How selection structures species abundance distributions

We find that ecological communities are not random assemblages of species but rather consist of sub-groups of species associated with different habitats and in which the relative abundance of taxa of different body size varies predictably as a result of selection. How selection structures species abundance distributions A. E. Magurran and P. A. Henderson Proc. … Read more

Commonness and rarity in diverse tropical communities

Because most species in an ecological assemblage are rare, much of the species richness we value is due to taxa with few individuals or a restricted distribution. It has been apparent since the time of ecological pioneers such as Bates and Darwin that tropical systems have disproportionately large numbers of rare species, yet the distribution … Read more

Trinidad’s First ‘BioBlitz’

During a BioBlitz, scientists, naturalists and volunteers take part in a 24hr period of intense surveying of a particular area with the aim of estimating the number of species present, while educating and enthusing the public about their local biodiversity. One weekend in November 2012, led by Mike Rutherford of the University of the West … Read more

Zoology inspiring Art

By Amy Deacon, founder of the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists’ Club Art Group As the hybrid offspring of an artist and a biologist, combining painting and the natural world has always seemed quite an obvious thing to do. The attendance register from the inaugural outing of the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists Club Art … Read more