Dr. Sara L Middleton
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saralilplants.bsky.social
Dr. Sara L Middleton
@saralilplants.bsky.social
3.4K followers 710 following 200 posts
Open Science Coordinator 👐🏾 | PhD in plant trait ecology @ Oxford Uni 🌱 | Editorial Board @plantperspectives.bsky.social 🌿 | Founder & Filmmaker 🎥 | 💚 Fabaceae, Crinoids, Outreach | AuDHD | She/her. Own views

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saralilplants.bsky.social
Dr. Sara L Middleton @saralilplants.bsky.social · Nov 17
Aloe there 👋🏽

Here is a starter pack with Black researchers, practitioners & orgs working with plants in the broadest sense (botany, forestry, plant ecology, crop science, herbaria, botanic gardens)

Hoping this will help set seed for a nurturing community!

Reply 🔽 to be added
go.bsky.app/7Gn2NCb
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
katelaskowski.bsky.social
How do we know our research results are REAL? We replicate them! Most folks agree but lament on how hard it is to publish these replications.

My dearest gentle reader, lament no more! Delighted to unveil: Replication Studies, a new section of Behavioral Ecology 1/

academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...
Replication studies: a win-win for early-career training and behavioral ecology
Replicating previous research builds confidence that results are real and meaningful. But close replications are rare due to limitations in resources and d
academic.oup.com
February 10, 2026 at 7:42 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
nataliajagielska.bsky.social
Bringing this back up for the International Day of Women in Science, and yes, I consider scientific art, as part of scientific process and communication 🫰
February 11, 2026 at 3:09 AM
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
stressedbranch.bsky.social
So excited to have been accepted to write this piece. Thanks to all who have entertained my ramblings over the years and have encouraged me in my passion for #ecophysiology and #evolution 🙏

#IAmABotanist 🌱
botsocamerica.bsky.social Botanical Society of America @botsocamerica.bsky.social · 5d
🏵 Check out the latest #AJB Synthesis article, by Haley Branch! 🏵

The sleeping giant needs coffee: Overlooked areas for integrating plant #ecophysiology & evolutionary biology

doi.org/10.1002/ajb2...

#botany #plantscience #ecology #evolution
Graphic announcing new AJB Synthesis article by Haley Branch. Methodological illustration for asking whether X affects plants. “Question” provides an example of a question that both ecologists and evolutionary biologists ask, with categories of traits often of interest. “Experiment” shows trait examples and comparisons (populations, environmental, across time). Types of traits are where evolutionary biologists could expand their breadth. “Outcome” describes lasting effects of whether X affects traits to the point that it is passed on and contributes to future generations or it leads to extinction. “Outcomes” is where ecophysiologists could expand their work. Images courtesy of Dr. Stefanie Sultmanis (vein density), Dr. Beatrice Harrison Day (root section), and Dr. Vanessa Tonet (leaf cavitation).
February 9, 2026 at 5:49 PM
saralilplants.bsky.social
Always nice to see gorse by the sea 💛💚
#WildflowerHour
Gorse bush on a cliff top with a view of the sea and grey sky.
February 8, 2026 at 8:56 PM
saralilplants.bsky.social
Saw my first primrose this week!

#WildflowerHour
Close up of a primrose in flower on a vegetated bank with bracken.
February 8, 2026 at 8:24 PM
saralilplants.bsky.social
Snowdrops out in abundance this week around the Whitby area 🤍💚

Found these snowdrops at Runswick Bay on a very wet and windy day (surprised camera got them in focus)!

#WildflowerHour
A patch of snowdrops on a grassy bank overlooking a bay. There are two small boats on the grassy bank too.
February 8, 2026 at 8:13 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
canopyrobin.com
Very excited to announce the new pin in my "It's Dr, Actually" collection: Glow in the dark!! 😍🧪
canopyrobin.etsy.com/listing/1841...
a circular hard enamel pin that says "It's Dr actually" in dark metal text on a white enamel background. It is also shown glowing in the dark it's dr actually pins in nonbinary, trans, agender, genderqueer, genderfluid, bigender, intersex, lgbtq, lesbian, black, white, hot pink, purple, dark green, light green, light blue, and light pink colours
February 6, 2026 at 8:32 PM
saralilplants.bsky.social
A lovely find today with @geologyjohnson.bsky.social at Robin Hoods Bay.

Lots going on here in this Staithes sandstone including: scallop, oyster, and a cute little crinoid ossicle 🤩

#FossilFriday #Paleontology #Geology #Fossil
Someone holding a slab of Staithes sandstone (grey colour) slightly larger than a hand with many fossils including oysters, scallops and crinoid ossicle.
February 6, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
geologyjohnson.bsky.social
Have you ever seen any one as pleased as @saralilplants.bsky.social finding some crinoids? Probably not. #FossilFriday #geology #paleontology #fossils #crinoids #jurassic #RobinHoodsBay
An excited young black woman in out door clothing holding a fossil crinoid stem, and stood in front of a sea cliff. A gloved hand holding a well preserved crinoid stem fossil. An excited young black woman in out door clothing holding a fossil crinoid stem, and stood in front of a sea cliff. A gloved hand holding a well preserved crinoid stem fossil.
February 6, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
geologyjohnson.bsky.social
The world is on fire so please enjoy these nice middle #jurassic trace #fossils. @ichnologist.bsky.social one for you! #geology #paleontology #dinosaur
Photo of yellow and grey sandstone slab with three toed dinosaur footprint fossils Photo of yellow and grey sandstone slab with red worm-like trace fossils Photo of yellow and grey sandstone slab with black worm-like trace fossils Photo of yellow and grey sandstone slab with three toed dinosaur footprint fossils
February 4, 2026 at 1:30 PM
saralilplants.bsky.social
Went to check on the little patch of colt's-foot in Whitby and it's back 💛

Photo by @geologyjohnson.bsky.social
Picture of Sara in waterproofs crouching on a muddy path next to a grassy bank pointing at a small patch of colt's-foot. Close up of a colt's-foot growing from a grassy bank on the side of a muddy path.
February 4, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
ctrlalttim.com
I suspect that one of the reasons behind the widespread adoption of generative AI by faculty is that it gives people the illusion that they can still do the things they knew how to do as a postdoc. Gen AI is used as a poor substitute to maintaining core skills.
January 8, 2026 at 1:10 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
bsbibotany.bsky.social
Great to work with our friends at @metoffice.gov.uk @climatecentreuk.bsky.social & @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social to spread the word about how climate change is impacting plant flowering times.
Huge thanks to everyone who took part in #NewYearPlantHunt & collected vital data!
#CitizenScience
#NYPH
climatecentreuk.bsky.social Climate Centre @climatecentreuk.bsky.social · Jan 7
"Plants are flowering at a time nobody would've expected." 💐

Climate change is likely why more than 600 species flowered at New Year, rather than the 20 to 30 observed decades ago. Louise Marsh from @bsbibotany.bsky.social speaking to BBC 5 live about #NewYearPlantHunt.
January 7, 2026 at 2:12 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
xmaveria.bsky.social
For people that feel helpless, this period is so tough but there's ways to help for anyone. Go out there support Venezuelan ppl and artists living in it as they prepare for unpredictable times

Here is a starter pack of artists with commissions or donations open as well:
go.bsky.app/8daQmpX
January 4, 2026 at 1:01 PM
saralilplants.bsky.social
Being in the mountains fills me with joy.
The views were something else 😍

High Atlas mountains, Morocco
Snowy mountain peaks of the High Atlas with one mountain side covered in conifers. Small hamlet on the steep snowy covered mountain side of the High Atlas, Morocco. Snowy peaks of the High Atlas mountains.
December 18, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
blackazizanansi.blacksky.app
We need more publicly owned 3rd places.
December 13, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
jevbio.bsky.social
Delighted to publish Forum Article by @nicolasgaltier.bsky.social et al:

"Journals run by learned societies or universities have more ethical policies while being cheaper and similarly cited"

doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

Thank you for choosing JEB - we encourage the support of #societyjournals
Time to publish responsibly: DAFNEE, a database of academia-friendly journals in ecology and evolutionary biology
Abstract. The current economics of scientific publishing reveal a profound imbalance: academia pays prices far exceeding the actual costs of publication. R
doi.org
December 9, 2025 at 10:16 AM
saralilplants.bsky.social
Me: do I really got the 'tism?
Mum: when you were 7 you'd collect spiders and make temporary homes for them in jam jars to study their behaviour and you’d regularly read the dictionary...

That little kid turned into an ecologist and wrote a PhD thesis chapter on definitions in trait-based ecology.
geologyjohnson.bsky.social Geology Johnson @geologyjohnson.bsky.social · Dec 7
Me: do I really got the 'tism?
Dad: when you were five you wouldn't stop talking about the biozones of the Yorkshire lias and you carried around a diagram of the human digestive system just in case you needed it.
thedailytism.com The Daily Tism @thedailytism.com · Dec 7
Avery Mann, 40, who was asked to give “a few examples” about their autistic traits, started with a handful of relevant anecdotes but felt they didn’t want to leave anything out – “just in case that’s the thing that diagnoses me.”
December 7, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social
#Oxford people, #birdflu has been confirmed on Port Meadow.

Take care everyone.

www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2567322...
Urgent warning issued after bird flu outbreak in popular city meadow
An urgent warning has been issued after positive cases of bird flu were confirmed in Port Meadow, Oxford.
www.oxfordmail.co.uk
December 4, 2025 at 5:23 PM
saralilplants.bsky.social
I have so many questions....
jacksonwryan.com Jack Ryan 🙏🧪 @jacksonwryan.com · Nov 27
Uhh,,, Figure 1 shows you... what exactly? Trying to understand Medical fryrmbial, runctitional features and mum's legs going through concrete.

This whole article is a bit of a disaster. And it's very difficult to find other published work for the author. Strange! 🧪

(via @smutclyde.bsky.social)
Text says: This section provides a comprehensive description of the methodology employed in this study to develop an explainable XAI framework for ASD diagnosis and parental support. The proposed framework integrates the TabPFNMix regressor, a state-of-the-art machine learning (ML) model for tabular data, with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to ensure both high predictive accuracy and interpretability. The methodology is structured into five subsections: (1) Dataset Description, (2) TabPFNMix Overview, (3) SHAP for Explainability, (4) Framework Design, and (5) Evaluation Metrics. Figure 1 shows the overall methodology. Informed consent was obtained from all participants involved in the study, and, where applicable, consent was obtained from legal guardians for minor participants as approved by the IRB. And then Figure 1 is shown with lots of AI errors on the image. An absolutely totally fine this can be published in a science journal image that purports to show how the study was carried out but instead is just AI slop.
November 27, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
newphyt.bsky.social
A new fossil fungus discovered in Scotland shows evidence of plants and fungi sharing nutrients to survive on land.

The fossil, more than 400 million years old, offers hints about the origin of one of the greatest partnerships in the history of life on Earth.

www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...
Ancient fossil reveals how plants and fungi first developed on land | Natural History Museum
A new fossil fungus discovered in Scotland shows evidence of plants and fungi sharing nutrients to survive on land.
www.nhm.ac.uk
November 20, 2025 at 3:35 PM
saralilplants.bsky.social
I have rotating special interests, but the solid subjects I can infodump are plants (particularly legumes), colonial history of (plant) science, equitable scholarship and neurodiversity.
November 14, 2025 at 8:47 AM
saralilplants.bsky.social
A first for me and @geologyjohnson.bsky.social to see trilobites in the wild. Look at the beautiful preservation 😍

Rocks likely heterolithic limestone with black shake and chert interbeds from late Devonian-early Carboniferous from southern Belgium.

#FossilFriday
A trilobite fossil with clear view of segments amongst a death assemblage of other marine fossils (like crinoids) preserved in limestone. Size about two human fingernails long. A very small trilobite rear end the size of pinkie finger nail. The segments are very well preserved. There is a bryozoan fossil next to it too. Close up of a trilobite fossil with clear view of segments surrounded by other marine fossils. Size about two human finger nails long.
November 14, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Reposted by Dr. Sara L Middleton
susieoftraken.bsky.social
My students have set up a petition to persuade the University of Nottingham not to close our Plant Biology BSc course
c.org/VPhzVVrHPS

Please consider signing
November 8, 2025 at 12:46 PM
saralilplants.bsky.social
Plant mood: the emotionally withered looking black bean

Peeps waiting for an email/peer review/work from me thanks for your patience, there's a lot going on right now. I will respond when I can. I’m also taking time away from here for a bit. Like this perennial black bean, I will resurface again 🖤
A photo of a black bean (Lathyrus niger) with withered looking pods against a grassy backdrop.
September 16, 2025 at 2:04 PM