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Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK

@func-ecol-lab.bsky.social

200 followers 220 following 82 posts

Research group at the University of York, UK, focussing on functional ecology of terrestrial systems. Working on soil microbial and mesofaunal ecology, biogeochemistry, and the ecology of cryptogams, mainly in alpine, wetland, and forest ecosystems

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Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · 6d

Very cool! I’ll be road testing this with my first year students

Reposted by Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK

Native Spirit Festival @nativespirituk.bsky.social · 7d

📅 9 Oct 6pm 🎟️ FREE tinyurl.com/ysht3h25
📌@york.ac.uk @ciscstudies.bsky.social
🎞️ 19th Native Spirit Festival 🌟#INDIGENOUS #firstnations
📽️ SINGING BACK THE BUFFALO + Q&A Dir. Tasha Hubbard
Richly visualised deeply uplifting—an epic reimagining of North America through the lens of buffalo consciousness

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Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · 22d

Beauty and complexity in the forests of the Jura

Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · 22d

Micro topography inducing thermal variation at the landscape scale. How will this influence the thermal sensitivity of soil enzymes?

Reposted by Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK

Ecological Continuity Trust (ECT) @ect-uk.bsky.social · Sep 1

There are 3 new papers from the Peatland team:

Using testate amoebae to monitor #peatlands & #restoration bit.ly/47CeW0X

How an LED torch monitoring #carbon exchange can be used in dark conditions bit.ly/4lQN0K8

Different management types affect the #vegetation composition bit.ly/47Rhs3e
🌏

Landscape view of peatlands on a cloudy day.

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Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Aug 13

Not attending, but interested. Do you want some European alpine biocrust sites to add to the network? This theme will grow over the next years for us, so happy to be involved.

Reposted by Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK

Martin A. Nuñez @martin-nunez.bsky.social · Aug 7

The final version of the book should be available late next week (probably Aug 14th).
I will let you know here when you can get the final paperback hardcover and eBook version!

Martin A. Nuñez @martin-nunez.bsky.social · Aug 5

Just got the final proofs of my book💓

Available on Amazon worldwide next week
Very exciting!

I’ve packed into it everything I’ve learned about writing and publishing over the past 20 years

I really hope it helps many jump over the writing and publishing barriers💪

book cover of the book "A Pocket Guide to Scientific Writing and Publishing" by Martin A. Nunez

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Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jul 28

Never tire of that view.

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Reposted by Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK

Dr. Merritt Rae Turetsky @queenofpeat.bsky.social · Jul 27

Happy #BogDay. The most misunderstood ecosystems on our planet have been ridiculed, drained, burned, and destroyed throughout modern history. These water purifiers, carbon keepers, storytellers, and beautiful places deserve our respect, today and every day.

Image of a big with water and red moss in the foreground and conifer trees in the background.

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Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jul 25

@dmrippin.bsky.social yikes!!

Martin Stendel @martinstendel.bsky.social · Jul 25

Melting over 80.6% of the area of the Greenland Ice Sheet. This is the highest value in our data set, which starts in 1981.

@polarportal.bsky.social

Screenshot from polarportal.dk, a website that makes research on the Arctic research conducted by Danish institutions available to the public and researchers. The image shows Greenland in tan and the Greenland Ice Sheet in red and white. The red part indicates melting and covers all except about 20% in the northeast, which is roughly the area higher than 2500 m above Se level.

Below the map is a chart that compares 2025 melting to the 1981-2010 average. The average melting peaks in mid-July at about 35%. For the last few days, melting has occurred over roughly 80% of the area of Greenland, with a maximum melt area of 80.6% on 24 July 2025. This is the highest value in our dataset, which starts in 1981.

Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jul 25

Beautiful bog woodlands of the Cairngorms. New surveys and experiments to reveal the functional diversity of these special places is now under way. We urgently need to better value these habitats and understand their sensitivity to climate change.

Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jul 16

Remnants of woodland in NW Lancs offer calm and cool in the recent extreme heat. More connectivity and open access would benefit all

Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jul 16

Drop me a line [email protected] if you want a natter sometime.

Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jul 16

@blindboyboatclub.bsky.social enjoyed the petrichor session… if you ever want to chat on soil ecology, and why soil organic matter is the most precious thing on Earth, drop me a line

Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jul 2

Do you know what time of year this photo was taken?

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Reposted by Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK

bes-quantitativegroup @bes-quantitative.bsky.social · Jun 24

Thrilled to announce our webinar series:

🌱📈 Quantifying Ecology 📈🌱

We are collaborating with our SIG friends to bring you quantitative methods in different ecological contexts.

Kicking off with Dr @jamesaorr.bsky.social and @bes-aquaticgroup.bsky.social on 5th August. More details to come!

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Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jun 19

Judging by the amount of Rumex, I think you’d have company too ☺️

Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jun 19

Exactly that, conserving and protecting those places is key. Good old rough edges and mixed systems (wood pasture being an excellent option) are a way to start to bringing in diversity into the agri-landscape too alongside putting land to woodland regeneration

Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jun 19

Whilst there is no doubt that conversion of forest to intensive grazing is an ecological catastrophe, it’s important to nuance this perspective: some of the most species-rich ecosystems on the planet are low-intensity pasture and meadow systems. Not all livestock agri is the same.

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Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jun 18

This is lush… where be this?

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Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jun 17

Oooh, Woodstock decomp? Also will be doing that this year.

Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jun 13

Oooh, would be very keen to learn more about this!

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Reposted by Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK

Mark Hodson @markehodson.bsky.social · Jun 10

Congrats to Zheng Fang on his latest PhD paper. This one shows that #microplastics can reduce the toxicity of salinity to #earthworms and that salinity is a more significant environmental challenge to earthworms than microplastics.

authors.elsevier.com/c/1lEy415DSl...

authors.elsevier.com

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Reposted by Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK

Fay @fayvoller.bsky.social · Jun 9

Deadline extended. Funded PhD studentship at Edge Hill University with a wonderful Cumbrian field site. Please share.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

PhD Scholarship - Microbial Communities and Soil Health in Restoring Grasslands at Edge Hill University on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - PhD Scholarship - Microbial Communities and Soil Health in Restoring Grasslands at Edge Hill University, listed on FindAPhD.com

www.findaphd.com

Functional Ecology Lab at Uni. York, UK @func-ecol-lab.bsky.social · Jun 9

Can do! Drop me an email Robert.mills(at)york.ac.uk