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westobymark.bsky.social

@westobymark.bsky.social
120 followers 39 following 13 posts
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Julian Schrader @julianschrader.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Postdoc opportunity with my colleague Martyna Kotowska at Macquarie University! Join us at Macquarie University in Sydney to investigate tree establishment, plant performance, and climate resilience in urban and natural environments. 0.55 FTE | 2 years Apply by 28 August 2026
mq.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com
Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Plant Functional Ecology and Urban Greening)
PRIMARY DETAIL - Salary package: $112,550 – $127,138 (A.6 – B.1) pa (pro-rata 0.55 FTE) plus 17% superannuation - Employment type: Part-time (2.75 days, 0.55 FTE, 19.25 hours per week), fixed term rol...
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Ian Wright @ianjwright.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
"Plant tissue lifespans: Solving a fundamental mystery in plant ecology". PhD opportunity for domestic (Australia/New Zealand) candidates, closes 30 September: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
stem cross-section
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westobymark.bsky.social @westobymark.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Scenarios for four Australian ecosystems in the year 2100 framed as state-and-transition diagrams. Some potentially important themes listed in following thread. connectsci.au/bt/article/7... @pieterarnold.bsky.social @julianschrader.bsky.social @ellapouton.bsky.social
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westobymark.bsky.social @westobymark.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
really interesting analogy between learning in genomes and machine learning, with implications for both
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Brian J. Enquist @bjenquist.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Sad to hear of the passing of Robert Ricklefs - a giant of Ecology who simultaneously pushed forward big ideas at multiple biological levels yet took time for detailed natural history .. McGill does a nice job summarizing his impressive contributions 🌐🧪 dynamicecology.wordpress.com/2026/06/11/r...
dynamicecology.wordpress.com
Robert Ricklefs – in memoriam
Robert Ricklefs, a giant of ecology, passed away on Sunday. It is hard to overstate the extensive impact Bob had on the field. He was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in the US,…
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Biodiful @biodiful.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Meet the Sunburst candy bolas spider! 🕷️🌈 So new it has no Latin name yet, just Cyrtarachninae, Araneidae. Spotted in Thailand. No web: it swings a sticky silk drop that mimics moth pheromones, luring males straight in 🌙✨. So rare, it may disappear before we name it! #Biodiful photo (c) N. Bay 🌍
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LEMONTREE @lemontree-uofr.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
🌱Do leaves and roots follow the same strategy? New research led by Yuzhi Zhu in Ecology Letters shows that leaf and fine root traits in subtropical forest plants are largely decoupled, with independent above- and below-ground resource strategies. 👇 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Non‐Correlated Variation of Leaf and Fine Root Traits in Subtropical Forest Plants
Using coupled above- and below-ground trait sampling on individuals of co-existing species, we quantified relationships between 18 leaf and fine root traits in two environmentally contrasting subtrop...
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Julian Schrader @julianschrader.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
New paper out in @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social led by @westobymark.bsky.social and others The term ecosystem condition can imply an objective benchmark for what a “good” ecosystem state is. We argue for ecosystem valuation instead: it makes clear that assessing ecosystems involves value judgments.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Ecosystem valuation: Concept, criteria and terminology
Furlaud et al. (2025) discussed how to measure ‘ecosystem condition’. Here, we argue that the term ‘ecosystem valuation’ should be preferred. ‘Valuation’ signals clearly that a social or political...
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Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 24/02/2026
1. Kevin Gross and I have a new paper out today PLOS Biology. We used economic models based around screening games and the market for unpaid labor to highlight a meltdown cycle threatening peer review.
journals.plos.org
Screening, sorting, and the feedback cycles that imperil peer review
The process of peer review is vital to contemporary science, but is also under enormous strain. This study uses mathematical models to dissect the threats to the long-term viability of peer review, su...
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Nature Portfolio @natureportfolio.nature.com · 05/02/2026
A paper in Nature presents OpenScholar, an open-source language model that can outperform commercial large language models in performing accurate literature reviews. go.nature.com/3MozzFq #Academicsky 🧪
This is figure 1, which gives an overview of OpenScholar, ScholarQABench and evaluation results.
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Caroline Lehmann @caroaceae.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
"Bond’s work leaves behind an inconvenient lesson for an era of climate urgency: that speed is not a substitute for understanding, and that good intentions, applied without care, can erase ancient worlds as efficiently as neglect." A beautiful tribute to William Bond. Forever missed by many.
butlernature.com
William Bond, defender of grasslands
In recent years, one of the loudest ideas in environmental policy has been that trees are the planet’s universal remedy. Plant enough of them, in enough places, and carbon will be soaked up, water wil...
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Julian Schrader @julianschrader.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Our new preprint out led by David Coleman, @westobymark.bsky.social and others: The most abundant plant species of Eastern Australia and our knowledge of their traits Just <1% of species make up 50% of the entire vegetation cover of Eastern Australia. doi.org/10.64898/202...
doi.org
The most abundant plant species of Eastern Australia and our knowledge of their traits
ABSTRACT 1. The rule that most species are relatively rare and few are common has been of central importance to many branches of ecology. This rule also implies that just a few species make up the maj...
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Journal of Ecology @journalofecology.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
🏆We are pleased to announce that our Eminent Ecologist for 2025 is Angela Moles! ✨Angela has collected a few of her favourite Journal of Ecology papers together here: buff.ly/86uQ6v5
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Julian Schrader @julianschrader.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
Paper out in Ecology Letters! We - incl. @westobymark.bsky.social @biogeokreft.bsky.social and others - show that traits are linked to species’ colonisation and extinction probabilities on #islands — with direct implications for species persistence and the Equilibrium Theory of Island #Biogeography
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Resurveyed Island Vegetation Reveals That Species Colonisation and Extinction Probabilities Are Linked to Traits
We show that species richness and community trait composition on 132 Australian islands remained stable over six decades, despite high species turnover. Colonisation and extinction probabilities were....
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westobymark.bsky.social @westobymark.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
www.publish.csiro.au/bt/Fulltext/... Reflection in Aust J Bot "Trajectories of ecology past and future" #ecology
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Ian Wright @ianjwright.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
Wind and frost have surprisingly strong effects on global patterns in leaf cuticle thickness! Latitude, biome and taxonomy matter too. Other climate variables not so much. #trait research from international team including @lawrensack.bsky.social @westobymark.bsky.social. doi.org/10.1111/nph....
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westobymark.bsky.social @westobymark.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
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Ian Wright @ianjwright.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
Excited to share our new paper led by Tsinghua Uni ECR Zhang Han: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/.... New model based on eco-evolutionary optimality explains observed seasonal and spatial trends in stem respiration, implies stem CO2 efflux down by >25% by 2100, reducing land carbon emissions.
science.org
Thermal acclimation of stem respiration implies a weaker carbon-climate feedback
The efflux of carbon dioxide (CO2) from woody stems, a proxy for stem respiration, is a critical carbon flux from ecosystems to the atmosphere, which increases with temperature on short timescales. Ho...
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Chris Klausmeier @chrisklausmeier.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
Going live in 2 hours... @jpodwyer.bsky.social and @sarperotto.bsky.social interview Bob Holt for @smtpb.bsky.social youtu.be/q8hX3S0xMJc?...
youtu.be
Robert D. Holt interview
YouTube video by SMTPB
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Julian Schrader @julianschrader.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
New lab paper hot off the press in @globalchangebio.bsky.social by David Coleman and @westobymark.bsky.social Australia’s #islands may offer climate refuges, but ~40% of #plant populations—especially poorly dispersing species—will face hotter conditions beyond their current limits #ecology #nature
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Future Climate Shifts for Vegetation on Australia's Coastal Islands
Climate warming is likely to be mild for the plants on coastal islands. Although average annual temperatures will increase relative to their current ranges, the hottest annual temperatures will remai....
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Julian Schrader @julianschrader.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
🌿The Value of Biodiversity Excited to share a new #EcolClip featuring world-renowned ecologist Prof. Peter Reich @umich.edu I found Peter's insights into the future of #biodiversity especially inspiring www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVLM... Please boost if you like it #ecology #science #nature #biology
youtube.com
The Value of Biodiversity with Prof. Peter Reich | EcolClips
YouTube video by EcolClips
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ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success @coeplantsuccess.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
📢 New publication 'Do trait–growth relationships vary with plant age in fire-prone heathland #shrubs?' by Lily Dun, Elizabeth Wenk, Daniel Falster, Mark Westoby and Ian Wright in Journal of Ecology 🧪 doi.org/10.1111/1365...
doi.org
Do trait–growth relationships vary with plant age in fire‐prone heathland shrubs?
We demonstrate that key functional traits undergo shifts in their relationship with growth as plants mature. Therefore, it will be valuable to shift our understanding of plant strategies away from th...
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Julian Schrader @julianschrader.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
New paper out in @journalofecology.bsky.social led by Rudi Otto from Universidad de La Laguna (Tenerife) Primary succession and plant functional traits on an oceanic island Plant communities shift from fast-growing, wind-dispersed pioneers to slow-growing, animal-dispersed endemics as lava ages.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Primary succession and plant functional traits on an oceanic island
The Canary Islands island system reflects a directional succession governed by the selection of functional traits related to environmental conditions and acquisitive-conservative strategies as well a...
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Matt Kerr @mattkerr.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
We're living in a landscape of novel ecosystems, emerging in every part of the world. The topic has been ably covered in this BBC article on "freakosystems" by Matthew Ponsford @interspecies.agency www.bbc.com/future/artic...
bbc.com
This Hawaiian island's 'freakosystems' are a warning from the future
Ecosystems which have never been seen before are being accidentally created by humans. They offer a stark look into the nature of tomorrow.
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Australian Journal of Botany @ausjbotany.bsky.social · 08/04/2025
Elizabeth Wenk & colleagues from @unswbees.bsky.social are making it easier for scientists to align databases with the current taxonomic classifications of their study species #R #APCalign #AustralianPlantCensus doi.org/10.1071/BT24...
doi.org
APCalign: an R package workflow and app for aligning and updating flora names to the Australian Plant Census
Here we present ‘APCalign’, an R package and accompanying browser-sourced application to align and update scientific names for Australian vascular plants to the most likely currently accepted name in ...
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Julian Schrader @julianschrader.bsky.social · 06/04/2025
New Research in Ecology Letters led by David Coleman: Island Plant Species Distributions Contracted at the Cooler Edge Compared to Mainland Why? We're not entirely sure — we'd love to hear additional hypotheses beyond the ones we proposed in the paper. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Island Plant Species Distributions Contracted at the Cooler Edge Compared to Mainland
Continental islands have long been used as ecological models for understanding species assembly dynamics in isolated habitat fragments, with direct applications to biodiversity and conservation. But ....
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Julian Schrader @julianschrader.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
News article about our recent paper in Nature on global impoverishment of natural vegetation by Conny Sattler (cosattler.com) and myself in @theconversation.com @aunz.theconversation.com theconversation.com/invisible-lo... www.nature.com/articles/s41...
theconversation.com
Invisible losses: thousands of plant species are missing from places they could thrive – and humans are the reason
Many native plants are missing from habitats where they should thrive – even in wilder areas. Why? Human actions such as logging, poaching and setting fires.
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John Dwyer @john-m-dwyer.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
The next exciting instalment from @jradford-smith.bsky.social on how climate filters rainforest tree strategies in the Australian subtropics. Now available in early view at @ecography.bsky.social doi.org/10.1111/ecog...
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westobymark.bsky.social @westobymark.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
inspiring and useful #functional #ecology tea towel, with much thanks to @ianjwright.bsky.social, Sharyon O'Donnell and Nathan Hart
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TERN Australia @tern-aus.bsky.social · 02/03/2025
📣 Register for our first #webinar of 2025! @westobymark.bsky.social is Prof. Emeritus in the School of Natural Sciences at Macquarie University. One strand of his research has defined #ecological strategy variation across plant species by means of quantitative traits. 📝: uqz.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
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westobymark.bsky.social @westobymark.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
"John Raven, FRS, FRSE: a truly great innovator in plant physiology, photosynthesis and much more" link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com
John Raven, FRS, FRSE: a truly great innovator in plant physiology, photosynthesis and much more - Photosynthesis Research
This is a tribute to a truly inspirational plant biologist, Prof. John A. Raven, FRS, FRSE (25th June 1941– 23rd May 2024), who died at the age of 82. He was a leader in the field of evolution and phy...
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westobymark.bsky.social @westobymark.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
Memorial Lecture Feb 26 2025 @ANU Fenner School. David Brand: The Evolution of Forestry into a Natural Capital Asset Class. fennerschool.anu.edu.au/news-events/...
fennerschool.anu.edu.au
Jack Westoby Lecture 2025: The Evolution of Forestry into a Natural Capital Asset Class
The Jack Westoby Lecture recognises the contribution to forestry internationally by Jack Westoby (1912-1988). The Biennial Lecture Series was initiated in 1997 and is made possible by the generosity o...
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