WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

 In the relative hotbed of biodiversity that is the northern Illinois-Indiana border, it only takes a couple of faithful stewards to keep the aromatic invader at bay.

Naturalist Doug Tallamy says our lawns could support a "home-grown national park." Most gardeners don't think of bugs unless it's how to kill them, he said, but insects are crucial to restoring native ecosystems.

Researchers estimate cats are the single greatest cause of bird deaths linked to human settlement — more than building collisions, pesticides or wind turbines. 

Residents of Chicago’s Hispanic neighborhoods live farther from nature and its benefits than residents of other neighborhoods, according to UIC research.

Charles Darwin ushered in modern biology with his explanation of how different species evolve. But his work leaves us with a paradox: Why should dozens or even thousands of species coexist in a single habitat? The theory suggests they ought to duke it out until just a few winners dominate.

A Chicago researcher says he’s found insight into how ecosystems work from what may be the world’s most basic game: rock, paper, scissors. Stefano Allesina says there’s long been a paradox in ecology.