is wide and diverse. in thailand, grasshoppers, giant water bugs, and bamboo worms are a common street food. for mexico, it’s aphids and beetles. in china, silkworms are the traditional rage. 

cultural norms have a lot to do with what we label a good meal. consider the lobster, now a luxury seafood. in colonial america, lobsters were so abundant they were considered “poor man’s food,” often fed to prisoners and servants. massachusetts servants famously complained about being eating lobster too frequently. today, we pay premium prices for the same crustacean.

the 2021 emergence of brood x cicadas in the eastern united states provided a recent glimpse into the potential for insect cuisine in western contexts. restaurants and home cooks experimented with cicada tacos, tempura, and even desserts – demonstrating that with the right preparation, insects can appeal to modern palates.

the cultural hurdle

the “yuck factor” remains the biggest obstacle to the widespread adoption of insect protein in western diets. this aversion is entirely cultural, not biological: a learned response rather than an innate rejection.

“people in big cities tend not to be fans,” laurenz said about insect consumption in southeast asia. “there’s some stigma attached to it that it’s like a poor person’s food or a village food.”

louderman echoed this sentiment. “how do you convince people who are scared of insects or think insects are nasty to eat, something they don’t even want to touch?”

the challenge becomes as much about marketing as it is about production. companies like cricket energy bars target specific demographics, from environmentally conscious consumers to fitness enthusiasts seeking alternative proteins. by segmenting the market and addressing specific communities, these products can gradually normalize insect consumption.

interestingly, most people already consume insects unknowingly. the fda allows certain levels of insect fragments in common foods. chocolate, for instance, can legally contain up to 60 insect fragments per 100 grams.

the average person consumes about one to two pounds of insects annually through these trace amounts, according to the fda’s food defect levels handbook. it doesn’t stop there. for the regular grocer, insects are consumed through daily necessities: canned tomatoes (up to 10 fly eggs per 500g), ground cinnamon (up to 400 insect fragments per 50g), or wheat flour (up to 75 insect fragments per 50g), also per the fda handbook.

the production challenge

beyond cultural acceptance, the practical challenge of scaling insect production remains significant. the industry has gone through several boom-and-bust cycles, starting with crickets, then mealworms, and now black soldier flies. laurenz works at the core of the industry, at the startup named karang foodie. their mission is to raise black soldier flies for aquaculture feed. 

“you need to be importing tens or hundreds of tons of raw material every day and then exporting tens or dozens of tons of insect protein every day,” laurenz said, highlighting the scale required to compete with conventional agriculture.

louderman adds that crickets and mealworms are currently the most viable insect protein sources because they can be dried and ground into protein powder, making them more palatable to western consumers. when cooked, he explains, insects congeal to a texture similar to lobster or shrimp and usually have a nutty flavor. larger insects and arachnids such as  scorpions, tarantulas, and beetles are often peeled like shrimp in cultures where entomophagy is common.

“it’s so expensive because most people in the united states won’t do it. it’s not being done on a big enough scale to bring the price down,” louderman said, highlighting the chicken-and-egg problem of cost and adoption.

environmental benefits: the advantage of insects

despite these challenges, insects offer remarkable advantages as protein sources. black soldier flies, for instance, can convert food waste into protein with noteworthy efficiency, growing to harvestable size in just two to three weeks while consuming “whatever slop you have lying around,” laurenz said.

their environmental footprint is minimal compared to traditional livestock according to agronomy for sustainable development:

• insects require significantly less land and water.
• they produce fewer greenhouse gases.
• they can convert feed to protein much more efficiently.
• select species can be raised on monitored organic waste streams, creating circular economic opportunities while adhering to strict food safety protocols.

“without insects, our food wouldn’t get pollinated. when things die in the forest, they don’t decompose, and the soil becomes infertile. without insects, the trees die, we run out of oxygen, and we run out of food,” louderman said, highlighting insects’ crucial role in our ecosystems beyond just being a food source themselves.

the path forward

however, louderman cautions that there are some health considerations. people allergic to shellfish may also be allergic to insects and arachnids that have exoskeletons or shells (arthropods). he also emphasizes the importance of consuming farm-raised rather than wild-caught insects to avoid potential contamination issues.

the best chance for mainstream acceptance in western countries, according to louderman, is through products like cricket flour in familiar foods such as cookies, chips, and protein bars, rather than whole insects. this gradual introduction of insects, which would have to be included on product labels, could help overcome the cultural barriers while delivering the environmental benefits of insect protein.

even committed vegans like northwestern sophomore mia el-yafi offer nuanced views on insect consumption. “if there was bug powder in something, that would bother me less than if there was lard or gelatin,” she said, suggesting insects occupy a different ethical category for some plant-based eaters. 

non-vegetarians like casey bond exhibit cautious curiosity about insect protein. “i would support it, but i’ve never eaten insects… if they were made like a bug burger, maybe i’d eat it,” he said, drawing a comparison to more familiar food presentations: “it’s like eating fish versus when fish is served whole with the head on.” in the future, presentation may be crucial for mainstream adoption.

as we face the dual challenges of feeding a growing population and mitigating climate change, entomophagy offers a solution that’s been hiding in plain sight, buzzing and crawling around us all along. the question is not whether insects will become part of our dietary future but when and how we’ll embrace this sustainable  and substantial protein source. 

with politics ever-changing, how we view our environment should not be impacted. simple understandings aim to find common ground for everyone while taking a deeper look at how the next generation of leaders understand our environment today. in this story, learn how high school students from upstate new york, to vieques, puerto rico are engaging with environmentalism at pivotal points in their lives.

check out the full story by clicking on the image below!

access to electricity is already unstable for much of the world and economic inequality has been rising exponentially. in addition to the human equity side of this issue, the foundation of our electrical supply is one of the driving forces of climate change and the sixth mass extinction.

whether it be knowledge about our nervous system or potato radios, most people are familiar with the presence of electricity in organisms. last year, our biodesign team at the university of richmond outlined a plan to explore this as a renewable energy source, centering the invasive species english ivy.

a foot long clipping of the vine from right behind the university’s library produced over 0.5 v. while small, this is a notable amount of electricity which can theoretically be scaled up with biomass, as well as stabilized with capacitors, and stored in batteries.

few of us in this day and age would do well without electronics for a month; imagine losing everything from your phone to washing machine to heating. yet all of us come from places affected by natural disasters, climate change, poverty, or other forms of instability.

a “grassroots” power source has the potential to alleviate the financial and physical burdens of the most vulnerable populations. this project is an interdisciplinary study of biology, electrical engineering, design thinking, and sustainability with the purpose of making electricity environmentally sustainable and socially conscious. 

the orca pod-cast explores the taxonomy and definition of orca whales as a species.

in it, i discuss how i was inspired by a post i saw from emma luck, the northern naturalist on instagram, and get into topics such orca ecotypes, and the recent recommendation to consider orca subspecies, resident and biggs, to be their own species.

works consulted.

podcast transcript:

hello, my name is emily.

i’m a senior undergrad in wildlife science, and today i’d like to talk about killer whales after seeing an instagram post from a marine biologist named emma luck, username northern naturalist, that inspired me to read up on the proposal of two new killer whale species.

we’ve all heard of killer whales. many of us probably saw free willy as kids. these iconic citations are actually in the delphinidae family, classifying them as dolphins despite their common names containing, “whale.”

this is said to potentially be a result of a mistranslation of the spanish name, “asesino de ballenas,” which means “whale killer” rather than “killer whale.” keeping on theme, their genus name, orcinus, is in reference to an etruscan god of the underworld. they’ve also earned the nickname, “the wolves of the sea,” because of how they hunt as a group.

you might be wondering how such a charismatic species ends up with major taxonomic changes. i know that i personally often assume that because a species is popular or well known, it must be super extensively and thoroughly researched by now.

however, it turns out that’s not necessarily true, and with orca whales there are a lot of knowledge gaps on the species, actually. a lot of new species or reclassification of a species in the modern day comes from filling the knowledge gap on known organisms, rather than from undiscovered organisms.

not that we don’t still discover new organisms, but they’re usually found in places humans have historically struggled to research because of physical restraints and technological limitations. so places like the deep sea or caves.

the definition of what makes something distinct enough to be a species seems pretty intuitive at first.

like, you know, a bird and a dog are obviously different species, but how do we know that a dog is a different species from a wolf? or that crows and ravens aren’t the same species?

reproductive isolation – not being able to reproduce with species outside of your own species – is the most clear definition.

however, it isn’t the only definition and there are many exceptions to it. a species can be based on morphology, feeding habits, social behavior, and geographic location which are usually supported by genetics.

one of the more “out there” examples i can think of, is the time my evolution professor told us about a bird, whose name i can’t recall, that was delineated into a few species based solely on their unique songs, as the species would only reproduce with birds who use the same song as them, even though they were compatible with other birds.

and if i recall correctly, they weren’t significantly genetically different either.

but for the sake of this podcast, i’ll focus on the definitions provided from a paper that i cover later.

it defines a species as a separately evolving lineage composed of a population or collection of populations. and it defines subspecies as a population or collection of populations that appears to be a separately evolving lineage with discontinuities resulting from geography, ecological specialization, or other forces that restrict gene flow to the point that the population or collection of populations is diagnosably distinct.

so with that being said, let’s dive back into orcas. a lot of what we know about orcas varies depending on the specific population.

orcas have a diverse range, being found in every ocean around the globe, so naturally there’s been variation observed based on region. orca pods are also a tightly knit matriarchal community, so even different families in the same area can be pretty distinguishable from each other.

while all orca whales are considered understudied, so much so that the iucn red list feels that there is not enough data to assess the species risk of extinction.

orcas, in particular in the southern hemisphere, are considered significantly less studied than other northern orcas because there isn’t really a lot of land mass in the southern hemisphere, so historically it’s been difficult to observe them in the open ocean.

because of the extensive range of the killer whale, they have been broken down into ecotypes. however, as i was reading the literature, it sounds like most scientists are suggesting that the risk of oversimplifying these understudied individuals outweighs its usefulness.

the northern naturalist on instagram cited a 2013 paper by dee brune et al. titled, “killer whale ecotypes: is there a global model?” this paper does a deep dive into the concept of ecotypes and critiques the concept.

as someone who didn’t know anything about ecotypes going into it, i found the paper very easy to understand and i felt like it gave me a pretty solid grasp on the concept while introducing their critique as well.

the ecotypes in the eastern north pacific include the resident, offshore, and transient ecotypes.

transient also being known as biggs, named for the canadian scientist michael bigg, and in the southern ocean it includes the ecotypes type a, b, c, and d.

while the paper does describe a population in the north atlantic, it doesn’t name them as the type 1 and type 2 ecotypes i’ve seen mentioned in a few articles.

one of my biggest takeaways is that a major thing that really makes a population of orcas unique is their hunting strategy that gets passed down through generations and is specialized to their prey of choice.

about a year ago now, the paper by moran et al. titled, “revised taxonomy of eastern north pacific killer whales (orcinus orca): bigg’s and resident ecotypes deserve species status,” was published and this paper reviewed the data available on resident and biggs ecotypes.

as the title suggests, they concluded that they deserve species level status. they focused on these ecotypes because they have the most extensive data available.

they used a combination of ecology, behaviour and morphology, and molecular genetics to support their findings.

the resident killer whale is named subspecies ater and bigg’s killer whale is named subspecies rectipinnus.

their names were actually given by edward drinker cope way back in 1869.

the paper mentions that the common name of resident killer whale is a placeholder, while they hope to consult indigenous people for a new common name, which i think is a really nice way to acknowledge the history indigenous people have with the species, but also especially since their people are often overlooked in western science.

the post i originally saw said that the two species proposed were accepted as subspecies, not species. and i reached out to emma luck on instagram to ask if she could help explain who gets the authority to approve a new species.

i’m very grateful for her quick response that pointed me to the taxonomy committee of the society of marine mammalogy.

they do an annual review of marine mammal species and subspecies, and it was in this that they explained the reasoning for classifying biggs and resident ecotypes as a subspecies rather than the proposed species.

their big concerns were about gene flow and a desire for a more comprehensive data on orca clades globally to understand just how distinct these groups are from other orcas. 

however, emma luck commented that this wasn’t the most popular decision and it might change in the future. 

i’m excited to see what taxonomic changes come from the orca community in the future and i hope we are soon better able to research the southern populations.

it’s pretty crucial to have an understanding of these populations so that we can take steps towards the best management practices and assure that we don’t let more vulnerable populations suffer because they were lumped together with better off populations.

it’s also important to research the species now so that we can better understand how climate change is impacting them.

thanks for listening and i hope you enjoyed learning more about the species as much as i did.

beneath the surface of the ocean we can find a hidden world, vast and full of life. it is a world of mystery, where light fades into darkness, and silence is filled with the whispers of unseen creatures. but beneath all this beauty, a battle rages—a battle not of war, but of survival.

sharks, the guardians of the oceans, have ruled these waters for longer than humans have roamed the earth, keeping the ocean in balance. yet they are hunted, misunderstood, and feared, with around 100 million sharks killed globally each year. this is the story of one shark, caught in the struggle between survival and extinction. a creature feared as a monster but destined to be a protector.

people call me a monster, a murderer. but if i wasn’t important, i wouldn’t have a place in the ocean. without me, the ocean would die. i am lurking in the deep, gliding through the water watching the sunlight dance on the waves above. i hunt the weak, the sick, keeping the ocean healthy and thriving. when a human sees me, they only see fear. looking at my sharp teeth or the shape of my body, they swim away in fear. but they don’t understand that without sharks like me, the ocean would be a desert, a blue lifeless desert.

after a night’s sleep, i wake up, ready to hunt. but even when i sleep, i am never truly at rest. only half of my brain sleeps, while the other half remains awake, keeping me alert to any predators. my eyes never fully close. no, i am not the biggest animal in the ocean. orcas, larger sharks, and, of course, humans are my predators. having this unique ability helps me survive.

like you, i also need to eat. i spend most of my day swimming alone, searching for food. i am a solitary hunter. when i find a fish that looks like a good meal, i approach carefully, circling it from a distance, watching its every move. then, with a burst of speed, i strike, biting it before my prey even realizes i am there. that first attack is enough to weaken it, making an escape impossible.

i play a crucial role in the ocean. by hunting the sick and the weak, i ensure that only the strongest fish survive. i also keep fish populations in check. if certain fish become too abundant, they can destroy algae beds and disrupt the delicate balance of the ocean.

yet, despite my importance, you fear me. you judge me by my sharp teeth and the stories you’ve heard. but the truth is, i should fear you more than you fear me. every year, humans kill an estimated 100 million sharks, while sharks only kill around 10 humans annually. i don’t hunt humans. i approach out of curiosity, wondering what these strange creatures with two legs and no fins are.

but something is wrong. i am becoming hungrier. there are fewer fish, and i don’t understand why. when i gather with others to reproduce, i notice fewer and fewer sharks. our numbers are falling. something is happening to my ocean, and i don’t know if it will ever be the same.

suddenly, i see a fish’s tail flicker in the distance. hunger takes over. instinct drives me forward. i don’t think, i just act. i lunge at my prey, jaws open, ready to strike.

then pain.

a sharp, unnatural pull tugs at my lip. i try to escape, but something is holding me back. the ocean around me feels wrong. i try to dive, but i can’t. i am stuck, pulled upward, against my will. the light gets brighter. the water gets thinner. i break the surface, gasping, but i am no longer in control.

i am being taken.

it doesn’t feel right. i can hear loud noises, feel rough hands grabbing me and placing me on the boat. i try escaping but i can’t. i’m trying to breathe, but i am suddenly paralysed. after a few minutes i become unconscious.

by surprise i wake up, disoriented. this feels wrong, the water is different, thinner and unnatural. i am surrounded by invisible walls. i don’t see the vast blue horizon like i used to. i decide to swim forward searching for a way out. i swim and swim but there is nowhere to go. i am stuck in a cage made from glass. doomed to swim in circles for the rest of my life.

suddenly i feel a vibration through the glass. i go to take a closer look and see these strange, pale fleshy objects pressing against the glass. hands. these creatures are humans. a small one comes closer and presses her hands against the glass. her wide eyes look into mine, then she runs away in fear. and she screams, “it is going to eat me? look at his teeth; they are so pointy!”

this happens every day. small humans press their faces in on the glass, make faces at me or sometimes scream. but then in the background i hear a voice, the voice of an angel, calm unlike the rest. “don’t be scared; sharks are not dangerous!” amazed by this voice i turn toward the sound. this human speaks not with fear but with passion. in a calm voice, she explains, “did you know that sharks only kill 10 humans a year?”

the children looked at her with surprise.

she carried on talking with such passion and says, “but do you know how many sharks are killed by humans every year? around 100 million, so who are the real monsters?”

the children were all gobsmacked and responded, “wait, are we really more dangerous than sharks?” the brilliant scientist answered, “yes, we are. sharks are incredible animals, so vital for the ocean’s health. the first shark appeared over 400 million years ago, long before dinosaurs were around. and if they have survived for so long, this means that they have an essential role in the balance of the ocean.“

the children turned to look at me. i could see that the fear in their eyes had turned into curiosity. questions poured from their mouths, their excitement growing. and then one child, smaller than the others, said softly, “i thought they were monsters… but they are not. we need them and i want to protect them.”

for the first time since being trapped i saw a glimmer of hope. if these children could understand, then maybe one day the entire world would, too. maybe one day, everyone will see me for what i truly am. not a monster, but a guardian and a protector of the sea. until then, i wait, watching and hoping that it will change.

jingmai mountain, located in yunnan province, china, has the world’s largest, oldest and best-preserved ancient tea forest. it was inscribed into the world heritage list in 2023.

the blang people are the indigenous group in jingmai mountain and are one of the first ethnic groups to cultivate and utilize tea.

as a young scholar researching indigenous peoples and traditional food systems, with ancestors from four different asian ethnic groups, i came to this remote border village in 2021 for a vacation, seeking inspiration. while dining with a local blang family, the host proudly explained to me:

“yes, this is how we eat! when we go to gather tea, we collect any edible wild ingredients we find along the way. children learn to identify these traditional ingredients from their elders, and when they see them while playing, they pick them and bring them back for the adults to check if they are edible. during festivals or agricultural leisure times, we also invite friends and family to our fish ponds to pick some wild vegetables and make grilled fish with banana leaves. throughout the year, we eat hundreds of wild vegetables! they are all organic and very healthy.”

i was amazed by their way of obtaining food and the biodiversity of the local ingredients, which is crucial for planetary health. i was very eager to document these practices and hoped to contribute to recording the traditional knowledge of the blang people. so, i visited the local community leader, mr. nan, to hear his views.

“amazing! [recording traditional knowledge] is exactly what i have always wanted to do, but i never had the time! tourists who come to jingmai mountain are only interested in the beautiful landscapes and pu’er tea here. you are the first person interested in our ingredients. the ingredients are not only for foods but also used by us to connect our gods in rituals. i believe it is very necessary to document these ingredients and the traditional knowledge behind them.

the locust disasters caused by drought in recent years have also made many traditional ingredients very scarce. nowadays, young people only like to play with their phones and go to the city for school after the age of ten. if this knowledge is not recorded, it will be lost in the future! as an elder in the community, i believe it is my responsibility to record this traditional knowledge with you. i will be happy to organize the elders of the whole village to help you document these ingredients.”

thus, the collaborative project began. i contacted independent artist and photographer, chaohui li, the china biodiversity conservation and green development foundation, the china good food action hub, the central academy of fine arts, and the university of toronto for collaboration. since the end of 2021, we have co-created a series of activities with the local community to document and promote the local traditional food system by combining traditional knowledge, science, and art.

with the help of 50 local villagers and the participation of indigenous youths, we collected 199 traditional ingredients (166 are plant-based) from the jingmai mountain tea forest and recorded their traditional medicinal effects, cultural meanings and cooking methods.

at the same time, we found that the development of tourism, the monoculture of tea planting for income, climate change, the introduction of new productive varieties to replace traditional varieties, overexploitation, the loss of traditional knowledge and related environmental protection regulations have made it more difficult for locals to obtain traditional ingredients.

the research results have been published in two academic papers and presented at the 27th united nations climate change conference (cop27) in egypt in 2022, the 7th china good food summit in 2023 and the world food forum at the headquarters of the food and agricultural organization (fao) in rome, italy, in 2024. the project was also selected in unesco’s case study collection on “safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and climate action from the asia-pacific region.”

in the field of art, we co-created the performance art piece “rainforest succession-la mianm” with more than 30 local villagers, filmed two related documentaries and exhibited the documentations and installations of the performance art at the 2023 shanghai urban space art season.

we organized local youth to watch documentaries to understand their views on traditional knowledge and the difficulties they encountered in learning it. we are currently discussing with community leaders how to enhance the transmission of traditional knowledge among local youth through artistic creation and biodiversity schools.

in terms of public impact, the project has been reported by more than ten media outlets, including the china central television net-news, gaining more than half a million views. a blog to introduce this project won first prize in a blog competition recognized by the international union of forest research organizations.

the blang chef mr. cao’s innovative dishes made with water taro sticks and sweet bamboo shoots were showcased at the 2024 world food forum in rome. the blang fermented tea used in rituals was also brought to the fao’s global-hub for indigenous people’s food systems, where it was presented to indigenous friends from around the world.

melinda hou, the ceo of good food fund china action hub, believed that: “the jingmai mountain project has excellently documented and showcased indigenous cultures in china, playing an important role in inspiring mainstream society on how to transform to sustainable food systems and other sustainable development goals (sdgs). other tea plantation regions, such as india and myanmar, will also benefit from this project because of the similar ecosystems and lifestyles. our organization plans to work closely with local villagers to further contribute to protecting the ecosystem and biodiversity of jingmai mountain.”

gina kennedy, ph.d., principal scientist with the alliance of bioversity and ciat, who was not involved in this project, feels that “this is a very inspiring example of combining a desire for scientific knowledge from the researcher perspective with the desire from the local community to document their traditional foodways and local knowledge on edible biodiversity for future generations.

it is a beautiful example of using a scientifically rigorous process to identify and document local food biodiversity and combine this with culinary and artistic traditions to create demand. it is also nice to learn that the project findings were widely disseminated to showcase this as an inspiring example for others, especially members of the united nations global-hub.”

in recent years, kelp forests have diminished by over 90% on california’s north coast.

dive into the urgent mission to restore west coast kelp forests. in 2014, a pacific heatwave event known as the blob led to a major loss of kelp forests across the west coast. the blob coincided with a disease that killed off the sunflower sea star, a predator of the native purple sea urchin.

with their natural predator gone, purple sea urchin populations have spiked to over 10,000%, threatening kelp forest ecosystems that support countless marine species. without this crucial habitat, historical and culturally important species like rockfish, red abalone, crabs, and other critters are at risk of their ecosystems collapsing.

since the initial loss of these underwater forests, researchers and community members have been exploring innovative and creative ways to manage purple urchin populations to revive these underwater ecosystems, local economies, and cultural connections. join us as we uncover the innovative solutions and dedicated efforts to bring back the kelp forests and ensure a thriving future for our oceans!

“i don’t remember,” i answered, sitting on the mat.

growing up, butterflies were a huge part of our childhood. catching one in an empty mayonnaise jar used to be the highlight of our afternoons, watching it flutter away to join its friends after we released it had us cheering and following along till they disappeared into the bushes. but now, they are becoming nothing but a distant memory.

across nigeria, butterflies are disappearing at an alarming rate. rapid urbanization has made it such that most people don’t remember the area used to be filled with butterflies — even moths are becoming a rare sight. butterflies and moths have always been indicators of a healthy ecosystem, and their decline is closely linked to climate change and the increasing frequency of heat waves with higher temperatures.

nigeria’s climate has changed drastically, prolonged dry seasons, extreme heat waves all over the country, and flash floods are becoming the norm. according to nimet (nigerian meteorological agency), the average temperature recorded yearly has been steadily rising over the past few decades, peaking at 46.4°c  in yola in april 2012, with recent highs being 45.2°c in  maiduguri and  41.6°c in umuahia recorded in 2023. in 2024, sokoto recorded a temperature of 44.8°c, with all other states experiencing temperatures ranging from 31°c to 43°c. 

why does it matter?

butterflies are very sensitive to temperature changes as their life cycle and mating is closely tied to specific weather conditions and plant availability. heat waves can dry out the few plants caterpillars can feed on and reduce male reproductivity while sudden heavy rains can wash away eggs and larvae and destroy their habitat. due to these factors, many butterflies are migrating in search of warmer temperatures, but not all of them can make the journey — leading to their extinction.

the heat waves are not only life-threatening to butterflies but greatly affect humans and the environment as a whole.

in the north, the rising heat is turning once fertile fields into barren lands. droughts have become more frequent causing the death of thousands of livestock and reducing food security in the region, driving up food costs nationwide. 

other parts of the country are also experiencing reduced agricultural productivity due to changing rainfall patterns and the drying up of lakes and rivers. rising sea levels in coastal areas along with unexpected rainfall have increased the intensity and frequency of flash floods, leading to loss of lives and property.

it is now a common sight to see people going around with one or more rechargeable fans and big bottles of water as they go around their day due to intense heat. the disappearance of butterflies is not just mourning childhood nostalgia, but a wake-up call to our environment’s cry for help.

“i don’t blame the butterflies, it’s just too hot,” peter adekunle, a fellow student at the university, said. “it’s just too hot, i can’t go anywhere without my fan. before, we used to chill under trees in between classes, now there’s just concrete everywhere, the flowers aren’t even flowering. why would butterflies be here?”

“heat is not the only problem, the butterflies don’t have anywhere to live, because of rapid urbanization all the trees and shrubs are being cut down,” aminat bello, a student of zoology, said. “before we used to go to heritage park to study larvae, now all the trees have been cut down and the area has been cleared to build a new senate building. other than butterflies, many other insect species and rodents are also on the brink of extinction, now we can only see them in the lab.”

rapid deforestation in favour of urbanization, logging, and other human activities has led to butterflies losing their habitats. according to the united nations, nigeria loses an estimated 3.7% of its forest per year, making it the country with the highest deforestation rate in the world.

what can we do? 

bringing butterflies back requires both individual and collective efforts. reintroducing native plants and shrubs in gardens, balconies, and throughout urban centers would be the first step, as it would provide food and shelter for them. many students are now creating mini gardens–growing small plants in recycled bottles and containers. 

the inclusion of green spaces, parks, and tree-lined streets would help create and maintain environments that butterflies and other wildlife can thrive in. this not only supports biodiversity but also helps to reduce the urban heat island effect. 

reducing deforestation is also critical: illegal logging is one of the major causes of deforestation in nigeria. government policies that regulate logging, law enforcement, and community involvement to report cases would help combat this issue. reforestation programs, where members of the community can actively plant and take care of the trees, can reverse some of the problems and reduce desertification. 

education plays a big role too. schools could incorporate environmental education into their curriculum and radio and television broadcasts could help educate the general public, would raise awareness, and make people more likely to take action.

finally, climate action is essential. reducing dependence on fossil fuels in favour of renewable energy sources, waste management, and practicing sustainable agriculture among others would help reduce the greenhouse gases human activities produce.

the absence of butterflies doesn’t mean they’re completely gone. if we heed the environment’s cry for help and act fast, someday, if someone asks, “when was the last time you saw a butterfly?” i would be able to point at one flying by and say, ”just now.”