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Maria (⌐■_■)

@thatecologist.bsky.social
997 followers 597 following 713 posts

PhD student studying conmycorrhizal density dependence Currently reading: A Sand County Almanac

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Reposted by Maria (⌐■_■)
Our World in Data @ourworldindata.org · 19/09/2026
Beef production has been the largest driver of deforestation this century. Over the last two decades, around 128 million hectares of forest have been cleared to make way for agriculture and forest plantations. That’s an area five times the size of the United Kingdom.
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
With all of this rogue AI business - if the tech bros are scared of their own creation why don't they just stop doing it? Turn the servers off, stop involving computers and the internet where they needn't be.
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Does anyone have suggestions for events to attend at NY Climate Week?
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Reposted by Maria (⌐■_■)
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @mayor.nyc.gov · 14/07/2026
This morning in Biddeford, Maine, a 26-year-old man said goodbye to his wife and daughter and left for work. Moments later he was dead, shot in the head by ICE agents, the second man ICE has killed in six days. ICE is killing our neighbors. ICE cannot be reformed. Abolish ICE.
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Have you ever wondered why there's such a lack of ectomycorrhizal-affiliated tree seedlings under mountain laurel thickets? Read all about it! This is also my first first-author publication 🥳 authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
authors.elsevier.com
Plant-soil feedbacks affect hardwood regeneration in mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) thickets
Ericaceous thickets inhibit hardwood regeneration, particularly of ectomycorrhizal tree species, yet mechanisms underlying effects of the ericaceous s…
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Hearing "This study is an excellent contribution to the literature!" from a reviewer after major revisions is very heartening! Feeling ready to tackle the next manuscript 😄
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Lots of good papers coming out in the mycorrhizal-mediated PSF/CDD space these days. I'm gonna have to take a few weeks off from lab and field work to catch up!
static.klipy.com
Novel Nymphs Reading
ALT: Novel Nymphs Reading
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Reposted by Maria (⌐■_■)
Drew Peltier @peltierdrew.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Has anybody imported tree cores into the US and can give me some pointers on paperwork? 🌎🧪
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Here's an exciting new publication from my research group! We analyzed long-term demographic data from two forests in the Cumberland Plateau and found that species composition changes align with tree mycorrhizal association www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Tree compositional change in upland hardwood forests aligns with mycorrhizal type
Long-term monitoring in the eastern United States has documented widespread declines in fire-adapted oaks (Quercus spp.) and concurrent increases in m…
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
This is my first time going through the peer-review process as first author. Reviewer #2 was the harshest but I've gotta say, they make good points. I appreciate that they're making the paper better
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
One of the big issues I think Nashville has right now is the lack of shade around town. The sun beats down here and the lack of shade makes most roads unwalkable. The way cars super-heat in uncovered lots and the reflection off roads makes driving miserable too.
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Reposted by Maria (⌐■_■)
Professor Chuixiang (Tree) Yi at City University of New York @cyi12.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
We’re launching the 2026 International Summer School on Complex Systems in Earth System 🌍 Explore resilience, tipping points, and climate dynamics through lectures, discussions, and hands-on work. 📍 Tsinghua University 📅 Aug 3–15, 2026 Deadline: June 15
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
One of the best things about public transit is not having to find parking. Today I met up with a friend at a cafe where there were only 3 free parking spots, and the rest were $12/hour. For reference, and all-day bus pass is $4. Obviously a better price, not to mention the savings on gas.
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Trying to revise a paper that I converted from PDF to word, this is awful. I'd rather just do edits in red pen and retype the whole thing than deal with this formatting nightmare.
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Reposted by Maria (⌐■_■)
Charlie Anderson @candersonlab.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Penn State Biology is hiring! We have an opening for a tenure-line faculty position in plant biology - if you'd like to pursue awesome science in a supportive and interdisciplinary community of researchers, consider applying! psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/PSU_Ac...
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Plant Biology
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, a...
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
I wish I could have a hobby. All work all the time is miserable. Considering starting over as a barista.
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Please spread this widely!
2026 Fall intake: Graduate Research opportunities. MSc/PhD Positions. Research focus: Soil physics, modeling, geophysical methods, ERT, IP. Desired skills: Strong background in data analysis, statistics, coding. Peer-reviewed publications are an advantage. Requirements: GRE, Credential evaluation (WES/ECE). How to apply: Send a single PDF containing a 1-pg cover letter, a 1-pg abridged CV, and the names of two references to fogunmok@tnstate.edu
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Happy late Earth Day! My university's environmental science club picked up about 5 bags of trash from our local wetland to celebrate
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Academics, did you use time in your PhD program to target a dream job? I'm interested in a small niche and would have to start incorporating things outside of my advisor's expertise to build the right resume. I don't know if that's a good idea if I want to graduate on time. Advice appreciated :)
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Has anyone studied provoking societal change through social/cultural capital? E.g. are people more likely to use native plants for landscaping if they see someone they respect/admire doing it? Will more people adopt zero waste practices if they see attractive people modelling those practices?
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Reposted by Maria (⌐■_■)
Fausto Rodríguez Zapata @minorallele.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
“NSF Plant Biology Act.” H.R. 7949 www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c... This bill would expand NSF funding for plant and microbial biology grants with $150 million authorized each year from FY2026 through 2031. Reach out to your representatives. www.house.gov/representati...
congress.gov
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
The mountain azaleas are blooming, 5-lined skinks are running around, and leaf-out is in full swing! Fingers crossed we get some rain soon because I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the mushrooms 🍄
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
I'm seeing a lot of newly planted street trees around Nashville, and none of them are invasive species (I checked)! Plus, the trees planted on my street last year are doing well. Things are really moving in the right direction here
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Is anyone else cautiously optimistic about the silver linings of gas prices? I'm hoping this is what gets the average suburbanite to choose any form of transit other than massive SUVs/pickups. Maybe plastics won't be the cheap default packaging if prices stay high. Anything's possible
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
I now have a paper in review that cites another one of my papers that is also in review. Feeling very academic 😎
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Revising figures in R you made a year ago when you're at the very end of writing a manuscript is like deciphering hieroglyphics
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
We had a university-wide power outage starting Saturday that PIs weren't informed of until Sunday. Lost a ton of samples, the other campus across town was also affected, and no reason has been given. At this point I think incompetence must be a requirement for administrative positions.
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Always sad when you hear from an old classmate and it turns out they just want you to join an MLM.
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Has anyone else noticed the lack of studies looking into why AM seedlings are less inhibited by ericaceous shrubs than ECM seedlings? I've collected a few citations showing that pattern, but none have measured root colonization by AM or looked at the community composition/structure changes
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
Nashville's public transit has improved so much in the four years I've lived here that the bus has actually become a commute option for me! Thanks Freddie @freddieoconnell.bsky.social
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
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Reposted by Maria (⌐■_■)
Andrew Hipp @andrewlhipp.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
The long-awaited @robertmoor.com In Trees: An Exploration comes out Apr 7! I've been looking forward to this book since reading Moor's brilliant On Trails. I just preordered. You can, too. Support an excellent author & have something great to look forward to. www.publishersweekly.com/9781476739250
publishersweekly.com
In Trees: An Exploration by Robert Moor
Journalist Moor (On Trails) defines trees as “a way of being” in this impassioned examination of their history and biology. Sinc...
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
What a delight it is to come across people you know while browsing literature outside of your field. It's like finding an easter egg
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Good news, I got health insurance. It won't cover anything unless it's an emergency but at least I can maintain employment (because Tennessee State University requires proof of health insurance for grad students but doesn't provide plans). Can't wait to immigrate to a civilized country.
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
Currently grading, one of the senior agriculture majors described part of the carbon cycle as "plants eat carbon". The word "photosynthesis" was nowhere to be found. This man should not be two months away from a college degree. What is happening to the education system!?
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
This is for my class, but it's here for anyone who wants to demonstrate why AI cannot do their homework for them. Prompt to Gemini: "Please create a carbon reservoir and flux diagram that includes fossil fuel deposits, earth's crust, the hydrosphere, the biosphere, and the atmosphere"
A diagram with boxes for the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, fossil fuel deposits, and earth's crust with arrows between them representing flow in the carbon cycle. Most of the words are misspelled (e.g. "Deforstison" instead of deforestation) and the units don't make sense.
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
Prepping a lecture, lab, and exam questions for a class I'm TAing, studying for my own midterms, trying to get a revision through to submit a paper to a journal this week, and getting a purchase list ready for this summer's experiment. PhDs are exhausting
media.tenor.com
a woman with blonde hair is saying " so i 'm right on the verge of a nervous breakdown "
ALT: a woman with blonde hair is saying " so i 'm right on the verge of a nervous breakdown "
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Any soil microbial community ecologists around here? I have some questions about sampling and would appreciate an expert's opinion 😊
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Good news, we got a microscope camera! I can now make better ID guides for lab protocols, and that is very exciting
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Anyone have a recommendation on fungicides? I'm looking for one that will kill all fungi and another that will spare mycorrhiza but kill pathogens
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
The to-do list doesn't end but hey, at least my paper revision is done. I'll take wins where I can get them
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
All of the men dropped out of my biogeochemistry class, most of the women are still standing! #WomeninSTEM
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Does anyone come back to writing after a period of lab/field work and feel like a complete dunce? It's like I have to build skills and endurance back up every time I come back to work on manuscripts
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
Does anyone on here have expertise relating to dark septate endophytes? If so, I have some questions about how to distinguish the hyaline hyphae from other types of endophytic fungi
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
Can any urban ecologists tell me about something exciting in the field relating to invasive species? I'm preparing a lecture about invasive spp. and want to have something new about urban systems (since our university is in the middle of a big city and the students can relate)
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Day 4 of not having electricity. Cheers to the friends letting me stay with them, boo to the apartment complex not sending updates.
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
One of the seniors in the class I'm TA-ing had the gall to complain about how "difficult" the class is after the first week.... dude didn't even do the first assignment! He came to my office, complained about the 3-page worksheet being too long, and then left to attend a basketball game.
media.tenor.com
The Office How Dare You GIF
Alt: Woman saying "I have a lot of questions. Number one, how dare you?"
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
First semester as a TA and they're straight up not reading the assignments before asking for help. Two students came to my office to ask "How do I do the lab" and hadn't read the instructions. How do I fix them? They're broken, that's not how normal people approach a task.
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
I just got the syllabus and textbook for my biogeochemistry class this semester, amazing stuff. I wish this had been part of my undergrad ecology curriculum!
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Maria (⌐■_■) @thatecologist.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
Doing lab work that requires a hotplate today because my lab is 60 F.
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