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Margaret Stanley

@ecostanley.bsky.social

3.1K followers 1.4K following 2.7K posts

Professor, University of Auckland: urban ecology, conservation, invasive species. Mum to 2 teenagers. Nature fan. She/her. Aotearoa - New Zealand. UOA profile: https://profiles.auckland.ac.nz/mc-stanley

profiles.auckland.ac.nz

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · Jan 29

Schools are the perfect place for trees - but are your kids missing out on all those benefits? Research from Abi's MSc thesis @aucklanduni.bsky.social 🧪🌏#schools #aotearoa #tamakimakaurau theconversation.com/does-your-sc...

Does your school have enough trees? Here’s why they’re great for kids and their learning

With children heading back to school at the height of summer, a recent study finds too many playgrounds need better tree cover.

theconversation.com

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Reposted by Margaret Stanley

Cate Macinnis-Ng @loraxcate.bsky.social · 5d

📣 Opportunity for early career researchers from developing countries who work on climate change. IPCC is calling for chapter scientists for assessment round 7. Successful applicants will receive a stipend for 48 months. 🧪🌎
www.ictp.it/opportunity/...

IPCC AR7 Chapter Scientists | ICTP

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is in the process of preparing its Seventh Assessment report (AR7). The IPCC Working Groups are seeking highly motivated early-career researchers f...

www.ictp.it

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · 3d

Woohoo! Congrats!

Reposted by Margaret Stanley

Tammy Steeves @testeeves.bsky.social · 3d

What are the ‘social dimensions’ of moving species for conservation and why does engaging with them matter?

This is the focus of our new paper doi.org/10.1016/j.tr... published in @cp-trendsecolevo.bsky.social olevo.bsky.social led by ever talented @aisrayne.bsky.social

📷 Kevin Parker

Whimsical photo of a karure | kakaruia | Chatham Island black robin courtesy of Kevin Parker. Features as a wee black bird with four leg bands: white over orange on the left leg and red over white on the right leg. Sneaky tufts of feathers peak out from otherwise borb-like body, encouraged by the unseen wind.

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · 3d

Check out NZ Parliamentary Commissioner for Environment's report: 3 points politicians should agree on: 1) our economy is a subset of the environment, not vice versa, 2) critical importance of high-quality spatial data, 3) be realistic about time frames/costs of tackling env. problems. #Aotearoa 🧪🌏

Annual report for the year ended 30 June 2025

The Commissioner has released his annual report for the year ended 30 June 2025. Here is an abbreviated version of his overview. The full version can be read here.

pce.parliament.nz

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · 3d

The remarkable rise of eBird – the world’s biggest citizen science project
theconversation.com/the-remarkab...

The remarkable rise of eBird – the world’s biggest citizen science project

In 2002, an online database was set up allowing birdwatchers to record their species observations. It is now a vast resource, shaping scientific research.

theconversation.com

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · 8d

An excellent piece - "Goodall showed us scientists can express their emotions and values and that we can be respected researchers as well as passionate advocates and science communicators."

‘Only if we help shall all be saved’: Jane Goodall showed we can all be part of the solution

Jane Goodall showed tremendous courage in charting her own course as a pioneering researcher – and working to spread hope wherever she went.

theconversation.com

Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · 10d

More changes & challenges ahead (well, now really).... the logistics can be super challenging. This is where we learn lessons from our colleagues.

AI in the classroom is hard to detect – time to bring back oral tests

A chatbot can produce text, but it can’t sustain a probing conversation about your reasoning. Our work suggests oral assessment has a role in the age of AI.

theconversation.com

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · 10d

An excellent piece of writing - "Now, more than ever, mothers don’t need to be told what to do. They need our support, and our commitment to prioritising actions that make the world a healthier place for everybody."

The (mostly) well-meaning war on pregnancy

Opinion from Auckland University: Our tendency to simplify the complex factors that influence pregnancy often results in a myopic focus on individual behaviour.

newsroom.co.nz

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · 11d

Woohoo! Fab paper Michael! Will use it in BIOSCI 394 👏

Reposted by Margaret Stanley

Imogen Bassett @imogenbassett.bsky.social · 14d

I spoke with @rnzrss.bsky.social about why we need to regulate the exotic pet trade in Aotearoa www.rnz.co.nz/news/thedeta...

Turtles - the pet turned pest

Turtles have a relaxed reputation, but in reality they're quick-moving and aggressive, and are wreaking havoc on our native wildlife

www.rnz.co.nz

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Reposted by Margaret Stanley

AL GLEN @asglen.bsky.social · 12d

Quantifying timing and impact of invasive predators on seabird breeding success conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Temporally‐indexed multi‐species density impact functions: Quantifying timing and impact of invasive predators on seabird breeding success

Conserving threatened species often requires effective predator suppression strategies, particularly on islands where introduced predators pose significant threats. Density-impact functions provide a....

conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · 12d

A great initiative from Te Tira Whakamātaki - peltswithpurpose.raiselysite.com/en/
What is unwanted here (possums) is a taonga (treasure) in Te Whenua-a-Moemoeā (Australia). Māori possum hunters supply Aboriginal communities (for cultural revitalisation). Donations enable rangatahi exchanges.

(Re)storying the Possum - Pelts with Purpose

Possums destroy native species. But what is unwanted here is a taonga across the Tasman. Help us gather and prepare possum pelts for Aboriginal communities to use, all while restoring biodiversity at ...

peltswithpurpose.raiselysite.com

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · Sep 3

Fantastic talk by the fabulous @dianaborse.bsky.social on her @aucklanduni.bsky.social PhD research about co-occurring weeds at #EMAPI2025 ecology & management of weeds conference. #weeds #invasive

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Reposted by Margaret Stanley

Pablo Garcia-Diaz @pablo-ecology.bsky.social · Aug 20

Invasive species eradication: How do we declare success? 🌎 www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Invasive species eradication: How do we declare success? | Cambridge Prisms: Extinction | Cambridge Core

Invasive species eradication: How do we declare success? - Volume 1

www.cambridge.org

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · Aug 20

Data centers consume massive amounts of water – companies rarely tell the public exactly how much
theconversation.com/data-centers...

Data centers consume massive amounts of water – companies rarely tell the public exactly how much

In 2024, one data center in Iowa consumed 1 billion gallons of water, enough to supply all the state’s residences with water for five days.

theconversation.com

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · Aug 8

40% of food produced in the world is never eaten. Shocking statistics - how can we reduce food waste? Great @aucklanduni.bsky.social 3MT talk on developing improved processes for cafes & restaurants.

Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · Aug 8

Some brilliant @aucklanduni.bsky.social #3MT talks tonight! Incredibly talented communicators! Making research accessible!

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Reposted by Margaret Stanley

bioprotection.bsky.social @bioprotection.bsky.social · Aug 6

BRAIDED RIVERS are more than water. Between the braids are islands of BIODIVERSITY that need PROTECTION. Some of us take these spaces for granted. Others know what’s at stake.

PhD student Jazmynn Hodder-Swain shares her first BLOG POST — a reflection on responsibility and care.

Braided rivers need protection for their terrestrial biodiversity too | Bioprotection Aotearoa

We often think of braided rivers as physical matter and hydraulic force, with gravel-filled channels shifting their way downstream and across the braidplain, occasionally bursting their banks and wash...

bioprotection.org.nz

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Reposted by Margaret Stanley

Veronika Meduna @veronikameduna.bsky.social · Aug 6

And here's @jgmussoi.bsky.social's @aunz.theconversation.com story theconversation.com/sleepy-birds...

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Reposted by Margaret Stanley

bioprotection.bsky.social @bioprotection.bsky.social · Aug 5

Can leaf MICROBES help protect MAIRE TAWAKE from MYRTLE RUST? In our next Rangahau Rising kōrero @hanareiaehau.bsky.social shares research into the microbiome of this endangered tree and what it could mean for forest resilience in Aotearoa
Wed 20 Aug | 12–1 PM | Zoom
🔗 Register: tinyurl.com/25x2jwae

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Reposted by Margaret Stanley

Juliane Gaviraghi Mussoi @jgmussoi.bsky.social · Aug 6

New article out:
The effects of sleep disturbance on a songbird’s vocal performance

royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...

#science #birds #sleep #birdsong #urbanecology

illustrations of an awake common myna with lights of a city in the background, and of a sleeping common myna with trees and a dark sky in the background.

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · Jul 1

"Auckland’s spaces for play are spatially fragmented, limiting social encounters and the risk-taking skills vital for development." Some interesting recommendations in there from the authors.

Beyond playgrounds: how less structured city spaces can nurture children’s creativity and independence

NZ playgrounds are often separated from city life, constraining children’s spontaneous play. Planners can learn from car-free urban spaces where children are free to roam.

theconversation.com

Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · Jun 26

Dr Helen Nathan & team want to hear from Māori aged 16 and up! Do you see ngēru as cuddly companions (hoa maimoa), mischievous troublemakers (poti nanakia), or a bit of both?
Take our survey 👉 Click here to start the survey lnkd.in/gBY3-yNg

Let’s talk cats! Kōrero mai mō ngā ngēru! 🐱✨

Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · Jun 19

3 days left to make a submission on the Regulatory Standards Bill. Introduced under urgency - it undermines our communities, the environment and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Take the time to submit - loads of resources out there to demystify the Bill. www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/mak...

Make a submission - New Zealand Parliament

Parliament's decisions affect all New Zealanders. Have your say and influence the laws passed by Parliament. You can get involved by making a submission.

www.parliament.nz

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · Jun 18

We need to have legislation that protects our night sky - for people and ecosystems theconversation.com/matariki-and...

Matariki and our diminishing night sky: light pollution from cities and satellites is making stars harder to see

About half of all New Zealanders can no longer see the Milky Way in winter due to light pollution from ever brighter cities and expanding satellite constellations.

theconversation.com

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