iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Catrin Westphal

Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology @funcagroeco.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

📣New publication: Before sowing perennial wildflower fields, farmers were concerned that problematic weeds might establish on their arable land. We found: 33 native plant species established very well across diverse management and landscape conditions. See: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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Gesellschaft für Ökologie e.V. @gfoesoc.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

🌱 Special Interest Group Agroecology – meet us in Odense! The Special Interest Group Agroecology will meet at the NSO-GfÖ Conference in Odense, Denmark, on Tuesday, 15 September, from 13:00–14:00.

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Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology @funcagroeco.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

📢 New publication! 🦇🦅 Our study shows that excluding birds and bats increased #macadamia nut damage by 70%. 🌳 Natural habitat supports bat diversity, pest control and higher yields — highlighting the value of #biodiversity in farming. 🔗 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

🥳 6 years of our Ecology Seminar in a hybrid format! It’s great to see that we continue to reach and engage many people interested in #Agroecology and functional #Agrobiodiversity. Many thanks to our speakers for covering cutting-edge topics. 💚 The new program is out now—take a look!

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Great and fun group of speakers and lecturers—thanks for staying with us!

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Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology @funcagroeco.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Great start to the BioIntAkt Spring School! 🐝🐦🐟 Day 1 kicked off with an inspiring poster session covering passive acoustic monitoring across forests, agroecosystems, aquatic systems, and computational challenges. Thanks to everyone for the relaxed, inspiring atmosphere and great exchange 💚

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

It’s surprising to see that Bombus lapidarius plays such a key role in virus transmission within agricultural landscapes. This challenges long-held assumptions and highlights how non-honeybee species can drive the spread of pathogens. 🧪 Congratulations to Patrycja Pluta for leading the study!

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mta-lace.bsky.social @mta-lace.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Our new paper, co-authored by Riho and Péter, titled "Pesticides and habitat loss additively reduce wild bees in crop fields", is published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. The study emphasizes the need to reduce pesticide impacts and restore habitats for promoting wild bees. doi.org/10.1038/s415...

doi.org

Pesticides and habitat loss additively reduce wild bees in crop fields - Nature Ecology & Evolution

The authors synthesize bee assemblage data from 681 crop fields across three continents, finding that local pesticide hazards and decreasing adjacent semi-natural habitats both negatively affected wil...

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

📺 Unsere Studie hat es ins Fernsehen geschafft! Wer weiß denn sowas? Wo wachsen die besten Erdbeeren? 🍓🐝🍓 Pressemitteilung www.uni-goettingen.de/de/3240.html...

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Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology @funcagroeco.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

🔔Just a quick reminder! The open postdoctoral researcher position is still waiting for the right candidate. 🧪 🕒 Apply by: 01.03.2026 Feel free to share with your network or reach out if you have questions! see www.uni-goettingen.de/en/vacancy+f... @uni-goettingen.de @agrarunigoe.bsky.social

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

📢 We’re hiring! We’re looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join our team at @funcagroeco.bsky.social The position focuses on how collaborative agri-environment measures affect multiple taxa and ecosystem services. See: www.uni-goettingen.de/en/vacancy+f...

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Estelle Ravel @estelle-ravel.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

Do agricultural diversification practices pay off in the long run? Our new paper synthesizes 100+ years of evidence showing that diversification practices become more profitable over time and delivers growing benefits for soils, biodiversity, and carbon. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

nature.com

Long-term agricultural diversification increases financial profitability, biodiversity, and ecosystem services: a second-order meta-analysis - Nature Communications

Feeding a growing population while protecting the environment is a major global challenge. This study suggests that agricultural diversification enhances long-term profitability, biodiversity, soil he...

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Reposted by Catrin Westphal

Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology @funcagroeco.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

New article led by Evan T. Sloan🐝 Pollen metabarcoding shows strong preference for Cichorioideae in the specialist bee Osmia leaiana. Foraging patterns are driven by local flower abundance and nearby semi-natural grasslands. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @basicapplecol.bsky.social

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Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology @funcagroeco.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

Landscape composition determines reproductive success: more cropland and forest reduce brood cell numbers. The results highlight how local plant communities and land use shape specialist bee #conservation and could guide grassland #restoration. Thanks for funding @biodiversa.eu @dfg.de

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Mario Vallejo-Marin @nicrodemo.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Join us at the Evolutionary Biology Centre at Uppsala University. We’re searching for an Assistant Professor in Biology. www.uu.se/en/about-uu/...

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Society for Conservation Biology - Europe @scbeurope.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Reminder 📣 submit your abstract for a talk or poster by February 15th and register to secure early bird price by April 30th for the 8th European Congress of Conservation Biology! See you in Leiden, the Netherlands 6 - 10 July 2026! More at eccb26leiden.eu/parallel-ses...

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

What do you do when the projector isn't working and the room is full of people who have come especially to hear your talk despite the ice and sleet?

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

Main conclusion: Effective conservation must integrate landscape restoration and social levers 1. local management boosts plant and bee richness 2. landscape-scale habitat connectivity strengthens species diversity and ecosystem functions 3. farmers’ motivation matters @biodiversa.eu

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Congratulations on your very successful PhD defence! 🎉 Thank you for all your contributions to the lab from managing our social media to organizing outreach events and promoting science communication. 🐝 I’m truly grateful for everything you’ve done! All the best! 💚

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

It is an honour and pleasure to have Teja presenting at our Ecology Seminar this week. I greatly appreciate his consistent mentorship and look forward to building on the creative team spirit of the Agroecology group with him. Thanks so much, Teja! 💚 The Festschrift: www.openagrar.de/receive/open...

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Reposted by Catrin Westphal

Christian Kost @kostchristian.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

I am very excited to announce that a fully funded PhD position is available in my group. Topic: Synergistic coevolution in mono-specific and multi-species microbial consortia Please RT or forward this information to interested candidates. Deadline: 11.01.26 More info: shorturl.at/f1TuF

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Pete Manning @peteecology.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

The joint meeting of NSO and GFÖ, September 2026, Odense, Denmark (for which I'm leading the science programming group) is now open for workshop and thematic session proposals! Please share. Details here: nordicsocietyoikos.glueup.com/event/nordic...

nordicsocietyoikos.glueup.com

Nordic Oikos 2026 | Nordic Society Oikos

Join us for one of Europe’s leading ecological conferences, where scientists, students, and professionals from across the Nordic countries, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland come together to explore t...

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

🎉 Congratulations on this great achievement! The students’ feedback says it all: The excursions, research-oriented exercises, and diverse applied topics were perceived as highly inspiring, practical, and relevant to their training. Keep up the great work! 🚀 @agrarunigoe.bsky.social

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Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology @funcagroeco.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Don’t miss the related article: a Europe-wide meta-analysis led by Qian on how to optimize flower-area design to support ground-active predators. besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @jappliedecology.bsky.social

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Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology @funcagroeco.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

📢 Join us #EcologySeminar! Qian Zhang will will share new #ProjectKOOPERATIV insights, on how flower areas enrich ground-dwelling arthropod diversity and ecosystem services. 📅 Wed 19.11. at 10:15 AM 📩 DM for webinar link @agrarunigoe.bsky.social www.uni-goettingen.de/en/628701.html

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

📢Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights into AI-powered #biodiversity research shaping the future of eco-informatics and #conservation! We’re excited to welcome outstanding international speakers who will present and actively engage in our workshops. www.biointakt.de/en/springsch...

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

We’re on board! In our team meeting, we already discussed comments and suggestions on the EU Nature Restoration Law, drawing on the different perspectives within the group 🚜🐝👩‍🌾 Led by @velado.bsky.social #Teamwork #Research #NatureRestorationLaw #EU

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

🎉 Great team success! New publication just came out — the result of inspiring group discussions led by @teja-tscharntke.bsky.social It's fantastic to have such a collaborative spirit in the lab! Biodiversity conservation needs mix of measures and collaboration www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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PIK_climate @pik-potsdam.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Seven of nine planetary boundaries now breached – ocean acidification joins the danger zone," says PIK director Johan Rockström presenting the key findings of the Planetary Health Check 2025 today. #PlanetaryBoundaries ➡️ www.pik-potsdam.de/en/news/late...

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Thijs Fijen @thijsfijen.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

We need much more semi-natural habitat (6-37%, depending on species group) in agricultural landscapes to effectively conserve pollinators. Large collaborative synthesis study looking at 59 studies in 1250 landscapes from 19 countries now published in Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Hiking along the villages and flower fields of the #ProjectKOOPERATIV! With perfect weather, diverse landscapes and lively stands from regional partners, the atmosphere was truly inspiring. www.uni-goettingen.de/de/628701.html #Landvolk #DeutscherImkerbund #Northeim

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

🥾 Hiking along the villages and flower fields of the #ProjectOOPERATIV! With perfect weather, diverse landscapes and lively stands from regional partners, the atmosphere was truly inspiring. www.uni-goettingen.de/de/628701.html #Landvolk #DeutscherImkerbund #Northeim

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

🌼Tour de Flur in Northeim! On September 14, 2025 (10 AM – 4 PM), we invite you to join our community #HikingDay, together with many dedicated local partners. Here you find the routes: www.uni-goettingen.de/de/628701.html #ProjectKOOPERATIV @agrarunigoe.bsky.social @uni-goettingen.de

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Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology @funcagroeco.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Back to the office after a great time at the GFÖ conference! We shared talks & posters on bee health, ground-nesting, grassland #Restoration, bird #Conservation, combinations of landscape-scale conservation measures, and the establishment of perennial flower fields as #AECM. @gfoesoc.bsky.social

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Huge congrats to Qian Zhang on finishing the first chapter of her dissertation and publishing a major study! Big milestones — well done! 🥳 #PhDJourney

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Reposted by Catrin Westphal

Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology @funcagroeco.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Landscape-scale conservation can mitigate negative effects of habitat fragmentation. doi.org/10.1016/j.bi... #Pollinators #Biodiversity #Agroecology #Bumblebees #Metabarcoding #ConservationScience @uni-goettingen.de @agrarunigoe.bsky.social

Copyright: Ira Hannappel

Bombus pascuorum

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Reposted by Catrin Westphal

Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology @funcagroeco.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Using pollen metabarcoding, we found that B. lapidarius and B. pascuorum forage across the landscape, relying particularly on flowers in non-productive AES within small grassland fragments. 🌼 doi.org/10.1016/j.bi... @uni-goettingen.de @agrarunigoe.bsky.social

Copyright: Ira Hannappel

Bombus lapidarius on Lotus corniculatus

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Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology @funcagroeco.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

📝 Paper alert: Our study shows how non-productive agri-environmental schemes (AES) boost pollen diversity for bumblebees in fragmented, dry grasslands. doi.org/10.1016/j.bi... #Pollinators #Biodiversity #Agroecology #Metabarcoding #ConservationScience @uni-goettingen.de @agrarunigoe.bsky.social

Copyright: Ira Hannappel

Calcareous grassland near Goettingen, Germany.

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Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology @funcagroeco.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Great excursion to Frau Holle Land! 🌿🐑🦋 Traditional sheep grazing keeps rare dry grasslands alive — we even spotted the thyme blue butterfly (Phengaris arion) and the bee orchid (Ophrys apifera). Plus, rare segetal flora like Venus’s comb and tasty orchard snacks along the way.

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

Many thanks to the fantastic team for making our outreach activity a great success! Your creativity, energy, and dedication turned complex scientific topics into fun and engaging experiences for everyone who visited.

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

Bei uns gibt es nicht nur Fakten zu #Bienen und #Blühmischungen - wir simulieren Verluste in Nahrungsnetzen und machen ein #CitizenScience Knetraupenexperiment 🐛🐛🐛 #ndwgoe 🧪 @funcagroeco.bsky.social @agrarunigoe.bsky.social

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

More isn’t always better. Landscape-scale measures that offer both nesting habitats and floral resources support bees more than those boosting only flowers. We show empirical evidence of synergistic and antagonistic effects of organic farming, flower fields, and natural habitats.

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

Well done! Congratulations to this gereat and comprehnsive landsape-scale study 🥳

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

Vegetation monitoring has started in our perennial flower fields: After 2 years, our 100% native #wildflower mix is still thriving 🌿🌼🐝 — we recorded many sown and wild plant species, with only few problematic weeds or grasses. #ProjectKooperativ #NextCAP 🚜 www.uni-goettingen.de/en/628701.html

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Catrin Westphal @catrinwestphal.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

It’s a privilege to teach #ResourceManagement in landscapes as rich as the Bratental near Göttingen. Thanks to conservation authorities and @bsggoettingen.bsky.social, these unique habitats are being successfully preserved and managed.

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