Rob Marchant
rob-marchant.bsky.social
Rob Marchant
@rob-marchant.bsky.social

I am a professor of tropical ecology at the University of York. I have a passion for Mountain ecosystems and cultures across the Global South, particularly in Kenya and Tanzania where I work with many Universities, NGOs and Government organisations. .. more

Environmental science 58%
Geography 18%
Pinned
Very excited to be working with some excellent partners across Europe and Africa to strengthen our understanding on the importance of Mountains for navigating future climate, biodiversity and sustainability challenges @mtnresearchmri.bsky.social
@yesiuoy.bsky.social
@anthropocenebio.bsky.social
Rob Marchant, Laura Pereira, Unai Pascual, and Thomas Hickler will use their ERC Synergy Grant to understand how nature and societies interact in and beyond mountain socioecological systems ⛰️

@rob-marchant.bsky.social @laurap18.bsky.social @upascual.bsky.social

👉 buff.ly/ZQhLp4h

#ERCSyG

A wonderful way to start the week with news that vertical farms are spreading across the #Maasai community by the Enduata Emaa Organisation - supporting community #resilience and #diversification

Inspirational work and wassailing at Carr House farm across the organic #crop rotation demonstrating how #farming and wildlife #conservation can coexist along some of the worlds most northern chalk rivers. @yorkswildlife.bsky.social @anthropocenebio.bsky.social @yesiuoy.bsky.social

Reposted by Rob Marchant

At the third part of #INC5 in Geneva yesterday, Ambassador Julio Cordano of Chile was elected as Chair to guide negotiations on an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment: bit.ly/4kmXmlH

#PlasticsTreaty
🌱🌾🌍🌺🍄🧪🌳🐝 More #BUC2026 teams! Aberdeen - 2025 champions, Cambridge 2024 champions, Eden Project several times semifinalists, Edge Hill teams from start 2016, Essex new this year, Edinburgh another Scottish team! Welcome to all!! @camplantsci.bsky.social @newphyt.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Amazing to see the scale of #IPBES 12th plenary under the UK host. Despite the US pulling out of this globally important initiative, navigating #biodiversity, #climate change and development challenges, there is support from across the world to ensure IPBES delivers. @yesiuoy.bsky.social @ipbes.net

Exciting conversations exploring the interaction between climate and health that opened up some really interesting insights into buildings, society, partnerships, and futures. @yesiuoy.bsky.social

Western British isles

The before and after of hedge laying. Although it seems brutal, the new growth from the hedge base will create great habitat and a solid hedge @forestresearchuk.bsky.social

After a dark, wet and cold winter it is uplifting to see snowdrops and celandines out with bluebells on the way…..

Reposted by Rob Marchant

Wetlands have accompanied the growth of communities and cities.

Today, more than ever, strengthening knowledge and our relationship with these ecosystems is key to sustaining life and the development of our societies.

A privilege to spend a day behind the scenes at @yorkmuseumstrust.bsky.social collections and the conversations it sparks - from #biodiversity changes to ecosystem restoration, from human environment interactions through to #art and engagement @ypsyork.bsky.social @anthropocenebio.bsky.social

Storm #Chandra whipping up some good #sea foam at Hornsea - this natural substance results from the wind and waves mixing the l seawater with dissolved organic matter like algae, proteins, sperm and fats. @holdernessnews.bsky.social

A winter of #storms, #rain and high #seas is battering the #coastline along Robin Hood’s Bay with significant erosion, exposure of fossils and the addition of this new inter-tidal #tree.

Oyster catchers are one of the stars of the beach now when there are five together that’s a fine constellation #beach #birds #yorkshire @rspb.bsky.social

Reposted by Rob Marchant

Fantastic paper by Paul Lohmann and colleagues. Review of interventions to promote sustainable food consumption or reduce food waste.

306 effect sizes extracted from 139 experiments in 110 papers.

Small effect sizes found, with choice architecture interventions being the most promising.
A meta-analysis assessing the effectiveness of demand-side interventions for sustainable food consumption and food waste reduction - Nature Food
Demand-side food policies show small average effects, with effectiveness varying across intervention types. Targeted strategies and a better understanding of how context and population influence outco...
www.nature.com
puffer fish gas bladder looks like a molar 👍🏻

Reposted by Rob Marchant

These molluscs are believed to be one of the most imperilled groups of animals in the world
Mussel atrophy
All over the world, freshwater mussels are declining with worrying effects for ecosystems.
theecologist.org

Much of Madeira’s land has transitioned from Laurasilva subtropical #rainforest to Eucalyptus plantations #fungi #fungifriends

Reposted by Rob Marchant

🧪🌿🌾🪾🌹🏵🪳🐌🌍 What should be the required and optional content in Biology or Biological Sciences degrees? The case for including plants as required content in latest issue of newsletter of Botanical University Challenge botanicaluniversitychallenge.co.uk/the-thymes/ ##BUC2026

Reposted by Rob Marchant

#BBCWinterwatch just featured Pine Marten distribution in Northern Ireland using NBN Atlas maps. Of ~13,000 UK records, 1,532 are from NI. A great reminder of how vital wildlife data is for understanding nature’s changes. See who provided the data on the NBN Trust website - bit.ly/winterwatch2...
BBC Winterwatch and NBN Atlas Pine Marten distribution maps - National Biodiversity Network
BBC Winterwatch 2026, broadcast on 21 January 2026, had a feature on Pine Marten (Martes martes) and included distribution maps from the NBN Atlas.
bit.ly
📖Published!

Soil depth-dependent relationships between biodiversity and function in subtropical forest conversion 🌴

Our results indicate that the effect of forest conversion on biodiversity–ecosystem function relationships depends on soil depth🌱

Read more: buff.ly/ICFq3Ya

Some 15 years after first developing our KESHO Participatory scenario this spatial modelling tool has now been used to explore mangrove futures in Lamu, Kenya and their economic and social valuation.
@yesiuoy.bsky.social @uoyenvironment.bsky.social

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

Reposted by Rob Marchant

🌿 Nature is the Solution—a new podcast from The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts—is almost here! Travel across the state to discover how nature‑based innovation is building a more resilient future for people and wildlife.

🎙️ New episodes every other Tuesday starting tomorrow!
A New Podcast on Nature
Join The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts on a podcast journey across the state, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Berkshires and learn about the nature-based solutions we’re leading and supporting.
www.nature.org

From sugarcane through a hundred year old press to a fine glass of poncha #Madeira

With hundreds of different flowers in #Madeira, it has been a pleasure for the #senses. Even if flower lovers prefer spring #flowers can be found all year round.

Reposted by Rob Marchant

One of my all time favourite habitats - grotty industrial estate gravel! #UrbanPlants

Now is a great time to test your skills on basal rosettes - then revisit later in the year to see how wrong you were!

What do we have here then?! See what you come up with! My best guesses below...
😉
Hey everyone, if you have an inspiring climate or other sustainability story to share, let @katharinehayhoe.com know.
youtu.be/6FSPBmihtto?...
Climate action around the world
YouTube video by Talking Climate with Katharine Hayhoe
youtu.be

Reposted by Juan Rocha

Este mural integra o projeto Planet A with no Planet B ! An amazing mural reflecting on the climate crises and biodiversity emergency, particularly impacting our world’s oceans #Madeira @yesiuoy.bsky.social

Reposted by Rob Marchant

Great article comparing success of restoration initiatives led by governments or by locals. Local action wins, and builds communities too.
#restoringnature #localaction #climateaction #plantatree

theconversation.com/why-restorin...
Why restoring nature can work so much more effectively when led by local people
Restoring the ability of local communities to act as guardians of nature is a promising approach to both ecological and social recovery.
theconversation.com

Reposted by Rob Marchant

“Involuntary parks” — lands emptied by war, pollution or conflict — can become accidental refuges for wildlife.

From the radioactive Hanford Reach to the disputed Kuril Islands, nature often rebounds without people, raising hard questions about conservation, recovery and responsibility.
Involuntary parks: Human conflict is creating unintended refuges for wildlife
Few locations on Earth are as haunting or deeply ironic as so-called involuntary parks — places too toxic, dangerous, or otherwise made off-limits for human habitation, but which have paradoxically…
news.mongabay.com