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Allan McDevitt

Allan McDevitt

@shrewgod.bsky.social

630 followers 350 following 77 posts

Lecturer in ATU 🇮🇪 Shrews are my thing but work on all sorts of critters across land and water! Molecular ecologist by trade, doing a lot of eDNA work these days! Lab website: https://sites.google.com/view/mcdevittlab/home .. more

Environmental science 47%

Biology 30%

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Allan McDevitt @shrewgod.bsky.social · Oct 8

1st PhD chapter from @jjackman27.bsky.social on comparing #eDNA filtration methods in a hyper-tidal estuary. Although some methods outperform others, all are generally effective in recovering fish biodiversity, including the passive metaprobe. Paper here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Allan McDevitt @shrewgod.bsky.social · 1d

“The English have a fierce reputation for conquering the world.. invading loads of different countries and then getting upset when those people followed them home.”

- Tommy Tiernan

Sathnam Sanghera @sathnam.bsky.social · 1d

Obviously zero reflection in any of this on how operating the largest empire in human history may have turned us into a multicultural nation. We are here because you were there. #Empireland

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

PM asks Sir Jim Ratcliffe to apologise for saying UK 'colonised by immigrants'

Sir Keir Starmer says comments by the businessman and Manchester United co-owner are

Reposted by Christopher McCabe, Bill Bowring, Gavin Brookes , and 2 more Christopher McCabe, Bill Bowring, Gavin Brookes, Allan D. McDevitt, Laura McAtackney

Sathnam Sanghera @sathnam.bsky.social · 1d

Obviously zero reflection in any of this on how operating the largest empire in human history may have turned us into a multicultural nation. We are here because you were there. #Empireland

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

PM asks Sir Jim Ratcliffe to apologise for saying UK 'colonised by immigrants'

Sir Keir Starmer says comments by the businessman and Manchester United co-owner are

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

Molecular Biology and Evolution @molbioevol.bsky.social · 2d

Thomas et al. reveal that positively selected and differentially expressed hippocampal genes cluster near breakpoints in shrews, tying chromosomal rearrangements and accessible chromatin to adaptation and brain size plasticity.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msag006

📷 Christian Ziegler

#evobio #molbio

MBE | Genomic comparisons and the adaptive basis of brain size plasticity and chromosomal instability in the Eurasian common shrew

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt, Catherine J. Frieman

Selina Brace @selinabrace.bsky.social · 2d

🧬SedaDNA Postdoc position💥 2 years Starts 2026, apply by 1st March.
Join Aleks Pluskowski at Reading & me at NHM. jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Ancient Environmental DNA:Whiteknights Reading UK

We are seeking a highly motivated Post-Doctoral Research Fellow to join our research team at Reading, focusing on sedimentary DNA (sedaDNA / environmental DNA) from soils and sediments from the project’s case study regions in Spain and North Africa. You will contribute to the reconstruction of past landscapes and human-environment interactions through the analysis of sedimentary DNA. This includes analysing samples from terraces, irrigated fields and archaeological sites, and using eDNA metagenomics and metabarcoding approaches for multi-species detection, with the aim of characterising changing plant and animal species diversity and richness over time. The position will involve fieldwork, laboratory work, data analysis, and collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of archaeologists, palaeoecologists and historians.

jobs.reading.ac.uk

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

Vincent Wildlife Trust @vincentwt.bsky.social · 2d

Download this latest report highlighting key potential corridors and barriers affecting #lesserhorseshoebats in Ireland along with practical actions for this rare species. www.vincentwildlife.ie/resources
#batconservationireland, @atu-ie.bsky.social, #NativeWoodlandTrust, @vwtireland.bsky.social

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

Dávalos Lab @labdavalos.bsky.social · 3d

.🚨 ❄️ New research reveals how Eurasian common shrews survive winter by linking size 📏, metabolism ⚡, and lifespan ⏳ through genetic changes. Thanks to @hfspo.bsky.social 🌍, this study connects adaptation to longevity
www.hfsp.org/hfsp-news/ne...

New Research on Shrew Wintering Strategy Reveals Genetic Links Between Size, Metabolism, and Lifespan in Mammals | Human Frontier Science Program

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · 4d

📢 Calling all #eDNA folks!!

🧬 Abstract submission is open for the #UKEOF UKDNA Working Group Conference 2026 #UKDNAWG26!

🧬 Submit your Abstract via this link! forms.gle/epwnz5PFdrrt...

UKDNA-WG 2026 - Abstract submission form

The 2026 UKDNA-WG conference will be held on 13-15th April 2026 at the University of Sheffield, including a joint day with the Ecological Genetics Group on the 15th to explore the possibilities of how...

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

Florian Altermatt @florianaltermatt.bsky.social · 5d

Improving #species #abundance information from #river #eDNA metabarcoding data: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... 🐜 🧬 📈 🌐🌍

Reposted by Tim M. Blackburn, Anthony Ricciardi, Allan D. McDevitt

Julie Lockwood @lockwoodlab.bsky.social · 8d

The audio version of my Very Short Introduction on Invasive Species is out. This is a quick read that provides a comprehensive overview of invasion science! rbmediaglobal.com/audiobook/97...

RBmedia | Invasive Species

Listen to the audiobook Invasive Species, written by Julie Lockwood;Dustin J. Welbourne, narrated by Wendy Tremont King.

rbmediaglobal.com

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

Dr Ross Barnett @deepfrieddna.bsky.social · 9d

This story has everything. Adrian Shine's hugely impressive beard, Boaty McBoatface, Nessie, Repair Shop. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The Repair Shop fixes 56-year-old Loch Ness Monster camera trap

The device was left underwater in the 1970s and rediscovered by accident by a robot submarine.

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

Kush Paliwal @kushpal.bsky.social · 10d

Big milestone today: My first PhD paper is officially out! We took a deep dive into eDNA transport dynamics in flowing waters. Check out the full study in ES&T.

pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....

Laboratory Study on Fate and Transport of Water-Borne eDNA: A Tale of Tempered Tails and Parafluvial Processes

Environmental DNA (eDNA) has emerged as a powerful marker for assessing species presence in flowing waters; however, estimating the spatial and temporal origins of these signals remains a challenge. T...

Reposted by Julie L. Lockwood, Howard I. Browman, Allan D. McDevitt

Naiara Rodriguez-Ezpeleta @naiarare.bsky.social · 11d

New paper by Cristina Claver (@azti.bsky.social), published in @icesmarine.bsky.social JMS.

We combine #eDNA and acoustic-trawl data in a Bayesian joint model to estimate biomass of the European anchovy in the Bay of Biscay.

From the potential of eDNA to operational use

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/ices...

Integrating eDNA and acoustic-trawl data to provide small pelagic biomass estimates for fish stock assessment

Abstract. Accurate abundance estimates of fisheries resources are essential for sustainable fisheries management. In response to the growing need for devel

Reposted by Julie L. Lockwood, Allan D. McDevitt

Marine eDNA Dude @marinednadude.bsky.social · 13d

New pre-print is live of our review synthesizing the many factors that influence accurately putting names on eDNA metabarcoding sequences doi.org/10.3897/arph...

Great team led by Prof. Allison Watts with many MBON and NOAA colleagues

Guidance and best practices for species identification using eDNA metabarcoding - When do you call a cod a cod?

With the rapid uptake of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding for a wide range of conservation and management uses, there is a growing need for guidance and best practices for species identification...

Reposted by Julie L. Lockwood, Allan D. McDevitt

Tamara Schenekar @tschenekar.bsky.social · 13d

New paper: eDNA metabarcoding at African savanna waterholes revealed 95 species. Wet season shows overall richness, dry season favors mammals. Primer choice matters. We’re excited about eDNA powering wildlife monitoring! 🦒🐢🪿🐍 doi.org/10.1111/eva.... #eDNA #Africa #wildlife

Reposted by Matthew J. Collins, Allan D. McDevitt, Catherine J. Frieman

Tom Higham @tommyhigham.bsky.social · 13d

We have a new paper out in Rapid Comms in Mass Spectrometry about 14C dating bone using a minimally destructive approach.
analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Minimally Destructive Radiocarbon Dating of Bone

Rationale Bone is commonly used in radiocarbon dating in archaeology and other disciplines. Despite advances in collagen extraction protocols, the process remains destructive, requiring sawing, dril.....

analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Allan McDevitt @shrewgod.bsky.social · 16d

Irish people scrambling to find all those Father Ted memes....

Allan McDevitt @shrewgod.bsky.social · 16d

It's why I could never watch this. Because deep down, I'm still too angry about it, even after 24 years!

Miguel Delaney @migueldelaney.bsky.social · 17d

Saipan screenwriter Paul Fraser:

“It’s written as a tragedy. I saw it as two impossibly complicated egos unwilling to step down and look at the consequences. If one of them could have just…

Final words uttered a lot over the last 24 years

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

What Keane and McCarthy’s absurd row in Saipan tells us about Irish identity

The new film dramatises a seminal moment in Irish footballing history, and Miguel Delaney details the lessons learned and how an undiscovered twist adds a new layer to one of the biggest controversies...

www.independent.co.uk

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

Alice Risely @alice-risely.bsky.social · 17d

If anyone is looking for a v talented postdoc with expertise in molecular ecology, #microbiomes, mycobiomes, and/or pathogen #genomics, my friend @microbianac.bsky.social is finishing her PhD & looking for a #postdoc. Reach out if you have something coming up (Europe pref but potentially flexible).

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

Miguel Delaney @migueldelaney.bsky.social · 17d

Saipan screenwriter Paul Fraser:

“It’s written as a tragedy. I saw it as two impossibly complicated egos unwilling to step down and look at the consequences. If one of them could have just…

Final words uttered a lot over the last 24 years

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

What Keane and McCarthy’s absurd row in Saipan tells us about Irish identity

The new film dramatises a seminal moment in Irish footballing history, and Miguel Delaney details the lessons learned and how an undiscovered twist adds a new layer to one of the biggest controversies...

www.independent.co.uk

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

Ecol. Solutions & Evidence | Applied Ecol. Resources @aer-ese-bes.bsky.social · 17d

Valuable camera-trap data can sit unanalysed for months—too slow for day-to-day management decisions 📸

Learn how researchers are tackling this issue by developing a deep-learning model in our latest blogpost! 👇
buff.ly/lfLamVC

🌍🧪

Turning camera-trap overload into actionable wildlife monitoring in African rainforests

To support adaptive management, Magaldi et al. have developed a deep-learning model to analyse ground-level camera traps in African tropical forests. A familiar problem If you work in wildlife rese…

Reposted by Julie L. Lockwood, Allan D. McDevitt

Florian Altermatt @florianaltermatt.bsky.social · 17d

Utilizing aquatic #eDNA 🧬 to address global 🌍🌐 #biodiversity targets 🎯

Our #article @natrevbiodiv.nature.com is now freely available (upon registration) till Feb 16th: ➡️ www.nature.com/articles/s44... part of special collection 📚 on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework #GBF 🌍 🦐 🐟 🧬

Allan McDevitt @shrewgod.bsky.social · 17d

Frontiers started off relatively well though but then went downhill fast. MDPI's practices quickly ruined the reputation of some of their decent journals too (Genes, Diversity etc.). So I think comparing things back then with now is very different.

Reposted by Katerina Harvati, Allan D. McDevitt

Andrew Curry @andrewcurry.com · 17d

If there's one thing that defines humans–and our ancestors–it's tool use and innovation. In a new @pnas.org paper, @harvatilab.bsky.social and @annemiekemilks.bsky.social identify the world's oldest known wooden tool, dropped amidst the remains of a butchered elephant 430,000 years ago. @science.org

Oldest wooden tools may have been used to butcher elephants

Branches sharpened 400,000 years ago shine light on humans’ early toolmaking

www.science.org

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

Ward Valley @wardvalley.bsky.social · 19d

www.rte.ie/news/regiona...

Appeal for citizen scientists to track oystercatchers

The Marine Institute is seeking the help of "citizen scientists" to track the movements of oystercatcher birds in Dundalk Bay.

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

Science Magazine @science.org · 21d

A newly sequenced 5500-year-old genome of Treponema pallidum rewrites the origins of syphilis, according to a new study in Science.

Learn more: https://scim.ag/3Zpv2W2

A 5500-year-old Treponema pallidum genome from Sabana de Bogotá, Colombia

Treponematosis, a bacterial infection caused by Treponema pallidum subspecies and T. carateum (yaws, bejel, syphilis, pinta), has afflicted humans for millennia. Despite paleopathological evidence and...

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

Sooz Kempner @soozuk.bsky.social · 22d

KEIR FUCKING HELL I HAVE LITERALLY POSTED THIS 385473458Q234783455345 TIMES IN FIVE YEARS

LEONARD NIMOY SIMPSONS "MY JOB HERE IS DONE...." MEME

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

Nicolas Dussex @nicolasdussex.bsky.social · 22d

Interested in👇 ?

- museomics: genome erosion, adaptation 🦌 🦜 🐬
- marcogenomics of sea warming (methods dev. or empirical data)
🌊 🐟🦭🐋

Check this call (2 y. postdoc) and get in touch to discuss potential projects (deadline 31.03.26)
#popgen #consgen #evolbiol

👉 www.scilifelab.se/data-driven/...

DDLS Research School Postdoc call 2026

Call for Academic and Industrial Postdoctoral Fellowships in Data-Driven Life Science 2026 Generic Description of the DDLS Postdoc Program The SciLifeLab and Wallenberg National Program for Data-Drive...

www.scilifelab.se

Reposted by Colin A. Simpfendorfer, Graeme S. Cumming, Trevor A. Branch , and 4 more Colin A. Simpfendorfer, Graeme S. Cumming, Trevor A. Branch, Jessica A. Gephart, Allan D. McDevitt, Patrícia Charvet, Vincent Raoult

Nick Dulvy @nickdulvy.bsky.social · 22d

New paper out today in @natrevbiodiv.nature.com by the #GlobalSharkTrends team: Bending back the curve of shark & ray biodiversity loss;
Read the paper here: rdcu.be/eZ9n9
@sfu.ca
@sfubiosciences.bsky.social
@earth2ocean.bsky.social

Bending back the biodiversity loss curve of sharks and rays. The loss of sharks and rays to date has involved serial depletion of the largest, most evolutionary and functionally distinct species, and the increasing prevalence of smaller-bodied species that have benefited from release from predation.

Reposted by Allan D. McDevitt

akamolphat.bsky.social @akamolphat.bsky.social · 22d

Now out in ME: dx.doi.org/10.1111/mec....
Empirical comparison of WGS and RADseq selection scans shows missed signals and false outliers in RADseq selection scans resulting from population specific allelic dropout @katarinastuart.bsky.social @lee-rollins.bsky.social @annasanture.bsky.social

Missing or Mis‐Telling the Story? Trade‐Offs for Restriction‐Site Associated Compared to Whole Genome Sequencing

Researchers must navigate several trade-offs when deciding which population sequencing method to use. The decision between reduced representation approaches and whole genome sequencing (WGS) impacts ...

Reposted by Julie L. Lockwood, Allan D. McDevitt

The Mariani Lab @marianilab.bsky.social · 24d

Maybe there’s no better “natural #eDNA sampler” than a sponge. But here we show why #jellyfish maybe also deserve some consideration:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
@craigwilding.bsky.social @ljmubiocon.bsky.social #OGS #Trieste #Miramare

Four species of jellyfish used to extract environmental DNA