Will Brooks
@willbrooks0.bsky.social
Speciation and species persistence in birds — PhD student at George Mason University studying forest degradation in Borneo
Pinned
Will Brooks
@willbrooks0.bsky.social
· Nov 17
Hi folks! I thought I should do an intro post with the growing community on here
I’m a PhD student at George Mason University studying mechanisms for avian responses to forest degradation in #Borneo. I love #birding, #ornithology, #genetics, #rstats, and collaborating, get in touch!
🌎
I’m a PhD student at George Mason University studying mechanisms for avian responses to forest degradation in #Borneo. I love #birding, #ornithology, #genetics, #rstats, and collaborating, get in touch!
🌎
Nice paper out from the lab! With genomics in breeding programs of Red Siskins, they were able to ground-truth genomic estimates of kinship and determine that there were no introgressed canary genes from cross-breeding of pets. So the captive populations are "clean" link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Using genomic tools to evaluate assumptions in a conservation breeding program for endangered red siskins (Spinus cucullatus) - Conservation Genetics
Conservation Genetics - Ex situ conservation breeding programs can provide essential support for recovering endangered species. However, breeding recommendations and strategies may be suboptimal...
link.springer.com
February 6, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Nice paper out from the lab! With genomics in breeding programs of Red Siskins, they were able to ground-truth genomic estimates of kinship and determine that there were no introgressed canary genes from cross-breeding of pets. So the captive populations are "clean" link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Just a reminder that this is happening tomorrow! Register if interested!
Excited to give an online seminar with @amornith.bsky.social on Feb 2! I’ll be sharing new results from my dissertation work in Borneo.
Interested in forest fragmentation, passive acoustics, landscape genetics, or just cool bird pics? Register: americanornithology-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Interested in forest fragmentation, passive acoustics, landscape genetics, or just cool bird pics? Register: americanornithology-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
February 1, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Just a reminder that this is happening tomorrow! Register if interested!
Great paper by @marcuschua.bsky.social out this month! In recent years, African Swine Fever has devastated wild pig populations in Southeast Asia. He found that the loss of pigs in Singapore appears to have resulted in a fivefold increase in greater mouse-deer populations. doi.org/10.1016/j.bi...
January 26, 2026 at 4:23 PM
Great paper by @marcuschua.bsky.social out this month! In recent years, African Swine Fever has devastated wild pig populations in Southeast Asia. He found that the loss of pigs in Singapore appears to have resulted in a fivefold increase in greater mouse-deer populations. doi.org/10.1016/j.bi...
Excited to give an online seminar with @amornith.bsky.social on Feb 2! I’ll be sharing new results from my dissertation work in Borneo.
Interested in forest fragmentation, passive acoustics, landscape genetics, or just cool bird pics? Register: americanornithology-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Interested in forest fragmentation, passive acoustics, landscape genetics, or just cool bird pics? Register: americanornithology-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
January 14, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Excited to give an online seminar with @amornith.bsky.social on Feb 2! I’ll be sharing new results from my dissertation work in Borneo.
Interested in forest fragmentation, passive acoustics, landscape genetics, or just cool bird pics? Register: americanornithology-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Interested in forest fragmentation, passive acoustics, landscape genetics, or just cool bird pics? Register: americanornithology-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Goodbye 2025! Absolutely the most eventful year of my life, so far. I got married, honeymooned in Peru, finished my final field season in Borneo, and advanced to PhD candidacy. Looking forward to a more ordinary 2026
December 31, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Goodbye 2025! Absolutely the most eventful year of my life, so far. I got married, honeymooned in Peru, finished my final field season in Borneo, and advanced to PhD candidacy. Looking forward to a more ordinary 2026
Reposted by Will Brooks
📖Published📖
Plewnia et al. designed a comprehensive workflow allowing rapid community metabarcoding with minimum, self-manufacturable equipment in the field 🧬 🌍 🧪 Read more here 👇
Plewnia et al. designed a comprehensive workflow allowing rapid community metabarcoding with minimum, self-manufacturable equipment in the field 🧬 🌍 🧪 Read more here 👇
buff.ly
June 10, 2025 at 11:03 AM
📖Published📖
Plewnia et al. designed a comprehensive workflow allowing rapid community metabarcoding with minimum, self-manufacturable equipment in the field 🧬 🌍 🧪 Read more here 👇
Plewnia et al. designed a comprehensive workflow allowing rapid community metabarcoding with minimum, self-manufacturable equipment in the field 🧬 🌍 🧪 Read more here 👇
Reposted by Will Brooks
"Women are PIs on 58% of the canceled grants, although they are PIs on only 34% of all active NSF grants.
Similarly, Blacks are PIs on 17% of the terminated grants, although they make only 4% of the total pool. Hispanic PIs and those with disabilities were twice as likely to lose a grant."
Similarly, Blacks are PIs on 17% of the terminated grants, although they make only 4% of the total pool. Hispanic PIs and those with disabilities were twice as likely to lose a grant."
Another scoop from Jeff Mervis (@policyhound.bsky.social): NSF's ~1400 grant terminations have disproportionately affected PIs from groups underrepresented in science: women, racial & ethnic minorities, & those with disabilities. 1/3
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Trump officials take steps toward a radically different NSF
Efforts to shrink staff, budget, and focus have alarmed members of Congress
www.science.org
May 13, 2025 at 10:09 PM
"Women are PIs on 58% of the canceled grants, although they are PIs on only 34% of all active NSF grants.
Similarly, Blacks are PIs on 17% of the terminated grants, although they make only 4% of the total pool. Hispanic PIs and those with disabilities were twice as likely to lose a grant."
Similarly, Blacks are PIs on 17% of the terminated grants, although they make only 4% of the total pool. Hispanic PIs and those with disabilities were twice as likely to lose a grant."
Reposted by Will Brooks
A call to arms for eBirders and iNaturalists. 🚨
We want your bird photos! If you photograph feeding birds with flowers, fruit, seeds or prey, upload the image with locality details. We are data-harvesting species, size and type of food/prey to study foodwebs and species interactions. Thanks! 🧪🌐🪶
We want your bird photos! If you photograph feeding birds with flowers, fruit, seeds or prey, upload the image with locality details. We are data-harvesting species, size and type of food/prey to study foodwebs and species interactions. Thanks! 🧪🌐🪶
March 18, 2025 at 12:51 PM
A call to arms for eBirders and iNaturalists. 🚨
We want your bird photos! If you photograph feeding birds with flowers, fruit, seeds or prey, upload the image with locality details. We are data-harvesting species, size and type of food/prey to study foodwebs and species interactions. Thanks! 🧪🌐🪶
We want your bird photos! If you photograph feeding birds with flowers, fruit, seeds or prey, upload the image with locality details. We are data-harvesting species, size and type of food/prey to study foodwebs and species interactions. Thanks! 🧪🌐🪶
Reposted by Will Brooks
As I'm going through journal guidelines for a paper, I keep seeing suggestions that non-native English speakers pay $$$ for editing services, and thought it was a good time to remind anyone that needs it that @AnimalesEnEspanol.bsky.social will do this for free, just send us a message!
February 14, 2025 at 8:32 PM
As I'm going through journal guidelines for a paper, I keep seeing suggestions that non-native English speakers pay $$$ for editing services, and thought it was a good time to remind anyone that needs it that @AnimalesEnEspanol.bsky.social will do this for free, just send us a message!
Reposted by Will Brooks
Harsher Amazonian dry seasons caused by climate change are linked to declining bird survival in 'pristine' Amazonia. Happy that NBC Conservation Awards Programme modestly financed some of the very early stages of this work. doi.org/10.1126/scia... #ornithology
Climate change aggravates bird mortality in pristine tropical forests
Climate change threatens Amazon rainforest birds, with harsher dry seasons significantly affecting their survival over 27 years.
doi.org
January 30, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Harsher Amazonian dry seasons caused by climate change are linked to declining bird survival in 'pristine' Amazonia. Happy that NBC Conservation Awards Programme modestly financed some of the very early stages of this work. doi.org/10.1126/scia... #ornithology
EBIRD WRAPPED IS OUT #Ornithology #birding
January 17, 2025 at 10:06 PM
EBIRD WRAPPED IS OUT #Ornithology #birding
Reposted by Will Brooks
A call in the dark: Nocturnal flight calls and their potential to advance the study of avian migration | doi.org/10.1093/orni... | Ornithology | #ornithology
A call in the dark: Nocturnal flight calls and their potential to advance the study of avian migration
Abstract. Migratory birds have experienced widespread declines in abundance and face numerous threats. The conservation of migratory species relies in part
doi.org
January 14, 2025 at 11:00 AM
A call in the dark: Nocturnal flight calls and their potential to advance the study of avian migration | doi.org/10.1093/orni... | Ornithology | #ornithology
Hooded merganser, first bird of the year!
January 1, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Hooded merganser, first bird of the year!
Great paper by HC Lim, @kevinfpbennett.bsky.social et al. on color evolution in a manakin hybrid zone. Among many results, two hybridization events among three species allowed yellow collars to be moved from species to species (to species)! Evolution is messy
science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adn8339
science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adn8339
Sequential introgression of a carotenoid processing gene underlies sexual ornament diversity in a genus of manakins
Integrative analyses reveal sequential instances of interspecies gene flow at a key gene controlling plumage coloration in birds.
www.science.org
December 9, 2024 at 4:02 PM
Great paper by HC Lim, @kevinfpbennett.bsky.social et al. on color evolution in a manakin hybrid zone. Among many results, two hybridization events among three species allowed yellow collars to be moved from species to species (to species)! Evolution is messy
science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adn8339
science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adn8339
As a current Oakton resident I can confirm.
Do you live in a walkable neighborhood or suburban sprawl? Explore more than 200 metro areas and see how your neighborhood ranks in today's Climate Lab column.
Gift link: wapo.st/41lOtkO
Gift link: wapo.st/41lOtkO
December 7, 2024 at 2:34 PM
As a current Oakton resident I can confirm.
When you see that mega-rarity
November 30, 2024 at 9:52 PM
When you see that mega-rarity
In the early stages of planning another field season in Borneo and it really had me missing the birds.
This is a Blue-headed Pitta from my last time there. It’s my absolute favorite bird. How could a bird possibly be so round and colorful??
This is a Blue-headed Pitta from my last time there. It’s my absolute favorite bird. How could a bird possibly be so round and colorful??
November 30, 2024 at 2:56 PM
In the early stages of planning another field season in Borneo and it really had me missing the birds.
This is a Blue-headed Pitta from my last time there. It’s my absolute favorite bird. How could a bird possibly be so round and colorful??
This is a Blue-headed Pitta from my last time there. It’s my absolute favorite bird. How could a bird possibly be so round and colorful??
Reposted by Will Brooks
FANTASTIC PERMANENT RESEARCH POSITION for Ecologist/Statistician (Interdisciplinary) focused on conservation at Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute (Front Royal, VA)! www.usajobs.gov/job/819535900.
Come be my colleague!
Please repost/ send to qualified candidates.
Come be my colleague!
Please repost/ send to qualified candidates.
Ecologist Statistician (Interdisciplinary)
<p>The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. The mission of the National Zoo and Conservation Biology...
www.usajobs.gov
November 25, 2024 at 5:16 PM
FANTASTIC PERMANENT RESEARCH POSITION for Ecologist/Statistician (Interdisciplinary) focused on conservation at Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute (Front Royal, VA)! www.usajobs.gov/job/819535900.
Come be my colleague!
Please repost/ send to qualified candidates.
Come be my colleague!
Please repost/ send to qualified candidates.
Months of work in the lab and ~60 samples all resulting in less than a drop of liquid. Ridiculous. Cant wait to get our sequences for Bornean Birds!
November 22, 2024 at 11:29 PM
Months of work in the lab and ~60 samples all resulting in less than a drop of liquid. Ridiculous. Cant wait to get our sequences for Bornean Birds!
Hi folks! I thought I should do an intro post with the growing community on here
I’m a PhD student at George Mason University studying mechanisms for avian responses to forest degradation in #Borneo. I love #birding, #ornithology, #genetics, #rstats, and collaborating, get in touch!
🌎
I’m a PhD student at George Mason University studying mechanisms for avian responses to forest degradation in #Borneo. I love #birding, #ornithology, #genetics, #rstats, and collaborating, get in touch!
🌎
November 17, 2024 at 5:41 PM
Hi folks! I thought I should do an intro post with the growing community on here
I’m a PhD student at George Mason University studying mechanisms for avian responses to forest degradation in #Borneo. I love #birding, #ornithology, #genetics, #rstats, and collaborating, get in touch!
🌎
I’m a PhD student at George Mason University studying mechanisms for avian responses to forest degradation in #Borneo. I love #birding, #ornithology, #genetics, #rstats, and collaborating, get in touch!
🌎
Reposted by Will Brooks
Starter Packs are great, but they favor well established individuals (understandably so). To help prop up new voices, here is a set of early career ecologists (self defined) who are, or would like to become, active on BlueSky
Please reply if you would like to be included!
go.bsky.app/Di74bDy
Please reply if you would like to be included!
go.bsky.app/Di74bDy
November 16, 2024 at 10:54 PM
Starter Packs are great, but they favor well established individuals (understandably so). To help prop up new voices, here is a set of early career ecologists (self defined) who are, or would like to become, active on BlueSky
Please reply if you would like to be included!
go.bsky.app/Di74bDy
Please reply if you would like to be included!
go.bsky.app/Di74bDy
Reposted by Will Brooks
Check out our latest OA paper on wolf population genetics and effective population size! @lperezsorribes onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
October 22, 2024 at 10:44 AM
Check out our latest OA paper on wolf population genetics and effective population size! @lperezsorribes onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
Reposted by Will Brooks
📣 Introducing 📣
microPublications in Ecology and Evolution!
Please help support this effort by spreading the word and submitting and reviewing papers!
#evolution 🌎 🌍 🌏 🧪 #PlantScience #conservation
microPublications in Ecology and Evolution!
Please help support this effort by spreading the word and submitting and reviewing papers!
#evolution 🌎 🌍 🌏 🧪 #PlantScience #conservation
April 15, 2024 at 1:22 PM
📣 Introducing 📣
microPublications in Ecology and Evolution!
Please help support this effort by spreading the word and submitting and reviewing papers!
#evolution 🌎 🌍 🌏 🧪 #PlantScience #conservation
microPublications in Ecology and Evolution!
Please help support this effort by spreading the word and submitting and reviewing papers!
#evolution 🌎 🌍 🌏 🧪 #PlantScience #conservation