Category: SFYL Hot Topic

Nine-armed Sea Stars dying in Atlantic waters: UF/IFAS scientists document first case of disease in Florida

by Lourdes Mederos
June 18, 2025

A disturbing scene met snorkelers in Palm Beach County’s coastal waters – sea stars (also known as starfish) with missing limbs, open wounds and bodies falling apart on the ocean floor. The condition known as Sea Star Wasting Disease ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Alexander Romer, Atlantic Waters, Curling Limbs, Densovirus, Eric Suarez, Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, INaturalist, Lake Worth Cove, Lourdes Mederos, Marine, Melissa Miller, Nine-armed Sea Stars, Palm Beach County, Sea Star Wasting Disease, Southeaster Naturalist, Splitlure Frogfish, SSWS, Starfish, Starfish Wasting Disease, University Of Florida, Wildlife

UF/IFAS scientists confirm hybrid termites established in Florida

by Lourdes Mederos
May 21, 2025

Scientists confirm that two of the world’s most destructive invasive termite species are not only spreading in the United States but also hybridizing – the process of two different species crossbreeding to produce a hybrid. This raises ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Home Management, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Asian Subterranean Termites, Biology, Entomology And Nematology, Formosan Subterranean Termites, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Genetic, Hybrid, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasion, Invasion Science, Invasive, Lourdes Mederos, News, Proceedings Of The Royal Society B, Structural Damage, Termite Soldier, Termites, Thomas Chouvenc

Composting is officially on the map in Deerfield Beach; UF/IFAS is leading the charge for a statewide model

by Lourdes Mederos
May 19, 2025

Sandwiched between International Compost Week in early May and National Composting Day on May 29, a new initiative with the University of Florida is taking shape as cities across the nation embrace composting as a sustainable solution to ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, Fruits & Vegetables, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: City Of Deerfield Beach, Compost, Compost College, Compost Industry, Filthy Organics, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, International Composting Week, Landfills, Lourdes Mederos, Market Viability, May 29, Methane Emissions, Mica McMillan, Micro-composter, National Composting Day, News, Organic Waste, Organics Recycling Foundation, Sustainable Alternatives, U.S. Department Of Agriculture, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, UF/IFAS, Usda, USDA Composting And Food Waste Reduction Program

Risky human behavior, not aggressive gators, behind most alligator bites

by Lourdes Mederos
April 16, 2025

Risky human behavior, not aggression by alligators, is the leading cause of alligator bites, according to a groundbreaking study by scientists at the University of Florida and Centre College in Kentucky. Published in the journal Human—Wildlife ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, NATURAL RESOURCES, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Alligator Attacks, Alligator Bite, Alligator Habitat, Alligator Mating Season, Alligators, Attractive Stimulus, Co-exist, Crocodilians, Department Of Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Frank Mazzotti, Habitat, Human Awareness, Human Behavior, Lakes, News, Oceans, Predator, Rivers, Situational Awareness, Targeted Communication Strategies, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida, Wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Ecology, Wildlife Managers

Are we losing our wildlife to benches and ballparks? UF/IFAS research shows how smart designs can avoid it

by Lourdes Mederos
April 10, 2025

Across the United States, more than 440 national parks and 7,400 urban parks offer a variety of recreational green spaces for people and pets. Yet, the United States Forest Service warns that urbanization, including park development, ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Community Volunteers, Conservation, NATURAL RESOURCES, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Biodiversity, Birds, Carbon, Citizen Science, Community Involvement, Corey Callaghan, Ecology, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Green Spaces, Greenspace Management, Habitats, Health, Heat Islands, Human Activities, INaturalist, Insects, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Lawns, Mammals, Nature, News, Parks, Planners, Plants, Pollinators, Recreation, Recreations, Smart Park, UF/IFAS, United States Forest Service, University Of Florida, Urban Green Spaces, Urban Parks, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Ecology And Conservation

Is your neighborhood a termite hot spot? UF/IFAS researchers track the spread of destructive pests with online tool

by Lourdes Mederos
March 19, 2025

University of Florida researchers caution the public that an increasing number of communities are now hot spots for invasive termite species, facing significant threats to property and trees. “Recent studies indicate that Formosan subterranean ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Disaster Preparation, Home Management, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Asian Subterranean Termites, Decayed Wood, Dropped Wings, Florida, Formosan Subterranean Termite, Infestations, Invasive Species, Map, Pest Control Professionals, Preventative Measures, Property Owners, Termites, Thomas Chouvenc, UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, West Indian Drywood Termites

Rooting for Change: Florida 4-H cultivates Broward youth into native plant pioneers at one of South Florida’s remaining prairies

by Lourdes Mederos
March 18, 2025

Florida 4-H Broward County is using hands-on methods to teach conservation to local students through a pilot project designed to restore native plants at one of the few remaining prairies in South Florida. The Broward Native Plant Propagation ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Blog Community, Conservation, Curriculum, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Alexa Tillett, Broward County Parks And Recreation Department, Broward Native Plant Propagation Project, Conservation, Education, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Fern Forest, Florida 4-H, Florida 4-H Broward County, Florida Native Plant Society, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, News, Plants, Prairie, Training, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension Broward County, Urban Wilderness, Workforce Development, Youth Development

UF/IFAS Turfgrass Field Day brings latest trends, innovative research for lawns on March 27

by Lourdes Mederos
March 11, 2025

The roots of the University of Florida’s turfgrass research run deep – stretching back more than a century as scientists have worked to cultivate greener and more resilient landscapes that conserve water and protect the environment. On ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Conservation, EVENTS, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Carbon Sequestration, Data-driven Strategies, Environmentally Friendly, Erosion Control, Extension, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Golf Course, Grass, Homeowners, Landscapers, Noise Reduction, Nutrients, Parks And Recreation, Pollutants, Professional Landscapers, Resilient Landscapes, South Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association Of America, Sports Turf Managers, Superintendents, Treatment Options, Turf, Turfgrass, Turfgrass Field Day, Turfgrass Science, UF/IFAS

Cracking the Burmese python code: New data zeroes in on game-changing strategies

by Lourdes Mederos
February 6, 2025

In a groundbreaking study, University of Florida scientists statistically analyzed large amounts of data collected by Burmese python contractors, revealing critical insights about how to most efficiently remove the reptiles. Researchers ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, Invasive Species, NATURAL RESOURCES, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Alex Romer, Big Cypress National Preserve, Burmese Python, Citizen Scientists, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Invasive Species, Melissa Miller, News, Palm Beach County, Python Contractors, Python Elimination Program, Reptiles, Scientific Reports, SFWMD, South Florida Water Management District, Tamiami Trail, UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Ecology And Conservation

Hop into science: UF/IFAS guide empowers communities of all ages to explore tiny but mighty hoppers

by Lourdes Mederos
January 21, 2025

Spotted a tiny, colorful critter hopping on a leaf and wondered what it was up to? Meet the hoppers — leafhoppers, planthoppers and treehoppers. (more…) READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agriculture, AskIFAS, Beneficial Insects, Brian Bahder, Citizen Science, Conservation Efforts, Corey Callaghan, Data, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Department Of Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, Ecosystems, Entomology And Nematology, Hoppers, INaturalist, Insects, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasives, Leafhoppers, News, Observations, Pests, Planthoppers, Research, Treehoppers, UF/IFAS

UF/IFASFort Lauderdale Research and Education Center

Subscribe For More Great Content

UF/IFAS
Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center