Robert Tropek
@robtrop.bsky.social
Tropical ecologist, community ecologist, and entomologist at
@sciencecharles.bsky.social and Biology Centre Czech Academy of Science; head of Insect Community Ecology Group (https://www.insect-communities.cz/)
@sciencecharles.bsky.social and Biology Centre Czech Academy of Science; head of Insect Community Ecology Group (https://www.insect-communities.cz/)
You wake up after the Christmas party, pry your eyes open, check you still have your phone, and then you open your email…
(this first email in Czech is announcing that my student has submitted her MSc thesis)
(this first email in Czech is announcing that my student has submitted her MSc thesis)
December 12, 2025 at 10:24 AM
You wake up after the Christmas party, pry your eyes open, check you still have your phone, and then you open your email…
(this first email in Czech is announcing that my student has submitted her MSc thesis)
(this first email in Czech is announcing that my student has submitted her MSc thesis)
New study!
We just published the first test of the elevational niche-breadth hypothesis using habitat niches of fruit-feeding butterflies and moths on Mount Cameroon in @oikosjournal.bsky.social!
It is another chapter from defended PhD thesis of @fpgaona1.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1002/oik....
We just published the first test of the elevational niche-breadth hypothesis using habitat niches of fruit-feeding butterflies and moths on Mount Cameroon in @oikosjournal.bsky.social!
It is another chapter from defended PhD thesis of @fpgaona1.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1002/oik....
Butterfly and moth habitat specialisation changes along an elevational gradient of tropical forests on Mount Cameroon
Niche breadth, reflecting the range of environmental conditions or resources a species can exploit, influences its distribution, persistence, vulnerability to environmental change, and interspecific ...
doi.org
December 8, 2025 at 10:25 AM
New study!
We just published the first test of the elevational niche-breadth hypothesis using habitat niches of fruit-feeding butterflies and moths on Mount Cameroon in @oikosjournal.bsky.social!
It is another chapter from defended PhD thesis of @fpgaona1.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1002/oik....
We just published the first test of the elevational niche-breadth hypothesis using habitat niches of fruit-feeding butterflies and moths on Mount Cameroon in @oikosjournal.bsky.social!
It is another chapter from defended PhD thesis of @fpgaona1.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1002/oik....
Study based on my MSc thesis has just reached 400 citations!💪
Fully my idea, ignored by my supervisor as "not interesting". I got a small student grant (~1000 EUR), fully coordinated the entire project, sampled a lot of insects, passed hard review process...
And it IS interesting for others!
Fully my idea, ignored by my supervisor as "not interesting". I got a small student grant (~1000 EUR), fully coordinated the entire project, sampled a lot of insects, passed hard review process...
And it IS interesting for others!
December 4, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Study based on my MSc thesis has just reached 400 citations!💪
Fully my idea, ignored by my supervisor as "not interesting". I got a small student grant (~1000 EUR), fully coordinated the entire project, sampled a lot of insects, passed hard review process...
And it IS interesting for others!
Fully my idea, ignored by my supervisor as "not interesting". I got a small student grant (~1000 EUR), fully coordinated the entire project, sampled a lot of insects, passed hard review process...
And it IS interesting for others!
Chapter from a recently defended PhD thesis of
@fpgaona1.bsky.social has just been published in the African Journal of Ecology!
Elevational patterns in two groups of micromoths (#Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae, Alucitidae) in tropical forests of Mount Cameroon
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@fpgaona1.bsky.social has just been published in the African Journal of Ecology!
Elevational patterns in two groups of micromoths (#Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae, Alucitidae) in tropical forests of Mount Cameroon
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
November 19, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Chapter from a recently defended PhD thesis of
@fpgaona1.bsky.social has just been published in the African Journal of Ecology!
Elevational patterns in two groups of micromoths (#Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae, Alucitidae) in tropical forests of Mount Cameroon
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@fpgaona1.bsky.social has just been published in the African Journal of Ecology!
Elevational patterns in two groups of micromoths (#Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae, Alucitidae) in tropical forests of Mount Cameroon
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Robert Tropek
Among those honored yesterday with state decorations by Czech President Petr Pavel is Tomáš Jungwirth from @fzuavcr.bsky.social: a physicist and world-leading expert in spintronics, a field that could greatly boost the efficiency of electronic devices. He received the Medal of Merit in science.
October 29, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Among those honored yesterday with state decorations by Czech President Petr Pavel is Tomáš Jungwirth from @fzuavcr.bsky.social: a physicist and world-leading expert in spintronics, a field that could greatly boost the efficiency of electronic devices. He received the Medal of Merit in science.
Reposted by Robert Tropek
The most challenging chapter of my PhD thesis is now out as a preprint! A joint effort I co-led with @robtrop.bsky.social and 139 incredible collaborators from all around the world. Huge thanks to everyone involved!
New preprint!
“Climate-driven specialisation in plant–pollinator networks peaks outside the tropics”
Testing the long-debated latitudinal specialisation gradient using >3,400 quantitative networks (>110,000 interactions). Led by @saileesakhalkar.bsky.social and myself ☺️
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
“Climate-driven specialisation in plant–pollinator networks peaks outside the tropics”
Testing the long-debated latitudinal specialisation gradient using >3,400 quantitative networks (>110,000 interactions). Led by @saileesakhalkar.bsky.social and myself ☺️
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
October 14, 2025 at 8:09 AM
The most challenging chapter of my PhD thesis is now out as a preprint! A joint effort I co-led with @robtrop.bsky.social and 139 incredible collaborators from all around the world. Huge thanks to everyone involved!
New preprint!
“Climate-driven specialisation in plant–pollinator networks peaks outside the tropics”
Testing the long-debated latitudinal specialisation gradient using >3,400 quantitative networks (>110,000 interactions). Led by @saileesakhalkar.bsky.social and myself ☺️
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
“Climate-driven specialisation in plant–pollinator networks peaks outside the tropics”
Testing the long-debated latitudinal specialisation gradient using >3,400 quantitative networks (>110,000 interactions). Led by @saileesakhalkar.bsky.social and myself ☺️
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
October 10, 2025 at 8:32 AM
New preprint!
“Climate-driven specialisation in plant–pollinator networks peaks outside the tropics”
Testing the long-debated latitudinal specialisation gradient using >3,400 quantitative networks (>110,000 interactions). Led by @saileesakhalkar.bsky.social and myself ☺️
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
“Climate-driven specialisation in plant–pollinator networks peaks outside the tropics”
Testing the long-debated latitudinal specialisation gradient using >3,400 quantitative networks (>110,000 interactions). Led by @saileesakhalkar.bsky.social and myself ☺️
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Today, we have received an announcement that Intranet of @charlesuni.cuni.cz is becoming an official communication channel between the university and its employees. Probably a good idea but... the university decides to ignore a few hundreds (I guess🤔) non-Czech speaking staff🤡 (please fix it!)
April 8, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Today, we have received an announcement that Intranet of @charlesuni.cuni.cz is becoming an official communication channel between the university and its employees. Probably a good idea but... the university decides to ignore a few hundreds (I guess🤔) non-Czech speaking staff🤡 (please fix it!)
Our mini-review on the role of moths in pollination of tropical plants has been published! Maybe interesting not only for entomologists, botanists, and pollination ecologists...
🚨New paper on tropical moth pollination 🧵1/8 - What happens in tropical ecosystems when the day ends?🌔🦋 Our new review that @robtrop.bsky.social and I wrote highlights moths’ vital role in pollination and outlines research gaps, challenges and biases. Sharing valued! Link: doi.org/10.1017/S026...
When the day ends: Review on the importance of nocturnal moths as pollinators in tropical ecosystems | Journal of Tropical Ecology | Cambridge Core
When the day ends: Review on the importance of nocturnal moths as pollinators in tropical ecosystems - Volume 41
doi.org
April 8, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Our mini-review on the role of moths in pollination of tropical plants has been published! Maybe interesting not only for entomologists, botanists, and pollination ecologists...
Reposted by Robert Tropek
🚨New paper on tropical moth pollination 🧵1/8 - What happens in tropical ecosystems when the day ends?🌔🦋 Our new review that @robtrop.bsky.social and I wrote highlights moths’ vital role in pollination and outlines research gaps, challenges and biases. Sharing valued! Link: doi.org/10.1017/S026...
When the day ends: Review on the importance of nocturnal moths as pollinators in tropical ecosystems | Journal of Tropical Ecology | Cambridge Core
When the day ends: Review on the importance of nocturnal moths as pollinators in tropical ecosystems - Volume 41
doi.org
March 28, 2025 at 2:10 PM
🚨New paper on tropical moth pollination 🧵1/8 - What happens in tropical ecosystems when the day ends?🌔🦋 Our new review that @robtrop.bsky.social and I wrote highlights moths’ vital role in pollination and outlines research gaps, challenges and biases. Sharing valued! Link: doi.org/10.1017/S026...
Reposted by Robert Tropek
Grateful for the opportunity to present our very recently accepted review paper on Nocturnal Moths as Pollinators in the Tropics that @robtrop.bsky.social and I wrote at the #OIKOSFin2025. Stay tuned for the full paper coming soon!
March 14, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Grateful for the opportunity to present our very recently accepted review paper on Nocturnal Moths as Pollinators in the Tropics that @robtrop.bsky.social and I wrote at the #OIKOSFin2025. Stay tuned for the full paper coming soon!
Reposted by Robert Tropek
Naše Zvířata v éře lidí se vešla do širších nominací na Cenu Magnesia Litera. Mám radost velikou a mávám a dekuju všem, co na tom mají podíl @denikn.cz
March 6, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Naše Zvířata v éře lidí se vešla do širších nominací na Cenu Magnesia Litera. Mám radost velikou a mávám a dekuju všem, co na tom mají podíl @denikn.cz
Serious question from a European scientist: Are there any Trump voters among American academics who are now satisfied with the situation in US research/academia? I suppose they are not common in this network but do you know any?
(I hope this nightmare will end soon)
(I hope this nightmare will end soon)
Friendly reminder: if you are waiting on something from a US-based scientist/reviewer/editor, please realize that we're barely making it through each day putting out non-stop fires and trying not to collapse into tears. We're trying our best, but things will take longer right now. Give grace.
March 4, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Serious question from a European scientist: Are there any Trump voters among American academics who are now satisfied with the situation in US research/academia? I suppose they are not common in this network but do you know any?
(I hope this nightmare will end soon)
(I hope this nightmare will end soon)
Reposted by Robert Tropek
Czech President Petr Pavel: “We stand with Ukraine more than ever. Time for Europe to step up its efforts.”
February 28, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Czech President Petr Pavel: “We stand with Ukraine more than ever. Time for Europe to step up its efforts.”
Reposted by Robert Tropek
A new butterfly species in Europe: Papilio saharae. An African species with (as far as we know at the moment) one population in Europe on Lampedusa. resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
Whole‐genome data shed light on speciation and within‐species differentiation of the Papilio machaon complex around the Mediterranean Basin
Genomic data refine the species boundary of Papilio machaon and confirm the species status of Papilio saharae, with clarification of subspecies delineation of Mediterranean machaon and saharae. A he...
resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
February 25, 2025 at 7:37 AM
A new butterfly species in Europe: Papilio saharae. An African species with (as far as we know at the moment) one population in Europe on Lampedusa. resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
Reposted by Robert Tropek
Loving deep-sea fish and molecular evolution?
We're hiring!:-) Looking for a motivated PhD student to join us to study evolution of vision & to explore limits of vertebrate eye in extreme environment. Deadline 15th March. Thanks for applying and sharing!
more info: www.fishevo.com/erc-funded-p...
We're hiring!:-) Looking for a motivated PhD student to join us to study evolution of vision & to explore limits of vertebrate eye in extreme environment. Deadline 15th March. Thanks for applying and sharing!
more info: www.fishevo.com/erc-funded-p...
February 19, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Loving deep-sea fish and molecular evolution?
We're hiring!:-) Looking for a motivated PhD student to join us to study evolution of vision & to explore limits of vertebrate eye in extreme environment. Deadline 15th March. Thanks for applying and sharing!
more info: www.fishevo.com/erc-funded-p...
We're hiring!:-) Looking for a motivated PhD student to join us to study evolution of vision & to explore limits of vertebrate eye in extreme environment. Deadline 15th March. Thanks for applying and sharing!
more info: www.fishevo.com/erc-funded-p...
Reposted by Robert Tropek
🌿🌳 Rethinking Europe’s #Nature🍃🐘 Our new study challenges the closed-forest paradigm—pre-Homo sapiens landscapes were a fine-grained mosaic of open areas, closed #forest & light #woodland, likely linked to the rich #megafauna🐂🏵️https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950475925000061
February 18, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Reposted by Robert Tropek
A postdoc opportunity to work on Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) functional genomics with me, @jadrankarota.bsky.social and @chriswheat.bsky.social in Lund, Sweden. We aim to leverage the amazing amount of data being generated by @projectpsyche.bsky.social and DToL projects.
lu.varbi.com/en/what:job/...
lu.varbi.com/en/what:job/...
Postdoctoral fellow in Noctuidae functional genomics
Subject description The project will use a comparative functional genomes approach to study a species-rich group of moths, Noctuidae (Lepidoptera). Noctuidae have both a huge negative and positive imp
lu.varbi.com
February 6, 2025 at 10:52 AM
A postdoc opportunity to work on Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) functional genomics with me, @jadrankarota.bsky.social and @chriswheat.bsky.social in Lund, Sweden. We aim to leverage the amazing amount of data being generated by @projectpsyche.bsky.social and DToL projects.
lu.varbi.com/en/what:job/...
lu.varbi.com/en/what:job/...
You buy an interactive book for your kid realising its texts are based on scientific results of your wife @fishevo.bsky.social!😍 Proud a lot💪
When you buy an interactive kid book on the oceans - and you find the results of your research there (on how deep-sea fish see their world:-). That’s the real impact!:-) hope it gets translated in Eng eventually:-)
February 5, 2025 at 10:43 AM
You buy an interactive book for your kid realising its texts are based on scientific results of your wife @fishevo.bsky.social!😍 Proud a lot💪
Reposted by Robert Tropek
Any slug enthusiasts among my followers? Please RT. Our lab develops a slug laboratory model from Deroceras laeve (genomes, CRISPRs, small RNAs ...) and I am opening one PhD position on "piRNa and genome defense in gastropods". Info & online application here:
www.img.cas.cz/kariera/phd-...
www.img.cas.cz/kariera/phd-...
Volné PhD pozice (v angličtině) – Ústav molekulární genetiky AV ČR, v. v. i.
www.img.cas.cz
January 27, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Any slug enthusiasts among my followers? Please RT. Our lab develops a slug laboratory model from Deroceras laeve (genomes, CRISPRs, small RNAs ...) and I am opening one PhD position on "piRNa and genome defense in gastropods". Info & online application here:
www.img.cas.cz/kariera/phd-...
www.img.cas.cz/kariera/phd-...
I have just arrived, finally escaped from Twitter, probably too late. Give me some time to look around...
January 21, 2025 at 10:39 PM
I have just arrived, finally escaped from Twitter, probably too late. Give me some time to look around...