Christopher Pollock
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tonyauk.bsky.social
Christopher Pollock
@tonyauk.bsky.social
800 followers 570 following 11 posts
Quantitative Ecologist at UKCEH trying to reproduce what seabirds do at sea on a computer.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
markscherz.bsky.social
Today we described three new toad species that give birth to fully formed toadlets, from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania! 🇹🇿🧪🐸

vertebrate-zoology.arphahub.com/article/1670...
A fine black toad with bright white fingers, toes, and lips, and brown pustular blobs along its legs, resting on a dark green leaf. A black and white toad on a green fern frond. The head and limbs are grey, and the body black. A toad looking at the camera over a brown leaf, its black body splotched with yellow and white. It is very Halloween-core. A black toad with huge yellow glands on its legs, head, arms, and parts of the back. Jack Skellington himself could hardly have painted a more Halloween-flavoured toad.
November 6, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
elinamantyla.bsky.social
Granger et al. Multispecies sensory networks and social foraging strategies: Implications for population decline in procellariiform seabirds www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... #ornithology #seabirds
Multispecies sensory networks and social foraging strategies: Implications for population decline in procellariiform seabirds | PNAS
Multispecies sensory networks, where different species prioritize different sensory modalities and then use heterospecific information in a likely ...
www.pnas.org
November 7, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
cyanistesnord.bsky.social
I am recruting a #postdoc for a project investigating the evolution of avian heat tolerance in @erc.europa.eu project #HotLife. Fieldwork over broad latitudinal gradients, common-garden experiments, and more. Read more and apply👇
shorturl.at/WA1Qa

Would appreciate a re-post!

@evoldir.bsky.social
November 5, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
edinburghnapier.bsky.social
🐦‍⬛ | Wild seabirds are more likely to split up in windy weather, according to a newly published study led by #EdNapier.

The paper reveals that environmental conditions before the breeding season appear to have an impact on mate faithfulness.

Full story ➡️ orlo.uk/Zfiqf

#MustBeNapier
A European Shag.
November 5, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
steffopp.bsky.social
NEW JOB in #ornithology and #conservation to track #seabirds from Rathlin Island and analyse data to identify foraging areas (deadline 10 Nov): buff.ly/K0zcdH8
November 4, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
bou.org.uk
📢 JOB VACANCY

Marine Ornithologist - Scottish Government

Application deadline: 7 Nov

shorturl.at/tXeHn

#ornithology
Marine Ornithologist
Do you want to use your scientific and research expertise to play an important role in decisions made on the sustainable delivery of marine renewables and the marine environment?
shorturl.at
October 29, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
emmatyldesley.bsky.social
Great PhD linking kittiwake tracking, energetics and changing oceans. Based @ukceh.bsky.social @uofglasgow.bsky.social collaborating with oceanographers at @unistrathclyde.bsky.social 🌊 Includes fieldwork, stats training and some very cool open-ended research questions. iapetus.ac.uk/studentships...
Understanding how a threatened seabird moves across complex ocean energyscapes
iapetus.ac.uk
October 28, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
ruthedunn.bsky.social
New in @natrevbiodiv.nature.com: our review of the influence of #seabirds, via their nutrient transfer, on islands & adjacent marine ecosystems 🐦🏝️🪸

We highlight knowledge gaps & future directions ✨

"The circular seabird economy is critical for oceans, islands and people": doi.org/10.1038/s443...
Schematic diagram of the influence of seabirds on temperate and tropical near-shore marine systems. Temperatre systems: - Nutrient enrichment and predation on herbivorous invertebrates can lead to increased algal production - Phytoplankton communities change, featuring more large-celled species - Intertidal organisms incorporate seabird-enriched material by grazing on detritus and biofilm in tidepools - Macroalgae biodiversity and primary production are boosted Tropical systems: - Mangrove leaf nutritional quality increases - Corals recover faster after bleaching events - Fish biomass increases across different trophic groups - Pelagic and benthic consumers' foraging behaviour shifts - Parrotfish grazing and bioerosion rates increase - Fish grow larger
October 27, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
ingridpollet.bsky.social
Have you ever wondered about the disparities in #seabirds species at conferences? Are we talking about all the species?
Wonder no more. We (@thelabandfield.bsky.social @seabirdsentinel.bsky.social @ingridpollet.bsky.social) have the answer!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Who gets the spotlight? Disparities in seabird research attention at scientific conferences
Seabirds are among the most threatened bird groups globally, yet research effort is unevenly distributed among species, with some taxa receiving exten…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
yodacomplex.bsky.social
And our paper is out! One curve to rule them all: a simple universal thermal performance curve for ectotherms that explains at least 2700 datasets across 39 phyla and myriad measures of performance. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Biological performance across the tree of life collapses onto the Universal Thermal Performance Curve (UTPC). Shown are approx. 30,000 performance measurements derived from seven kingdoms, 39 phyla, and 2,710 experiments. Performance is represented by diverse rates including metabolism, individual growth, foraging intensity, voluntary activity, and population growth (see SI Appendix for data grouped by phylum and performance metric). Data are presented on both axes relative to the parameters (Topt, Tc and Pfmax ) estimated by fitting the UTPC equation to each of the 2,710 experiments; the UTPC is overlaid as a yellow line and fits the rescaled data extremely well. Data are colored by the relative density of neighboring points showing very high density of points close to the line and relatively few datapoints further from the line. Data collapse, and models converge, onto a Universal Thermal Performance Curve (UTPC), which only requires optimal and critical temperatures as parameters. Top panels show empirical data on thermal performance encompassing (A) specific growth rate of proteobacteria (), (B) biochemical rates of photosynthesis in plants (), (C) running speeds of lizards (), and (D) population growth in insects (). Lower panels (E–H) showcase the rescaled data from the processes exposed on top, along with their corresponding alignment to the Universal Thermal Performance Curve (UTPC) equation. Datasets are from Kontopoulos et al. (21) for proteobacteria and from Rezende and Bozinovic (6) for other groups. The upper panels of the raw data show substantial variation in the shape and location of the thermal performance curves. The lower row shows that rescaling the data using the simple model results in the data conforming to a single underlying curve with very little variation from the model.
October 23, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
theguardian.com
Bird migration is changing. What does this reveal about our planet? – visualised
Bird migration is changing. What does this reveal about our planet? – visualised
Bird migrations rank as one of nature’s greatest spectacles. Thanks to GPS tracking, scientists are uncovering extraordinary insights into ancient and mysterious journeys – and new threats that are reshaping them.
www.theguardian.com
October 16, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
j-dunning.net
Our paper, describing kittiwake nesting on offshore infrastructure, is published OA today.

There are obvious implications for population monitoring, but comparison with onshore colonies would also be an interesting extension. 🌊🌊🌊

besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
Kittiwakes nesting on offshore oil and gas infrastructure: An emerging and under‐recorded phenomenon
You have to enable JavaScript in your browser's settings in order to use the eReader.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 14, 2025 at 4:56 PM
tonyauk.bsky.social
The mesmerising view which you see when lying on your back on the Bass Rock - taken during fieldwork in 2021.
October 14, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
oikosjournal.bsky.social
🏔️Arctic-breeding black-legged kittiwakes show individual variation in foraging responses to glacial conditions without consequences for reproductive output

📷 © Delphin Ruche

vist.ly/48wsh

October 1, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
scurry.bsky.social
As others have already said, this essay by James Marriott is well worth taking the time to read. Now, back to my book if I can just prise my iPhone out of my hand for a few minutes… open.substack.com/pub/jmarriot...
The dawn of the post-literate society
And the end of civilisation
open.substack.com
September 28, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
heyjooode.bsky.social
Very pleased to be a part of this research contribution into the ongoing impact of HPAI on seabirds; led by @sue-lewis.bsky.social alongside fellow authors from @rspbscience.bsky.social @rspbengland.bsky.social @ukceh.bsky.social & @seabirdcentre.bsky.social
edinburghnapier.bsky.social Edinburgh Napier University @edinburghnapier.bsky.social · Sep 25
🪹 | Seabirds that survived recent bird flu outbreaks have continued to reproduce, although overall breeding performance remains notably low, according to a new study.

The study has looked at breeding success in Northern Gannets at two locations during 2023.

🔗 orlo.uk/44CaS

📸 Dave Pressland
A black-eyed gannet.
September 25, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
stubearhop.bsky.social
Fully funded PhD working on insectivorous bird declines with a broad range of stakeholders. Starting ASAP #ornithology #zoology #biodiversity #science #ecology
www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...
September 18, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
jon-seabirds.bsky.social
Delighted to be cosupervising this funded PhD with @joewynnbirds.bsky.social on #migration in #birds #seabirds @liverpooluni.bsky.social. Start in early 2026! Register for our online briefing session. www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
To lead or to follow: disentangling the genetic and cultural contributions to long-distance seabird migration at University of Liverpool on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - To lead or to follow: disentangling the genetic and cultural contributions to long-distance seabird migration at University of Liverpool, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
September 15, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
netlogo.bsky.social
NetLogo 7 is here!!

✨New modern UI with dark mode
🔧Performance improvements & new features

👉Download: www.netlogo.org/download
📣 Full announcement: www.netlogo.org/announcements/

#NetLogo #AgentBasedModeling #ABM #ComplexSystems
September 10, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
linecordes.bsky.social
Very happy to share that our paper presenting a framework for optimal movement decisions in complex landscapes has just been published in TREE @stephharris.bsky.social @jacobnabe.bsky.social tinyurl.com/d45s36y5
August 25, 2025 at 12:38 PM
tonyauk.bsky.social
Brilliant read for those interested in movement ecology and how we can integrate costs (e.g. wind), gains (food) and external moderators (e.g. the "landscape of disgust" which is a new one for me) for prediction and use in conservation strategies!

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Optimal movement decisions in complex landscapes
Understanding and predicting optimal movement decisions in complex and dynamic landscapes requires identifying the mechanisms driving movements, beyon…
www.sciencedirect.com
August 25, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
bioss.bsky.social
BioSS researcher Dr Ana Couto worked with a team of international scientists who tracked over 100 marine species of large vertebrates to identify the most critical locations for conservation in the global ocean. 🌍🌊

Read more here: www.bioss.ac.uk/case-studies...

#conservation #marinebiology
Global tracking of marine megafauna space use reveals how to achieve conservation targets
The recent Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) sets ambitious goals to protect, conserve, and manage at least 30% of the world's oceans in an effort to halt the loss of important mari...
www.bioss.ac.uk
August 21, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
ukcehseabirds.bsky.social
We are back on the Isle of May for the final bit of breeding season monitoring. Fulmar checks are now complete. We'll be sharing all the Isle breeding season results very soon. @smp-seabirds.bsky.social @theseabirdgroup.bsky.social
August 18, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
ruedinager.bsky.social
More intense human-caused heat extremes have reduced terrestrial bird abundance - in particular in the tropics - more than other human pressures
#ornithology
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
August 15, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Reposted by Christopher Pollock
dudney-joan.bsky.social
Really excited to share our new paper on #causalinference & #climatechange attribution out in #EcologyLetters today!

Are you asking "how much" or "if" climate change has impacted your system, then this paper is for you!

🧪🌏🌐🍁🌺🌱🌿
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
A Causal Inference Framework for Climate Change Attribution in Ecology
Accurately attributing ecological shifts to climate change remains a significant challenge. Here, we present an accessible causal inference framework designed for climate change attribution in observ...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
August 14, 2025 at 1:58 PM