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While ecologists have more data than ever to help monitor and understand biodiversity, researchers are still working to understand declining animal populations that can lead to extinction, says animal ecologist Scott Yanco, a research fellow at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS).

Yanco believes that advancements in animal tracking technology that can be affixed to individual animals to monitor locations and other information will help make more progress. By accumulating more detailed information throughout the lives of animals, researchers can better understand the impacts of pollution, climate change, habitat loss and other threats. 

Alongside U-M SEAS Assistant Professor Brian Weeks and an international team, Yanco authored a new study that highlights the opportunity for animal tracking data to help advance conservation efforts.

Read the expert Q&A on the Michigan News website to learn more. 

Study: Tracking individual animals can reveal the mechanisms of species loss (DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.09.008)