Nelle Kulick
@nellekulick.bsky.social
Hormones, behavior & ecophysiology 🐒 • Studying capuchin responses to extreme ecological challenge ⛈️🌡️🥭 • she/her • Enjoyer of art & climbing pretty rocks 🧗🏻♀️🥾🏃♀️
PhD candidate @Tulane, visiting researcher @UCalgary
(Nelle rhymes with bell)
PhD candidate @Tulane, visiting researcher @UCalgary
(Nelle rhymes with bell)
Reposted by Nelle Kulick
When I say you need a sense of humor in #fieldwork, I don’t mean you can do impressions or be the group clown.
What I mean is you can laugh at yourself when the following things happen (all of which have happened to me + my travel buds in the last 5 weeks): (1/x) 🐒 🧪 🪨 🏺
What I mean is you can laugh at yourself when the following things happen (all of which have happened to me + my travel buds in the last 5 weeks): (1/x) 🐒 🧪 🪨 🏺
August 29, 2025 at 6:15 PM
When I say you need a sense of humor in #fieldwork, I don’t mean you can do impressions or be the group clown.
What I mean is you can laugh at yourself when the following things happen (all of which have happened to me + my travel buds in the last 5 weeks): (1/x) 🐒 🧪 🪨 🏺
What I mean is you can laugh at yourself when the following things happen (all of which have happened to me + my travel buds in the last 5 weeks): (1/x) 🐒 🧪 🪨 🏺
Reposted by Nelle Kulick
The evolution of reversible plasticity in stable environments
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Now in @evolletters.bsky.social by Nicole Walasek et al.
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Now in @evolletters.bsky.social by Nicole Walasek et al.
The evolution of reversible plasticity in stable environments
Abstract. Reversible plasticity, i.e., the ability to deconstruct phenotypic specializations based on environmental conditions, is widespread in nature. De
doi.org
August 18, 2025 at 3:34 PM
The evolution of reversible plasticity in stable environments
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Now in @evolletters.bsky.social by Nicole Walasek et al.
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Now in @evolletters.bsky.social by Nicole Walasek et al.
Reposted by Nelle Kulick
🐦 Tropical bird numbers falling due to extreme heat
A new study finds human-driven heat extremes, not average warming, have cut tropical bird abundance by 25–38% since 1950, even in undisturbed habitats.
🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s415...
#SciComm 🧪 #ClimateCrisis
A new study finds human-driven heat extremes, not average warming, have cut tropical bird abundance by 25–38% since 1950, even in undisturbed habitats.
🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s415...
#SciComm 🧪 #ClimateCrisis
Large reductions in tropical bird abundance attributable to heat extreme intensification - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Climate change poses a growing threat to biodiversity, but disentangling its overall impact from other anthropogenic stressors is challenging. Here the authors use a data-driven climate attribution fr...
doi.org
August 13, 2025 at 4:55 AM
🐦 Tropical bird numbers falling due to extreme heat
A new study finds human-driven heat extremes, not average warming, have cut tropical bird abundance by 25–38% since 1950, even in undisturbed habitats.
🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s415...
#SciComm 🧪 #ClimateCrisis
A new study finds human-driven heat extremes, not average warming, have cut tropical bird abundance by 25–38% since 1950, even in undisturbed habitats.
🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s415...
#SciComm 🧪 #ClimateCrisis
Sometimes I don’t feel like an anthropologist, but then I find myself spending hours trying to remember the nickname of an archaic Homo cranium found in the town I’m driving through and it all makes sense
August 7, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Sometimes I don’t feel like an anthropologist, but then I find myself spending hours trying to remember the nickname of an archaic Homo cranium found in the town I’m driving through and it all makes sense
Fun fact - chameleons are little rule breakers in Kiswahili 🧵1/5
August 6, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Fun fact - chameleons are little rule breakers in Kiswahili 🧵1/5
Invisibility cloak activated
🔍 mossy leaf-tailed gecko
🔍 mossy leaf-tailed gecko
August 5, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Invisibility cloak activated
🔍 mossy leaf-tailed gecko
🔍 mossy leaf-tailed gecko
Reposted by Nelle Kulick
I saw god in these ring tailed lemurs
August 4, 2025 at 7:35 PM
I saw god in these ring tailed lemurs
A spiritual experience
August 4, 2025 at 7:35 PM
A spiritual experience
Truly major respect, makes studying primates in a tropical dry forest feel like a walk in the park
Humbled by the Ranamafana rainforest
August 4, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Truly major respect, makes studying primates in a tropical dry forest feel like a walk in the park
Someone should study the lexicon of car honking in Madagascar
August 3, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Someone should study the lexicon of car honking in Madagascar
Reposted by Nelle Kulick
New paper out on the dangers of using patterns across spatial climate gradients to predict what will happen with changing climate. That includes species distribution modeling. Space-for-time substitution can be misleading in sign, not just the magnitude of effects.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reconsidering space-for-time substitution in climate change ecology - Nature Climate Change
Ecologists often leverage patterns observed across spatial climate gradients to predict the impacts of climate change (space-for-time substitution). We highlight evidence that this can be misleading n...
www.nature.com
July 31, 2025 at 4:04 AM
New paper out on the dangers of using patterns across spatial climate gradients to predict what will happen with changing climate. That includes species distribution modeling. Space-for-time substitution can be misleading in sign, not just the magnitude of effects.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Honored and profoundly thankful to have received funding from the NSF DDRIG to support my research.
I’ll be assessing how wild capuchins respond to extreme ecological challenges behaviorally and physiologically, with a focus on identifying adaptive qualities of prolonged adrenocortical responses.
I’ll be assessing how wild capuchins respond to extreme ecological challenges behaviorally and physiologically, with a focus on identifying adaptive qualities of prolonged adrenocortical responses.
August 2, 2025 at 4:03 AM
Honored and profoundly thankful to have received funding from the NSF DDRIG to support my research.
I’ll be assessing how wild capuchins respond to extreme ecological challenges behaviorally and physiologically, with a focus on identifying adaptive qualities of prolonged adrenocortical responses.
I’ll be assessing how wild capuchins respond to extreme ecological challenges behaviorally and physiologically, with a focus on identifying adaptive qualities of prolonged adrenocortical responses.
Had a wonderful time at #IPS2025!
More to come soon on how hormone profiles in male white-faced capuchins change during alpha male replacements (co-led w/ @meganpetersdorf.bsky.social)
More to come soon on how hormone profiles in male white-faced capuchins change during alpha male replacements (co-led w/ @meganpetersdorf.bsky.social)
July 29, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Had a wonderful time at #IPS2025!
More to come soon on how hormone profiles in male white-faced capuchins change during alpha male replacements (co-led w/ @meganpetersdorf.bsky.social)
More to come soon on how hormone profiles in male white-faced capuchins change during alpha male replacements (co-led w/ @meganpetersdorf.bsky.social)
One of our first papers in a series that investigates the potential for olfactory communication in wild capuchins is now out! Stay tuned for the next pieces of the story 🧪 🐒 👃
Our paper on how capuchin pee smells, and why monkeys might rub it all over their bodies is now out in @royalsociety.org RSOS. Led by Alice Poirier, @nellekulick.bsky.social, & a great team of collaborators, this was a complicated but fascinating project.
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Urine washing and urinary odour profiles in relation to dominance rank status in wild male capuchin monkeys (Cebus imitator) | Royal Society Open Science
Urine plays an essential role in mammalian olfactory communication, although its potential
role in primates has long been overlooked owing to focus on their visual adaptations
for communication. Here,...
royalsocietypublishing.org
July 29, 2025 at 12:17 PM
One of our first papers in a series that investigates the potential for olfactory communication in wild capuchins is now out! Stay tuned for the next pieces of the story 🧪 🐒 👃
Reposted by Nelle Kulick
Social anxiety in macaques
Tibetan macaques show self-directed behaviors before facing difficult social situations. For example, when females plan to approach higher-ranking females, or when low-ranking males are plan to approach receptive females.
(paper) onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Tibetan macaques show self-directed behaviors before facing difficult social situations. For example, when females plan to approach higher-ranking females, or when low-ranking males are plan to approach receptive females.
(paper) onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
June 29, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Social anxiety in macaques
Tibetan macaques show self-directed behaviors before facing difficult social situations. For example, when females plan to approach higher-ranking females, or when low-ranking males are plan to approach receptive females.
(paper) onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Tibetan macaques show self-directed behaviors before facing difficult social situations. For example, when females plan to approach higher-ranking females, or when low-ranking males are plan to approach receptive females.
(paper) onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Awesome field management position open to study Kinda baboons in Zambia!👇🐒
Looking for an August start date so applications will have a quick turnaround – apply now! 🧪
Looking for an August start date so applications will have a quick turnaround – apply now! 🧪
Do you have field work experience? Do you want more? Our team wants YOU to manage our field site studying Kinda baboons in Kasanka National Park, Zambia!
Start date is this August 2025 so apply ASAP!
Job ad here: tinyurl.com/KindaBaboon
Start date is this August 2025 so apply ASAP!
Job ad here: tinyurl.com/KindaBaboon
July 1, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Awesome field management position open to study Kinda baboons in Zambia!👇🐒
Looking for an August start date so applications will have a quick turnaround – apply now! 🧪
Looking for an August start date so applications will have a quick turnaround – apply now! 🧪
Reposted by Nelle Kulick
Happy to share our new paper introducing the Animal Culture Database in Scientific Data: We’re putting together a resource consolidating primary research on cultural behaviors in wild animal populations and how they’re affected by human activity (1/5) www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Mapping nonhuman cultures with the Animal Culture Database - Scientific Data
Scientific Data - Mapping nonhuman cultures with the Animal Culture Database
www.nature.com
June 22, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Happy to share our new paper introducing the Animal Culture Database in Scientific Data: We’re putting together a resource consolidating primary research on cultural behaviors in wild animal populations and how they’re affected by human activity (1/5) www.nature.com/articles/s41...
No Kings - Missoula
June 15, 2025 at 2:22 PM
No Kings - Missoula
Real power isn't staged in DC — it rises up everywhere else. Join me on No Kings Day to stand together against cruelty, corruption, and authoritarianism.
Find an event near you: nokings.org
Find an event near you: nokings.org
Join me on June 14
app.sosha.ai
June 13, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Real power isn't staged in DC — it rises up everywhere else. Join me on No Kings Day to stand together against cruelty, corruption, and authoritarianism.
Find an event near you: nokings.org
Find an event near you: nokings.org
Mine changes with nearly every hike in the Rockies and I don’t know what that says about me 😂 (Just an Alberta newb probably)
A couple of recent contenders
A couple of recent contenders
June 7, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Mine changes with nearly every hike in the Rockies and I don’t know what that says about me 😂 (Just an Alberta newb probably)
A couple of recent contenders
A couple of recent contenders
Reposted by Nelle Kulick
🚀 New paper led by Dr Becks Spake!
We make the case for precision ecology—using big data & predictive tools to tailor conservation actions to local contexts.
Can ecology learn from medicine & marketing to boost impact? We think so.
Read it here: rdcu.be/eoaR4
#Conservation #Ecology #BigData
We make the case for precision ecology—using big data & predictive tools to tailor conservation actions to local contexts.
Can ecology learn from medicine & marketing to boost impact? We think so.
Read it here: rdcu.be/eoaR4
#Conservation #Ecology #BigData
Precision ecology for targeted conservation action
Nature Ecology & Evolution - The fields of medicine and marketing use large data volumes and computational power to target individuals. This Perspective argues that applied ecologists should...
rdcu.be
June 6, 2025 at 7:52 AM
🚀 New paper led by Dr Becks Spake!
We make the case for precision ecology—using big data & predictive tools to tailor conservation actions to local contexts.
Can ecology learn from medicine & marketing to boost impact? We think so.
Read it here: rdcu.be/eoaR4
#Conservation #Ecology #BigData
We make the case for precision ecology—using big data & predictive tools to tailor conservation actions to local contexts.
Can ecology learn from medicine & marketing to boost impact? We think so.
Read it here: rdcu.be/eoaR4
#Conservation #Ecology #BigData
Reposted by Nelle Kulick
there has been a bunch of (many good) papers coming about about integrating Causal Inference and DAGS into research about behavior and ecology (i.e. doi.org/10.1111/brv....) but i thought it might be useful to show some example empirical papers that do so (see growing thread)...
Ecology needs a causal overhaul
Ecology has yet to embrace causal inference, yet most questions in ecology are causal. Despite the common use of terms that imply causation, such as “shapes”, “drives”, or “impacts”, many studies shy...
doi.org
June 6, 2025 at 11:20 AM
there has been a bunch of (many good) papers coming about about integrating Causal Inference and DAGS into research about behavior and ecology (i.e. doi.org/10.1111/brv....) but i thought it might be useful to show some example empirical papers that do so (see growing thread)...
Reposted by Nelle Kulick
Fascinating latest model of Homo sapiens evolution within Africa.
Interesting finding that cultural innovation was accelerated by both population size increases, but also recombination across partially isolated regions (e.g. Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa)
Interesting finding that cultural innovation was accelerated by both population size increases, but also recombination across partially isolated regions (e.g. Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa)
May 25, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Fascinating latest model of Homo sapiens evolution within Africa.
Interesting finding that cultural innovation was accelerated by both population size increases, but also recombination across partially isolated regions (e.g. Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa)
Interesting finding that cultural innovation was accelerated by both population size increases, but also recombination across partially isolated regions (e.g. Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa)
This brings me far more joy than it probably should
May 25, 2025 at 9:11 AM
This brings me far more joy than it probably should
Reposted by Nelle Kulick
Hot off the press 📣: one of the most surprising and unsettling findings of my PhD. A novel social tradition emerged in the tool-using white-faced capuchins of Jicarón island… abducting and carrying the infants of another species. Thread with gifs, videos, and all the bizarre details 👇
Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Current Biology (doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...) we show the rise and spread of a surprising tradition: interspecies infant abduction. Interactive timeline (www.ab.mpg.de/671374) 🧵 (1/12)
May 19, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Hot off the press 📣: one of the most surprising and unsettling findings of my PhD. A novel social tradition emerged in the tool-using white-faced capuchins of Jicarón island… abducting and carrying the infants of another species. Thread with gifs, videos, and all the bizarre details 👇