Isabella Reeves
@bellareeves.bsky.social
Postdoctoral researcher in predator evolutionary ecology with CETREC and SouthernSharkEG 🐬🦈 🧬🧪
Pinned
Isabella Reeves
@bellareeves.bsky.social
· Nov 28
Hi 🦋, I'm a PhD candidate soon to finish on the evolutionary ecology of Australasian killer whales in Aus 🇦🇺. I dabble mostly in pop/evolutionary genomics, trophic and nutritional ecology of marine predators 🧬🧪👩🏻🔬
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
Wonder about shark-bite mitigation? Check out our new paper reviewing all previous scientific studies assessing the efficacy of mitigation measures doi.org/10.1016/j.ma... @conservbytes.bsky.social @flindersuniversity.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 4:20 AM
Wonder about shark-bite mitigation? Check out our new paper reviewing all previous scientific studies assessing the efficacy of mitigation measures doi.org/10.1016/j.ma... @conservbytes.bsky.social @flindersuniversity.bsky.social
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
New paper out in Heredity: 'Evidence of long-term purging of mutation burden in killer whale genomes'. Time calibration of purging was through inclusion of an ancient (7.5Kyr) genome which was close to directly ancestral to the present-day population with signature of purging.
rdcu.be/eM25j
rdcu.be/eM25j
October 28, 2025 at 8:19 AM
New paper out in Heredity: 'Evidence of long-term purging of mutation burden in killer whale genomes'. Time calibration of purging was through inclusion of an ancient (7.5Kyr) genome which was close to directly ancestral to the present-day population with signature of purging.
rdcu.be/eM25j
rdcu.be/eM25j
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
Postdoc position in eDNA/eRNA based in beautiful Faroe Islands, with some time in Greenland for fieldwork and research visit. “Tracking spatial and temporal distribution of marine mammals in the Atlantic Arctic with environmental DNA”
setur.totalview.cloud/recruitment/...
🐋🐬🧬🧪🛥️
setur.totalview.cloud/recruitment/...
🐋🐬🧬🧪🛥️
setur.totalview.cloud
October 30, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Postdoc position in eDNA/eRNA based in beautiful Faroe Islands, with some time in Greenland for fieldwork and research visit. “Tracking spatial and temporal distribution of marine mammals in the Atlantic Arctic with environmental DNA”
setur.totalview.cloud/recruitment/...
🐋🐬🧬🧪🛥️
setur.totalview.cloud/recruitment/...
🐋🐬🧬🧪🛥️
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
🚨 NEW PAPER 🚨 We show that during warm, low-ice years in the Canadian Arctic, ringed seals exhibit thinner blubber, depleted fatty acids, and elevated metabolic stress. We also show that high PCB and mercury levels contribute to oxidative damage in the liver.
Climate variations and a local PCB hotspot have altered metabolomic profiles in ringed seals
Environmental contaminants and climate change pose ongoing threats to Arctic marine mammals, yet their combined physiological impacts remain poorly un…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 9, 2025 at 11:46 PM
🚨 NEW PAPER 🚨 We show that during warm, low-ice years in the Canadian Arctic, ringed seals exhibit thinner blubber, depleted fatty acids, and elevated metabolic stress. We also show that high PCB and mercury levels contribute to oxidative damage in the liver.
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
I am pleased to share our new review paper detailing killer whale interactions with commercial fisheries in Frontiers in Marine Science!
www.frontiersin.org/journals/mar...
www.frontiersin.org/journals/mar...
September 26, 2025 at 5:56 PM
I am pleased to share our new review paper detailing killer whale interactions with commercial fisheries in Frontiers in Marine Science!
www.frontiersin.org/journals/mar...
www.frontiersin.org/journals/mar...
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
We are hiring - PDRA position exploring how information access shapes social dynamics in killer whales. Collaboration with @samellisq.bsky.social @drwhale.bsky.social Prof Dan Franks (York) start 1st Nov (or ASAP) end 31st Oct 2028. Apps close on 19th Oct.
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
September 23, 2025 at 6:29 PM
We are hiring - PDRA position exploring how information access shapes social dynamics in killer whales. Collaboration with @samellisq.bsky.social @drwhale.bsky.social Prof Dan Franks (York) start 1st Nov (or ASAP) end 31st Oct 2028. Apps close on 19th Oct.
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
'Ancient stickleback genomes reveal the early stages of parallel adaptation' - now published online in Evolution @journal-evo.bsky.social
August 15, 2025 at 5:12 AM
'Ancient stickleback genomes reveal the early stages of parallel adaptation' - now published online in Evolution @journal-evo.bsky.social
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
My first-first author paper is out! We found that overall healing in sharks was comparable between sutured and non-sutured incisions. But sutured incisions had significantly more bacteria present. www.publish.csiro.au/wr/pdf/WR25009 Forever thankful to Jordan Matley & @charlie-huveneers.bsky.social
August 13, 2025 at 7:36 AM
My first-first author paper is out! We found that overall healing in sharks was comparable between sutured and non-sutured incisions. But sutured incisions had significantly more bacteria present. www.publish.csiro.au/wr/pdf/WR25009 Forever thankful to Jordan Matley & @charlie-huveneers.bsky.social
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
New lab preprint led by Jana Nickel (not on BS): doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Investigating hitchhiking mutation load in threespine sticklebacks. I'll be presenting this work in a few hours at #Stickleback2025 here in beautiful Bamfield
Investigating hitchhiking mutation load in threespine sticklebacks. I'll be presenting this work in a few hours at #Stickleback2025 here in beautiful Bamfield
July 28, 2025 at 12:59 PM
New lab preprint led by Jana Nickel (not on BS): doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Investigating hitchhiking mutation load in threespine sticklebacks. I'll be presenting this work in a few hours at #Stickleback2025 here in beautiful Bamfield
Investigating hitchhiking mutation load in threespine sticklebacks. I'll be presenting this work in a few hours at #Stickleback2025 here in beautiful Bamfield
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
New paper out! We found that a climate change-driven warming off Sydney has increased the amount of time bull sharks spend around Australia's biggest city. #sharks #climatechange #sydney #bullsharks
@jcuofficial.bsky.social @drrossdwyer.bsky.social @imos-aus.bsky.social @saveourseas.bsky.social
@jcuofficial.bsky.social @drrossdwyer.bsky.social @imos-aus.bsky.social @saveourseas.bsky.social
June 26, 2025 at 3:18 AM
New paper out! We found that a climate change-driven warming off Sydney has increased the amount of time bull sharks spend around Australia's biggest city. #sharks #climatechange #sydney #bullsharks
@jcuofficial.bsky.social @drrossdwyer.bsky.social @imos-aus.bsky.social @saveourseas.bsky.social
@jcuofficial.bsky.social @drrossdwyer.bsky.social @imos-aus.bsky.social @saveourseas.bsky.social
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
New orca tool use alert!!
@drwhale.bsky.social and colleagues introduce ‘allokelping’. Pairs of killer whales collect kelp strands and then together roll them along their bodies, keeping the kelp between them. The longest bout lasted over 12 minutes. It’s not play, and may be linked to molting 🧪🛠️🌊
@drwhale.bsky.social and colleagues introduce ‘allokelping’. Pairs of killer whales collect kelp strands and then together roll them along their bodies, keeping the kelp between them. The longest bout lasted over 12 minutes. It’s not play, and may be linked to molting 🧪🛠️🌊
Manufacture and use of allogrooming tools by wild killer whales
Michael Weiss and colleagues report on wild orcas using kelp as a tool for social
grooming.
www.cell.com
June 23, 2025 at 5:25 PM
New orca tool use alert!!
@drwhale.bsky.social and colleagues introduce ‘allokelping’. Pairs of killer whales collect kelp strands and then together roll them along their bodies, keeping the kelp between them. The longest bout lasted over 12 minutes. It’s not play, and may be linked to molting 🧪🛠️🌊
@drwhale.bsky.social and colleagues introduce ‘allokelping’. Pairs of killer whales collect kelp strands and then together roll them along their bodies, keeping the kelp between them. The longest bout lasted over 12 minutes. It’s not play, and may be linked to molting 🧪🛠️🌊
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
The most commonly sighted shark species in Norfolk Marine Park use the region in different ways: doi.org/10.1002/ece3...
New study led by Jordan Matley
@parksaustralia.bsky.social @imos-aus.bsky.social
New study led by Jordan Matley
@parksaustralia.bsky.social @imos-aus.bsky.social
June 16, 2025 at 12:00 AM
The most commonly sighted shark species in Norfolk Marine Park use the region in different ways: doi.org/10.1002/ece3...
New study led by Jordan Matley
@parksaustralia.bsky.social @imos-aus.bsky.social
New study led by Jordan Matley
@parksaustralia.bsky.social @imos-aus.bsky.social
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
‼️ Dear MARMAM community,
We, at the DEI Committee of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, are beginning the process of establishing an Indigenous Representation Subcommittee, the idea of which came out of an ad hoc meeting held at the SMM conference in Boorloo (Perth) in the Whajuk region of WA (1/n)
We, at the DEI Committee of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, are beginning the process of establishing an Indigenous Representation Subcommittee, the idea of which came out of an ad hoc meeting held at the SMM conference in Boorloo (Perth) in the Whajuk region of WA (1/n)
June 11, 2025 at 8:58 AM
‼️ Dear MARMAM community,
We, at the DEI Committee of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, are beginning the process of establishing an Indigenous Representation Subcommittee, the idea of which came out of an ad hoc meeting held at the SMM conference in Boorloo (Perth) in the Whajuk region of WA (1/n)
We, at the DEI Committee of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, are beginning the process of establishing an Indigenous Representation Subcommittee, the idea of which came out of an ad hoc meeting held at the SMM conference in Boorloo (Perth) in the Whajuk region of WA (1/n)
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
New Science paper: 15,845 tracked individuals across 121 species to identify spatial conservation targets www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
led by @anammsequeira.bsky.social
led by @anammsequeira.bsky.social
June 9, 2025 at 3:49 AM
New Science paper: 15,845 tracked individuals across 121 species to identify spatial conservation targets www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
led by @anammsequeira.bsky.social
led by @anammsequeira.bsky.social
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
Interested in measuring genetic load? We have a new paper out providing a modified version of GERP which is more user friendly in wildlife species and with scripts to automate making input files and pulling out derived alleles in your species #consgen #popgen star-protocols.cell.com/protocols/4202
Cell Press: STAR Protocols
STAR Protocols is an open access, peer-reviewed journal from Cell Press. We offer structured, transparent, accessible, and repeatable step-by-step experimental and computational protocols from all are...
star-protocols.cell.com
May 21, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Interested in measuring genetic load? We have a new paper out providing a modified version of GERP which is more user friendly in wildlife species and with scripts to automate making input files and pulling out derived alleles in your species #consgen #popgen star-protocols.cell.com/protocols/4202
Last call ⏳🚨
If you have any elasmobranch and killer whale interaction records we want to hear about it!
Please reach our team with the email below, would love to include them in our global review!
If you have any elasmobranch and killer whale interaction records we want to hear about it!
Please reach our team with the email below, would love to include them in our global review!
May 13, 2025 at 3:58 AM
Last call ⏳🚨
If you have any elasmobranch and killer whale interaction records we want to hear about it!
Please reach our team with the email below, would love to include them in our global review!
If you have any elasmobranch and killer whale interaction records we want to hear about it!
Please reach our team with the email below, would love to include them in our global review!
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
New paper about unusual encounters in Icelandic waters…
In June 2022 and 2023, neonate pilot whales were observed swimming alone among groups of killer whales off south Iceland - with no other pilot whales in sight.
🧶⬇️
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
In June 2022 and 2023, neonate pilot whales were observed swimming alone among groups of killer whales off south Iceland - with no other pilot whales in sight.
🧶⬇️
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Interactions Between Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) and Neonate Long‐Finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala melas) off South Iceland
This study documents two encounters off south Iceland where neonate pilot whales were observed in the company of killer whale groups, with no other pilot whales in the vicinity. The interactions invo...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
April 24, 2025 at 1:34 PM
New paper about unusual encounters in Icelandic waters…
In June 2022 and 2023, neonate pilot whales were observed swimming alone among groups of killer whales off south Iceland - with no other pilot whales in sight.
🧶⬇️
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
In June 2022 and 2023, neonate pilot whales were observed swimming alone among groups of killer whales off south Iceland - with no other pilot whales in sight.
🧶⬇️
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
The first paper from my PhD is out 🧬🐬
Thanks to all the co-authors of this project and my amazing supervisor @laninsky.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Thanks to all the co-authors of this project and my amazing supervisor @laninsky.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Leveraging Synteny to Generate Reference Genomes for Conservation: Assembling the Genomes of Hector's and Māui Dolphins
Escalating concern regarding the impacts of reduced genetic diversity on the conservation of endangered species has spurred efforts to obtain chromosome-level genomes through consortia such as the Ve...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
April 7, 2025 at 10:32 PM
The first paper from my PhD is out 🧬🐬
Thanks to all the co-authors of this project and my amazing supervisor @laninsky.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Thanks to all the co-authors of this project and my amazing supervisor @laninsky.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
Out now in Animal Conservation: our Special Issue on #conservation #translocations, following #ICTC2023, showcasing 12 awesome studies on the complexities of translocations. Feat. #birds, #marsupials, #lizards and #genetics, check it out here: zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1469...
April 4, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Out now in Animal Conservation: our Special Issue on #conservation #translocations, following #ICTC2023, showcasing 12 awesome studies on the complexities of translocations. Feat. #birds, #marsupials, #lizards and #genetics, check it out here: zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1469...
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
Ever thought about using shark jaws for stable isotopes from teeth? This is a must read: doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...
#StableIsotopes @meyer-sci.bsky.social @sawsharkman.bsky.social
#StableIsotopes @meyer-sci.bsky.social @sawsharkman.bsky.social
March 30, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Ever thought about using shark jaws for stable isotopes from teeth? This is a must read: doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...
#StableIsotopes @meyer-sci.bsky.social @sawsharkman.bsky.social
#StableIsotopes @meyer-sci.bsky.social @sawsharkman.bsky.social
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
The Evolution of Cetacean Societies
Edited by @darrencroft.bsky.social @ellengarland.bsky.social and.bsky.social @stephanielking.bsky.social and myself
Preorder available now
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
Will share more details closer to release date
#whale #dolphin #animalbehaviour
Edited by @darrencroft.bsky.social @ellengarland.bsky.social and.bsky.social @stephanielking.bsky.social and myself
Preorder available now
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
Will share more details closer to release date
#whale #dolphin #animalbehaviour
March 26, 2025 at 11:03 AM
The Evolution of Cetacean Societies
Edited by @darrencroft.bsky.social @ellengarland.bsky.social and.bsky.social @stephanielking.bsky.social and myself
Preorder available now
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
Will share more details closer to release date
#whale #dolphin #animalbehaviour
Edited by @darrencroft.bsky.social @ellengarland.bsky.social and.bsky.social @stephanielking.bsky.social and myself
Preorder available now
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
Will share more details closer to release date
#whale #dolphin #animalbehaviour
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
🧬🌊 Hola! I'm Sebastian Alvarez-Costes, a Mexican PhD Candidate in Aotearoa, New Zealand. My research focuses on the evolutionary genomics of Hector's and Māui dolphins 🐬. Always happy to connect with fellow researchers in evolutionary biology, bioinformatics, and conservation genomics!
March 18, 2025 at 10:05 PM
🧬🌊 Hola! I'm Sebastian Alvarez-Costes, a Mexican PhD Candidate in Aotearoa, New Zealand. My research focuses on the evolutionary genomics of Hector's and Māui dolphins 🐬. Always happy to connect with fellow researchers in evolutionary biology, bioinformatics, and conservation genomics!
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
The 2nd publication from @bellareeves.bsky.social PhD thesis finds a genetic rescue effect from admixture between distinct killer whale lineages. Likely the cause of high genetic diversity in regions with low killer whale density. Open access in Mol Ecol: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
February 28, 2025 at 3:48 PM
The 2nd publication from @bellareeves.bsky.social PhD thesis finds a genetic rescue effect from admixture between distinct killer whale lineages. Likely the cause of high genetic diversity in regions with low killer whale density. Open access in Mol Ecol: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
New paper from my PhD 🐬🧬
Admixture is increasing genetic diversity and adaptive potential in low latitude killer whales promoting an genetic rescue effect.
See more here onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
1/n
Admixture is increasing genetic diversity and adaptive potential in low latitude killer whales promoting an genetic rescue effect.
See more here onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
1/n
March 5, 2025 at 6:30 AM
New paper from my PhD 🐬🧬
Admixture is increasing genetic diversity and adaptive potential in low latitude killer whales promoting an genetic rescue effect.
See more here onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
1/n
Admixture is increasing genetic diversity and adaptive potential in low latitude killer whales promoting an genetic rescue effect.
See more here onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
1/n
Reposted by Isabella Reeves
🦈🚨 New Paper! 🚨🦈
I am really excited to share the first chapter of my masters thesis which was just published! In this study we used an archived collection of white #shark vertebrae to investigate the population structure and ecological role of white sharks in AUS using stable isotope analysis. 🌊🦑🧪
I am really excited to share the first chapter of my masters thesis which was just published! In this study we used an archived collection of white #shark vertebrae to investigate the population structure and ecological role of white sharks in AUS using stable isotope analysis. 🌊🦑🧪
March 3, 2025 at 1:15 AM
🦈🚨 New Paper! 🚨🦈
I am really excited to share the first chapter of my masters thesis which was just published! In this study we used an archived collection of white #shark vertebrae to investigate the population structure and ecological role of white sharks in AUS using stable isotope analysis. 🌊🦑🧪
I am really excited to share the first chapter of my masters thesis which was just published! In this study we used an archived collection of white #shark vertebrae to investigate the population structure and ecological role of white sharks in AUS using stable isotope analysis. 🌊🦑🧪