Keller Kopf
@kellerfish.bsky.social
Ecology - Conservation - Rivers - Fish and Fisheries
Senior Lecturer Charles Darwin University
Senior Lecturer Charles Darwin University
Pinned
Keller Kopf
@kellerfish.bsky.social
· Nov 24
Loss of Earth’s old, wise, and large animals
Earth’s old animals are in decline. Despite this, emerging research is revealing the vital contributions of older individuals to cultural transmission, population dynamics, and ecosystem processes and...
www.science.org
First post here.
I’ll unpack our new paper @science.org highlighting the loss of old animals and calling for ‘longevity conservation’
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
I’ll unpack our new paper @science.org highlighting the loss of old animals and calling for ‘longevity conservation’
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Keller Kopf
A new special collection, released in the journal Wildlife Research @wildliferesearchj.bsky.social, published by @csiropublishing.bsky.social, showcases some of the amazing Indigenous-led and cross-cultural wildlife research occurring in Australia 🧪
Watch the full interview in the link below.
Watch the full interview in the link below.
November 5, 2025 at 10:18 PM
A new special collection, released in the journal Wildlife Research @wildliferesearchj.bsky.social, published by @csiropublishing.bsky.social, showcases some of the amazing Indigenous-led and cross-cultural wildlife research occurring in Australia 🧪
Watch the full interview in the link below.
Watch the full interview in the link below.
Reposted by Keller Kopf
The remarkably long lifespan of bowhead whales could be due to an increased ability to repair DNA mutations, according to research in Nature. go.nature.com/4hzvDN7 🌏 🧪
November 4, 2025 at 2:10 AM
The remarkably long lifespan of bowhead whales could be due to an increased ability to repair DNA mutations, according to research in Nature. go.nature.com/4hzvDN7 🌏 🧪
Reposted by Keller Kopf
The not-so-little Murray cod that could: fish tracked swimming 900km along Australia’s biggest river system www.theguardian.com/environment/... 🧪🦑🌎🐠
The not-so-little Murray cod that could: fish tracked swimming 900km along Australia’s biggest river system
Fish named after Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus was most recently tracked at a section of the mid-Murray, near Belsar Island
www.theguardian.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:05 PM
The not-so-little Murray cod that could: fish tracked swimming 900km along Australia’s biggest river system www.theguardian.com/environment/... 🧪🦑🌎🐠
Reposted by Keller Kopf
the IUCN have passed the Longevity Conservation motion put forward to them by @kellerfish.bsky.social and @pili-scotland.bsky.social and based on the paper we wrote on the value of older individuals in animal societies.
www.cdu.edu.au/news/global-...
www.cdu.edu.au/news/global-...
Global body adopts policy to protect Earth’s old, wise and large animals | Charles Darwin University
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recognised Charles Darwin University-led research into the Earth’s oldest animals with the adoption of the ‘Longevity Conservation’ global...
www.cdu.edu.au
October 24, 2025 at 8:28 AM
the IUCN have passed the Longevity Conservation motion put forward to them by @kellerfish.bsky.social and @pili-scotland.bsky.social and based on the paper we wrote on the value of older individuals in animal societies.
www.cdu.edu.au/news/global-...
www.cdu.edu.au/news/global-...
Reposted by Keller Kopf
The North Atlantic right whale, one of the rarest whales on the planet, now numbers an estimated 384 animals, up 8 whales from the previous year, according to the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium.
Right whales were once hunted to the brink of extinction.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Right whales were once hunted to the brink of extinction.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Scientists say North Atlantic right whale population slowly increasing
Once hunted to the brink of extinction, the most venerable of the leviathans now numbers 384, up eight from past year
www.theguardian.com
October 22, 2025 at 8:15 AM
The North Atlantic right whale, one of the rarest whales on the planet, now numbers an estimated 384 animals, up 8 whales from the previous year, according to the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium.
Right whales were once hunted to the brink of extinction.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Right whales were once hunted to the brink of extinction.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Keller Kopf
The Victorian government’s decisions do a great disservice to expert’s time and carefully considered advice, and most importantly, the health of the places and wildlife we love.
After a 4y delay, @vicgovernment.bsky.social has released a disappointing response to the recommendations of an Expert Advisory Panel which reviewed the 1975 Wildlife Act, rejecting many critical recommendations from the Panel.
See our assessment: biodiversitycouncil....
See our assessment: biodiversitycouncil....
October 22, 2025 at 5:26 AM
The Victorian government’s decisions do a great disservice to expert’s time and carefully considered advice, and most importantly, the health of the places and wildlife we love.
Reposted by Keller Kopf
Proud papa moment: my son J published a letter in the @nytimes.com today (in print tomorrow) on the need to think our definitions of autism.
October 18, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Proud papa moment: my son J published a letter in the @nytimes.com today (in print tomorrow) on the need to think our definitions of autism.
Reposted by Keller Kopf
📑 #NewReview by Boube et al. dives into the scientific literature around the Great Hammerhead Shark. Our understanding of its migratory behaviour and habitat use is changing.
👀 doi.org/10.1007/s111...
👀 doi.org/10.1007/s111...
October 15, 2025 at 11:03 PM
📑 #NewReview by Boube et al. dives into the scientific literature around the Great Hammerhead Shark. Our understanding of its migratory behaviour and habitat use is changing.
👀 doi.org/10.1007/s111...
👀 doi.org/10.1007/s111...
Reposted by Keller Kopf
Extinctions serve as important warning signs that something is very wrong in the environment. Will we finally heed these warnings? Our mental wellbeing and over half our economy depends on it. theconversation.com/and-then-the...
And then there were none: Australia’s only shrew declared extinct
Australia’s only known shrew has been declared extinct. Its loss emphasises the need for national protection of Australia’s rare and unique wildlife.
theconversation.com
October 14, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Extinctions serve as important warning signs that something is very wrong in the environment. Will we finally heed these warnings? Our mental wellbeing and over half our economy depends on it. theconversation.com/and-then-the...
Reposted by Keller Kopf
Attempted eradication of smallmouth bass promotes rapid evolution. Here's the study that is the focus of the Scientific American article: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
October 12, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Attempted eradication of smallmouth bass promotes rapid evolution. Here's the study that is the focus of the Scientific American article: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
If you are a voting member of the IUCN - please consider supporting our motion (113) for Longevity Conservation at the Congress this week
@iucnshark.bsky.social @aciucn.bsky.social @iucn-bctf.bsky.social @sscmarine.bsky.social
iucncongress2025.org/assembly/mot...
@iucnshark.bsky.social @aciucn.bsky.social @iucn-bctf.bsky.social @sscmarine.bsky.social
iucncongress2025.org/assembly/mot...
MOTION 113
iucncongress2025.org
October 12, 2025 at 2:23 PM
@biodiversityguy.bsky.social @euanritchie.bsky.social @ljnbrent.bsky.social @pili-scotland.bsky.social @chrisjolly.bsky.social @charlesdarwinuni.bsky.social @rarlinghausfish.bsky.social @shoalorg.bsky.social @sharkscience.bsky.social @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social @fishconserve.bsky.social
If you are a voting member of the IUCN - please consider supporting our motion (113) for Longevity Conservation at the Congress this week
@iucnshark.bsky.social @aciucn.bsky.social @iucn-bctf.bsky.social @sscmarine.bsky.social
iucncongress2025.org/assembly/mot...
@iucnshark.bsky.social @aciucn.bsky.social @iucn-bctf.bsky.social @sscmarine.bsky.social
iucncongress2025.org/assembly/mot...
MOTION 113
iucncongress2025.org
October 12, 2025 at 2:15 PM
If you are a voting member of the IUCN - please consider supporting our motion (113) for Longevity Conservation at the Congress this week
@iucnshark.bsky.social @aciucn.bsky.social @iucn-bctf.bsky.social @sscmarine.bsky.social
iucncongress2025.org/assembly/mot...
@iucnshark.bsky.social @aciucn.bsky.social @iucn-bctf.bsky.social @sscmarine.bsky.social
iucncongress2025.org/assembly/mot...
MOTION 113
iucncongress2025.org
October 12, 2025 at 1:59 PM
If you are a voting member of the IUCN - please consider supporting our motion (113) for Longevity Conservation at the Congress this week
@iucnshark.bsky.social @aciucn.bsky.social @iucn-bctf.bsky.social @sscmarine.bsky.social
iucncongress2025.org/assembly/mot...
@iucnshark.bsky.social @aciucn.bsky.social @iucn-bctf.bsky.social @sscmarine.bsky.social
iucncongress2025.org/assembly/mot...
Reposted by Keller Kopf
The disproportionate impact of the #megabiota on biodiversity and ecosystem processes
October 11, 2025 at 3:19 PM
The disproportionate impact of the #megabiota on biodiversity and ecosystem processes
Dexter and Casper snoozing
October 9, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Dexter and Casper snoozing
Little surprise saltwater crocodile swimming off local Darwin beach; I did let the surf lifeguards and swimmers know!
October 9, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Little surprise saltwater crocodile swimming off local Darwin beach; I did let the surf lifeguards and swimmers know!
A BIG congratulations to Dr Tegan Dedman for completing her PhD @charlesdarwinuni.bsky.social. Effects of sea level rise on the tropical freshwater wetland communities
October 9, 2025 at 11:12 PM
A BIG congratulations to Dr Tegan Dedman for completing her PhD @charlesdarwinuni.bsky.social. Effects of sea level rise on the tropical freshwater wetland communities
Reposted by Keller Kopf
Bison inhibits tree growth in Great Plains. We should give wisent a better chance to do the same in German national parks.
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Native megafauna (Bison bison) act as a surprising inhibitor of cedar tree expansion in a Great Plains grassland
In the Central Great Plains of North America, fire suppression is causing transitions from grasslands to shrublands and woodlands. This woody encroachment alters plant community composition, decrease...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 9, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Bison inhibits tree growth in Great Plains. We should give wisent a better chance to do the same in German national parks.
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Keller Kopf
@sse-evolution.bsky.social just announced the following:
Call for Proposals: Research Synthesis Working Groups
The Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE) invites proposals for sponsored Research Synthesis Working Groups at the 2026 Evolution meeting (up to two in-person and one virtual). ...
Call for Proposals: Research Synthesis Working Groups
The Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE) invites proposals for sponsored Research Synthesis Working Groups at the 2026 Evolution meeting (up to two in-person and one virtual). ...
October 9, 2025 at 10:23 PM
@sse-evolution.bsky.social just announced the following:
Call for Proposals: Research Synthesis Working Groups
The Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE) invites proposals for sponsored Research Synthesis Working Groups at the 2026 Evolution meeting (up to two in-person and one virtual). ...
Call for Proposals: Research Synthesis Working Groups
The Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE) invites proposals for sponsored Research Synthesis Working Groups at the 2026 Evolution meeting (up to two in-person and one virtual). ...
Reposted by Keller Kopf
Does body size predict abundance the same way in all environments, as predicted by the Metabolic theory of Ecology? Our new study challenges this assumption. Read it here: 📄 doi.org/10.1111/ele....
Biodiversity modulates the cross‐community scaling relationship in changing environments
Organismal abundance typically declines with increasing body size, with metabolic theory predicting a universal size–abundance slope of –0.75. Using protist microcosms across gradients of species ric...
doi.org
October 6, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Does body size predict abundance the same way in all environments, as predicted by the Metabolic theory of Ecology? Our new study challenges this assumption. Read it here: 📄 doi.org/10.1111/ele....
Reposted by Keller Kopf
Classic macroecological laws-long held as signatures of biological systems-also emerge in economic and geological systems. The real signal lies not in the static universal patterns, but in how those patterns shift with scale 🌐🧪 #scaling #macroecology journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...
Separating Macroecological Pattern and Process: Comparing Ecological, Economic, and Geological Systems
Theories of biodiversity rest on several macroecological patterns describing the relationship between species abundance and diversity. A central problem is that all theories make similar predictions f...
journals.plos.org
October 1, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Classic macroecological laws-long held as signatures of biological systems-also emerge in economic and geological systems. The real signal lies not in the static universal patterns, but in how those patterns shift with scale 🌐🧪 #scaling #macroecology journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...
Reposted by Keller Kopf
Cool... a global focus on three core traits of ectotherms: metabolic rate, development time and fecundity. ShareTrait: Towards interoperable and reusable individual trait-based data in ectotherms #OpenTraits #FunctionalTraits besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1... 🧪🌐
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
September 19, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Cool... a global focus on three core traits of ectotherms: metabolic rate, development time and fecundity. ShareTrait: Towards interoperable and reusable individual trait-based data in ectotherms #OpenTraits #FunctionalTraits besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1... 🧪🌐
Reposted by Keller Kopf
The Society of Wildlife Art have a wonderful project at Massingham Heath rewilding project, Norfolk. Here Amie Haslam and Brin Edwards explain the project. youtu.be/hiCQiSHuaG4?...
The Power of Art in Conservation
YouTube video by Bill Sutherland's Conservation Concepts
youtu.be
August 8, 2025 at 6:48 AM
The Society of Wildlife Art have a wonderful project at Massingham Heath rewilding project, Norfolk. Here Amie Haslam and Brin Edwards explain the project. youtu.be/hiCQiSHuaG4?...
Reposted by Keller Kopf
This is fascinating - the brain fires up immune cells when sick people are nearby
🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
The brain fires up immune cells when sick people are nearby
When people viewed virtual avatars with coughs or rashes, their brains triggered an immune response.
www.nature.com
August 2, 2025 at 8:27 AM
This is fascinating - the brain fires up immune cells when sick people are nearby
🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Keller Kopf
Why did some #megafauna survive? 🦣🦘🦌
Our new study shows #extinction risk was higher for larger, flat-footed, island species— and lower for those closely related to tropical African/Asian fauna, likely filtered by earlier human impacts 👣🍖
📄 doi.org/10.1111/geb....
#hominid #hunting #evolution
Our new study shows #extinction risk was higher for larger, flat-footed, island species— and lower for those closely related to tropical African/Asian fauna, likely filtered by earlier human impacts 👣🍖
📄 doi.org/10.1111/geb....
#hominid #hunting #evolution
August 2, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Why did some #megafauna survive? 🦣🦘🦌
Our new study shows #extinction risk was higher for larger, flat-footed, island species— and lower for those closely related to tropical African/Asian fauna, likely filtered by earlier human impacts 👣🍖
📄 doi.org/10.1111/geb....
#hominid #hunting #evolution
Our new study shows #extinction risk was higher for larger, flat-footed, island species— and lower for those closely related to tropical African/Asian fauna, likely filtered by earlier human impacts 👣🍖
📄 doi.org/10.1111/geb....
#hominid #hunting #evolution