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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Montpellier European Ecotron @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social · Jul 28

🚨 #Ozone & bumblebees: what's the impact?
The #Mesocosms platform we are currently exploring how #airpollution shapes #pollinator physiology & behavior 🐝🌿Part of the collaborative #ANR #PolluCom project led by @magproffit.bsky.social @cnrsoccitanieest.bsky.social @anaeefrance.bsky.social #ecotron

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Montpellier European Ecotron @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social · Jul 21

🔬 New #Ecotron article just published in SBB! Nesting #microcosms inside #mesocosms reveal how #FunctionalDiversity of macrodetritivores affects litter mass loss. 🍂🪱 Spoiler: it matters!
👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

@cnrsecologie.bsky.social & the #Ecotron team!

#Biodiversity

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Montpellier European Ecotron @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social · Jul 4

#Microcosms and #Mesocosms experimental platforms completely taken over by the #ANR Pollucom project (@magproffit.bsky.social and her team from CNRS CEFE) studying #ozone effects on plant–pollinator interactions 🌼🐝 They’ve hijacked our meeting room too! Must be the AC 😅 @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Montpellier European Ecotron @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social · Jul 2

Major milestone @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social: #lysimeters installed in the Macrocosms experimental platform for the upcoming #biochar & #basalt for #ERW. Huge thanks to the team for the massive effort!

Interested in collaborating? Get in touch! @anaeeeric.bsky.social @anaeefrance.bsky.social

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Montpellier European Ecotron @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social · Jun 24

Excited to share the first article from the #Ecotron 's #Mesocosms platform! 🎉 Based on a 4+ year experiment manipulating soil macrofauna diversity in large #lysimeters under #drought. #Macrofauna matters!

Huge thanks to @UFZ_de & @CEFE_CNRS. More coming soon!

🔗 www.frontiersin.org/journals/mic...

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

AnaEE-ERIC @anaeeeric.bsky.social · Jun 10

Curious about how we can boost your climate change-research? 💪
Never heard of Research Infrastructures and want to know more? 🌎
Want to know how to apply through our open call? (DL October 2025) 🗓️
Then don't miss our webinar on exactly this, friday the 13th!

Register here: lnkd.in/e86K89bD

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Alex Milcu @alex-ecology.bsky.social · Jun 6

Had a great time at the Enhanced Rock Weathering conference in Antwerp #ERW25! Industry interest is accelerating faster than the science. Our latest study shows promising results: doi.org/10.1016/j.ap... – And soon a new experiment in the #Ecotron #macrocosms, even better suited for this challenge.

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Marten Winter @smartenwinter.bsky.social · May 28

There are great Global Ecology Starter Packs go.bsky.app/F86HYqj organised by @nmouquet.bsky.social

You can DM @global-ecology.bsky.social to join the Vol_3 of the starter pack

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Alex Milcu @alex-ecology.bsky.social · May 27

For the sake of being able to do our jobs as researchers, can we please stop adding more admin burden on researchers! A ‪@france.theconversation.com piece about the need for time to actually....think.

Des enseignants-chercheurs à la recherche du temps perdu: theconversation.com/des-enseigna...

Des enseignants-chercheurs à la recherche du temps perdu : regard sur le malaise universitaire

Comment les enseignants-chercheurs vivent-ils leur métier aujourd’hui ? Extraits d’une grande enquête sur le malaise universitaire.

theconversation.com

Reposted by Alex Milcu

Montpellier European Ecotron @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social · May 9

🎉🎉🎉Congrats to the Montpellier #ecotron @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social (@clementpiel.bsky.social, Joana Sauze, Sébastien Devidal & @alex-ecology.bsky.social) and @lsce-ipsl.bsky.social for this new article describing how to measure oxygen fractionation in close systems.

gi.copernicus.org/articles/14/...

A multiplexing system for quantifying oxygen fractionation factors in closed chambers

Abstract. The study of isotopic ratios of atmospheric oxygen in fossilized air trapped in ice core bubbles provides information on variations in the hydrological cycle at low latitudes and productivit...

gi.copernicus.org

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Alex Milcu @alex-ecology.bsky.social · Apr 28

#egu25 lunch break. Looking forward to the #ecotron and #lysimeter poster session this afternoon meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU25/sessio...

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Fernando T. Maestre @ftmaestre.bsky.social · Apr 27

A new 🌎 synthesis by Li. et al. shows that plant diversity and carbon storage are positively linked, but the relationship is often weak—stronger in grasslands and shaped by climate factors onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

The Universal but Weak Positive Correlation Between Plant Diversity and Carbon Storage: Evidence From a Global Synthetic Analysis

Research has yielded conflicting quantitative conclusions regarding the relationship between plant diversity and carbon storage, leaving the nature of this correlation at the global scale unresolved....

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Alex Milcu @alex-ecology.bsky.social · Apr 5

A few more days to apply for this #postdoc opportunity @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social.

Montpellier European Ecotron @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social · Mar 18

📢 #Postdoc Opportunity! 🌱🔬
Join an #Ecotron project on soil #carbon sequestration @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social

🔗 Apply here: emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...

📍 Work with @alex-ecology.bsky.social & @cbiogeo.bsky.social

📢 Please share!

#Soil #Biochar #Weathering #AcademicJobs #JobOffer #CarbonScience

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Microclimate Ecology & Biogeography (MEB) conference @mebconf.bsky.social · Mar 28

We are very happy to announce that the next Microclimate Ecology & Biogeography (MEB) conference will happen in Montpellier (FRANCE), 1 - 5 June 2026 ☀️
meb-network.com/meb-2026/
Microclimate scientists: save the date in your agenda!!

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Montpellier European Ecotron @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social · Mar 18

📢 #Postdoc Opportunity! 🌱🔬
Join an #Ecotron project on soil #carbon sequestration @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social

🔗 Apply here: emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...

📍 Work with @alex-ecology.bsky.social & @cbiogeo.bsky.social

📢 Please share!

#Soil #Biochar #Weathering #AcademicJobs #JobOffer #CarbonScience

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Alex Milcu @alex-ecology.bsky.social · Mar 14

Intriguing debate between classical predictive and structural causal modelling. Always thought the later is a wee bit overrated. Without strong a priori hypotheses, both can lead us straight into the land of spurious correlations BS.

Francisco Rodriguez-Sanchez @frodsan.bsky.social · Mar 13

New #statistics #ecopubs @esajournals.bsky.social:

Predictive models are indeed useful for causal inference doi.org/10.1002/ecy....

Sounds like a response to 'Predictive models aren't for causal inference' doi.org/10.1111/ele....

The subject of investigating causation in ecology has been widely discussed in recent years, especially by advocates of a structural causal model (SCM) approach. Some of these advocates have criticized the use of predictive models and model selection for drawing inferences about causation. We argue that the comparison of model-based predictions with observations is a key step in hypothetico-deductive (H-D) science and remains a valid approach for assessing causation. We draw a distinction between two approaches to inference based on predictive modeling. The first approach is not guided by causal hypotheses and focuses on the relationship between a (typically) single response variable and a potentially large number of covariates. We agree that this approach does not yield useful inferences about causation and is primarily useful for hypothesis generation. The second approach follows a H-D framework and is guided by specific hypotheses about causal relationships. We believe that this has been, and continues to be, a useful approach to causal inference. Here, we first define different kinds of causation, arguing that a “probability-raisers-of-processes” definition is especially appropriate for many ecological systems. We outline different scientific “designs” for generating the observations used to investigate causation. We briefly outline some relevant components of the SCM and H-D approaches to investigating causation, emphasizing a H-D approach that focuses on modeling causal effects on vital rate (e.g., rates of survival, recruitment, local extinction, colonization) parameters underlying system dynamics. We consider criticisms of predictive modeling leveled by some SCM proponents and provide two example analyses of ecological systems that use predictive modeling and avoid these criticisms. We conclude that predictive models have been, and can continue to be, useful for providing inferences about causation.

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Alex Milcu @alex-ecology.bsky.social · Mar 11

Happy to help cover pioneering research for the French journal @pourlascience.bsky.social (www.pourlascience.fr) ! P. B. Reich et al.'s 24-year #Nature study (2024) shows high #CO₂ first dampens then amplifies N-induced #biodiversity loss — alarming findings!

www.pourlascience.fr/sd/environne...

La hausse du dioxyde de carbone et de l’azote fait baisser la biodiversité végétale

L’augmentation du CO2 favorise certaines plantes au détriment d’autres, réduisant la diversité des prairies et la résilience des écosystèmes.

www.pourlascience.fr

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Montpellier European Ecotron @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social · Mar 7

#Montpellier #Ecotron staff stood up for #science!

#StandUpForScience

Guillaume Bossis @guillaumebo6.bsky.social · Mar 7

#StandUpForScience Montpellier, France @standupforscifr.bsky.social @standupforscience.bsky.social

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Guillaume Bossis @guillaumebo6.bsky.social · Mar 7

#StandUpForScience Montpellier, France @standupforscifr.bsky.social @standupforscience.bsky.social

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Montpellier European Ecotron @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social · Mar 7

📣Exciting news! The Visiting Fellowship Program at the University of Montpellier is now open. Ready for a 3-6‑month academic adventure at the Ecotron🌱? DM us to learn more and apply! #VisitingFellow #UMontpellier #Ecotron

makit.edu.umontpellier.fr/en/calls-for...

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Adam Kinzinger @adamkinzinger.substack.com · Mar 1

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Alex Milcu @alex-ecology.bsky.social · Feb 26

Our #Biodiversa -funded #SoilForEurope preprint is now available—showing how trees shape the soil food web & #multifunctionality. 🌱🌳

Huge congrats to Ludovic Henneron for his incredible effort! Currently under consideration in...we’ll keep that a secret for now. 😉

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Resource economics of tree communities control soil food web multifunctionality in European forests

Plants affect terrestrial ecosystem functioning by performing the primary production that energetically sustains heterotrophic organisms, and by shaping the microenvironment. However, the influence of...

www.biorxiv.org

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Dr Manu Saunders @manusaunders.bsky.social · Feb 16

*New paper* Denialism campaigns are growing in attempts to discredit science, scientists, and the scientific process generally. Biodiversity loss denial is a new phenomenon that needs our attention.
-With @alexanderlees.bsky.social + Eliza Grames!
#CommSky 🧪🌏 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Figure 2. Measuring changes in insect biodiversity (centre column 'Metrics' and 'Trends') can be achieved by focusing on drivers that directly or indirectly impact insect biodiversity metrics and trends (left column 'Drivers of Change'). Where data on insect populations specifically are unavailable, data from other species and ecological processes can provide inferential support for changes in insect biodiversity (right column 'Indicators of Change').

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Alex Milcu @alex-ecology.bsky.social · Feb 12

Same here, please consider me for vol 3. Cheers.

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Reposted by Alex Milcu

Montpellier European Ecotron @ecotron-cnrs.bsky.social · Feb 10

📣Teaming up with @cbiogeo.bsky.social for a #Macrocosms experiment on algae-based #biochar & #basalt for enhanced weathering in a realistic #controlled-environment setup. #ecotron @anaeefrance.bsky.social @cnrsoccitanieest.bsky.social

Lysimeters ready!

Reach out if you have ideas to collaborate!

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