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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Made it to Scottish Parliament via some nice historic buildings!

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Always v nice to come on a day trip to Edinburgh! It's finally stopped raining and less freezing than of late

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Off again on my travels! Today I'm heading to Scottish Parliament for a round table discussion around policy and finance which I'm really looking forward to.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

Seasons greetings to everyone! This is a lovely peatland on Arran where have been working the last few years

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

An incredible legacy - one of quiet determination focused on the beauty and incredible importance of bogs.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

Really enjoying our visit to the Agricultural Research Council facilities at Porteshtroom & their research on traditional crops as part of AGRI-DRY project

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

I realised I had a very emotional response to the African landscapes we visited today. It brought to mind the Out of Africa book, something I have not thought of for years but it came to mind today. Something about the light and vegetation caught at me.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

S African velt and archaeology. Such interesting discussions this morning on the AGRI-DRY summer school at NWU

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 08/11/2025

Heading to south Africa this evening for the AGRI-DRY summer school at NWU. I'm really looking forward to this one and a break from Scottish weather gloom!

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

We have found out about evolution of peat across a series of sites and understanding carbon content over time and space. Lab work still happening! This is a contribution towards the UK's land use for net zero programme of research...

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

Another lovely peat core this time from Thorne Moors! So far we have collected over 60 cores on this project over the last few months, which is quite an achievement.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

Interesting! I'll take a look at this. We do have data on species abundances and numbers from insect studies.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

I know! I'm v excited about this trip also. I'm still doing lots of bog trotting in more mundane places though :)

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

I'm super excited about this.... I'm also going to south Africa soon as we are working on wetlands there also as part of AGRI-DRY work.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

I am very excited about something I've been planning for a few months. I'm starting mandarin lessons on Sept and I'm beyond excited about this, I've been wanting to do this for a while. It's in anticipation of a trip to China, hopefully next year! Would love to connect with China archaeologists.

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ALT: a little girl is laughing with her fist in the air while wearing a vest and tie .

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

The base I think is fluvio-glacial and then there are some beach pebbles mixed in - storm cast is an interesting idea. It's the top terrace of 3 so could be v much on margins of beach or upcast as you suggest.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

Yes I think so. They represent a high level stand of +31 metres at the end of last ice age but I suspect are mixed with fluvio-glacial materials also. I assume deposit is mixed and short-lived.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

There are some rounded beach pebbles amongst the materials but it's classified as raised beach by bgs. It abupts glacio-fluvial deposits though so I suspect some of this is that rather than raised beach. It's at the top of a series of beach terraces but quite high at +31m.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

The BGS classify it as a raised beach but we think it has fluvio-glacial materials towards base with beach deposits on top.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

There are beach pebbles in between which is what has caused some confusion.... I suspect much of this is glacially derived with some beach material above. Context wise colluvium seems less likely but it's also something I'd been thinking.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

Yes we wondered that. It also has beach pebbles too, so has a mixture of materials.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

Do folk think these look like beach or fluvially derived deposits? It's part of what we think is a raised beach deposit we are excavating...

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

Visited Mar Lodge on Tuesday. What an incredible landscape! Full of historic features too.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

Penultimate day in Puglia and I am very sad to go home on Saturday. We've had a wonderful 3 week break. I could have happily have stayed another week but work becons back and then fieldwork. So, still plenty to look forward to! Today we had another amazing day at this beach. No people due to wind!

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Yes, I did visit a wetland on my holidays in Italy! This is the one at Torre Guarcello... And then stunning sea behind. This was a real highlight today

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Visited Polignano yesterday, was well worth the trip but already busy. Excellent lunch too! Pasta di seppie.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

It was up to 38 Deg a couple of days ago but a bit cooler now

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

I like dry heat and not been too humid. High humity and high heat is pretty awful though!

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

Personally I really like the heat but son and hub are finding it hard going so may be relieved by some coolness

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

Incredibly hot here in Puglia! 38 Deg on the shade and even the palms are wilting...

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

Visited lovely Ostuni last night - great place full of vibes and enchanting small places

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Fires are springing up everywhere across Puglia. We drove through 2 fires going alongside the motorway. The heat is already having major impacts across the region...

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

We are now on Puglia. It was 38.5 at one point this afternoon .. hot!! 🥵

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Yes, it's v enjoyable! Though hot indeed.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Coastline at Maratea Porto. This really is a stunning coastline. Not too busy either. Would highly recommend this area of southern Italy

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Visited Maratea yesterday. View across sea to the Golfo di Policloro. It's beautifully green down here and rather quiet as we are off the tourist route.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

Finally away on our holidays! Staying in this gorgeous location in southern Italy. Up in the hills so not boiling hot yet but very nice indeed.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

Great new post by one of the AGRI-DRY MSCA PhD Fellows Mudit Joshi on the ecological adaptations of plants in drylands environment, as part of the AGRI-DRY EU/UKRI MSCA DN agri-dry.org/2025/06/15/t...

agri-dry.org

The ancient genius of drylands

Written by – Mudit Joshi Drylands don’t often make headlines. They’re not lush like rainforests or dramatic like melting glaciers. But behind their cracked soils lies one of the most su…

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

Spent yesterday peat coring on Hatfield Moors. It's hot and dry out there, vegetation impacted by lack of rain

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

Sampling for peat carbon content on the Went as part of land use for net zero project respect

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Reposted by Prof Nicki Whitehouse

Lizzie Robertson @lizzierobertson.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

📢Calling all archaeologists, ecologists, landowners and landmanagers - Please check out the details for the 'Into the Wild Network' questionnaire on approaches to rewilding - @fossilbeetle.bsky.social

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Reposted by Prof Nicki Whitehouse

Dr Kim Ward @kimjward.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

Please share our #rewilding survey with ecologists, land manager and archeologists.

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

Coring along the river Went today as part of new lowland peat project on managing land use conflicts

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Prof Nicki Whitehouse @fossilbeetle.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

View across Genova yesterday evening. It's a really nice city to visit, not too busy at all right now and v pleasant. Now back to Scotland!

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