How have exotic garden plants impacted our native fauna?
Animal habits, or behavior, can indeed change due to the presence of nonnative plants. Two examples come to mind. Fennel is a plant native to the Mediterranean region of Europe...
Post Type Archives: Articles
From the Bottom Up
It's small, it's restless, and it changes sex halfway through its life. Plus, the humble bay shrimp occupies a crucial niche in the complex food web of San Francisco Bay....
Legacy of the Red Ore
Numerous animals make their homes in burrows in the hills of this Santa Clara County park, but none dig as deep as the miners who hauled mercury-laden ore out of...
Letter from the Publisher
The past three months have not been easy ones for our planet. The events of 9/11 continue to reverberate globally, from bombs over Afghanistan to imperiled civil liberties and recession...
Often-Overlooked Lichens are Essential to the Bay Area’s Environment
Is it a mushroom? A moss? Bacterial scum? Trod on underfoot or passed by in blissful ignorance, lichens are perhaps the least understood element of the Bay Area landscape. But...
Mushrooms and the Fungus Fair
Most of us know mushrooms as culinary delicacies, but fungi have been used for everything from making paper and dyes to producing drugs—not to mention their life-giving mycorrhizal association with...
San Francisco Natural History Series
To learn more about local nature and meet the people who study, conserve and advocate on its behalf, don’t miss the monthly programs presented by the San Francisco Natural History...
Sudden Oak Death Update
A lot has happened in the battle against Sudden Oak Death (SOD) since Bay Nature reported on it in January. To date, the disease has been identified in black oak,...
Tule Elk Rutting
October is the final month of tule elk rutting season, when the males fight it out for dominance and the right to mate with the females of the herd. Our...
How have humans influenced wild animal behavior?
Most of the world’s 5,000 or so species of mammals are already nocturnal, so the effect of urbanization on their circadian activity is probably nil. Actually, even the nocturnal animals...
