Sign in

Julien L Bota

@bota-jb.bsky.social
1.3K followers 1.7K following 40 posts

Ecologist studying plant-herbivore interactions in a changing climate. PhD @bugnet.bsky.social @slfdavos.bsky.social and @wslresearch.bsky.social 🐌🐛🦗🌱 🏔️ 🌈

PostsRepliesMedia
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Very honoured to be featured by @caordonezparra.bsky.social in @botany.one 🌱 www.botany.one/julien-l-bot...
botany.one
Julien L. Bota: Uncovering the Hidden Relationships That Shape Plant Communities
Botany One interviews Julien L. Bota, a plant and landscape ecologist fascinated by the surprising relationships connecting plants with animals, microbes and their environments.
061
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
050
Reposted by Julien L Bota
British Ecological Society @britishecologicalsociety.org · 16/12/2025
Welcome to BES2025! 💫  Today, we are so excited to welcome ecologists from 58 countries, encouraging innovative research and practice in ecology.  We have exciting talks and sessions ahead in the next days from agriculture, human's place in nature, AI to green finance and much more.
1326
Reposted by Julien L Bota
Caroline Daniel @karo-daniel.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
So happy to be back at the BES this year for #BES2025! I had a lot of nice discussions today already, and I'll be looking forward to the poster session this evening! Feel free to pass by poster nr: A-4.95 if you want to discuss species coexistence and higher-order interactions! 🌱🌿🌱
0113
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
The @bugnet.bsky.social Delegation from @slfdavos.bsky.social very much enjoyed the first day of #BES2025 in Edinburgh! Don’t miss our posters on herbivore interactions under current and future climate that we will present in the community ecology poster sessions today and tomorrow.
0153
Reposted by Julien L Bota
Anne Kempel @annekempel.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
...and @bota-jb.bsky.social took care that everything worked smoothly, and did amazing drone images of our experiments! Thank you all, you are the best! 🥰
061
Reposted by Julien L Bota
Anne Kempel @annekempel.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
Today we definitely ended the field season of our @bugnet.bsky.social experimental sites in @slfdavos.bsky.social. What a year - with such a great team of students this was one of my best field seasons ever! Thanks @bota-jb.bsky.social, Carole, Ida, Carla, Sevi, Flo and Irene for the great summer!
1143
Reposted by Julien L Bota
BugNet @bugnet.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
Our first paper from the Bug-Network (BugNet) is out! 🎉 BugNet is a global network studying how invertebrate herbivores and fungal pathogens shape plant diversity & ecosystem functioning worldwide. The paper reports on the methods of the experimental part: 📄 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
The Bug‐Network (BugNet): A Global Experimental Network Testing the Effects of Invertebrate Herbivores and Fungal Pathogens on Plant Communities and Ecosystem Function in Open Ecosystems
The Bug-Network (BugNet) is a novel global collaborative research network that implements standardized consumer-reduction experiments in herbaceous- or shrub-dominated ecosystems to assess the impact...
1269
Reposted by Julien L Bota
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF @slfdavos.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Jahrelange Vorbereitungen zur Pflanzung von 92'000 Bäumen: Warum dies gemacht wurde kannst du morgen Samstag, 13.9.2025 am Tag der offenen Forschungsfläche Stillberg in Davos erleben. Im Video: Aufnahmen von #SLF und #WSL aus den Jahren zwischen 1968 bis 1987. Infos: www.slf.ch/de/veranstal...
0166
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
50 years of treeline- and ecological research at our @slfdavos.bsky.social research site at Stillberg in Davos. Great fun to present some findings together with @annekempel.bsky.social to a super interested audience and some junior scientists.
0111
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
Danke für diesen treffenden Blogpost und das Teilen deiner Erfahrungen, @amreibahr.bsky.social.
120
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
Despite these limitations, our study supports the idea that microbes support prey-break down in Nepenthes like in other pitcher plant genera, e. g. Cephalotus or Sarracenia and we hope to provide a starting point for investigating this further. 7/7
010
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
⚠ Limitations of our study include: - no information on direct effects of the UV treatment on the microbial community - short experimental period insufficient to detect potential effects on plant-growth - No assessment of macro-inquiline influence on nutrient dynamics. 6/7
100
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
❕Our key finding: plants with non-sterilised fluids showed a quicker and improved photosynthetic response to prey capture than those with sterilised fluids. This suggests that microbes contribute to the breakdown of prey which could be crucial under high competition for nutrients with inquilines 5/7
100
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
To investigate the role of the microbes in the plant’s prey digestion, we excluded macro-inquilines, provided prey to the pitchers, and sterilised the digestive fluid daily using UV light over a two-month period. We then compared the physiological responses of plants with and without microbes. 4/7
Sketch illustrating the methodology of the study.
100
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
Despite the fluid’s acidity and enzymatic activity, a range of organisms – including arthropods, rotifers, and microbes – live inside the pitchers. These so-called inquilines may compete with the plant, aid digestion, N-enrich the fluid, or have no effect at all. 3/7
Info graphic depicting microbes and enzymes present in the digestive fluid
100
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
Nepenthes hemsleyana grows in nutrient-poor soils and acquires nutrients by capturing arthropods and collecting faeces from bats that roost inside its pitchers. It then secretes digestive enzymes into the fluid to break down prey and access nutrients. 2/7
Photos of the habitats of Nepenthes hemsleyanaN. hemsleyana pitchers
100
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
Do microbes contribute to prey digestion in Nepenthes pitcher plants? We investigated this through a field experiment on Borneo by sterilising the digestive fluid of N. hemsleyana. We found that plants with microbes benefit quicker from captured prey. A thread👇 🌱🧪 🌏 link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com
UV treatment of the digestive fluid of Nepenthes hemsleyana pitcher plants affects their digestive process, possibly via reducing microbial inquilines - Oecologia
Interactions with microbes are ubiquitous, and many of them are essential for the survival and success of plants. In Nepenthes pitcher plants, they occur as part of a diverse community of organisms, s...
1194
Reposted by Julien L Bota
Anne Kempel @annekempel.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
Our paper on unifying theory around biodiversity–consumer relationships (pathogens & herbivores) is now out in TREE! I hope it helps those navigating the forest of theories & hypotheses in this space to see more clearly 🤓 Check out @fletcher-h.bsky.social great summary of the paper here 👇
12513
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
theguardian.com
Tackling climate crisis will increase economic growth, OECD research finds
Third of global GDP could be lost this century if climate crisis runs unchecked, says report
020
Reposted by Julien L Bota
WSL Umweltforschung @wslresearch.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science! #WomenInScience #WomenInStem #FrauenInderWissenschaft #FrauenInMINT #MintFrauen #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience
05118
Reposted by Julien L Bota
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF @slfdavos.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
Save the date: 50 Jahre Forschungsfläche #Stillberg, Davos 13. September 2025 1975 pflanzten #WSL und #SLF am Stillberg 92'000 Bäume, um den #Schutzwald zu erforschen. Zum Jubiläum öffnen wir unsere Forschungsfläche für alle! Infos: www.slf.ch/stillberg50 📷️ E. Dimitrov / W. Schönenberger / C. Rixen
0143
Reposted by Julien L Bota
Free Our Feeds @freeourfeeds.com · 13/01/2025
🌎 It’s time to reclaim social media. Billionaires & venture capital shouldn’t control our digital lives. #FreeOurFeeds is raising $4M to build a public-interest alternative. Chip in today to make it happen freeourfeeds.com
freeourfeeds.com
Free Our Feeds
Let's take social media away from billionaire capture.
381199525
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
How do herbivores and fungal pathogens shape plant communities in a changing climate? Learn how we’re investing this experimentally on our @bugnet.bsky.social field sites in Davos. 🌱 🌐 youtu.be/3zJhOJqYkcg?... @slfdavos.bsky.social
youtu.be
Plants and their predators in climate change: Julien Bota explains the BugNet experiments in Davos
YouTube video by WSL-Institut für Schnee- und Lawinenforschung SLF
0305
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
Are you working on the impact of herbivores & pathogens on plant communities and would be interested to join a global research network? Learn more about the Bug-Network and our easy to maintain exclusion experiment at our upcoming info-meeting 👇 #ecology 🌐🌱🐌🦗
041
Reposted by Julien L Bota
BugNet @bugnet.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
What's the impact of herbivores and pathogens on plant communities? That's what we investigate in our global Bug-network with many collaborators from across the world! Today we had our global meeting - what a great BugNet-spirit! Thank you all for joining!
Zoom screen with the participants of the BugNet meeting
1152
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
🙋‍♂️
020
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 11/01/2025
Vielen Dank @ronensteinke.bsky.social, der Kommentar bringt es auf den Punkt!
030
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 08/12/2024
That was fun! Creating a summary figure for a paper on pitcher plants escalated slightly when I couldn’t find what I needed and decided to draw it myself…
Drawing of a Nepenthes hemsleyana pitcher
1232
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Dear Martin, thanks for your efforts! Could you please add me as well?
110
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Exactly!
010
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Still a bit tricky… when you follow the bridge, people on mastodon can follow you. To follow them, they also need to add the bridge to their accounts on mastodon 🙃 But I think it’s going into the right direction!
110
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Absolutely delighted with blueskys decentralised design which makes it possible to follow and interact with people on other platforms like mastodon and vice versa. All you have to do is follow @ap.brid.gy and your account is bridged. That really is the future of social media! fed.brid.gy
fed.brid.gy
Bridgy Fed
150
Reposted by Julien L Bota
WSL-Eawag Biodiversity Center @wslbiodiversity.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
Our first starter pack is here! A list of members and alumni of @wslresearch.bsky.social working on biodiversity research and outreach. It will updated as more people join. Let us know if you'd like to be added. go.bsky.app/3Gzw93e
0126
Reposted by Julien L Bota
Anne Kempel @annekempel.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
Starter pack about researchers interested in plant-herbivore and plant-pathogen interactions! This list is by far not complete - so please help me to get it extended. Leave suggestions or self-nominations in the comments and I'll add you. go.bsky.app/4JR67t6
316433
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 13/11/2024
youtu.be/ClYj6T73BIk?...
youtu.be
Wechselwirkungen zwischen Pflanzen und Lebewesen
YouTube video by WSL-Institut für Schnee- und Lawinenforschung SLF
020
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 13/11/2024
Thanks a lot Tiffany for this starter pack! I‘d like to self-nominate myself as well as @annekempel.bsky.social and @bugnet.bsky.social
110
Reposted by Julien L Bota
Anne Kempel @annekempel.bsky.social · 11/11/2024
Want to see our BugNet sites in Davos? @bota-jb.bsky.social explains our transplant experiment to test how novel plant-consumer interactions affect plant fitness, nicely featured by @slfdavos.bsky.social! Check it out 👇
062
Reposted by Julien L Bota
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF @slfdavos.bsky.social · 11/11/2024
What do #SLF researchers do in summer? For example, they are investigating #insect diversity and the interactions between #plants and living organisms. There are two videos about this on our website: slf.ch/en/news/of-p... #CERC #biodiversity #climatechange
043
Reposted by Julien L Bota
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF @slfdavos.bsky.social · 09/10/2024
#SLF -Wissenschaftlerin @annekempel.bsky.social und ihr Team haben im Sommer 2024 in #Davos Insektenkameras aufgestellt. Diese fotografieren automatisch die #Insekten, wenn sie sich auf dem leuchtgelben Schild befinden. Mehr dazu im Video: youtu.be/omFmS3aAu3c #CERC #Biodiversität
youtu.be
Insektenkamera zur Erfassung der Insektenvielfalt
YouTube video by WSL-Institut für Schnee- und Lawinenforschung SLF
063
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 26/09/2024
Thanks to @annekempel.bsky.social our @bugnet.bsky.social data collection workflow is now fully digitised which saves an incredible amount of time! Also, with access to our database in the field, we have all relevant information at hand… 🐛
Tablet computer that is used for data collection on a mountain meadow
022
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 04/09/2024
SLF researcher Julien Bota writes in the Bündner Woche about alpine plants and their inconspicuous herbivores. academiaraetica.ch/assets/forsc... Original article (in german): academiaraetica.ch/assets/forsc...
010
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 07/08/2024
A short radio report about what it was all about: www.ndr.de/kultur/musik... (in german)
ndr.de
Wenn Insekten und Menschen gemeinsam musizieren
Klangkunst trifft auf Biotremologie: Der Elsässer Komponist Ludwig Berger kommt mit Musikern und Aufnahmen von Insektengeräuschen dieses Wochenende nach Hamburg und Lübeck.
010
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 07/08/2024
Absolutely thrilled that our Biotremology meets Klangkunst tour with the fantastic Chuchchepati Orchestra from last year has been released on vinyl! And I can hardly believe that @monikaeberhard.bsky.social and I were invited to write the foreword - what an honour! unitrecords.com/artists/chuc...
131
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 28/06/2024
Perfect day for fieldwork at our @bugnet.bsky.social site @slfdavos.bsky.social
183
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 20/06/2024
Looking back on a very inspiring World Biodiversity Forum in Davos. I enjoyed especially the great mixture of talks from ecology, social sciences, philosophy and arts! #WBF2024
020
Reposted by Julien L Bota
BugNet @bugnet.bsky.social · 18/06/2024
BugNet family meeting at the World Biodiversity Forum in Davos with @annekempel.bsky.social, Eric Allan, Jana Stewart, Sergio Rasmann and @bota-jb.bsky.social #WBF2024 🌱🐛🐌
072
Julien L Bota @bota-jb.bsky.social · 18/06/2024
Very nice public lecture by @annekempel.bsky.social about Biodiversity (and why it’s important for our beer) @ the World Biodiversity Forum in Davos! Btw: the economic value that pollinators bring to humanity is equivalent to the annual revenue from beer consumption worldwide! #WBF2024
042
Reposted by Julien L Bota
Anne Kempel @annekempel.bsky.social · 05/06/2024
Lots of fun and very useful information at the @slfdavos.bsky.social Mountain safety course today. Fieldwork can come - we are prepared! 💪
063