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Category Archives: ecology
Recent reading: 21 Jan 2022
The period between semesters is supposed to be quiet. I’ve been mentally dumping things to do into this one — paper revisions, reviewing service, analysis of long-awaited new data, a first draft of a new grant, writing my (eek) application … Continue reading
Posted in adaptation, ecology, evolution, genomics, howto, journal club
Tagged dispersal, mutualism
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The forest, the trees, and the fungal ties that bind
The following is a guest post by Erin Zess, a Postdoctoral Researcher with the MOI Lab in the Department of Plant Biology at the Carnegie Institution for Science. Erin is on Twitter at @ZessingAround. The Molecular Ecologist uses affiliate links for books … Continue reading
Posted in book review, ecology, fieldwork, natural history, plants
Tagged Finding the Mother Tree, forestry, mycorrhizae, Suzanne Simard
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An enduring evolutionary mystery – the consequences of sex are shaped by more than sex itself
Rather shockingly, sexual reproduction remains an enigma – despite over a century of study. Theory has identified the costs and benefits of sex, illustrating why almost all* eukaryotes go to the trouble, at least occasionally. * Even supposedly obligate asexuals … Continue reading
Shedding light on symbiotic relationships
Lots of critters glow in the dark, but most of them aren’t found in just any back yard…unless that back yard happens to be the beach. The ocean is full of bioluminescent critters that use light to attract prey (possibly … Continue reading
Posted in community ecology, ecology, microbiology, natural history, Symbiosis
Tagged coevolution
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Fieldwork in the time of COVID
Life as we knew it came to a screeching halt back in March. Almost a year ago, how is that possible??? Yet, at the same time it feels like several lifetimes have passed … At a recent editorial meeting, we … Continue reading
Posted in blogging, career, chat, ecology, evolution, fieldwork, haploid-diploid, just for fun, mating system, natural history, population genetics, postdoc, Science Communication
Tagged Algae, anemeones, COVID, fieldwork, mating system, natural history, population genetics, scicomm, Science Communication, Virginia
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Marmots, seasons, and climate change
I love when nostalgia for a project, place, or species intersects with a current interest, as happened this week for me with a paper by Cordes et al. 2020, about the contrasting effects of climate change on the seasonal survival … Continue reading
Posted in climate change, ecology, mammals
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A genomic march of the penguins
It’s undeniable that penguins are a marine representative of the charismatic megafauna group. I have an affinity for stuff we need microscopes to see, BUT I agree that penguins are cute (just LOOK at these National Geographic photos…they’re even in … Continue reading
Urban ecology, evolution, and racism
Occasionally, while reading the literature, you stumble across a paper that is so eloquent and beautiful that you are awestruck. Since that happened to me this weekend, today’s post is a call to you to go read the incredible synthesis … Continue reading
Posted in ecology, evolution
Tagged evolutionary ecology, racism, urban evolution, urbanization
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Serendipitous history in the microbial making
It’s been over 100 years since the Dutch Microbiologist Martinus Willem Beijerinck theorized that microbes could oxidize manganese to generate energy for growth. Last week, the first evidence for this theory was published, and you might be surprised about from … Continue reading
Posted in bioinformatics, ecology, genomics, microbiology, transcriptomics
Tagged cultivation, manganese oxidation, serindipity
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Down (Under) The Rabbit Hole
Maybe it’s a wild guess, but most of us have probably learned a little more about viruses lately than we thought we ever would. Little did I know, before this article, that I’d also learn quite a bit about a … Continue reading