Anthony Ricciardi | Lightnews

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 11h

A critique by @devoevomed.bsky.social worth revisiting, given the continued media hype surrounding #deextinction. substack.com/inbox/post/1...

The Extinction of Truth

Or, a Colossal Pile of Bullshit

substack.com

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 1d

www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

Aliens: the spread of invasive plants and animals across Europe – in pictures

Erik Irmer has been documenting the spread of invasive plant and animal species that disrupt native ecology across Europe. He focuses on humans’ interactions with these plants and animals. Aliens is p...

www.theguardian.com

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 1d

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

‘They didn’t de-extinct anything’: can Colossal’s genetically engineered animals ever be the real thing?

The bioscience startup has attracted billions in investment – and a flurry of criticism, but founder tells the Guardian plans to bring back the woolly mammoth will not be derailed

www.theguardian.com

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 2d

The mineral version of a stained glass window.

Arabella @arabellaspireship.bsky.social · 3d

Labradorite

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 2d

The challenge of tackling #invasivespecies requires collaborative multidisciplinary efforts in key areas. In this 2021 paper, a group of international experts outline 4 priority areas to advance invasion science in an era of rapid environmental change: cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full/10.... #bioinvasions

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 2d

My view of the #deextinction hype, encapsulated below.

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 2d

www.newscientist.com/article/2505...

De-extinction was big news in 2025 – but didn't live up to the hype

Biologists poured cold water on Colossal Biosciences’ claim to have brought the dire wolf back from extinction, and some worry the overblown headlines will undermine conservation work

www.newscientist.com

Paul Dolman @pauldolman.bsky.social · 2d

Ring-necked Parakeets spreading fast in UK. Risk assessment by Defra 2011: “the potential for impact on economic activities, (agriculture) and native fauna is high” Back then the population was 5,000, do nothing, take no action, population now 30,000

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Rapid expansion of ring-necked parakeets in UK sparks concern

Bird organisations say more research on the species needed to control impact on other wildlife

www.theguardian.com

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 2d

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...

How this little bird ended up on South Australia's most wanted list

The sighting of a single red-whiskered bulbul in the wild might not seem like a big deal, but this invasive pest could put crops and the environment at risk.

www.abc.net.au

Arabella @arabellaspireship.bsky.social · 3d

Labradorite

Marcelo M. Weber @marceloweber.bsky.social · 3d

Our study published in Biological Invasions quantifies the negative effects of invasive plants on bird diversity. We found that herbaceous invasives and those with non-endozoochoric dispersal significantly decrease bird richness and abundance. Full paper here: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Bird responses to plant invasions are shaped by dispersal syndrome and historical disturbance: a meta-analysis - Biological Invasions

Biological invasions significantly impact biodiversity by altering ecosystem attributes, potentially leading to species loss and environmental homogenization. These changes reduce habitat heterogeneit...

link.springer.com

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 4d

AI's use in writing/reviewing papers could degrade scientific literature.
"Publishing carefully edited papers subjected to the judgment of multiple humans—and the retraction and correction of papers when the humans involved make mistakes—has never been more important"
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Resisting AI slop

It’s hard to talk about any topic in science or education today without the subject of artificial intelligence (AI) coming up—whether large language models should be allowed to aid in searching for a ...

www.science.org

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 4d

environment.ec.europa.eu/news/conserv...

Conservation paradoxes: 36 species which are invasive in some areas but still need protecting elsewhere.

Issue 623: Some species are invasive and economically costly in some areas, but conservation priorities in others. A study identifies 36 such species, finding them to be conservation priorities due to...

environment.ec.europa.eu

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 4d

Seems highly doubtful to me. www.europesays.com/uk/665451/

Invasive lionfish threaten Mediterranean biodiversity. Could eating them be a solution? - United Kingdom

Climate change and the opening of Suez Canal have in recent years opened the floodgates to invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea, where they threaten

www.europesays.com

Matthew Facciani @matthewfacciani.bsky.social · 6d

“By talking to the public about our work, we can help rebuild a society that acknowledges the significance of science in everyday life and ensures that everyone has access to the information we need for informed decision-making.”
www.asbmb.org/asbmb-today/...

Barriers to public outreach — and why scientists need to overcome them

When the author began to research why some scientists were hesitant to do this work, four main themes emerged.

www.asbmb.org

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 6d

Here is a link behind the paywall:

rdcu.be/eVlNk

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 6d

X-axis is total # of invaders.
Here is another analysis of the data divided into fw & marine systems (from: redpath-staff.mcgill.ca/ricciardi/Ri...).

The pattern is 'ecological roulette': being invaded more often means receiving more disruptive non-native species. Also seen for terrestrial plants.

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 6d

Quote: "Every species has a unique genetic code and ecological role. When it vanishes, the world loses an untapped reservoir of scientific knowledge – genetic blueprints, biochemical pathways, ecological relationships and even potential medical treatments."
theconversation.com/with-every-e...

With every extinction, we lose not just a species but a treasure trove of knowledge

Every new extinction ripples out beyond the affected species, from ecosystems to human knowledge across culture, spirituality and science.

theconversation.com

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 6d

Current evidence shows:
More invaders in an ecosystem = greater likelihood that one will be disruptive. Invaders can interact synergistically with each other & with external stressors. Rather than generate resistance, higher invasion rates promote more disruption. link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Do globally increasing invasion rates threaten ecosystem sustainability? - Biological Invasions

Rates of biological invasion are rarely described as a sustainability issue, yet multiple lines of evidence suggest that burgeoning invasion rates cause ecosystems to be less sustainable over time. Fi...

link.springer.com

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 7d

Very sad to hear of this. I met Emma at conference I organized in Montreal in 2019. She had a stellar reputation, so I invited her as a keynote speaker. She was charismatic & inspirational. Students in particular told me they enjoyed meeting her. Wonderful person. theconversation.com/emma-johnsto...

Emma Johnston was a visionary scientist, environmentalist and leader, with an abiding hope for humanity

The University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor, who has died aged 52, was driven by a deep love of science and a desire to safeguard the planet’s future.

theconversation.com

Bruce Webber @drbrucewebber.bsky.social · 7d

Extinction rarely departs with drama, it slips out the back door while we’re still debating the guest list. These records are made official on the Red List. "Conservation failures are often recognised only once they can no longer be reversed."
via @mongabay.com: news.mongabay.com/short-articl...

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 8d

Quote: "The initial steps for future ancestor conservation would be to improve the habitat where needed and make selected watersheds as disaster-proof as possible. ...The idea is to treat Freshwater Protected Areas as habitat for future ancestors."
californiawaterblog.com/2025/12/28/f...

Future Ancestors of Freshwater Fishes in California

By Peter B. Moyle Smoky sunset over Eagle Lake, Lassen County, CA – home of endemic Eagle Lake rainbow trout and other endemic fishes and invertebrates. Sept 23, 2014. Will this terminal lake…

californiawaterblog.com

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 8d

Anti-science claims can be easily debunked (as is done in this thread) - but the vast majority of people exposed to fast-spreading disinformation will never see it properly challenged.

Jim Alwine @jimalwine.bsky.social · 9d

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has stated that the 1918 flu pandemic was caused by a lab virus from vaccine research, a defective influenza vaccine. Let’s analyze what a lie this is. First, in 1918, 107 years ago, virology was in its infancy

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 8d

www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

First the heat killed Maine’s kelp. Then an invasive algae sealed its fate

Researchers have found a chemical feedback loop that permanently reshapes Maine’s underwater ecosystems.

www.motherjones.com

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 8d

Quote: "Using a decade-long time series of 975 genomes from hybridizing native and invasive Helicoverpa moths in Brazil, we demonstrate rapid, bidirectional adaptive introgression of pesticide resistance genes." #bioinvasions

Chris Jiggins @chrisjiggins.bsky.social · 10d

Excited about our new preprint showing bidirectional adaptive introgression between invasive and native crop pests over ecological timescales www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

The collision of two genomes threatens global food security

Human activity alters selection pressures and species' ranges, creating opportunities for hybridisation through secondary contact. Ancient hybridization has enabled adaptive radiation, but its role in...

www.biorxiv.org

Jim Alwine @jimalwine.bsky.social · 9d

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has stated that the 1918 flu pandemic was caused by a lab virus from vaccine research, a defective influenza vaccine. Let’s analyze what a lie this is. First, in 1918, 107 years ago, virology was in its infancy

Chris Jiggins @chrisjiggins.bsky.social · 10d

Excited about our new preprint showing bidirectional adaptive introgression between invasive and native crop pests over ecological timescales www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

The collision of two genomes threatens global food security

Human activity alters selection pressures and species' ranges, creating opportunities for hybridisation through secondary contact. Ancient hybridization has enabled adaptive radiation, but its role in...

www.biorxiv.org

IPBES @ipbes.net · 10d

A comprehensive review building on the IPBES #InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment reveals that numbers of alien species are increasing for all taxonomic groups and regions, and that this trend is likely to continue.

Read more: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/brv.70058

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 12d

There are some impressive illustrations in T.H. Huxley's famous monograph, The Crayfish: An Introduction to the Study of Zoology. #Crustmas

New Scientist @newscientist.com · 12d

Biologists poured cold water on Colossal Biosciences’ claim to have brought the dire wolf back from extinction, and some worry the overblown headlines will undermine conservation work

De-extinction was big news in 2025 – but didn't live up to the hype

Biologists poured cold water on Colossal Biosciences’ claim to have brought the dire wolf back from extinction, and some worry the overblown headlines will undermine conservation work

www.newscientist.com

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