Kate Parr
@funkyant.bsky.social
1.4K followers 370 following 41 posts
Ecologist - particularly fond of ants, savannas and cold beer (preferably at the same time). She/her
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Reposted by Kate Parr
tanjabueltmann.net
When I was a teenager there was a bus direct from my hometown in Germany to London - we had a British army base, and this direct bus connection was one of the benefits of that. One summer I went on that bus to go volunteer in an old people's home in Southend-on-Sea. I had just turned 18 and was... 🧵
Reposted by Kate Parr
profstevegriffin.bsky.social
Great to discuss the flagrant disinformation peddled at the Reform conference by Malhotra with @garethiacobucci.bsky.social

As @LawrenceYoung11 et al agree, the 💩 re mRNA vax and "turbo cancer" (anyone taking that name seriously?!🤦‍♂️) is pure, insidious fiction designed to ⏫️ hesitancy.
Reposted by Kate Parr
ecologyofgavin.bsky.social
We have a new paper developing methods for looking at bird-fire macroecology. What’s most fascinating to me is that the magnitude *and* direction of fire effects can vary enormously across a species range. Stationarity is dead!! Long live non-stationarity!!

doi.org/10.1002/fee....
Evaluating macroecological fire impacts on bird populations
Fire regimes are context-dependent, as are the ways that animals respond. However, most information on animal responses to fire comes from short-term local field studies, which are hard to extrapolat....
doi.org
Reposted by Kate Parr
joshlukedavis.com
woah this is genuinely, utterly WILD

Ant queens of one species produce males of another species, so she can then mate with them and produce hybrid workers!

This is so gloriously weird I can't quite compute it 🤯🧪🐜
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
‘Almost unimaginable’: these ants are different species but share a mother
Ant queens of one species clone ants of another to create hybrid workers that do their bidding.
www.nature.com
funkyant.bsky.social
Join us!
jon-seabirds.bsky.social
Job! Looking for a University Teacher to join our Ecology and Marine Biology team @liverpooluni.bsky.social for six months FT from January 1st. Job would suit someone recently finished their #PhD or Postdoc. my.corehr.com/pls/ulivrecr...
Job Specification
my.corehr.com
Reposted by Kate Parr
lilyleahy.bsky.social
Hot off the press: Metabolic traits are shaped by phylogenetic conservatism and environment, not just body size

Our article in PNAS explores several controversies in metabolic theory in a macroscale study of 🐜 #aridity #temp #SMR #DGC 📸:François Brassard

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2501541122
Myrmecia ant carrying an Isopod, photo: François Brassard
funkyant.bsky.social
You look like real scientist now!
funkyant.bsky.social
Also sounds like it can’t be on the same topic (broad aims/ higher level objectives need to be different). Its madness.
funkyant.bsky.social
I’d like to know what proportion of grants are won second time around. Same as you, I won my current NERC one that way.
Reposted by Kate Parr
jmbecologist.bsky.social
Really disappointing new policy from NERC banning resubmissions of grant applications

Many of us, including me, have won grants on resubmission,

using the reviews to improve the application

This is is neither fair nor productive
www.ukri.org/councils/ner...
NERC policy on resubmissions
This policy only applies to research grant applications.
www.ukri.org
funkyant.bsky.social
That must feel very disappointing- don’t give up!
Reposted by Kate Parr
otolithgirl.bsky.social
Hiring a marine biology lecturer at @universityofessex.bsky.social! Permanent position. Deadline to apply= 20 Aug. We have aquaria, lots of mass specs/genomic facilities, field trips to Crotia, Indonesia, Scotland and a super collegial department. Pls share!

vacancies.essex.ac.uk/tlive_webrec...
vacancies.essex.ac.uk
Reposted by Kate Parr
jess-rickenback.bsky.social
The Tropical East Asian Savanna Symposium is today! Join us in person or online to hear from some truly fantastic speakers. Online via teams
Meeting ID: 374 127 860 994 5
Passcode: Yq3je9Jo
or in person at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 9:30-4:30
@royalsoced.bsky.social
🌐🌏 #ecology #savanna
Reposted by Kate Parr
mikekaspari.bsky.social
Ecologists/botanists:
In the 80s/90s tropical tree monitoring plots showed evidence of degradation.

A counter argument was that when you set up monitoring plots in "old growth", you are biasing toward older trees that will die sooner.

Anyone remember key cites? And if this held up?
funkyant.bsky.social
Somerset looking quite splendid today
Reposted by Kate Parr
tommaso-jucker.bsky.social
So excited to finally share our new paper charting the global spectrum of tree crown architecture, out today at @natcomms.nature.com ‬🧪🌐

Paper link 🔗: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A brief thread of what we found 🧵
Schematic diagram showing the major axes of tree crown architecture
funkyant.bsky.social
Well done, Hannah! Huge effort!
Reposted by Kate Parr
carolinelucas.bsky.social
WTF? If this Government can’t even agree to this smallest of initiatives, which has no cost to them & absolutely no down-sides, what hope that it will step up to the bigger nature challenges we face? This is a *popular* policy, for heavens sake. Obstinate tin-eared stupidity doesn’t come close …
Labour blocks proposal for ‘swift bricks’ in all new homes
MPs had previously backed Conservative amendment to ask developers to provide hollow bricks for endangered birds
www.theguardian.com
funkyant.bsky.social
One group that can benefit from light pollution!
funkyant.bsky.social
Closing tomorrow! Last chance to apply for postdoc to explore the role of animals in savanna ecosystem productivity & nutrient cycling! Link to job: tinyurl.com/53dy4584 #savanna #termites #largemammals
Reposted by Kate Parr
helenebismarck.bsky.social
The hysterical reaction of certain commentators to today’s UK-EU agreement is something to behold.
The “surrender” of using e-gates when you go on holiday. The contempt for the “will of the people” of making education abroad more accessible. Rigorous debate is good. This nonsense is a waste of time.
Reposted by Kate Parr
forestplots.bsky.social
Job Opportunity: Lecturer in Ecology and Global Change at University of Leeds.
We welcome dynamic applicants from across the world to join our team of tropical ecology and global change scientists.
jobs.leeds.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...