How do we know whether a tropical forest is truly functioning? Is monitoring biodiversity and forest cover enough, or should we also be measuring the ecological processes that keep forests alive? These were among the important questions explored at the SCIENCE+ Meeting, “Safeguarding Anthropocene Tropical Forests,” held on 5–6 October 2026 at the Royal Society, London, UK. Our lab member, Dr Li Yuen, had the opportunity to present her research and contribute to discussions al

Large mammalian herbivores are important keystone species that are increasingly threatened by hunting and global environmental change. Their loss can trigger cascading impacts on other organisms that rely on them, including dung beetles—ecologically important insects rely on the feces of larger animals for feeding and nesting. By processing and burying dung, dung beetles also contribute towards multiple ecosystem services, including nutrient recycling and seed dispersal. Scie

Check out this graphic to learn about several services provided by biodiversity and why studying ecology and biodiversity is important...