Ross N. Cuthbert | Lightnews

Ross Cuthbert

@rosscuthbert.bsky.social

190 followers 220 following 19 posts

Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast | invasion science, disease vectors, global change, ecology

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Environmental science 61%

Geography 15%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Ingolf Kühn, Stelios Katsanevakis, Ross N. Cuthbert

Tammy Robinson @tbrresearch.bsky.social · Oct 9

ICMB XIII goes to Cape Town, South Africa!

The next International Conference on Marine Bioinvasions is now confirmed for 2027! Follow for more updates.

Hope to see you there!

@marinebioinvasions.bsky.social #bioinvasions #NIS #marinebioinvasions #ICMB2027 #capetown #southafrica

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Oct 2

What can medical entomology learn from invasion science?

Our new paper in Ecology Letters explores the potential links between aquatic plant invasions and the global proliferation of vector mosquitoes

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

Double Trouble: Aquatic Invasive Plants Can Promote Mosquitoes

You have to enable JavaScript in your browser's settings in order to use the eReader.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Sep 30

Funded PhD opportunity in our lab with NorthWestBio DTP:

Assessing the role of plant invasions in mosquito-borne disease risk

Plant invasions transform ecosystem structure, but can they promote insect vectors and associated disease risks?

Deadline 21 November 2025

www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...

Reposted by Julie L. Lockwood

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Sep 29

Global warming confers performance advantages to a non‐native predator

nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Global warming confers performance advantages to a non‐native predator

Anthropogenic impacts manifest in rising temperatures worldwide, with drastic consequences for communities and ecosystems. Ectotherms tend to reach a smaller size at maturity in warmer environments, ...

nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Aug 22

Had the pleasure of sharing our #mosquito and #midge research with @itvnews.bsky.social earlier this week

We are unravelling the insect vector composition and disease risk in Northern Ireland for the first time in decades, with temperate areas increasingly at risk

www.itv.com/watch/news/m...

www.itv.com

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Aug 9

Darwin's naturalisation conundrum poses two conflicting hypotheses around invasion processes

Using ~3000 North American fish communities, we show that native relatatedness promotes non-native establishment, but invasion richness links more strongly to human drivers

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

www.science.org

Reposted by Emili García‐Berthou

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Aug 1

Abstract submissions have just opened for #ICAIS2026, hosted in Northern Ireland at @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social

The conference theme is "Transcending Boundaries", considering habitats, disciplines, regions, and research-policy interfaces

Deadline: September 26, 2025

icais.org/icais-2026/c...

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Jul 19

Can Galileo and Einstein's theory of relativity be applied to biological systems?

This new paper proposes the expansion of the dynamics of relativity theory into evolutionary changes from natural selection:

papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Spacetime Dynamics of Relativity Theory in Evolutionary Change

Rates of evolutionary change vary over several orders of magnitude across species within ecological networks, resulting in multiple fundamental phenomena that s

papers.ssrn.com

Reposted by Ross N. Cuthbert

The Global Vector Hub @globalvectorhub.bsky.social · Jul 15

🦟"Vertical transmission in field-caught #mosquitoes identifies a mechanism for the establishment of #Usutu #virus in a temperate country" by Mirjam Schilling et al. at APHA, ZSL, @ukhsa.bsky.social in Scientific Reports @natureportfolio.nature.com

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Reposted by Julie L. Lockwood, Emili García‐Berthou, Ross N. Cuthbert

Tammy Robinson @tbrresearch.bsky.social · Jul 13

We are recruiting! Looking for a dynamic, self-motivated, field-work loving post-doc to join our team working on invasions in MPAs. More details here: blogs.sun.ac.za/cib/project/...

#MarineBioinvasions #bioinvasions #MPAs

Reposted by Ross N. Cuthbert

Mosquito Scotland Project @mosquitoscotland.bsky.social · Jun 26

The #mosquito season is truly underway in these celtic lands. We're seeing an uptick in Scotland, and #Mosquito Northern Ireland friends Ryan Carmichael & @rosscuthbert.bsky.social got these in a trap in #Armagh today.

You can report mosquito sightings in Scotland -
www.mosquito-scotland.com

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Jun 23

A Research Highlight for this new primary research:

doi.org/10.1111/1365...

The same species, not the same invader: Metabolic responses of genetically distinct invasive populations of Dikerogammarus villosus and their intraspecific hybrid to environmental stresses

We found evidence that intraspecific hybridisation due to relocations of organisms from different source populations to the same new areas may aid organisms in adapting to climate change.

doi.org

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Jun 23

Hybridisation primes population invasiveness under environmental change

doi.org/10.1111/1365...

Hybridisation primes population invasiveness under environmental change

Population-level differences can mediate biological invasion success under climatic gradients. I highlight recent research that demonstrates profound differences in environmental tolerances between i....

doi.org

Reposted by Ross N. Cuthbert

BES-invasiongroup @bes-invasiongroup.bsky.social · Jun 10

Followed by @rosscuthbert.bsky.social on why urban species can be successful invaders & @elliedolan.bsky.social on how to balance river barrier removal and invasive species management

Reposted by Ross N. Cuthbert

Corey Bradshaw @conservbytes.bsky.social · May 26

Using species ranges and macroeconomic data to fill the gap in costs of biological invasions

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Using species ranges and macroeconomic data to fill the gap in costs of biological invasions - Nature Ecology & Evolution

Estimates of the monetary costs of invasive species have been hampered by data gaps. These authors use documented costs for 162 species to interpolate costs of those species for countries previously l...

www.nature.com

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · May 15

Mosquito trapping underway in Northern Ireland. Interested to see what the season (including my garden) will bring #MosquitoNI

An exciting collaboration with the inspiring @mosquitoscotland.bsky.social team

Reposted by Aníbal Pauchard, Ross N. Cuthbert, Ivan Jarić , and 2 more Aníbal Pauchard, Ross N. Cuthbert, Ivan Jarić, Belinda Gallardo, Shengyu Wang

Ana Novoa @ananovoaperez.bsky.social · May 14

📣📣 We would like to introduce the bi-annual #InvasionsNewsletter, an open-access digital magazine and a collaborative effort of individuals, networks, and organizations from around the world! You can access it here:
joom.ag/mIjd

Invasions Newsletter

safeguarding island havens. new research. management stories. policy updates.

joom.ag

Reposted by Ross N. Cuthbert

Dr Steven White @drstevenmwhite.bsky.social · Apr 29

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

The Release of Non‐Native Gamebirds Is Associated With Amplified Zoonotic Disease Risk

Spillback is potentially an important mechanism by which non-natives contribute to zoonotic disease emergence. We capitalise on quasi-experimental releases of non-native pheasants (Phasianus colchicu...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Reposted by Anthony Ricciardi

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Apr 29

Biological invasions cause multi-trillion dollar costs, but can we predict them?

We propose a new framework fusing ecology, evolution, and economics to predict costly invasions for different sectors using biological and economic characteristics

Find out more here: www.cell.com/trends/ecolo...

Harnessing traits to predict economic impacts from biological invasions

Biological invasions stand among the main anthropogenic threats to ecosystems globally while causing multitrillion-dollar impacts. Surprisingly, while trait-based frameworks have been designed to pred...

www.cell.com

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Apr 23

This paper was conceptualised during a special session at the 2022 International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species (ICAIS) in Oostende, Belgium.

We are hosting the next ICAIS on campus at @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social in 2026 — find out more here: icais.org

Home - ICAIS

The (ICAIS) is the most comprehensive international forum to address new and emerging issues related to aquatic invasive species (AIS) in freshwater, marine and estuarine environments. ICAIS provides ...

icais.org

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Apr 23

Climate change can exacerbate biological invasions and associated diseases, creating ecological, economic, and ‘OneHealth’ risks.

Our latest review unpacks this interaction, towards more coordinated and integrative management strategies.

esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Integrating climate change, biological invasions, and infectious wildlife diseases

Climate change is likely to affect infectious diseases that are facilitated by biological invasions, with repercussions for wildlife conservation and zoonotic risks. Current invasion management and p...

esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Apr 19

Rounding off our Level 1 Environmental Biology field course, biomonitoring rivers in Northern Ireland and testing for pollution effects on ecological assemblages 🪲🦐 🐟🪱 — featuring occasional horses @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social

Reposted by Ross N. Cuthbert

NeoBiota @neobiota.pensoft.net · Apr 15

Researchers show that warming and latitude shape the non-consumptive effects of both native and invasive alien crayfish predators on damselfly prey.

doi.org/10.3897/neob...

Reposted by Ross N. Cuthbert

Co-Centre for Climate + Biodiversity + Water @climatecocentre.bsky.social · Apr 4

A great meeting today of our researchers who are working on projects that focus on the theme of Enabling Fair Transitions.

#ClimateAction #Research

A group of people stand on steps in front of a brick building with arched doorways.

Reposted by Ross N. Cuthbert

Society for the Study of Marine Bioinvasions @marinebioinvasions.bsky.social · Mar 17

Registration is OPEN for #ICMBXII!

Join us October 7–9, 2025, in Funchal, Madeira Island, #Portugal for a gathering of experts, researchers, and ocean enthusiasts tackling #marine #bioinvasions!

🔗 Register now: marinebioinvasions.info/register

Reposted by Ross N. Cuthbert

Ellie Dolan @elliedolan.bsky.social · Mar 5

Our opinion piece discussing the potential spread of invasive species following riverine barrier removals is now out 🦞🐟

Excited to share my first first author publication!

@rosscuthbert.bsky.social @fengzhihe.bsky.social

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Riverine Barrier Removals Could Proliferate Biological Invasions

Artificial barriers (e.g., dams) are longstanding features of global freshwater habitats, which are being removed in growing numbers due to the limitations they place on native species movements. How....

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Reposted by Ross N. Cuthbert

GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel @geomarkiel.bsky.social · Feb 19

🏙️ Animal populations from urban areas show significantly higher resilience to stressful environmental conditions.

💡This was found by international researchers led by Dr Elizabeta Briski (GEOMAR). The study is published today in the journal Ecology Letters.

🔗 www.geomar.de/en/news/arti...

Urban environments promote adaptation to multiple stressors

19 February 2025/Kiel. Animal populations from urban areas show significantly higher resilience to stressful environmental conditions. This was found by an international team of researchers led by Dr ...

www.geomar.de

Reposted by Ryan B. Stephens

Ross Cuthbert @rosscuthbert.bsky.social · Feb 19

Today in Ecology Letters, we show how wildlife is affected by cities, with urban adaptations boosting resilience to global change

This has implications for potential ‘rescue populations’ in conservation, as well as invasion success between urban centres

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....