Kate Parr
@funkyant.bsky.social
Ecologist - particularly fond of ants, savannas and cold beer (preferably at the same time). She/her
Reposted by Kate Parr
Our @bes-cascade.bsky.social survey of ecologists asked which socio-political changes might be most effective in the biodiversity & climate crises
Broad-scale transformative changes were most selected
Biodiversity or carbon credits, use of AI, & de-extinction were each selected in <1% of responses
Broad-scale transformative changes were most selected
Biodiversity or carbon credits, use of AI, & de-extinction were each selected in <1% of responses
December 23, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Our @bes-cascade.bsky.social survey of ecologists asked which socio-political changes might be most effective in the biodiversity & climate crises
Broad-scale transformative changes were most selected
Biodiversity or carbon credits, use of AI, & de-extinction were each selected in <1% of responses
Broad-scale transformative changes were most selected
Biodiversity or carbon credits, use of AI, & de-extinction were each selected in <1% of responses
Reposted by Kate Parr
"Bond’s work leaves behind an inconvenient lesson for an era of climate urgency: that speed is not a substitute for understanding, and that good intentions, applied without care, can erase ancient worlds as efficiently as neglect." A beautiful tribute to William Bond. Forever missed by many.
William Bond, defender of grasslands
In recent years, one of the loudest ideas in environmental policy has been that trees are the planet’s universal remedy. Plant enough of them, in enough places, and carbon will be soaked up, water wil...
www.butlernature.com
December 23, 2025 at 7:31 AM
"Bond’s work leaves behind an inconvenient lesson for an era of climate urgency: that speed is not a substitute for understanding, and that good intentions, applied without care, can erase ancient worlds as efficiently as neglect." A beautiful tribute to William Bond. Forever missed by many.
Reposted by Kate Parr
Hendrik Mesdag's sunset (1887) looks simple: sea and the sky, which a low horizon divides into unequal parts, a few sails in the distance, on the left, enliven the rather severe construction. But look at the multiplicity of tones and the complexity of this work sinks in.
December 13, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Hendrik Mesdag's sunset (1887) looks simple: sea and the sky, which a low horizon divides into unequal parts, a few sails in the distance, on the left, enliven the rather severe construction. But look at the multiplicity of tones and the complexity of this work sinks in.
Reposted by Kate Parr
Our research group has an open PhD position! Please share widely!
Possible topics include:
Determinants of range limits
Assembly of ecological networks (eg,
plant-pollinator)
The role of soil arthropods (eg, ants) in carbon storage
Details:
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Possible topics include:
Determinants of range limits
Assembly of ecological networks (eg,
plant-pollinator)
The role of soil arthropods (eg, ants) in carbon storage
Details:
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
PhD position opening in community and biogeography
PhD Position in Community Ecology & Biogeography, Montreal, Canada Our research group at Concordia University investigates the forces enabling the maintenance, and governing the distribution, of biol...
docs.google.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Our research group has an open PhD position! Please share widely!
Possible topics include:
Determinants of range limits
Assembly of ecological networks (eg,
plant-pollinator)
The role of soil arthropods (eg, ants) in carbon storage
Details:
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Possible topics include:
Determinants of range limits
Assembly of ecological networks (eg,
plant-pollinator)
The role of soil arthropods (eg, ants) in carbon storage
Details:
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Reposted by Kate Parr
This paper has been on the way for just about a decade: the 1st draft was written 8 years ago - some great pesistence by the fab T. Michael Anderson! Lots of fun to have been working on it wth the likes of @funkyant.bsky.social y.social, @sallyarchibald.bsky.social & @carlastaver.bsky.social etc!
y.social
November 24, 2025 at 4:23 PM
This paper has been on the way for just about a decade: the 1st draft was written 8 years ago - some great pesistence by the fab T. Michael Anderson! Lots of fun to have been working on it wth the likes of @funkyant.bsky.social y.social, @sallyarchibald.bsky.social & @carlastaver.bsky.social etc!
BrilliANT time at #Mirmeco2025 in Recife. A meeting full of enthusiasm & passion for #ants. Fabulous to see all my Brazilian and other ant friends again ❤️
November 6, 2025 at 6:07 PM
BrilliANT time at #Mirmeco2025 in Recife. A meeting full of enthusiasm & passion for #ants. Fabulous to see all my Brazilian and other ant friends again ❤️
Shiny new PhD being advertised with me and @cmbeale.bsky.social !!
So, next up is this fabulous project with me and @funkyant.bsky.social on nomadic birds in East Africa. Fieldwork and fancy spatial statistics are on offer here, and who doesn't want birds like this fabulous, nonadic Temminck's Courser?! www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
November 6, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Shiny new PhD being advertised with me and @cmbeale.bsky.social !!
Reposted by Kate Parr
Ed Luce watching democracy die in the United States of America
October 24, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Ed Luce watching democracy die in the United States of America
Reposted by Kate Parr
When I was a teenager there was a bus direct from my hometown in Germany to London - we had a British army base, and this direct bus connection was one of the benefits of that. One summer I went on that bus to go volunteer in an old people's home in Southend-on-Sea. I had just turned 18 and was... 🧵
September 29, 2025 at 12:32 PM
When I was a teenager there was a bus direct from my hometown in Germany to London - we had a British army base, and this direct bus connection was one of the benefits of that. One summer I went on that bus to go volunteer in an old people's home in Southend-on-Sea. I had just turned 18 and was... 🧵
Reposted by Kate Parr
Great to discuss the flagrant disinformation peddled at the Reform conference by Malhotra with @garethiacobucci.bsky.social
As @LawrenceYoung11 et al agree, the 💩 re mRNA vax and "turbo cancer" (anyone taking that name seriously?!🤦♂️) is pure, insidious fiction designed to ⏫️ hesitancy.
As @LawrenceYoung11 et al agree, the 💩 re mRNA vax and "turbo cancer" (anyone taking that name seriously?!🤦♂️) is pure, insidious fiction designed to ⏫️ hesitancy.
September 15, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Great to discuss the flagrant disinformation peddled at the Reform conference by Malhotra with @garethiacobucci.bsky.social
As @LawrenceYoung11 et al agree, the 💩 re mRNA vax and "turbo cancer" (anyone taking that name seriously?!🤦♂️) is pure, insidious fiction designed to ⏫️ hesitancy.
As @LawrenceYoung11 et al agree, the 💩 re mRNA vax and "turbo cancer" (anyone taking that name seriously?!🤦♂️) is pure, insidious fiction designed to ⏫️ hesitancy.
Reposted by Kate Parr
We have a new paper developing methods for looking at bird-fire macroecology. What’s most fascinating to me is that the magnitude *and* direction of fire effects can vary enormously across a species range. Stationarity is dead!! Long live non-stationarity!!
doi.org/10.1002/fee....
doi.org/10.1002/fee....
Evaluating macroecological fire impacts on bird populations
Fire regimes are context-dependent, as are the ways that animals respond. However, most information on animal responses to fire comes from short-term local field studies, which are hard to extrapolat....
doi.org
September 5, 2025 at 3:59 PM
We have a new paper developing methods for looking at bird-fire macroecology. What’s most fascinating to me is that the magnitude *and* direction of fire effects can vary enormously across a species range. Stationarity is dead!! Long live non-stationarity!!
doi.org/10.1002/fee....
doi.org/10.1002/fee....
Reposted by Kate Parr
woah this is genuinely, utterly WILD
Ant queens of one species produce males of another species, so she can then mate with them and produce hybrid workers!
This is so gloriously weird I can't quite compute it 🤯🧪🐜
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Ant queens of one species produce males of another species, so she can then mate with them and produce hybrid workers!
This is so gloriously weird I can't quite compute it 🤯🧪🐜
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
‘Almost unimaginable’: these ants are different species but share a mother
Ant queens of one species clone ants of another to create hybrid workers that do their bidding.
www.nature.com
September 3, 2025 at 10:09 PM
woah this is genuinely, utterly WILD
Ant queens of one species produce males of another species, so she can then mate with them and produce hybrid workers!
This is so gloriously weird I can't quite compute it 🤯🧪🐜
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Ant queens of one species produce males of another species, so she can then mate with them and produce hybrid workers!
This is so gloriously weird I can't quite compute it 🤯🧪🐜
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Join us!
Job! Looking for a University Teacher to join our Ecology and Marine Biology team @liverpooluni.bsky.social for six months FT from January 1st. Job would suit someone recently finished their #PhD or Postdoc. my.corehr.com/pls/ulivrecr...
Job Specification
my.corehr.com
September 2, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Join us!
Reposted by Kate Parr
Unraveling the arc of vaccine progress www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Unraveling the arc of vaccine progress
The philosopher Thomas Hobbes famously described life in 1651 as “nasty, brutish, and short.” He was undeniably correct, with estimates of average life expectancy in the UK at the time ranging from 37...
www.science.org
August 29, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Unraveling the arc of vaccine progress www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Kate Parr
Hot off the press: Metabolic traits are shaped by phylogenetic conservatism and environment, not just body size
Our article in PNAS explores several controversies in metabolic theory in a macroscale study of 🐜 #aridity #temp #SMR #DGC 📸:François Brassard
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2501541122
Our article in PNAS explores several controversies in metabolic theory in a macroscale study of 🐜 #aridity #temp #SMR #DGC 📸:François Brassard
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2501541122
July 18, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Hot off the press: Metabolic traits are shaped by phylogenetic conservatism and environment, not just body size
Our article in PNAS explores several controversies in metabolic theory in a macroscale study of 🐜 #aridity #temp #SMR #DGC 📸:François Brassard
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2501541122
Our article in PNAS explores several controversies in metabolic theory in a macroscale study of 🐜 #aridity #temp #SMR #DGC 📸:François Brassard
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2501541122
Reposted by Kate Parr
Awesome to see our paper exploring competing hypotheses in macro/metabolic ecology out in PNAS.
Led by the all star @lilyleahy.bsky.social with a range of amazing folks including @funkyant.bsky.social @natejsanders.bsky.social @ianjwright.bsky.social.
Check it out!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Led by the all star @lilyleahy.bsky.social with a range of amazing folks including @funkyant.bsky.social @natejsanders.bsky.social @ianjwright.bsky.social.
Check it out!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Metabolic traits are shaped by phylogenetic conservatism and environment, not just body size | PNAS
Metabolic rate dictates life’s tempo, yet how ecological and environmental factors
integrate to shape metabolic traits remains contentious. Conside...
www.pnas.org
July 18, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Awesome to see our paper exploring competing hypotheses in macro/metabolic ecology out in PNAS.
Led by the all star @lilyleahy.bsky.social with a range of amazing folks including @funkyant.bsky.social @natejsanders.bsky.social @ianjwright.bsky.social.
Check it out!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Led by the all star @lilyleahy.bsky.social with a range of amazing folks including @funkyant.bsky.social @natejsanders.bsky.social @ianjwright.bsky.social.
Check it out!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Kate Parr
Really disappointing new policy from NERC banning resubmissions of grant applications
Many of us, including me, have won grants on resubmission,
using the reviews to improve the application
This is is neither fair nor productive
www.ukri.org/councils/ner...
Many of us, including me, have won grants on resubmission,
using the reviews to improve the application
This is is neither fair nor productive
www.ukri.org/councils/ner...
NERC policy on resubmissions
This policy only applies to research grant applications.
www.ukri.org
July 17, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Really disappointing new policy from NERC banning resubmissions of grant applications
Many of us, including me, have won grants on resubmission,
using the reviews to improve the application
This is is neither fair nor productive
www.ukri.org/councils/ner...
Many of us, including me, have won grants on resubmission,
using the reviews to improve the application
This is is neither fair nor productive
www.ukri.org/councils/ner...
Reposted by Kate Parr
Hiring a marine biology lecturer at @universityofessex.bsky.social! Permanent position. Deadline to apply= 20 Aug. We have aquaria, lots of mass specs/genomic facilities, field trips to Crotia, Indonesia, Scotland and a super collegial department. Pls share!
vacancies.essex.ac.uk/tlive_webrec...
vacancies.essex.ac.uk/tlive_webrec...
vacancies.essex.ac.uk
July 6, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Hiring a marine biology lecturer at @universityofessex.bsky.social! Permanent position. Deadline to apply= 20 Aug. We have aquaria, lots of mass specs/genomic facilities, field trips to Crotia, Indonesia, Scotland and a super collegial department. Pls share!
vacancies.essex.ac.uk/tlive_webrec...
vacancies.essex.ac.uk/tlive_webrec...
Reposted by Kate Parr
The Tropical East Asian Savanna Symposium is today! Join us in person or online to hear from some truly fantastic speakers. Online via teams
Meeting ID: 374 127 860 994 5
Passcode: Yq3je9Jo
or in person at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 9:30-4:30
@royalsoced.bsky.social
🌐🌏 #ecology #savanna
Meeting ID: 374 127 860 994 5
Passcode: Yq3je9Jo
or in person at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 9:30-4:30
@royalsoced.bsky.social
🌐🌏 #ecology #savanna
June 24, 2025 at 6:27 AM
The Tropical East Asian Savanna Symposium is today! Join us in person or online to hear from some truly fantastic speakers. Online via teams
Meeting ID: 374 127 860 994 5
Passcode: Yq3je9Jo
or in person at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 9:30-4:30
@royalsoced.bsky.social
🌐🌏 #ecology #savanna
Meeting ID: 374 127 860 994 5
Passcode: Yq3je9Jo
or in person at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 9:30-4:30
@royalsoced.bsky.social
🌐🌏 #ecology #savanna
Reposted by Kate Parr
Ecologists/botanists:
In the 80s/90s tropical tree monitoring plots showed evidence of degradation.
A counter argument was that when you set up monitoring plots in "old growth", you are biasing toward older trees that will die sooner.
Anyone remember key cites? And if this held up?
In the 80s/90s tropical tree monitoring plots showed evidence of degradation.
A counter argument was that when you set up monitoring plots in "old growth", you are biasing toward older trees that will die sooner.
Anyone remember key cites? And if this held up?
June 19, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Ecologists/botanists:
In the 80s/90s tropical tree monitoring plots showed evidence of degradation.
A counter argument was that when you set up monitoring plots in "old growth", you are biasing toward older trees that will die sooner.
Anyone remember key cites? And if this held up?
In the 80s/90s tropical tree monitoring plots showed evidence of degradation.
A counter argument was that when you set up monitoring plots in "old growth", you are biasing toward older trees that will die sooner.
Anyone remember key cites? And if this held up?
Somerset looking quite splendid today
May 28, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Somerset looking quite splendid today
Reposted by Kate Parr
So excited to finally share our new paper charting the global spectrum of tree crown architecture, out today at @natcomms.nature.com 🧪🌐
Paper link 🔗: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A brief thread of what we found 🧵
Paper link 🔗: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A brief thread of what we found 🧵
May 27, 2025 at 10:31 AM
So excited to finally share our new paper charting the global spectrum of tree crown architecture, out today at @natcomms.nature.com 🧪🌐
Paper link 🔗: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A brief thread of what we found 🧵
Paper link 🔗: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A brief thread of what we found 🧵
Reposted by Kate Parr
WTF? If this Government can’t even agree to this smallest of initiatives, which has no cost to them & absolutely no down-sides, what hope that it will step up to the bigger nature challenges we face? This is a *popular* policy, for heavens sake. Obstinate tin-eared stupidity doesn’t come close …
Labour blocks proposal for ‘swift bricks’ in all new homes
MPs had previously backed Conservative amendment to ask developers to provide hollow bricks for endangered birds
www.theguardian.com
May 23, 2025 at 6:26 PM
WTF? If this Government can’t even agree to this smallest of initiatives, which has no cost to them & absolutely no down-sides, what hope that it will step up to the bigger nature challenges we face? This is a *popular* policy, for heavens sake. Obstinate tin-eared stupidity doesn’t come close …