Maria (⌐■_■)
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thatecologist.bsky.social
Maria (⌐■_■)
@thatecologist.bsky.social
PhD student studying conmycorrhizal density dependence

Currently reading: A Sand County Almanac
Does anyone on here have expertise relating to dark septate endophytes? If so, I have some questions about how to distinguish the hyaline hyphae from other types of endophytic fungi
February 8, 2026 at 10:09 PM
Can any urban ecologists tell me about something exciting in the field relating to invasive species? I'm preparing a lecture about invasive spp. and want to have something new about urban systems (since our university is in the middle of a big city and the students can relate)
February 5, 2026 at 6:47 PM
Day 4 of not having electricity. Cheers to the friends letting me stay with them, boo to the apartment complex not sending updates.
January 28, 2026 at 2:33 PM
One of the seniors in the class I'm TA-ing had the gall to complain about how "difficult" the class is after the first week.... dude didn't even do the first assignment! He came to my office, complained about the 3-page worksheet being too long, and then left to attend a basketball game.
The Office How Dare You GIF
Alt: Woman saying "I have a lot of questions. Number one, how dare you?"
media.tenor.com
January 22, 2026 at 3:39 PM
First semester as a TA and they're straight up not reading the assignments before asking for help. Two students came to my office to ask "How do I do the lab" and hadn't read the instructions. How do I fix them? They're broken, that's not how normal people approach a task.
January 16, 2026 at 8:57 PM
I just got the syllabus and textbook for my biogeochemistry class this semester, amazing stuff. I wish this had been part of my undergrad ecology curriculum!
January 15, 2026 at 3:04 PM
Doing lab work that requires a hotplate today because my lab is 60 F.
January 14, 2026 at 12:57 PM
If anyone doesn't know how universities are being affected by the Trump administration, my department was supposed to have 14 new grad students this semester and only 7 or 8 were able to get a visa interview in time to actually get here.
January 9, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Reposted by Maria (⌐■_■)
Two fungi Purple Jellydisc and Hairy Curtain Crust #fungi
December 30, 2025 at 8:23 PM
My new year's resolution is to get 3 manuscripts submitted to journals and two of those through to publication. The main one is a greenhouse experiment that I started planning in fall 2022 and I really want to be done with it
December 31, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Spending a full day in the lab would be so much easier if I could get lunch somewhere near campus. Sometimes I bring lunch but it's not ideal since there's no fridge in the break room. Sigh.
December 18, 2025 at 8:48 PM
I'm so glad I have a good advisor. Being able to take a week long vacation has been wonderful, feeling ready to take on the revisions and lab work
December 12, 2025 at 4:24 PM
There's a chapter (published Nov 2025 so there's no excuse) saying that all mycorrhiza are in Glomeromycotina, which is just false. They discuss ECM and ERM which are mostly in Ascomycota and Basidiomycota.

What does one do to get this corrected? Will emailing the authors or publisher be better?
December 3, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Good morning, it's 51 F in my lab this morning. Will the university ever turn on the heat in my building?

Reporting live from my desk in a parka and knit bonnet
December 1, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Anyone have a good tip to actually get work done? I cannot bring myself to do another round of revisions on this paper, or work on finals
a cartoon character says i 've been busy procrastinating all day in front of lockers
ALT: a cartoon character says i 've been busy procrastinating all day in front of lockers
media.tenor.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Very interesting article! Perhaps a pathway to reduce emissions from inorganic fertilizer?

Harnessing entomopathogenic fungi: A meta‐analysis on their role as plant growth promoters - Crosby - 2025 - PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET - Wiley Online Library nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Harnessing entomopathogenic fungi: A meta‐analysis on their role as plant growth promoters
Our meta-analysis highlights the potential of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) as sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides and fertilisers. By promoting plant growth and reducing reliance on agroc...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Reposted by Maria (⌐■_■)
WE WANT TRAINS!

The public is sending a message: Amtrak is setting ridership records, carrying 34.5 million passengers in fiscal year 2024-25, while ticket revenue is $2.764 billion.

www.trains.com/pro/passenge...
November 17, 2025 at 8:36 PM
COP30 takeaways so far: I'm much more hopeful after attending a full day of this. I've heard about so many adaptation and mitigation measures in so many countries that I feel like we can really come together as humans and make the necessary changes to not only save, but lift up vulnerable people
November 14, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Reposted by Maria (⌐■_■)
No matter how hard people try to convince us having empathy is wrong,

it is right.

No matter how hard people try to convince us that diversity is a weakness,

it is a strength.

No matter how hard people try to convince us that love is limited,

it is unlimited.
November 4, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Dean of academics: "We can't cover tuition because the USDA doesn't allow it for non-citizens"

Me and the four other US citizens in the program:
a cartoon chicken with big eyes is being held by a person in a red shirt .
ALT: a cartoon chicken with big eyes is being held by a person in a red shirt .
media.tenor.com
November 4, 2025 at 11:39 PM
It's 56 F in my lab today and we have a mycorrhizal colonization training so I'm going to freeze until at least 12:30 😭 Why can't facilities turn off the AC???
November 3, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Reposted by Maria (⌐■_■)
October 30, 2025 at 3:36 PM
The business cards came in! I'm gonna network up a storm at COP30 😎
October 30, 2025 at 2:18 AM