Nature reports

New research reveals how the increasingly intensive use of grasslands affects insects and other arthropods. Surprisingly, their total number remained stable when land use intensified, but species richness halved. This shows that..

Turquoise waters, vibrant coral reefs, tranquil mangrove forests – that’s how we know Aruba. But this rich underwater world is under pressure and disappearing fast. Still, there is hope. Through the project Turning the Tide,..

They are smaller than a millimeter, yet they can play an enormous role in science: tardigrades. These tough little organisms can survive extreme conditions and are found all over the world, from the Himalayas to the deep sea...

Since 2012, the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) has been conducting research into the effect of artificial light at night on our natural environment. For this research – Light on Nature – streetlights have been..

A new study shows that European butterflies are under increasing threat from a multitude of factors, but especially habitat loss and the warming climate. The new Red List of European butterflies, just published by the..

Followers of posts on social media, as well as citizen scientists, are most motivated by their joint passion for nature. Both groups contribute to research and conservation of urban flora, but with very different activities. This..

Physician and botanist Philipp Franz von Siebold brought unique Asian plant species to Leiden in the 19th century. His legacy shows which plants once played an important role in healthcare. Many of these medicinal plants can be..

Naturalis presents the first type catalogue of its mammal collection: a comprehensive overview of 405 scientific names with their official tangible type specimens. Five years of research have brought together old, often brief..

Man-made chemicals, including pesticides, industrial chemicals, and medicines, enter the European environment. Many are classed by the EU as harmful to the environment and humans, but effects on terrestrial wildlife are little..

Bees, bumblebees and butterflies have too little natural habitat around them to survive. A new study, led by researchers at Wageningen University & Research and published in Science, shows that these insects need much more space..