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amydunham.bsky.social
Amy Dunham
@amydunham.bsky.social
1.8K followers 770 following 13 posts
Assoc Prof in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Rice University. Tropical Community Ecologist.
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Reposted by Amy Dunham
valdevia.art
The Hive Tarantula (Theraphosa vesparium) enters a symbiotic bond with a swarm of wasps, allowing them to build a colony on its abdomen. The spider protects the queen and larvae, and the wasps help feed it.
This mutualistic unit of tarantula and wasp is extremely territorial.
Inside a rusted pole, a large black tarantula with yellow hair sits in a defensive position. A hive of wasps swarms on its back, protecting its young.
July 14, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
alexwild.bsky.social
Texas ground update.
Photo looking down at a meadow with hundreds of yellow and red flowers.
May 8, 2025 at 7:56 PM
amydunham.bsky.social
Ahead of International #ChameleonDay here is a pic of a female Parson’s Chameleon (Calumma parsonii) looking like a lichen covered leaf
A head on picture of a Parsons Chameleon standing next to two lichen covered leaves
May 8, 2025 at 6:53 PM
amydunham.bsky.social
Environmental Science students @RiceUniversity learn a little bit about beekeeping during last class of the semester 🐝🐝
April 25, 2025 at 3:55 AM
amydunham.bsky.social
Rice University Ecology & Evolutionary Biology grad students enjoying a #PaintYourPhD workshop. #sciart
April 25, 2025 at 3:48 AM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
ipbes.net
Our 1st Biodiversity Science-Policy 'starter pack' is now full (150 accounts). Access at: go.bsky.app/LjV86zg

There's a 2nd starter pack already filling up: go.bsky.app/GzM8eok

NB: these are mainly IPBES authors & stakeholders regularly engaged with IPBES work. Please follow & share widely! 🌍🧪
February 26, 2025 at 2:05 PM
amydunham.bsky.social
Two years in a row our Purple Martins have made first appearances on Valentines Day ❤️❤️❤️🐦 (Houston)
Purple Martin male perching on top of a Martin house
February 15, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
somuchpingle.bsky.social
A White-bellied Reed Frog (Heterixalus alboguttatus) from near Ranomafana, Madagascar. Also called the Starry Night Frog ❤️ A species I had hoped to see on my visit, and I saw exactly one. This one. #herps #NaturePhotography #FrogFriday
A frog in center frame, viewed from the side as it clings to a twig, diagonally with its head looking up to the upper right corner. The frog's belly is a stark white, and its back, head, and limbs are all black and covered with bright yellow oval spots. The eye is the same color as the belly, with a black pupil.
November 23, 2024 at 12:47 AM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
olonala.bsky.social
We're relieved to hear from our friends at Centre ValBio that the #fire in Ranomafana National Park is finally out. Heavy rainfall finally came after months, ending an unseasonably long dry spell, and the community worked tirelessly each day to stop the fires from spreading.
January 17, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
jexpbiol.bsky.social
Congratulations to Kory Evans @sternarchella.bsky.social, winner of this year’s @J_Exp_Biol sponsored Carl Gans Award at #SICB2025. His #biomechanics research examines the role of modularity in the evolution of the #fish skull. Don't miss his talk: 7 Jan at 13:30 in Marquis D

Please repost
A photo of Kory Evans, winner of the 2025 Carl Gans Award
January 6, 2025 at 7:52 AM
amydunham.bsky.social
New paper led by former group member Jadelys Tonos! Simulations/empirical data reveal just a few trees bearing the most fruit in the landscape are critical for driving patterns of lemur movement & seed dispersal 🐒🥭🌱https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/1365-2435.14702
red-bellied lemur eating fruit in a tree canopy
December 19, 2024 at 10:57 PM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
ecolandlab.bsky.social
JOB OFFER: Postdoctoral researcher on biodiversity modelling and scenario development @ipbes.bsky.social @biodiversaplus.bsky.social @creaf.cat creaf.factorialhr.com/job_posting/...
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER ON BIODIVERSITY MODELLING AND SCENAR
Apply today to POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER ON BIODIVERSITY MODELLING AND SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT IN EUROPE FOR SPEAR PROJECT (ref. 24-090-38822) job of
creaf.factorialhr.com
December 13, 2024 at 3:51 PM
amydunham.bsky.social
What happens to tropical plants when large seed-dispersing animals disappear? 🌱🌳 New study, led by former research grp member, Dr.JT Lamperty, shows that even small-seeded plants can be affected by defaunation (1/5)
🔗 Read more: doi.org/10.1111/mec.17620
Defaunation Increases Clustering and Fine‐Scale Spatial Genetic Structure in a Small‐Seeded Palm Despite Remaining Small‐Bodied Frugivores
Anthropogenic pressures such as hunting are increasingly driving the localised functional extinctions of large- and medium-sized wildlife in tropical forests, a phenomenon broadly termed ‘defaunation...
doi.org
December 13, 2024 at 4:43 PM
amydunham.bsky.social
👇👇
ctrlalttim.com Timothée Poisot @ctrlalttim.com · Dec 5
And the lesson I am drawing from this is: context can wait, start with the punchline. This helps a presumably very tired panelist stay engaged in your proposal from the beginning.

And crafting that perfect first sentenc ia a great way to figure out what is the core feature of your proposal!
December 11, 2024 at 1:03 AM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
bjenquist.bsky.social
An important review - The ecology of plant extinctions - "Recent warm-edge extirpations demonstrate the growing impact of anthropogenic climate change & show that predictions of massive climate-driven extinctions later this century are plausible" www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... 🌾🌎🧪🌐
Image of the first page and abstract of the paper "The ecology of plant extinctions Author links open overlay panel Richard T. Corlett 1 2 Show more Add to Mendeley Share Cite https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2024.11.007 Get rights and content Highlights The fossil record suggests that climate change was the major driver of plant extinctions and regional extirpations from the Pliocene until recently, when anthropogenic habitat loss became dominant. Known recent plant extinctions are disproportionately few in comparison with well-studied animal taxa, but many more species are probably committed to inevitable extinction unless given targeted support. Recent warm-edge extirpations demonstrate the growing impact of anthropogenic climate change and show that predictions of massive climate-driven extinctions later this century are plausible. The proximate causes for population extirpations are still rarely known but are likely to be highly varied and both species and location specific."
December 7, 2024 at 11:59 AM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
biotropica.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Seeding success: Integrating seed dispersal networks in tropical forest restoration
This review explores the potential of integrating seed dispersal networks in tropical forest restoration to enhance restoration outcomes. Combining zoocentric and phytocentric approaches when samplin...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 6, 2024 at 3:45 PM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
ericwuesthoff.bsky.social
The theme of our symposium is #Primates and Regenerating Forests: Futures in #Restoration.

If you or someone in your network has research they'd like to share on this topic, send me a message so we can get you involved in this work.

Hope to see you in Tana! 🐒🦍🦧🇲🇬 @ips-primatenews.bsky.social
November 21, 2024 at 6:19 PM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
ericwuesthoff.bsky.social
That's one way to sum up my PhD research lol

Thanks to Rice undergraduate Nayounghee Tuetkin for writing and designing a cool story about my work in Madagascar. Check out her work and the features from other writers in the new edition of Rice's Catalyst journal!
ricecatalyst.com/catalyst-vol...
A banner image of a brown lemur's face as it clings to a tree trunk next to a title in block letters reading "It's brown, it's stick, it's lemur poop." An inset includes the subtitle "Analyzing seed dispersal impacts on reforestation." Cursive text reads "By: Nayounghee Tuetkin." Title is from an undergraduate-authored article in Rice's Catalyst journal highlighting some of Eric's doctoral research.
November 22, 2024 at 9:18 PM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
ericwuesthoff.bsky.social
I've been here a while but now that it's getting busy I should reintroduce myself!

I'm an ecologist & conservation biologist interested in restoring ecological interactions and supporting community-led stewardship 🌱🐒

I am currently privileged to work in Madagascar 🇲🇬 with incredible local partners.
Eric wearing a face mask and holding a notebook in pen in a rainforest looking upward (toward unpictured lemurs) during research in eastern Madagascar.
November 18, 2024 at 5:03 PM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
sternarchella.bsky.social
Just moved over from twitter give me a follow if you want to see cool CT scans of fishes!
November 12, 2024 at 11:41 PM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
kordinglab.bsky.social
NSF makes you say who you got conflicts (coauthored) with. We (really just Jordan Matelsky) just built you a tool for that. Literally one click: bib.experiments.kordinglab.com/nsf-coa
NSF COA | Jordan Matelsky
bib.experiments.kordinglab.com
November 11, 2024 at 8:11 PM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
mixotrophe.bsky.social
UCSB EEMB is *thrilled* to be hiring a Terrestrial Global Change Biologist (asst prof level). Please apply by 1 Nov. I can't wait to welcome a new colleague into our vibrant and growing department! Please share widely! #unicornjob🦄 recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF02500
September 24, 2024 at 4:31 PM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
volkerrudolf.bsky.social
We're hiring: Assistant Professor in Evolutionary Biology. Come join us: Excellent and supportive colleagues at a private university with a beautiful campus and great students! please RT
#RiceEEB #EEBjobs #phdchat #facultyjobs

apply.interfolio.com/152527
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August 21, 2024 at 2:54 PM
Reposted by Amy Dunham
ecoevolab.bsky.social
This is a dream job y’all 👇
volkerrudolf.bsky.social Volker Rudolf @volkerrudolf.bsky.social · Aug 21
We're hiring: Assistant Professor in Evolutionary Biology. Come join us: Excellent and supportive colleagues at a private university with a beautiful campus and great students! please RT
#RiceEEB #EEBjobs #phdchat #facultyjobs

apply.interfolio.com/152527
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apply.interfolio.com
August 21, 2024 at 3:25 PM