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Oliver Wilson

@olijwilson.bsky.social
647 followers 472 following 27 posts

Lecturer in Geography at the University of Lincoln. Plants, people and climate change, past, present and future. Also husband, dad, and 3D Pollen Project guy.

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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
E agora em português: theconversation.com/floresta-de-...
theconversation.com
Floresta de altitude do Brasil vem sendo moldada por mudanças climáticas e povos indígenas há 6.000 anos
Registros pré-históricos de pólen mostram que a dinâmica florestal no Sul do Brasil foi influenciada por mais do que apenas mudanças climáticas em grande escala
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
We used an innovative combination of methods to look at how climate, fire and Indigenous peoples shaped Brazil's Araucaria Forests over 6,000 years. This study was the final one from my PhD and, after a long and winding road, it's been published in Scientific Reports! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A schematic summarising a research paper, 'How climate, Indigenous people, and fire shaped Brazil's Araucaria Forests through the late Holocene.' Four methods are listed and illustrated: ecological niche models (expected vegetation change), palaeoecological proxies (actual fire and vegetation change), speleothem proxies (rainfall amount and variability), and archaeological radiocarbon dates (human occupation). There is an illustration of the paper's main findings, with an accompanying explanation: 
'In southern Brazil, established Araucaria Forest areas rarely burn, but fires in Campos grasslands stop them from expanding.
In recent millennia, minor climate changes altered fire-forest feedback loops - conditions became slightly more favourable for forests, so they underwent small expansions which in turn reduced fires, and so on. 
In areas with enough initial woodland cover, these small changes meant that fires could no longer spread, pushing the landscape over a tipping point and leading to significant forest expansions. 
Areas intensely occupied by Indigenous southern Jê communities were transformed. Rather than declines in fire and forest expansions, locations close to archaeological sites saw high use of fire, moderate forest cover, increases in Araucaria trees, and crop cultivation.'Seven graphs illustrating key points from the research paper. The first shows how rainfall in southern Brazil changed over the last 6,000 years (starting relatively dry, reaching average around 4,500 years ago, becoming wetter ca. 4,000 years ago and again 2,000 years ago, before a highly variable last 1,000 years). The second graph shows how variable that rainfall was through time (most variable in the last 1,000 years). The third shows southern Jê radiocarbon dates, which first appear around 2,000 years ago, build rapidly 1,500-1,000 years ago, and explode 1,000-ca. 300 years ago before a very rapid decline to a fairly high stable point. 
The next four graphs show pollen and charcoal data from four sites. At Rincão das Cabritas (natural), there is high charcoal and low forest pollen until 3,000 years ago, when charcoal abruptly declines to very low levels, forest pollen abruptly increases to around 50%, and Araucaria pollen appears at very low levels. At Cambará do Sul (natural) there is high fire and low forest (<10%) before about 4,000 years ago, when a big decline in fire and slight increase in forest occurred. Around 1,000 years ago, fire abruptly drops off as forest pollen increases from ca. 15 to 75% and Araucaria pollen from ca. 5 to 40%. At Serra Campos Gerais (natural then human), fire and forest start fairly low and increase (fire by a lot, forest only slightly) around 4,000 years ago. Fire is high and forest low until around 1,500 years ago, when fire declines to around 66% of the maximum and forest doubles or triples to about 20%. From ca. 1,000 years ago, fire and forest are both variable with spikes at the same times, while maize and bean pollen appears. At Amaral (human), fire increases from 4,000 to 1,000 years ago, when the pollen record starts. Forest pollen then is ca. 25%, most of it Araucaria, as charcoal spikes and maize pollen appears. After this spike, fire declines a bit, maize pollen continues, Araucaria declines as forest is maintained. Four graphs from the research paper. The first two show fire-forest relationships: in black, sites with low apparent southern Jê influence see little Araucaria pollen when charcoal is above low levels, and it only increases when charcoal drops very low. The pattern is similar but more muted for forest pollen. In red, sites with high apparent southern Jê influence show a different pattern, with high charcoal associated with high Araucaria pollen; forest pollen slightly declines with increased charcoal. One graph shows the relationship between forest pollen and the proportion which is from Araucaria. Araucaria pollen is rarely a significant component of the forest, though a cluster of points - many of them red (high apparent southern Jê influence) - have 5-50% forest pollen, more than two thirds of which is Araucaria. Other red points stand out by having relatively high Araucaria pollen in middling forest pollen coverage. A photo looking up at the candelabra-shaped canopies of Araucaria trees under a blue sky in low sunshine.
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
I'm very excited to share that I've written about my latest study for @theconversation.com! We rolled back the centuries to uncover the history of one of Brazil's most iconic and threatened ecosystems, and what we found was a surprise... theconversation.com/brazils-high...
theconversation.com
Brazil’s highland forest has been shaped by climate change and Indigenous people for 6,000 years
Prehistoric pollen records show that forest dynamics were driven by more than just broad-scale climatic changes.
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
I know it's very un-representative of British conditions more widely, but there are several massive ones in gardens on the Isles of Scilly. In any case, good luck! I'd love for mine to get that big someday...
A smallish Norfolk Island pine tree in a brown pot on a wooden surface. Behind and beside it are three carved wooden owls, a picture and a wooden box. A light-coloured wall is in the background.
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Vojtěch Abraham @vojtechabraham.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Our 1:1100 3D pollen collection now includes about 80 models @olijwilson.bsky.social @cubioimaginghub.bsky.social. They’re made from transparent gel for softness, plastic filament for affordability, or powder. The transport box is getting small!
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Vojtěch Abraham @vojtechabraham.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Plant Fascination Day featured pollen demonstration by 3D models @olijwilson.bsky.social @cubioimaginghub.bsky.social and pollen stamps, fascinated visitors and their artworks
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
This is very cool - thanks for tagging me! I hope it went well!
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Dr. Holly P Jones @dochpjones.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Happy World Albatross Day!! Did you know that the world’s oldest known wild bird is an albatross!? After her mate disappeared a few years ago, we thought Wisdom, a now 74 year old Laysan Albatross who breeds on Midway Atoll, was done breeding bc they mate for life. 1/2 #ICCB2025 🧪
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Dr. Michela Mariani @michela-mariani.bsky.social · 14/06/2025
It was great to meet with pupils and parents from local schools to chat about 3D pollen and landscapes for the University of Nottingham Family Discovery Day! 🔥🌱🌼🌲 School of Geography proudly represented by Gary Priestnall, myself and Alastair Wills 💪🏼
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Keith Duncan @cygnusplantxray.bsky.social · 12/06/2025
Just trying to cope with the madness, losing myself in a soothing XRM scan of a pennycress flower. @danforthcenter.bsky.social @zeiss-microscopy.bsky.social
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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
If you think climate change has gotten worse during your lifetime, you're right and there's a good reason. If you're Gen X like me, more than 3/4 of fossil fuel CO₂ emissions have occurred in your lifetime. Even if you're a Millennial, it's at least half. 📊: @neilrkaye.bsky.social
A horizontal bar chart titled "Percentage of Global fossil fuel emissions (since 1751) occurring in my lifetime." The chart shows how much of the total historical global fossil fuel emissions have occurred within the lifetime of individuals of different ages, from 5 to 100 years old. The vertical axis on the left lists ages in increments of 5 years, from age 5 at the top to age 100 at the bottom. The horizontal axis represents the percentage of fossil fuel emissions, marked in 10% increments from 10% to 90%.

The black bars represent the proportion of fossil fuel emissions that have occurred during each age group's lifetime. The bars increase in length as the age increases, meaning older individuals have lived through a larger percentage of the cumulative emissions since 1751.

Three specific age groups are highlighted with red bars and white text annotations:

Age 30: "if you are 30 it is more than 50%"

Age 50: "if you are 50 it is about 75%"

Age 85: "if you are 85 it is about 90%"

The source of the data is cited at the bottom: "CDIAC and globalcarbonproject.org." The graphic is credited to "@neilrkaye."
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Rob Marchant @rob-marchant.bsky.social · 09/06/2025
Thought-provoking conversations about how #participatory research can be best conducted to answer the right questions, for the right reasons for the most desirable outcomes. Focusing on #land management across the uk but with global impact @anthropocenebio.bsky.social @uoyenvironment.bsky.social
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Prof Wayne Visser @waynevisser.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
Love this story - the sacred (religion) providing sanctuary for the sacred (nature). Some of these trees protected by Chinese temples are thousands of years old www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Thousands of endangered trees preserved for centuries inside Chinese temples
Survey uncovers the rich biodiversity protected at sacred sites.
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Terralingua.Langscape @terralingua.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
When a language dies, so does a way of knowing the land. When traditions are erased, ecosystems lose their stewards. Help us amplify the voices that sustain the planet. Read stories of biocultural diversity at terralingua.org #WorldEnvironmentDay #BioculturalDiversity
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
This is the video that first got me thinking about this issue. It's pretty shocking. For background on why these fibres - and the drones that use them - are so prevalent, see this: www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Fibre optic drones: The terrifying new weapon changing the war in Ukraine - BBC News
The BBC reports from Donetsk where swarms of fibre optic drones give Russia the edge as Ukraine defends towns behind the front line.
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
I don't have any particular expertise relevant to this, but I'm pleased that some people who do are also sounding the alarm. It's one of many grim effects of Russia's invasion, and one of many things Ukraine will need help in fixing when peace finally arrives. ceobs.org/plastic-poll...
ceobs.org
Plastic pollution from fibre optic drones may threaten wildlife for years - CEOBS
We explore the environmental risks associated with the use of drones using fibre optic cables to protect them from electronic warfare.
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
War often seems to bring new kinds of pollution (nuclear fallout in WW2, Agent Orange in Vietnam, depleted uranium in the first Gulf War), and it seems that one lingering environmental effect of Russia's invasion of Ukraine will be spent fibre optic cables from drones - probably a global first.
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🌴 Scott Zona, Ph.D. 🌴 @scottzona.bsky.social · 02/06/2025
Photosynthesis is the most important reaction on Earth. In most plants, leaves are the primary solar collectors & sugar-makers. But leaves are vulnerable to herbivores. As #defense, some plants use chemicals; others use physical defenses, like this Solanum pyracanthos #Solanaceae #Botany 🌾🧪🌱
Close-up of a lobed leaf bearing stout, long, orange spines across its surface. Photo by Scott Zona CC BY-NC 2.0.
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Ed Hawkins @edhawkins.org · 30/05/2025
Is it hot right now in the UK? New interactive website allowing anyone to explore live temperatures hour-by-hour across the UK, and whether they are cool, warm or hot relative to normal. istheukhotrightnow.com Built by @roostweather.bsky.social.
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Dr. Sara L Middleton @saralilplants.bsky.social · 29/05/2025
Nigella flowers are starting to bloom in the garden and they are magical 💙
Close up of a nigella flower, love-in-a-mist against a blurry background.
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Julia Carretero @unisepala.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
Over 5.5 millon records available! This is really something 😊
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Erle Ellis @erleellis.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
People & Nature Can Thrive Together. 🌍🧍‍♀️🌎🌲🌏🍄🌐 Human–nature relationships through the lens of reciprocity: Insights from Indigenous and local knowledge systems @peopleandnature.bsky.social besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Human–nature relationships through the lens of reciprocity: Insights from Indigenous and local knowledge systems
In the context of climate change, biodiversity decline and social injustice, reciprocity emerges as a way of living and being in this world that holds transformative potential. Concepts of recipro...
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
This is a cool thread and article on the ethnoprimatology (relationships between humans and other primates) of the Paiter-Suruí people in the Brazilian Amazon 👇🐒
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MꙬse Allain @mooseallain.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
Pilot Whale You know what time it is? That's right! It's time to plug my work again! Yay! www.worldofmoose.com/products/pil...
Cartoon: a drawing of various whales. Caption: The pilot whale was so successful they went ahead and commissioned all the other whales
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Tobias Kuemmerle @tkuemmerle.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
Important piece on the still largely overlooked story of deforestation (and forest degradation) in the Gran Chaco - and their devastating social-ecological impacts: www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
‘A cemetery of trees’: vast green expanses turned to dust as loggers plunder South America’s Gran Chaco
Jaguars, giant armadillos and ocelots among species threatened by shrinking habitat in one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
I hadn't thought about that potential connection! It's worth noting, though, that these aren't the most popular names per se, just the most popular ones that are very rare in the other country. That means the table isn't very helpful for picking out these kinds of trends in popularity over time
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
This was the first name on the list that made me go, ah yes, this is 100% American 😂
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
Ok, well thank you for making my brain itch... To sooth it, I found some data on common names for babies born in 2023 and 1996 (the oldest common date - basically young adults now). You have statistically sound vibes! The names you mentioned are all in UK - but not US - top 100 lists. Top 10s here 👇
A table showing the most American and British boys' and girls' names for births in 2023 and 1996. In each case these are the highest ranked names which don't appear in the other country's top 100 list.

2023
Most American boys: Mateo, Levi, Owen, Asher, John, Jackson, Luke, Matthew, Julian, Maverick.
Most British boys: Muhammad, George, Arthur, Oscar, Freddie, Archie, Arlo, Jude, Alfie, Charlie.
Most American girls: Camila, Gianna, Nora, Avery, Abigail, Eliana, Madison, Zoe, Lucy, Riley.
Most British girls: Freya, Florence, Poppy, Elsie, Sienna, Daisy, Phoebe, Rosie, Evie, Millie.

1996
Most American boys: Austin, Justin, Kevin, Cody, Jose, Eric, Brian, Logan, Hunter, Caleb.
Most British boys: Liam, Harry, Jake, George, Callum, Oliver, Lewis, Kieran, Jamie, Ben.
Most American girls: Ashley, Taylor, Alexis, Kayla, Amanda, Brittany, Madison, Brianna, Alyssa, Morgan.
Most British girls: Sophie, Chloe, Charlotte, Bethany, Lucy, Georgia, Jade, Eleanor, Holly, Alice.

Data from:
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/ (USA)
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/datasets/babynamesenglandandwalesbabynamesstatisticsboys (England and Wales boys)
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/datasets/babynamesenglandandwalesbabynamesstatisticsgirls (England and Wales girls)
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Adam Kucharski @adamjkucharski.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
A few years ago at forecasting conference, a climate researcher made the good point that motivating action will face an additional barrier in places like UK, because on average it will become nicer, warmer place over next decade or so (I.e. April sunny photos in papers) - then much worse, of course
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
It was great yesterday to learn about the latest initiative from the amazing @mapbiomas.bsky.social project: 38+ years of land cover change around Brazil's archaeological sites! 🌎🏺🛰️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NZb... Find out more on their website (brasil.mapbiomas.org/2025/04/29/a...)
m.youtube.com
Territórios com história: cobertura e uso da terra em sítios arqueológicos no Brasil
YouTube video by MapBiomas Brasil
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
O livro está disponível aqui: www.libretos.com.br/editora-libr... É ótimo! Eu contei a história a minhas crianças, e também a discutimos numa aula de português na Universidade de Sheffield (Reino Unido) há uns meses atrás. Foi um prazer apresentar um pouquinho da cultura Kaingang aos outros alunos 😄
Uma imagem do livro 'A araucária e a gralha azul, uma história dos antigos Kaingang' por Cacique Maurício Vēn Tánh Salvador e Ana Fonseca é mostrada em uma tela numa sala de aula.
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Kysã Kaingang @kysakanhgag.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
O povo Kaingang conta uma história sobre a gralha azul e a araucária. É uma história linda que chegou a virar livro pelas mãos do Vehn Táhn, liderança da retomada em Canela.
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Markus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
"You may be thinking, How are trees DEI, exactly? Well, for starters, there are over 73,000 tree species on Earth, which is, frankly, way too much diversity."
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Stephen Frost @sfrost.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
Absolutely true. UN says above 20% tree canopy cover makes it a forest London has over 8.4 million trees with canopy cover of c.21%. It is one of the world’s largest urban forests Those trees are doing an awful lot of good stuff Goal should be every* urban area has at least 20% tree canopy cover
Graphic shows the benefits of London’s trees. Including:
-energy saving 
- storm water attenuation
- property value
- shade and cooling
- improving air quality
- landscape screening
- aesthetic
- urban forest food
- assists recovery
- focal point
- storing carbon
- biodiversity & habit
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Filipe Campante @filipecampante.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
He's being subject to this exclusively for political opinions, as far as I know there's no claim that he committed a crime. If this is not the work of an authoritarian regime, I don't know how to describe it.
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Oliver Wilson @olijwilson.bsky.social · 06/04/2025
Interesting! But you don't have to cut trees down to count their rings - you can take a thin core sample instead (see @dendrochronicle.bsky.social or forestryandland.gov.scot/media/tsbbac..., for example). That said, if it is indeed mostly hollow then the oldest rings will have rotted away anyway...
forestryandland.gov.scot
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Christoph Koettl @ckoettl.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
Video obtained by my colleague Farnaz Fassihi shows how the IDF deliberately attacked, over several minutes, a convoy of ambulances and other emergency vehicles in #Gaza. #Israel wrongly claimed that the vehicles drove without emergency signals and headlights. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/04/w...
nytimes.com
Video Shows Aid Workers Killed in Gaza Under Gunfire Barrage, With Ambulance Lights On (Gift Article)
The U.N. has said Israel killed the workers. The video appears to contradict Israel’s version of the incident, which described the vehicles as “advancing suspiciously” without headlights or emergency ...
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MꙬse Allain @mooseallain.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
The Pollen Count
Cartoon of a bumblebee with a cape and fangs
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Stephen Frost @sfrost.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
I didn’t know: 30% of England’s tree cover is outside of national forests I did know: “Our precious street trees improve air quality, mark the changing seasons and provide us with peace, shade and joy. Their value simply cannot be overstated” Find the map here: ncea.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant...
Map centred on Windmill Hill City Farm in Bristol with green dots marking where trees are located.
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Jens-Christian Svenning @jcsvenning.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
Nice BBC feature on novel ecosystems, including some of our @econovoau.bsky.social work (led by @mattkerr.bsky.social, @anordonez1.bsky.social & Erick Lundgren) 🌿🍃🐎
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Mongabay @mongabay.com · 03/04/2025
Venom isn’t just a feature of some animals; it’s found across the living world, from plants and fungi to bacteria and viruses, says a new study. Read:
news.mongabay.com
The vast venomous world of plants, fungi, bacteria: Study
Venom isn’t just a feature of some animals; it’s found across the living world, from plants and fungi to bacteria and viruses, says a new study. Lead author William Hayes, an ecologist at Loma Linda…
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Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 31/03/2025
This happened 8 days ago and is horrific www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
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Global Landscapes Forum @globallf.bsky.social · 29/03/2025
In Florianópolis, #Brazil, traditional fishers are navigating shrinking stocks, new regulations, & rising tourism while fighting to preserve their heritage. Their story is one of resilience, equity, and sustainability. Read more on #ThinkLandscape: 🔗https://buff.ly/77oEm6B
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Bellingcat @bellingcat.com · 27/03/2025
Together with our publishing partners, Bellingcat continues the work of drone journalists who had been killed while documenting the war in Gaza, visualising the unprecedented scale of destruction through detailed 3D aerial maps. www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/03...
bellingcat.com
Shot From Above: The Dangerous Work of Drone Journalists in Gaza - bellingcat
Examining the high price those documenting devastation in Gaza pay.
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GEO3BCN - CSIC @geo3bcn-csic.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
At our booth, kids became real Pollen Detectives—exploring pollen grains under the microscope, cracking pollen mysteries, and letting their curiosity lead the way! 🌸🔬 A huge THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by: you reminded us that science is truly wonderful when shared.
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Dr Coralie Mills @dendrochronicle.bsky.social · 22/03/2025
Trees and traditional knowledge in a win win for people and nature 🌳💚🌲
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Tom Hill @tomcbhill.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
@walternewton.bsky.social has managed to capture all the #morphological details needed when attempting to convert the pollen/diatom into a pixilated image. I am blown away by the creativity he has applied, which means I have some awesome publicity material! #pollen or #diatom stickers anyone?!?! 😍🔬😀
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