Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Dr. Bala Chaudhary @balachaudhary.bsky.social · Aug 14

Attention #ESA2025 soil types: check out our new journal npj Soil Ecology and feel free to contact me if you have questions!

Dr. Bala Chaudhary @balachaudhary.bsky.social · Jun 25

Excited to share that I am taking on a new role as Editor in Chief of npj Soil Ecology, a new journal dedicated to communicating high-quality research and scholarship exploring all aspects of the ecology of soils from gene to ecosystem scales.

www.nature.com/npjsoilecol/

3 12

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Jalene LaMontagne @jalene-lamontagne.bsky.social · Aug 13

#ESA2025! We would love to fill this up with signatures. Let's show support to the folks at NSF. Find it Wednesday morning at the spot below, and it'll be at the NSF funding session at 10-11:30am.

4 9

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Jalene LaMontagne @jalene-lamontagne.bsky.social · Aug 12

🚨There's a "Thank you NSF folks!" poster board for people to sign at #ESA2025. It's near a coffee station & the LTER booth.

Please sign and show your support! And, share!

A poster board with a gold frame that says, "Thank you NSF folks!" and has some signatures. It's on a easel and there are markers available.

Orange sticky note that says, "Please sign!!"

4 6

Dr. Bala Chaudhary @balachaudhary.bsky.social · Aug 12

Hey #ESA2025! Help us spread some love to the wonderful program officers and staff at NSF! Located in the exhibit hall near coffee/booth 316!

1 6 21

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Ryan Stephens @ryanbstephens.bsky.social · Aug 11

I'm giving a talk on Tuesday about carnivores as dispersers of mycorrhizal fungal spores as part of a special session on fungal spore dispersal. Come check it out if you are here in Baltimore and like fungi, carnivores, or trophic interactions. #ESA2025

1 6 12

Dr. Bala Chaudhary @balachaudhary.bsky.social · Jul 29

Full article here: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

PNAS

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...

www.pnas.org

2

Dr. Bala Chaudhary @balachaudhary.bsky.social · Jul 29

Our new global study led by @smriti-pehim-limbu.bsky.social is now out in @pnas.org. TLDR: Certain spore traits were linked to climate AND species range sizes! YES we can use traits to gain insight into env adaptations for microbes.

#mycorrhizas #spores #NSFfunded
www.eurekalert.org/news-release...

How climate shapes soil fungal traits

Many soil microbes play a vital role in ecosystems, as they help plants access nutrients and water and assist in stress tolerance such as during drought and to defend against pathogens. One such group...

www.eurekalert.org

1 17 40

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Madhusudan 🦉 Katti @leafwarbler.bsky.social · Jun 12

Planning to attend @ecologicalsociety.bsky.social's upcoming #ESA2025 annual meeting in Baltimore?
Consider signing up for my short course w Gwen Bridge:
Decolonizing Ecological Praxis and Engaging Ethically with Indigenous Communities
Look for SC 02 when you register!
Curious but unsure? Ask me!

1 4 6

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Geoff Zahn @geoffzahn.bsky.social · Jul 15

Fungal spores reveal a global climate footprint on microbes' traits!
Incorporating microbial traits improves predictions of biogeographic shifts.
Fun project w @balachaudhary.bsky.social @smriti-pehim-limbu.bsky.social @sturmer.bsky.social @aguilart.bsky.social
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Climate-linked biogeography of mycorrhizal fungal spore traits | PNAS

Climate-driven variation in traits is crucial for predicting ecological responses to environmental change, yet global patterns and drivers of micro...

www.pnas.org

1 13 35

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Tanya Cheeke @tanyacheeke.bsky.social · Jul 13

New paper out from the Cheeke Lab led by @raeberner.bsky.social with @balachaudhary.bsky.social & Geoff Zahn. Congrats Rae!
academic.oup.com/femsle/advan...

Annual grass invasion is associated with differences in the community structure and abundance of biocrusts and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Abstract. Interactions between biocrusts and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi may increase plant resilience to environmental stress in native grasslands.

academic.oup.com

6 14

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Leslie Rissler @ljrissler.bsky.social · Jul 4

Started the day by reading the Declaration of Independence.

Happy 4th - the original No Kings Day 🇺🇸

Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · Jul 4

He has refused his Assent to Laws…

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world…

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury…

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences…

A Tyrant is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

1 5 13

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Dr. Michael D. L. Johnson @copperbae.bsky.social · Jul 4

You can celebrate the event’s significance AND still call a spade a spade. When we love something, we want to make it better with that love. Matthew 25:35-40 nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stor...

A Nation's Story: “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”

In July of 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered a speech titled “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?,” a call for the promise of liberty be applied equally to all Americans. Douglass’s speech empha...

nmaahc.si.edu

1 11

Dr. Bala Chaudhary @balachaudhary.bsky.social · Jun 25

The npj journals are a boutique and impactful series of open-access journals within the Nature Portfolio.

Stay tuned as we grow the editorial board and build a vision to support a global and inclusive soil ecological research community!

1

Dr. Bala Chaudhary @balachaudhary.bsky.social · Jun 25

Excited to share that I am taking on a new role as Editor in Chief of npj Soil Ecology, a new journal dedicated to communicating high-quality research and scholarship exploring all aspects of the ecology of soils from gene to ecosystem scales.

www.nature.com/npjsoilecol/

6 10 32

Dr. Bala Chaudhary @balachaudhary.bsky.social · May 28

Access the full paper and data here! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

TraitAM, a global spore trait database for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi - Scientific Data

Scientific Data - TraitAM, a global spore trait database for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

www.nature.com

4 17

Dr. Bala Chaudhary @balachaudhary.bsky.social · May 28

“…that's the cool thing about basic science: you just don't know what information or knowledge it will generate in the future”

Our new open mycorrhizal fungal trait database is published! Read about our science journey:

fas.dartmouth.edu/news/2025/05...

Dartmouth Team Launches Public Database on Soil Fungi | Faculty of Arts and Sciences

fas.dartmouth.edu

1 22 68

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Dominique Baker @bakerdphd.bsky.social · May 2

"These $25,000 grants are for activities to address immediate needs following grant cancellations, including completing a wave of data collection, analyzing already collected data or writing, thoughtful project closure with community partners, or preparing grant proposals to continue the research."

Charles Logan @charleswlogan.bsky.social · May 2

FYI: The Spencer Foundation, Kapor Foundation, The William T. Grant Foundation, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation have collaborated to offer $25K rapid response grants.

"This rapid response bridge funding opportunity is for scholars and teams whose grants have recently been cancelled by NSF."

Rapid Response Bridge Funding Program

In the face of recent abrupt shifts in federal funding for education research, including large-scale terminations of National Science Foundation (NSF) research grant awards, we have developed a rap...

www.spencer.org

3 72 140

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Drug Monkey @drugmonkey.bsky.social · Apr 25

Except DEI, of course. Talking about the benefits of diversity and equity risks having your NIH grant pulled so keep your trap shut. www.nih.gov/about-nih/wh...

1 14 30

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Franciska de Vries 🟥 @frantecol.bsky.social · Apr 11

While many companies in Europe are stopping their DEI efforts as a result of the Trump pressure, science should redouble its commitment.

Dr. Bala Chaudhary @balachaudhary.bsky.social · Feb 28

Racial affinity groups are under attack. Now is the time to redouble our commitments to these vital organizations that make science better for all. Proud to pen this letter with @khadlily.bsky.social and many @wocineeb.bsky.social colleagues

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Protect US racial affinity groups

On its first day, the Trump administration released several executive orders terminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, calling them “illegal,” “immoral,” and “discriminatory” (1, 2)...

www.science.org

2 9 19

Dr. Bala Chaudhary @balachaudhary.bsky.social · Apr 11

🫶🏽

1

Dr. Bala Chaudhary @balachaudhary.bsky.social · Apr 11

Thank you @mrillig.bsky.social!! Engagement and support (as opposed to silence) from our friends and colleagues across the pond is SO meaningful and appreciated!!

❤️🙏🏽💪🏽

Matthias C. Rillig @mrillig.bsky.social · Apr 4

I'm a fan of Bala, and respect to her and her co-authors for this letter in Science.

@balachaudhary.bsky.social et al.
Protect US racial affinity groups

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Protect US racial affinity groups

On its first day, the Trump administration released several executive orders terminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, calling them “illegal,” “immoral,” and “discriminatory” (1, 2)...

www.science.org

4

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Eliza @elizagatfield.bsky.social · Apr 7

Why supporting science and scientists is an important part of the #Resistance #HandsOffScience ↙️↙️↙️

Dr. Bala Chaudhary @balachaudhary.bsky.social · Feb 28

Racial affinity groups are under attack. Now is the time to redouble our commitments to these vital organizations that make science better for all. Proud to pen this letter with @khadlily.bsky.social and many @wocineeb.bsky.social colleagues

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Protect US racial affinity groups

On its first day, the Trump administration released several executive orders terminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, calling them “illegal,” “immoral,” and “discriminatory” (1, 2)...

www.science.org

1 3

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Bill Wuest @wmwuest.bsky.social · Apr 8

NSF GRFP Awards by the Year:
2021 - 2074
2022 - 2193
2023 - 2555
2024 - 2036
2025 - 1000

Again, these funding cuts will have drastic longterm effects on the scientific future of the US.......

@jeremymberg.bsky.social @altnih4science.bsky.social

2 110 180

Reposted by Dr. Bala Chaudhary

Stacy Farina @stacyfarina.bsky.social · Mar 26

"Removal of DEI programs will demoralize and disincentivize an entire generation of scientists in training. It will greatly reduce the scientific workforce and remove top talent from our training programs as funding mechanisms are dismantled."

www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...

Banning DEI Is Catastrophic for U.S. Science (opinion)

An attack on DEI is an attack on science itself, Joseph L. Graves Jr., Stacy C. Farina, Parvin Shahrestani, Vaughn S. Cooper and Gilda A. Barabino write.

www.insidehighered.com

30 50