Sign in

Keila Stark (she/her)

@keila-stark.bsky.social
234 followers 354 following 25 posts

Simons Postdoctoral Fellow in Marine Microbial Ecology Litchman-Klausmeier Lab | Kellogg Biological Station | MSU Using ecological theory & omics to understand causes & consequences of thermal trait diversity in communities (especially phytoplankton)

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Chris Klausmeier @chrisklausmeier.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/26/s...
nytimes.com
In an $80 Motel Room, a Discovery to Shed Light on the Origins of Life (Gift Article)
A scrappy science project led to a significant discovery: two new species of a rare organism that could elucidate a fundamental transition in the history of life on our planet.
0158
Keila Stark (she/her) @keila-stark.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
🚨New paper! We tested how inter- and intraspecific variation in thermal response curves for dispersal rate affect metacommunity dynamics and diversity patterns under warming in ciliate communities.
1147
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Stephen Heard @stephenbheard.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
In the Year of Our Lord 2026, I've just had a peer reviewer recommend that we change our methods from active voice to passive voice. Good thing I know something I can cite to establish why We. Are. Not. Doing. That. scientistseessquirre... 1/2
scientistseessquirrel.wordpress.com
The Scientist’s Guide to Writing
While running experiments and collecting data are important things, they don’t contribute to science unless we write up the results and share them with our colleagues and the world.  This means tha…
76311
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Karen Yip @kbyip.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Dear humanity, please stop with the balloons. @nautiluslive.org ROVLittle Hercules is nearly 6000m deep on abyssal plain seafloor far from land. The 3rd item they zoomed on was this balloon 😩😢 nautiluslive.org #NoBalloons
15033
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Center for Chemical Currencies of a Microbial Planet (C-CoMP) @microbialplanet.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
📣 We are accepting applications for our 2026-2028 Bridge-to-PhD Fellowships! If you are a recent or soon-to-be graduate of a 4 year, accredited university/college and interested in ocean science 🌊, learn more here: ccomp-stc.org/b2p/! Apply by 6/26/2026 and spread the word 🧪
The second cohort of C-CoMP Bridge-to-PhD Fellows stand in front of the R/V Atlantic Explorer on their trip to Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) for their Research Week Experience. Photo credit: Victoria Centurino, WHOI. Members of the cruise team work together to prepare the CTD rosette for deployment. Photo by Claire Garfield, UGA.
0129
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Evolution @journal-evo.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Editor's Choice: "The double-edged effect of environmental fluctuations on evolutionary rescue" by Shibasaki & Yamamichi. doi.org/10.1093/evol... @masatoyamamichi.bsky.social
doi.org
The double-edged effect of environmental fluctuations on evolutionary rescue
Abstract. Recent studies revealed that contemporary evolution can prevent population extinction in deteriorating environments. Such evolutionary rescue has
0136
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
In lakes with larger species pools, distantly related introduced fishes were more likely to invade (Darwin's hypothesis). In lakes with smaller species pools, closely related fishes were more likely to invade (the pre-adaptation hypothesis). #bioinvasions www.thebrighterside.news/post/swedish...
thebrighterside.news
Swedish lakes help solve Darwin’s 160-year puzzle about invasive species
Swedish lake data show dark diversity can predict when closely related or distant invasive fish are more likely to establish.
0117
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
ASM @asm.org · 18/06/2026
Leveraging biofilm isolates from a glacier-fed stream, researchers examined the nature and key bacterial traits that mediate competitive and positive interactions to uncover the drivers of bacterial interactions in stream biofilm communities. #mSystems: asm.social/2YG
Depiction of the study’s workflow. Biofilms were grown on clay tiles in a glacier-fed stream in Val Ferret, Switzerland.
042
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Chuliang Song @clsong.com · 16/06/2026
Spent the last two years developing a new Intro to Physics course for undergrad biology majors. It features tons of examples from biology (especially Ecology & Evolution!) and requires only middle school-level math. Lecture note here shorturl.at/0PiVp Any comments or feedback are highly welcome!
drive.google.com
physics_for_biologists.pdf
312054
Keila Stark (she/her) @keila-stark.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Reminder to register for the Unifying Ecology Gordon Conference by next Monday! Lest you miss out on this incredible line up! www.grc.org/unifying-eco... @jennsunday.bsky.social @ewaldoleitao.bsky.social #GRC #ecoevo
02613
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Sabrina Imbler @sabs.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
I wrote about one specific way AI is ruining my life defector.com/ai-animal-vi...
defector.com
AI Animal Videos Are Ruining One Of The Internet's Last Good Things | Defector
Recently while picking up a banh mi in my neighborhood, I found myself transfixed by a TV in the restaurant showing what I assumed was a nature documentary. At first the footage soothed: Gentle humpba...
241862488
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Harman Jaggi @harmanjaggi.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Our paper on transient dynamics and nonlinear fitness it out in Ecology! We present a matrix framework that links pulse (one-time) and press (sustained) perturbations, showing how transient nonlinearities and demography shape fitness. (1/3) esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Transient dynamics and nonlinear fitness: A matrix approach to pulse and press perturbation
Disturbances can occur as short-lived pulses (e.g., storms) or sustained presses (e.g., chronic drought). Much work in ecology has developed methods to help predict how natural populations respond to...
21911
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Magdalena Skipper @magdalenaskipper.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
I’ve been looking at this cover all week! There is so much here - it takes day of the dead iconic image & mixes it with elements of sub-cellular architecture. What can you spot? You can read the paper is illustrates about transcriptomic clocks here www.nature.com/articles/s41... 🧪 @nature.com
Cover of this weeks nature showing an iconic day of the day image modified to represent subcellular components
14411
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Chuliang Song @clsong.com · 01/06/2026
What have we actually learned from empirical applications of Modern Coexistence Theory? We reviewed 84 studies from the last two decades to find out. Read our new synthesis in Ecology Letters here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
What Have We Learned From Empirical Applications of Modern Coexistence Theory?
Reader environment loaded
02411
Keila Stark (she/her) @keila-stark.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
RNA QC for some fun work-in-progress relating diatom thermal performance curves to temperature-dependent transcription patterns. Nanodrop generally overestimates [RNA] relative to Qubit but the correlation isn't too terrible...
100
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Greg Dick @greatlakesgreg.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
@laurenhart.bsky.social's terrific PhD research is out! @freep.com has a good story on it (with links to the papers): www.freep.com/story/news/e... great work Lauren 👏 - the product of many collaborations at @ciglrum.bsky.social, NOAA, USGS, + the Great Lakes Center for Freshwaters & Human Health
freep.com
There's more harmful stuff in Lake Erie algae than previously thought
Better understanding the potentially toxic components of a harmful algal bloom might prepare water managers to protect the public, researchers said.
1147
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
In our latest paper with @manonberger.bsky.social, Lester Kwiatkowski, and @bopplaurent.bsky.social, we show that if we properly account for iron limitation and nutrient competition with phytoplankton, growing seaweed isn't really an effective technique for removing atmospheric CO₂. 🌊🧪
nature.com
Efficacy of seaweed-based carbon dioxide removal reduced by iron limitation and nutrient competition with phytoplankton - Nature Communications
This study shows that when iron limitation is considered, there is nowhere in the ocean that is suitable for growing kelp for carbon dioxide removal.
1015648
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Dustin Marshall @djmmeeg.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Out today in @cp-trendsecolevo.bsky.social our paper “Second Thoughts about First Principles in Biology.” www.cell.com/trends/ecolo... . We are in favour of first principles approaches in biology but we think that we need to do better in how we use them.
cell.com
Second thoughts about first principles in biology
First-principles approaches, based on physics or chemistry, are key pillars of biological theory. Despite their value, there are recurrent problems with many first-principles approaches in biology: th...
24418
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
CSZ-SCZ Official @csz-sczofficial.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Congratulations to all our CSZ 2026 Ottawa Award winners! Félicitations à tous les lauréats du Prix SCZ 2026 d'Ottawa ! Cameron Outstanding Ph.D. Thesis Award/Prix Cameron de la meilleure thèse de doctorat - Kelia Stark, University of British Columbia/Université de la Colombie-Britannique
021
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
marina alberti @malberti.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Evolving nature-based solutions for urban resilience | Science: A wonderful collaboration across ecology, evolution, urban science, and urban design and planning www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
science.org
Evolving nature-based solutions for urban resilience
Despite growing investments in nature-based solutions for urban resilience, their design often overlooks a fundamental biological process: evolution. Populations of organisms that sustain nature-based...
01715
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Tess Grainger @tessgrainger.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Great write up of research on the effect of temperature on range expansion rate by former undergrad in the lab Kayley Breslin! 🪲🔥
072
Keila Stark (she/her) @keila-stark.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Sharing some fun, ongoing trait-based phytoplankton work with @elenalitchman.bsky.social and @chrisklausmeier.bsky.social at #ASLOSIL26 today at 17:45 in room 520E!
172
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
Richard Lenski @relenski.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
I was just informed that you can receive a 20% discount using the code AMCLF20 at the publisher's website.
1309
Keila Stark (she/her) @keila-stark.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Getting excited to connect over all things Limnology and Oceanography next week! 💧🌊 #ASLO2026
000
Keila Stark (she/her) @keila-stark.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Register by Mar 21 to be considered for partial fee waiver! And if you're a grad student, postdoc, or PI supporting them, don't forget the Gordon Research Seminar on the theme of "Space Versus Time: A Dialogue of Eco-Evolutionary Scales in Changing Environments" : www.grc.org/unifying-eco...
grc.org
2026 Unifying Ecology Across Scales (GRS) Seminar GRC
The 2026 Gordon Research Seminar on Unifying Ecology Across Scales (GRS) will be held in Easton, Massachusetts. Apply today to reserve your spot.
097
Keila Stark (she/her) @keila-stark.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Attending the Unifying Ecology Across Scales GRC was one of the highlights of my PhD, and this year's edition is going to be excellent! All biologists interested in integrating diverse approaches to further our understanding of the natural world are welcome. Register early! shorturl.at/rIjWx
dynamicecology.wordpress.com
A great conference to go to this summer – who could oppose unifying ecology on multiple scales?
I just finished attending a great conference (Island Biogeography Society), which reminded me how fun and intellectually stimulating a really good conference is. So here’s my recommendation f…
2168
Keila Stark (she/her) @keila-stark.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
Canada’s federal blue economy strategy avoids the most harmful marine industries, but permitted ones (shipping, fisheries) may still have negative biodiversity impacts & detract from our 30x30 targets. My new paper defines the conservation economy to help reconcile this... surl.li/jbnvxh
sciencedirect.com
A blue conservation economy framework for meeting Canada's marine biodiversity targets
Canada has committed to protecting 30 % of its marine environment by 2030 alongside other targets aimed at halting biodiversity loss in adopting the K…
141
Keila Stark (she/her) @keila-stark.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Excited to share our fresh-off-the-press Annual Review on the role of temperature in metabolic scaling! We review the state of the field on this topic and unpack confusion about the various ways the term "scaling" is used in metabolic theories. www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
annualreviews.org
Scaling Temperature Effects on Metabolism from Individuals to Ecosystems
The effects of temperature on metabolic rates are a core component of ecological change, with surprisingly regular effects across diverse ecological systems. Metabolic scaling theories can provide qua...
12311
Keila Stark (she/her) @keila-stark.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
Most major theories in ecology assume some sort of equilibrium, but only ~half of empirical tests acknowledge it & even fewer observed it in their system. Does this matter? How did the idea become so pervasive in ecology anyway? Find out in our new paper! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
The Equilibrium Conundrum
Although an assumption of equilibrium dynamics underlies most ecological theory, the evidence for this dynamic in nature and in empirical studies is scarce. This creates an unfortunate disconnect bet...
13515
Reposted by Keila Stark (she/her)
American Naturalist / ASN 🐌 @asn-amnat.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
Special Feature available ahead of print! Stark et al. revisit assumptions in the metabolic theory of ecology that explains macroecological patterns in biological rates from individuals to ecosystems through fundamental constraints on metabolism. www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
journals.uchicago.edu
Toward a More Dynamic Metabolic Theory of Ecology to Predict Climate Change Effects on Biological Systems | The American Naturalist
Abstract The metabolic theory of ecology (MTE) aims to link biophysical constraints on individual metabolic rates to the emergence of patterns at the population and ecosystem scales. Because MTE links...
1249
Keila Stark (she/her) @keila-stark.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
Thrilled to share our new paper in @asn-amnat.bsky.social "Toward a more dynamic metabolic theory of ecology for predicting climate change effects on biological systems" www.naturl.link/9jpy6M It's one of several papers in an upcoming special feature "Demystifying Fundamental Theories in Ecology"
naturl.link
University of Chicago Press Journals: Cookie absent
16419