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Joe Brennan

@biologyjoe87.bsky.social
569 followers 390 following 79 posts

Community ecology & theoretical population biology 🪴🧬 🧮 Ecological, evolutionary, and environmental mechanisms of coexistence 🤝, community assembly ⬆️ , and community disassembly ⬇️ UC Davis Population Biology PhD Candidate 🐄 biologyjoe87.github.io

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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I am giving a seminar for the Mathematical Biology Seminar at UC Davis this Monday and instead of making substantial progress on my presentation, I made a math superhero whose main goal is to help ecologists understand mechanisms of coexistence. I think this is likely a good use of time... maybe...
A strange attractor made superhero, equipped with Captain America's shield and a sword, wearing a red superhero cape and a mask.
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Happy international cinnamon roll day to all who observe. A special thanks to @jrossibarra.bsky.social , a fellow cinnamon roll fanatic, for the gift
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Happy Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology! He was my favorite saint as a kid because he could speak to animals (duh, how could he not be your favorite in that case).
Depiction of St. Francis preaching to a bird
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Regina Fairbanks @reginafairbanks.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Happy depressed Darwin day to those who celebrate 🎉
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Currently in two book clubs for Otto & Day’s math modeling for biology book (one with pop bio people and one with early career researchers from the recent ecology GRC). First time revisiting it since I initially read it 6 years ago! Been so much fun rederiving and analyzing the classic models 🧮 🧬 🤔
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Anyone have recommendations for intro philosophy of science books (open to general science or biology specifically, and pop sci or technical)?
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Brian J. Enquist @bjenquist.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
A good reminder "Data science" isn't Science..."Without models, mathematical or conceptual, data are just noise...science advances only if it can provide explanations...there is an area where petabytes of information can be used...But don't call it science" link.springer.com/article/10.1... 🧪🌐
link.springer.com
The end of theory in science? - EMBO Reports
EMBO Reports -
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Chuliang Song @clsong.com · 10/09/2026
A wonderful review by Stefano on 100 years of Lotka–Volterra models. Don’t miss the incredibly detailed Supplement, truly the “War and Peace” of LV models. I really wish it had existed when I was a grad student! doi.org/10.1146/annu...
doi.org
One Hundred Years of Lotka–Volterra Models
Over the past century, the generalized Lotka–Volterra (GLV) model has grown from a mathematical curiosity to a cornerstone of theoretical ecology. Here we celebrate the enduring legacy of Lotka and Vo...
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Brian J. Enquist @bjenquist.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Rising plant extinction rates on European mountain summits 🧪🌐🌾 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
science.org
Rising plant extinction rates on European mountain summits
Climate change increases plant species richness in alpine ecosystems. However, to what extent this diversity enrichment masks extinction dynamics of resident species remains elusive. In this study, we...
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Jonas Lembrechts @jlembrechts.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Local extinctions of cold-adapted plant species on mountain tops are happening. And they're accelerating! That, and much more interesting nuance, in our new paper - just out, and on the cover of, Science! More on the story on my blog: the3dlab.org/2026/09/03/p...
the3dlab.org
Proving extinction is hard. But we can do so now.
For decades, climate change ecology has mostly been a story about shifts: species moving upslope, poleward, tracking the climate they’re adapted to as it slides out from under them. It’…
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Brian J. Enquist @bjenquist.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Thrilled to announce that my department - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology - at the U of Arizona will likely be hiring for a tenure-track position in "Population and Community Ecology" this fall. Watch this space for more details and official announcements coming soon ... #Ecology #EcologyJobs 🌐🌾🧪
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Congrats to @reginafairbanks.bsky.social on a wonderful body of work during their thesis. Excited to for their future work and our future collaborations (if the projects ever leave the “oh yea, we should do that” phase :p)!
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Jeremy Yoder says no war @jbyoder.org · 23/08/2026
This is as good a time as any to say that I'm about to start as an Associate Editor at @asn-amnat.bsky.social, and I'm as nerdily excited as you might expect
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Diana Fisher @dianafisher1080.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
IUCN statement of support for natural history museums. We need them iucn.org/news/202607/...
iucn.org
From collections to conservation: the indispensable role of natural history museums
The IUCN Species Survival Commission has published a Position Statement on the vital role of biological collections in biodiversity conservation: a formal acknowledgement that natural history museums,...
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Looking for sci comm opportunities? Join us as a writer for American Naturalist press releases! These write-ups are primarily written by graduate students and other early-career scientists. No experience required; we have editors to help along the way. Apps due Sept 1. Please share widely :D
forms.gle
Looking for Press Release Writers & Editors for The American Naturalist
Sign up for the opportunity to write and/or edit for The American Naturalist! We are seeking authors to write press releases for new journal articles. See examples of recent press releases here. We a...
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Chuliang Song @clsong.com · 17/08/2026
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... An amazing paper led by Jamie on the feedback between competition and evolution!
science.org
Eco-evolutionary feedback reshapes competitive dynamics in an orchard fly system
The feedback between competition and evolution is central to hypotheses about the origin and maintenance of species diversity. Yet, whether competition-induced evolution is sufficiently rapid, consist...
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Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Attention Ecologists! We are going to need *a lot* of ecologists. The First Lego League Teams need to speak with a scientist about their projects every year. Every year it's a different type of scientist. Last year was archaeologists. This year, ecologists! Sign up: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
A fish is a teacher, wearing a button-up shirt with a collar. He says "Volunteer to speak with classrooms in front of a chalkboard that says "Skype a scientist needs YOU!". A snail on his desk says Help! And a shrimp says "Lego league is coming!" and a nervous seahorse says "this year's theme is ecosystems"
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Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra @jrossibarra.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Ten simple rules for equitable pedagogy in BIG classes! Great stuff by CPB postdoc Julia Harencar, @robindecker.bsky.social and others! osf.io/preprints/ed...
osf.io
OSF
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New Phytologist @newphyt.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Trait flexibility mediates island extinction dynamics 📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... by Zhang et al. @WileyPlantSci #PlantScience
A hypothesis-driven extension of the Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography illustrating intraspecific trait variation as a key mechanism mediating extinction dynamics on islands.
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Brian J. Enquist @bjenquist.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Vito Volterra, father of theoretical #ecology, joined the opposition to the fascistMussolini regime & was one of only 12 of 1,250 professors who refused to take a mandatory oath of loyalty - he wrote "Empires die, but Euclid’s theorems keep their youth forever" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vito_Vo... 🧪🌐
en.wikipedia.org
Vito Volterra - Wikipedia
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Graham Coop @gcbias.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Excited for @gabrielesgarlata.bsky.social’s new preprint on the Genome-Wide Effect of Drift and Selection over a Single Generation 1/n www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
biorxiv.org
The Genome-Wide Effect of Drift and Selection over a Single Generation
The relative importance of genetic drift versus selection to evolutionary change has long been debated. This debate has mainly focused over long-time-scales (e.g. hundreds of thousands of generations)...
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Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra @jrossibarra.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
I am excited to announce a job for an Asst Prof in Plant Evolution in the dept. of Evolution and Ecology at @ucdavis.bsky.social. We're looking broadly, from macro (speciation, comparative genomics, evo-devo) to micro (pop biology, adaptive evolution, evo-eco). recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07777
recruit.ucdavis.edu
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
and what if I said that genome browsing is natural history #HotTakeOfTheDay @reginafairbanks.bsky.social
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Alejandro Fábregas-Tejeda @alejandrofabregastejeda.com · 11/08/2026
As simulations grow in complexity, a set of non-trivial issues emerge: diminished identifiability as free parameters become too numerous relative to exp. constraints & difficulties grasping causality. In our new 📄, we point to potential avenues to move #CellBio forward 👇 arxiv.org/abs/2608.06998
arxiv.org
Simulating is not always understanding: When model complexity obscures biology
In cell biology, computational models of biological systems range from minimal representations with a handful of parameters to whole-cell simulations tracking thousands of molecular species across a c...
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bioRxiv Evolutionary Biology @biorxiv-evobio.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
The Genome-Wide Effect of Drift and Selection over a Single Generation www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/20…
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Well deserved award for @katelaskowski.bsky.social ! I am honored to have her as a mentor at UC Davis and to learn from her what it means to produce rigorous and just science 🥳
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Elena Litchman @elenalitchman.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Interested in doing a postdoc in plankton ecology, on topics of community assembly, trait-based ecological resilience, stressor interactions, harmful algal blooms and others? Contact me to discuss developing a proposal for MSU's EEB Presidential Postdoc Fellowship (Nov 1 application deadline).
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
A gentle reminder to type 600 DPI instead of 6 #badplot
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Evan Fricke @efricke.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Please help us spread the word about a postdoc position on population and demographic modeling in Tom Miller’s lab at Rice University. It is part of our SERDP-funded project on habitat-based conservation of threatened and endangered species in the Mariana Islands. app.box.com/s/5804wjthga...
app.box.com
M3 demography postdoc.docx | Powered by Box
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Caroline Farrior @cfarrior.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Spread the word! My lab group is hosting a workshop tomorrow at #ESA2026: Ecological Theory for Everyone: A practical introduction to engaging with theory in your own research for those with little or no theoretical experience 1:30pm, Room 254B events.rdmobile.com/Sessions/Det...
A collage of theory figures: Trees searching for light, chaos from logistic growth, evolutionary analyses, stabilizing coexistence, and collective movement.
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John Veon @johnveon16.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
If heading to #ESA2026 @ecologicalsociety.bsky.social, come check out my talk to learn about sustainable wetland management & biocontrol of mosquitoes! 🦟🪲🪰🕷️ COS 013-06-Leveraging integrated wetland management to co-manage wetlands for the biological control of mosquitoes and wildlife conservation
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Excited to be presenting at #ESA2026 this week in Salt Lake City! I will share some work on how assembly may change with shifting abiotic conditions. Info below 👇. COS 147-04 - Warming can increase the length and variability of assembly to a climax community Thu, Jul 30 8:45 – 9:00 AM MDT
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Hopefully we see an increase in these sorts of article sections across all subfields of ecology!
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bioRxiv Ecology @biorxiv-ecology.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Heatwaves strengthen historical contingency in yeast--bacterium interactions in floral nectar www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/20…
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Sebastian Schreiber @sebastianschreiber.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
New preprint with @biologyjoe87.bsky.social and Jürg Spaak: a mathematically rigorous method for building community assembly graphs from Lotka-Volterra models, which map which species coexist and how single species introductions shift community composition. 1/14 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Community assembly graph (left) and numerically simulated dynamics along the highlighted orange path (right)
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American Statistical Association History of Statistics @hos-asa.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Few statisticians know that Frank Yates, pioneer of experimental design, is responsible for the annoying practice of indicating 3 tiers of statistical significance by stars (*p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001). He soon regretted it and “vehemently opposed its unthinking use”. And here we are.
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Chuliang Song @clsong.com · 20/07/2026
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... A great paper by three leading experts on this topic (also super cool figures!
biorxiv.org
From Lotka-Volterra Dynamics to Community Assembly: Theory, Topography, and Empirical Applications
1. Community assembly graphs (CAGs) summarize which species combinations can coexist and how single-species invasions drive transitions between them, encoding the pathways, alternative endpoints, and...
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Out now in PLOS Computational Biology!
journals.plos.org
Eight quick tips for data-model integration in ecology
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Now out in Ecology Letters 🥳
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Using Modern Coexistence Theory to Understand Community Disassembly
Community disassembly examines how extinctions reshape ecological communities. Here, we introduce the community disassembly graph, which uses invasion growth rates (IGRs) to identify extinction-drive....
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UC Davis Evolution and Ecology Graduate Preview Program @ucdaviseeprogram.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
🧬‼️ATTENTION‼️🐠 Our 2026 application for our virtual #Evolution & #Ecology #GraduateSchool Preview Program is live!🌱 Please refer to our website (link in bio) for more information! We especially encourage individuals from historically excluded groups to apply! 🎉 #phdchat #ecoevo #gradschool #phd
Graphic announcing that applications are open for the 2026 Evolution & Ecology Graduate Preview Program, a program run by UC Davis graduate students. The design features a cream-colored folded letter on a textured white paper background with large dark burgundy text reading “APPLY TODAY,” partially overlaid by a banner that says “APPLICATIONS OPEN.” At the top, smaller text reads, “Program run by UC Davis graduate students.” A red-and-black ladybug sits on the left edge of the letter, while two large red megaphones emerge from the bottom corners, pointing inward toward the announcement.

Centered on the letter, a bordered text box reads: “2026 Evolution & Ecology Graduate Preview Program.” Below, bold red text highlights program offerings: “One-on-one mentorship, Q&A panels, & Writing statements.” Additional text states: “Individuals from groups traditionally excluded from STEM are especially encouraged to apply.” At the bottom, the graphic reads: “Apply on our website: https://eegradpreview.weebly.com/” displayed inside a rounded burgundy button. The overall color palette uses warm cream, burgundy, brown, and bright red accents.
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
UC Davis Ecology & Evolution Grad Preview Program is accepting applications until July 20th! It's a fully virtual program where you are paired with a grad student mentor and learn about what grad school entails, how to apply, and what student life is like! Please share widely!
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SMTPB @smtpb.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
The first articles for the new society-owned journal Population Biology Modeling & Theory are underway! We're accepting research articles and beyond - get in touch with us to discuss your ideas for submissions. pbmt.journals.sup.org/index.php/pbmt
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Schreiber lab & alum (excluding @sebastianschreiber.bsky.social) @ the Stochastic Dynamics in Ecology Summer School hosted by Texas A&M Department of Mathematics
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Life imitates art? No, my bad R plots imitate art. #aRt
A poorly made figure with a bunch of overlapping numbers and arrows in black and yellowA calder mobile with a red base, black main stem, and thin black wires shooting out of it.
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Brian J. Enquist @bjenquist.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Fifty years since a simple equation described the chaos of biology 🧪🌐 www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Fifty years since a simple equation described the chaos of biology
An exploration of chaos theory in population dynamics showed that unpredictable systems can often be modelled using surprisingly simple mathematics.
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Been waiting for someone to write a paper on expectations of how warming impacts Lotka-Volterra-type competition! A great example of how revisiting a classic derivation (consumer resource -> Lotka-Volterra competition) with slight modifications can yield interesting findings. Excited to read it :D .
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
General Predictions for the Effects of Warming on Competition
We combined two major theories in ecology to investigate whether warming may have general effects on competition for shared resources. We found that species' niche and fitness differences both decrea....
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Super excited to be attending!
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Joe Brennan @biologyjoe87.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Humbled and honored to be named an Official RILAB Visiting Scholar. Who knew loitering in another’s lab space could lead to such career-defining awards? Thank you dearly @jrossibarra.bsky.social
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Dr. Carly Kenkel @drcarl.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
The list of Ecology/Evolution/Marine Bio Labs recruiting grad students for Fall 2027 is live! PIs enter your position info here: forms.gle/MAGd4ohyPeoY... students (and PIs not recruiting) share the composite list: docs.google.com/spreadsheets... Please share widely! 🧪
forms.gle
Ecology/Evolution/Marine Biology labs recruiting for Fall 2027
Please complete this form if you are a PI recruiting graduate students for a Fall 2027 start. If you are NOT recruiting, feel free to share the response sheet with prospective students looking for lab...
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UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute @ucdmarinescience.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
The Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute at @ucdavis.bsky.social is announcing a new Postdoctoral Fellowship opportunity! Priority review starts June 15, 2026. Help us spread the word to the #MarineScience community. Details and Apply ➡️: recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07627
recruit.ucdavis.edu
Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute (CMSI) Postdoctoral Fellowship
University of California, Davis is hiring. Apply now!
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