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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 20/09/2026

Autumn vibes at the #alpine plateau of the Ben Avon, #Cairngorms, Scotland. 🍂 For my project #BEN-EAF, we took new soil samples to do more soil parameter analyses. 🌱 And of course, we read out also our #TOMST soil temperature loggers so that the data can be added to the @mebnetwork.bsky.social . 🌡️

Autumn vibes and colours at the alpine Ben Avon plateau in the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland.

Soil samples being taken at the alpine Ben Avon plateau in the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland.

Soil temperature loggers (TOMST) being read out at the alpine Ben Avon plateau in the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 11/09/2026

Kudos to the organisation team and speaker of @bes-soilecogroup.bsky.social for the #SoilEcologyInPractice conference in Stirling! 👏 I really enjoyed it, thx that I could show my latest results from #BEN-EAF (poster --> doi.org/10.13140/RG....). Great excursion, great people, hope to see you soon! 🫶

Michael Steinwandter presenting sampling methods that he used in the #BEN-EAF project during the "Soil Ecology in Practice" conference held in Septembber 2026 in Stirling, Scotland.

Photo of a group hiking up the Dumyat mountain (418m) during the "Soil Ecology in Practice" conference held in Septembber 2026 in Stirling, Scotland.

View down to Stirling from the Castle Law mountain climbed at the excusion during the "Soil Ecology in Practice" conference held in Septembber 2026 in Stirling, Scotland.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 05/09/2026

Amazing visuals and figures on Swiss Alpine Biodiversity! 😲 In collaboration with @gmba-ipo.bsky.social ! Check it out! ⤵️ swissalpinebiodiversity.ch

Screenshot of the starting page of a website called "Swiss Alpine Biodiversity" by visual artist Laura Castro. It shows illustrations of Alpine Ibex, adder (snake) and other critters.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 01/09/2026

Next in #BEN-EAF: look at the details! 🔎 We will identify some #SoilFauna to species level to close distribution gaps in the @cairngormsnews.bsky.social. #Carabidae like this Carabus problematicus are straightforward, but other smaller critters not. Fortunately, @hutton.ac.uk has in-house experts. 🤝

Photo of a ground beetle (family Carabidae) hold into a magnifier.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 31/08/2026

Hm, I see no difference guys! Maybe because I am using mapy.com and @organicmaps.bsky.social , two REAL free and open European map projects, not indulging every strange mood of a elderly president. 🤓 #LakeOntario #BuyEuropean #BuyCanadian #GoEuropean #BoycottGoogle #Maps

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 28/08/2026

Got it as a birthday present, thanks to @jseeber.bsky.social and team! 🤩 Looking forward!!!

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 21/08/2026

Counting, sorting, identifying. 🤓 Time to check all the alpine #SoilFauna from soil samples & pitfall traps from the Ben Avon plateau (@cairngormsnews.bsky.social) in #Scotland. After a nice sampling season, I am in the soil labs of @hutton.ac.uk in Aberdeen. Very promising first results already! 🤞

Photo of small soil animals (belonging to the mesofauna) including springtails (Collembola) and mites (Acari).

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 12/07/2026

Field work seems to be over for now in our #BEN-EAF outgoing mobility project in the #Cairngorms. We did sample soil for #eDNA #metabarcoding and collected our pitfall traps. It was a great and quite warm sampling weather! 😎 Next: do some invertebrate identification in the labs of @hutton.ac.uk.

Small soil sample taken with an apple corer for eDNA metabarcoding of alpine soil fauna.

View from the Ben Avon plateau to the Beinn a' Bhùird massif, Cairngorms, Scotland.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 03/07/2026

What is a Southtyrolean – addicted to mountains – doing in #Scotland at the weekend? Well... 🤠 Ben Nevis (1345m) - highest mountain of 🇬🇧 & 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Sgùrr Alasdair (992m) - highest mountain on Skye The Storr (719m) - top above busy Old Man of Storr (Skye) ➕ often being alone or very few people! So nice! 🧘

View to the old Carrbridge Packhorse Bridge, Scotland, UK.

View from the Ben Nevis Trail towards Ben Nevis, with 1345m the highest mountain of Scotland and Great Britain.

View down from the top of Sgùrr Alasdair, with 992m the highest mountain of Isle of Skye, Scotland.

View down to the Old Man of Storr and Needle Rock on Isle of Skye, Scotland.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 27/06/2026

Field work half-time for #BEN-EAF! ⛰️ We took #SoilFauna samples, and heat-extract them in the soil lab at @hutton.ac.uk. Mainly springtails & mites! Also: we got ground beetles, wolf spiders, and harvestmen from pitfall traps. 🕷️🪲 Thanks again to Andrea Britton and Debbie Fielding for the help!

Me collecting soil fauna from pitfall traps using tweezers at the alpine plateau of Ben Avon, Cairngorms, Scotland.

A nice soil sample showing different coloured layers, taken from alpine habitats at the alpine plateau of Ben Avon, Cairngorms, Scotland.

A Tullgren heat extractor with soil samples from the alpine habitats at Ben Avon plateau, Cairngorms, Scotland. The extracted soil animals will be collected in small glass pots.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 23/06/2026

Here we go: pitfall traps are collecting now critters at the #alpine plateau of Ben Avon (@cairngormsnews.bsky.social, Scottish #Highlands). 🕷️🪲🐛 4 habitat types, 3 pitfall traps each: Maybe some new records? Thanks to Andrea Britton & Debbie Fielding from @hutton.ac.uk! ✌️ #BEN-EAF #AlpSoil_Lab

Pitfall traps installed in the alpine plateau of Ben Avon, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland.

Me digging holes to install pitfall traps in the alpine plateau of Ben Avon, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland. (C) Andrea Britton

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 10/06/2026

Some good news for the @mebnetwork.bsky.social (former #SoilTemp). 🌡️ New #TOMST soil temperature and soil humidity loggers are now installed in #alpine habitats of the #ScottishHighlands, in the @cairngormsnews.bsky.social, as part of my #BEN-EAF project on alpine soil fauna at the @hutton.ac.uk.

Soil temperature logger installed in a patchy alpine habitat of the Scottish Highlands, in the Cairngorms National Park.

Soil temperature logger installed in a mossy alpine habitat of the Scottish Highlands, in the Cairngorms National Park.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 08/06/2026

While samplings of #alpine beasties in the @cairngormsnews.bsky.social for my #BEN-EAF project at @hutton.ac.uk are still in the preparation, here some impressions of the critters I've found while hiking. As temperatures go up, so more activity is expected, right @naturescot.bsky.social? 🤓 🕷️🐛🪱🧬

Carabus problematicus (a ground beetle, Carabidae)

Alopecosa cf. pulverulenta (a wolf spider, Lycosidae)

two mating Cicindela campestris (tiger beetles, Cicindelidae)

Ommatosiulus sabulosus (a string millipede, Julidae)

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 17/05/2026

Preparations for my #BEN-EAF project as visiting scientist at @hutton.ac.uk are still ongoing, but I could hike in the Scottish #Highlands already! Looking forward to taking #alpine #SoilFauna samples (cores and pitfall traps) and to compare these with #eDNA samplings. 🕷️🧬 #MountainSoilBiodiversity

Panoramic photo showing the Scottish Highlands, valley and snowcapped mountain tops.

Panoramic photo showing feet in the foreground and a wide view to the Scottish Highlands with snowcapped mountaintops.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 17/05/2026

Achievement unlocked! ☝️BUT!!! All the thanks go to @mdainese.bsky.social for his hard work on the review on "Global change experiments in mountain ecosystems: A systematic review". 🙏 Read it openly here: doi.org/10.1002/ecm.... #AlpineEcology #MountainBiodiversity #FunctionalEcology #GlobalChange

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 04/05/2026

First day for me today at The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, Scotland! I will do my research on alpine soil fauna here for the next five months and check out what "beasties" we can find in the remote and astonishing Highlands. 🕷️🪲🪱 Thanks for the warm welcoming today. 🤗 @jennistockan.bsky.social

Photo of my card for the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen, Scotland!

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 10/03/2026

Our in-house press team at Eurac Magazine published an article about the soil biology research of @jseeber.bsky.social and myself where we focus on alpine environments. Check it out: www.eurac.edu/en/magazine/... (available in German, Italian, and English) #SoilBiodiversity #SoilScience #SoilFauna

Screenshot of the article by Eurac Magazine about the vast universe of soil biodiversity beneath our feet.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 10/02/2026

From Brunico? WTF Euronews... 😅 It is Toblach/Dobbiaco, as Bruneck/Brunico is 30km away from that spot... 🤓

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 05/12/2025

Congratulations to our former #MSCA fellow and microbial ecologist Magdalena Nagler for being one of three winners of the Junior Research Award South Tyrol. 🦠🏅🏞️ Looking forward for new collaborations and insights in #eDNA of soils. scholar.google.at/citations?us...

Still of microbial ecologist Magdalena Nagler in her winning video for the Junior Research Award South Tyrol.

Microbial ecologist Magdalena Naglee presenting her research on soil respiration and eDNA.

Microbial ecologist Magdalena Nagler (left) and her former supervisor Julia Seeber (right) and former peer Michael Steinwandter (centre).

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 01/12/2025

Very happy to be part of and to see this review on #Oniscidea (woodlice, terrestrial #Isopoda) published in @soilorganismsj.bsky.social . Many thanks to Konstantin Gongalsky & Pallieter De Smedt for leading this! 🎊 Read/download the review: doi.org/10.25674/466 Have data? SHARE THEM! #OniscidBase

Screenshot of the title and authors of the new review and data call paper on Oniscidae (terrestrial isopods, woodlice) and the new network called 'OniscidBase'.

Overview of 16 photos of terrestrial isopods (woodlice, Oniscidea) taken from the review on the new network 'OniscidBase'.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 25/11/2025

Jungforscher:innen, aufgepasst! Der #Nationalpark #HoheTauern vergibt mehrere Forschungsstipendien. Also wer gerne im Gebirge forscht und/oder dort unterwegs sein will, sollte sich das ansehen. --> hohetauern.at/de/forschung... #NPHT #MountainScience #YoungResearcher #Scholarship

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 07/11/2025

Very helpful preprint from on "Standardised protocols for soil fauna extraction and a call for cross-lab implementation" 🪱🕷️🐞 doi.org/10.22541/au.... #SoilFauna #SoilBiodiversity #SoilLabs #Soil

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 04/11/2025

"Happy" to see that Europe's commitment is visible in this graph. However, overall, we might lose the race...

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 02/11/2025

Identifying soil insect larvae is tricky sometimes. The next time I get a comment by a reviewer asking "Why only to family level?" I send him/her this photo. 😋 Left a Hydrophilidae larva (#Coleoptera), without legs... Right a Scatopsidae larva (#Diptera)... #entomology #SoilBiodiversity #insects

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 16/10/2025

Für Leute wie mich und @bmgn.rs , die gerne noch bei Mastodon sind (bzw. mitlesen wollen), gibt es jetzt eine coole App, wo beide Feeds zusammenkommen: #FLARE (auch Twixxer ist dabei, aber ja, das lassen wir mal beiseite...) flareapp.moe #Mastodon #Fediverse

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 01/10/2025

Nicht warten, denn vor 2 Jahren kam diese (lange) Studie heraus, die zeigt, dass E-Busse viel günstiger und effizienter im Betrieb sind... 😑 Wieso doch H2? "... both FCEB models require 126–145 % more energy than Solaris Urbino 12 Electric BEBs to cover the same distance." doi.org/10.1016/j.es...

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 18/09/2025

Well done to @nadinepraeg.bsky.social for presenting and promoting our review of #MountainSoilBiodiversity at the #IMC2025. 👏🙏 In collaboration with @gmba-ipo.bsky.social, we compiled a wealth of information on our knowledge of alpine soil biota. 🪴🦠🪱 Openly accessible here: doi.org/10.1111/brv....

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 15/09/2025

Next in the #MountainSoilBiodiversity poster session at the #IMC2025 is Theresa Rzehak showing us the variety of #soil #microbiota in different mountain habitats and elevations.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 15/09/2025

And as conclusion of our #MountainSoilBiodiversity poster session at the #IMC2025 is a presentation from @mizeh.bsky.social assessing the #CarbonStocks in the high #mountains of #Switzerland. A lot of hiking!

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 15/09/2025

Our #MountainSoilBiodiversity session at the #IMC2025 is not yet finished: here our #PosterSession contributions: first Annabel Lindley showing us how #microbiota, #plants, and #invertebrates differ (or not) in natural, extensively, and intensively managed land.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 15/09/2025

Already the last talk in our #MountainSoilBiodiversity session at the #IMC2025: Johanna Mayerhofer on #soil #microbiota and their assosciations with plants in the course of the large #Biodiversity #Monitoring of #Switzerland. Thanks to everyone attending, all speaker, and to @jseeber.bsky.social!

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 15/09/2025

Now on stage in our #MountainSoilBiodiversity session at the #IMC2025 is Martha Apple on root morphology and #microbiota as symbionts in different #alpine habitats in wilderness areas the #RockyMountains of Montana.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 15/09/2025

Next in our #MountainSoilBiodiversity session at the #IMC2025 is co-convener @nadinepraeg.bsky.social showing us the soil meta-communities (i.e. the sum of all #microbiota) in mountain and alpine soils in the #LTER area #Matsch in #SouthTyrol.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 15/09/2025

Already Talk 7 in our #MountainSoilBiodiversity session at the #IMC2025 by Francisco Pugnaire on #microbiome communities associated with understory #soil in the mountains of #Andalusia (Spain).

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 15/09/2025

Next is Lucía Laorden-Camacho from @uniinnsbruck.bsky.social in our #MountainSoilBiodiversity session at the #IMC2025 talking about #ShrubEncroachment and how #Fungi are affected by these changes.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 15/09/2025

We stick to #alpine soils ( #snowbeds) and #microorganisms in our #MountainSoilBiodiversity session at the #IMC2025 with Colin La Noir de Carlan (with #AlpFor) simulating different snow melt changes.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 15/09/2025

Now in our #MountainSoilBiodiversity session at #IMC2025 a presentation of Nora Khelidj again about #GlacierRetreat and how microorganisms ( #fungi and #bacteria) attached on plant roots change along with the new emerging ecosystem stages.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 15/09/2025

Next in our #MountainSoilBiodiversity at the #IMC2025 is Sophie Szedlaczek talking about #Mortierella #fungi in alpine #glacier forefields and how their species communities are similar (or different) to each other.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 15/09/2025

The @imc2025.bsky.social started for us and our #MountainSoilBiodiversity session. 🪱🦠🕷️ Priyanka Kashyap showing us the diversity and functional groups of #nematodes in Indian high mountains doing some #OpenTopChamber experiments.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 26/08/2025

Beitrag zu unserem Europa-Rekord, ein Fund einer Zwergspitzmaus (Sorex minutus) auf knapp 3300m. VIDEO: on.orf.at/video/142889... PAPER: doi.org/10.4404/hyst... with @chiarapaniccia.bsky.social and @euracalpenv.bsky.social #shrews #Alps #SouthTyrol #SmallMammals

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 08/08/2025

What is living in (and on) alpine soils at 3100m in the European #Alps? "Not too much"? Check out this sample. A lot of critters (abundance) and also some larger larvae (Tipulidae) and some flying insects (biomass). Very excited to sort out these #GLORIA samples from #SouthTyrol. #AlpSoil_Lab

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 25/07/2025

Accidentally found something nice while #snorkeling in an #Mediterranean river 😎 #iNauralist identification will follow. #fish #adventure #diving

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 09/07/2025

Heute gesehen... :D Es ist ja gar nichts mehr erlaubt!!!

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 29/06/2025

Hey, as I do love soil animals and critters, I did support an artist who draws very nice pictures of the vast variety of #SoilBiodiversity (mainly #SoilFauna). Stickers for the kids 🤩 If you love #soil too, support @fminifera.bsky.social at smartwork.bigcartel.com #SoilIsLife #SoilIsAlive

Photo of different sticker sets with a lot of critters (insects and soil fauna) created by Svenja Meyer.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 20/06/2025

Scary garden finding today: The dead body of a slow worm (Anguis veronensis) was still "beating"... It was infested by small millipedes (Blaniulus guttulatus) and maggots 😅 Well, this is the circle of life, recycle and get recycled ♻️ www.inaturalist.org/observations... #Diplopoda #Reptilia

Photo of a dead slow worm infested by small millipedes.

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 17/06/2025

And additionally some @mebnetwork.bsky.social soil temperature data readout (former #SoilTemp) at 3000m sites at our #LTSERmatsch/ #LTSERmazia outdoor lab. Quite some snow left this year, also in this dry inner-Alpine valley. #SouthTyrol #Vinschgau #EuracResearch #MEB #SoilBON #SoilBONfoodweb

A selfie showing a laptop and #MEB soil temperature logger in an alpine environment at 3000m.

Panoramic view of a mountain ridge in the upper Vinschgau valley in South Tyrol, Italy

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Michael ヘビ Steinwandter @msteinwandter.eurosky.social · 06/06/2025

Some of us from the @euracalpenv.bsky.social contributed to a small conference paper on how #iNaturalist data add value to survey biodiversity in #LTER sites, in this case @lter-italy.bsky.social sites. Please find it here: aca.pensoft.net/article/1517... #Italy #CitizenScience #LTSER #LTERitaly

A map of Italy showing different LTER sites involved in a study on how data from iNaturalist can enhance biodiversity research.

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