Neil Pederson
LightNews LightNews
banner
yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
Neil Pederson
@yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
2.2K followers 2.1K following 220 posts

I study old-growth forests and climate change from trees to regions and seasons to centuries. A colleague termed it RetroEcology - https://broadleafpapers.wordpress.com/

Love music in 3/4, 6/8, 5/4, 11, & other offbeat signatures (no real pun intended) .. more

Videos
Environmental science 60%
Geography 19%
Posts Replies Media Videos

yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
Neil Pederson @yellowbuckeye.bsky.social · 10h
We also contrasted the more southerly Sweet Birch with the more northerly Paper Birch. Other than growth rates, timing and other growth behaviors did not differ too much

yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
Neil Pederson @yellowbuckeye.bsky.social · 10h
Personally, I was excited to be a part of one of the first microcoring collections of Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata).

Their growth phenology is quite different than the other species, growing far later into the year than other species.
A dense stand of very shaggy Shagbark Hickory

yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
Neil Pederson @yellowbuckeye.bsky.social · 10h
Begun before COVID, we had to cut our colllections to only one growing season and the start of a second season, so results are limited.

However, we collected across not only multiple species, we collected across a range of canopy positions and tree sizes. We found that influence stem phenology

yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
Neil Pederson @yellowbuckeye.bsky.social · 10h
An abbreviated microcore study of 6 contrasting tree species in the middle of a regional ecotone indicated that spring temps seem to control radial growth onset & southern tree species grew more than northern tree species

kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
Tessa Mandra microcoring the more southerly species, Shagbark Hickory Yiping Zhang, Junliang Xu, and Tessa Mandra microcoring the more northerly species, Red Spruce Neil Pederson coring the more southerly species, White Oak Tessa Mandra microcoring the more northerly species, Paper Birch

Reposted by Elizabeth Sharrow, Neil Pederson, Christian E. Weller , and 7 more

shengokai.blacksky.app
Dr. Johnathan Flowers, Bisexual of the Blade (Alt-text or DIE) @shengokai.blacksky.app · 1d
It was transforming the biggest NFL stage in the world into a sugar cane plantation that did it for me.

Like, the multiple layers of turning an American icon into a plantation and highlighting the history of exploitation of Black and Brown bodies by the NFL and American colonialism simultaneously?

Reposted by Neil Pederson

kylegriffin1.bsky.social
Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 3d
A federal judge ruled the Energy Department violated the law when Secretary Chris Wright handpicked five researchers who reject the scientific consensus on climate change to work in secret on a sweeping government report on global warming.
A Secret Panel to Question Climate Science Was Unlawful, Judge Rules
www.nytimes.com

yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
Neil Pederson @yellowbuckeye.bsky.social · 3d
Mirrors the grand conclusion of Vonnegut's novel, Galapagos

Reposted by Neil Pederson

chanda.blacksky.app
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 4d
My friend from HS makes ice cream/recipes for a living and posted for Black History Month about how pecans were first domesticated by an enslaved man and the technique for mass pollination of vanilla was developed by an enslaved man and someone was this mad about it!!!
Sweet Lo’s Homemade Ice Cream 🍦 (@sweetlosicecream) on Threads
Some Bozo hated my Butter Pecan origin story so much, he bought my French Vanilla Bean recipe and sent me a note via the website saying “White Power.” With the email he provided from his purchase, I f...
www.threads.com

yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
Neil Pederson @yellowbuckeye.bsky.social · 4d
Despite it all, our little town of Maynard, MA (Sunday, as you might have heard, it will be Mayenard), is growing our tree canopy. And, our diverse, climate forward downtown tree plantings are officially an arboretum

arbnet.org/morton-regis...
Downtown Arboretum of Maynard, MA - ArbNet
The Downtown Arboretum of Maynard is a community-based and volunteer-managed arboretum adorning the town’s public street scapes, civic spaces, and nearby municipal properties. Supported collaborativel...
arbnet.org

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Lisa W. Fazio, Michael Barnett , and 15 more

karenho.bsky.social
Karen K. Ho @karenho.bsky.social · 5d
the Epstein files are really devastating because they remind me of how many girls and women miss out on professional opportunities, mentorship and careers because of how many powerful, rich and influential men only view girls and women — and interactions with them — through the lens of sex

Reposted by Neil Pederson, Christopher Wright, Diane Ravitch , and 3 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5d
wow -- with Trump standing behind him, a man (not sure who he is) offers this prayer: "We pray that he would be mindful of the poor and that he would be invested in the alleviation of suffering happening in the families preparing to bury their loved ones in Minneapolis."

Reposted by Neil Pederson

chanda.blacksky.app
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 5d
🧪🔭⚛️ PhD studentships at Newcastle in physics and astronomy. This is a really nice department and the students I met there seemed happy!

www.findaphd.com/phds/program...
FindAPhD : PhD Studentship in Astrophysics at Newcastle University at Newcastle University
Apply for a PhD: PhD Studentship in Astrophysics at Newcastle University at Newcastle University
www.findaphd.com

Reposted by Neil Pederson

andrewlhipp.bsky.social
Andrew Hipp @andrewlhipp.bsky.social · 6d
Register for the Smithsonian's National Botanical Symposium, “American Botany: 250 years of Discovery” 29 May '26. I'll be speaking on American oaks, w/ several greats: @barbarathiers.bsky.social, Caroline Strömberg, Wes Knapp, & Rose Bear Don't Walk.

Join us!

naturalhistory.si.edu/research/bot...

Reposted by Neil Pederson, Sanford F. Schram, Gerald Friedman , and 4 more

cwebbonline.com
Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 6d
Heads are going to explode 💥

Cato Institute just nuked the lie. Immigrants have cut U.S. deficits by $14.5 TRILLION since 1994, slashing the national debt by a third.

All that “immigrants are bleeding us dry” noise? Absolute bullshit.
1/3

Reposted by Neil Pederson, Andreas Ortmann, Mark Priestley , and 2 more

muellershewrote.com
Mueller, She Wrote @muellershewrote.com · 6d
I’m sharing Aliya’s entire opening statement. We owe it to her, and those who no longer have a voice, to watch. youtu.be/zrcW8SZtYpI?...
WATCH: Minneapolis resident and U.S. citizen Aliya Rahman describes being detained by ICE
YouTube video by PBS NewsHour
youtu.be

Reposted by Nandita Sharma, Neil Pederson, Sanford F. Schram , and 4 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 7d
Casar holds a 3 minute and 26 second moment of silence to represent the time in which DHS officers let Renee Good bleed out after she was shot

Reposted by Neil Pederson

worldresources.bsky.social
World Resources Institute @worldresources.bsky.social · 7d
Can climate action power a new era of prosperity?

The short answer is, yes, a low-carbon growth can actually help economies expand faster, reduce poverty, and connect households to reliable, affordable power.

👉Find out how: go.wri.org/26-stw

Reposted by Neil Pederson

sockynoob.bsky.social
Socky Noob 🔜 Frosty Fur Fest @sockynoob.bsky.social · 7d
Ed Smith is another black gaming pioneer nobody ever talks about. He created the legendary and advanced, but sadly failed, APF MP1000 and Imagination Machine. The man doesn't even have a Wikipedia page nor am I sure if he's still alive. www.herinteractive.com/her-news/bla...

Reposted by Neil Pederson, Karen R. Lips

andrewlhipp.bsky.social
Andrew Hipp @andrewlhipp.bsky.social · 7d
Shifting prairie-forest ecotone over the course of the holocene.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Reposted by Neil Pederson, Alistair Munro, Michael A. Clemens , and 2 more

geogarver.bsky.social
John Garver @geogarver.bsky.social · 7d
Lead (Pb) in archived hair in Salt Lake City.

"Lead (Pb) in archived hair documents a decline in lead exposure to humans since the establishment of the US Environmental Protection Agency "

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Pb concentration by decade in hair from Salt Lake City region residents. Value plotted for 1940 includes all samples from 1916 to 1959; value plotted at 2022 includes all samples from 2020 to 2024.

Reposted by Neil Pederson, Daniel W. Drezner, Karen Benjamin Guzzo , and 4 more

jbendery.bsky.social
Jen Bendery @jbendery.bsky.social · 10d
NEW: School hallways are silent. Grandparents patrol outside in shifts. Two more kids taken from Liam Ramos' school.

Trump isn't deescalating ICE at all at MN schools.

“I stopped wearing my high heels to work. I wear my boots to work because I have had to run." www.huffpost.com/entry/ice-mi...
ICE Is Circling Minnesota Schools, Looking For Children to Take
Liam Ramos, 5, isn’t the only child in detention. Teachers and parents describe kids being hunted by federal agents.
www.huffpost.com

Reposted by Marc Lynch, Kim L. Scheppele, Ben H. Ansell , and 41 more

justinhendrix.bsky.social
Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 11d
A Minnesota woman observing ICE agents in her car was cornered on one-way streets. An agent approached, called her by name—citing facial recognition. Days later, her Global Entry and TSA privileges were revoked, with no explanation.
How ICE Already Knows Who Minneapolis Protesters Are
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Neil Pederson

chanda.blacksky.app
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 12d
For those of you who asked me how to get a signed copy of The Edge of Space-Time, here's how:

news.chanda.science/archive/how-...
How to get a signed copy of The Edge of Space-Time
Preordering from Loyalty Bookstore Supports the Community!
news.chanda.science

yellowbuckeye.bsky.social
Neil Pederson @yellowbuckeye.bsky.social · 12d
A great landscape to study ecology as summer intern.

This is a beautiful and rich landscape with some pockets of old growth.

What fascinated me was seeing the transition of forest as Beech Leaf Disease descimates the forest. Sad, but ecologically fascinating
holdenrestoration.bsky.social Katie Stuble @holdenrestoration.bsky.social · 12d
Paid Summer Internships...
Join us for a summer of ecological research at the Holden Arboretum.
Opportunities in restoration ecology, population ecology, plant ecophysiology, forest health, and more.
On-site housing available at low cost.
lnkd.in/gjWUznhj

Reposted by Brian J. Enquist, Neil Pederson

botsocamerica.bsky.social
Botanical Society of America @botsocamerica.bsky.social · 12d
Several BSA award deadlines are coming up fast in February, including $10,000 dissertation awards, grad student research awards, and public policy awards.

Our new BSA Member Toolkit video shows you how to apply, step by step:
youtu.be/vRZdmrb-cFs?...

Apply today!
www.botany.org/home/awards.html 🌱
Green Botanical Society of America graphic titled “BSA Awards with February Deadlines!” A list of awards appears in white text with leaf icons beside each item. • Corresponding Member Awards — Deadline Feb. 2, 2026 • $10,000 Donald R. Kaplan Dissertation Award in Comparative Morphology — Deadline Feb. 2, 2026 • $10,000 Graduate Student Dissertation Award in Phylogenetic Comparative Plant Biology — Deadline Feb. 2, 2026 • $1,500 Graduate Student Research Awards: J.S. Karling Graduate Student Research Award and AJ Harris Graduate Student Research Award — Deadline Feb. 16, 2026 • Public Policy Award — Deadline Feb. 20, 2026 At the bottom is the URL “www.botany.org/home/awards.html,” the Botanical Society of America logo, and a large green leaf image. A QR code appears in the lower right corner.

Reposted by Neil Pederson, Chhaya M. Werner

holdenrestoration.bsky.social
Katie Stuble @holdenrestoration.bsky.social · 12d
Paid Summer Internships...
Join us for a summer of ecological research at the Holden Arboretum.
Opportunities in restoration ecology, population ecology, plant ecophysiology, forest health, and more.
On-site housing available at low cost.
lnkd.in/gjWUznhj

Reposted by Neil Pederson, Steve Peers, Michael D. McDonald , and 3 more

bostonglobe.com
The Boston Globe @bostonglobe.com · 12d
Maine Senator Susan Collins said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem informed her that ICE will end the immigration enforcement surge in the state.
ICE ending Maine surge, Senator Collins says - The Boston Globe
Collins said in a statement that she had pushed Noem and other Trump administration officials to have ICE “reconsider its approach to immigration enforcement in the state.”
trib.al

Reposted by Neil Pederson

for-mod-lab.bsky.social
Forest Modelling Laboratory @for-mod-lab.bsky.social · 13d
🌲𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓!

A new study shows that in Italian black pine forests, moderate thinning best balances wood production with key ecosystem services like carbon storage, soil protection & recreational value.

Read more👇
link.springer.com/article/10.1...?
Enhancing ecosystem service provision through the silvicultural management of European black pine stands from afforestation and reforestation in Italy - Journal of Forestry Research
Afforestation and reforestation, when aligned with site-specific ecological and socioeconomic conditions, can enhance ecosystem functions and services (ESs). In the Mediterranean, European black pine ...
link.springer.com

Reposted by Neil Pederson

jeronimofic.us
John @jeronimofic.us · 14d
“The secret fear of the morally depraved is that virtue is actually common, and that they’re the ones who are alone. In Minnesota, all of the ideological cornerstones of MAGA have been proved false at once.” — @adamserwer.bsky.social
Minnesota Proved MAGA Wrong
The pushback against ICE exposed a series of mistaken assumptions.
www.theatlantic.com

Reposted by Neil Pederson, Mark Rice, Greg Linden , and 1 more

gregsargent.bsky.social
Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 14d
This is a critical point from Sen Chris Murphy: If Dems fold on ICE now, it could be a disaster in the midterms.

"The result will be a lot of voters who tend to turn out in midterm elections just won’t."

Here's our full exchange. It's powerful stuff:

newrepublic.com/article/2057...