Really looking forward to reading this

Krish Sanghvi@krishsanghvi11.bsky.social · 3w ago

We refine & extend the Y-model heuristic (“mean invariance” hypothesis) to explain why resource limitation reveals tradeoffs + suggestions for what empiricists should measure (hint: it’s not average resource availability in a population, or solely variation in acquisition-allocation). Now in JEB

Such a pity I am not able to attend #isbe2026 in person. However, extremely happy that my PhD students @xiaomeichi.bsky.social (poster) and Xinrui Wang (presentation) are presenting parts of their research. Make sure to chat to them @isbe2026.bsky.social

ISBE2026 (@isbe2026.bsky.social)

International Society for Behavioral Ecology Congress, Turin (Italy) 20-24 July 2026 www.isbe2026.com

isbe2026.bsky.social

What happens when house sparrow nestlings grow up without a gut microbiome? Find out in our new preprint #microbiota #sparrows #microbes #guts www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Gut microbiota promote early-life digestive function in songbirds

The vertebrate digestive tract harbors complex microbial communities whose influences on phenotypes and fitness in non-model organisms remain poorly understood. Here, we show that colonization with gu...

biorxiv.org

Are you a biologist with experience in and enthusiasm for imaging and -omics techniques? Apply for working in Amsterdam (@vuamsterdam.bsky.social) on the exciting topic of socially transferred materials! 🐌 🐸 🐜🧬🔬 workingat.vu.nl/vacancies/po...

Really excited to have this work out as a preprint. Great experiment with great colleagues, special shout out to the fantastic job done by Brian Trevelline and Andrew Moeller www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Gut microbiota promote early-life digestive function in songbirds

The vertebrate digestive tract harbors complex microbial communities whose influences on phenotypes and fitness in non-model organisms remain poorly understood. Here, we show that colonization with gu...

biorxiv.org

Curious how ecological #research works? Visit NIOO's #OpenDay on 3 October! Neighbours, green professionals and policy makers, children (and their parents), everyone is welcome. Join a lab tour, play an ecology-themed game, and learn about new insights in #ecology.

We are looking for a PhD candidate who will study the biogeography of above- and belowground fungi associated with several Scalesia species. We aim to develop an integrated view of diversity and distribution of three components of the fungal microbiome. Apply by 26 June: nioo.knaw.nl/en/vacancies...

PhD: Biogeography of plant-associated fungi on the Galapagos islands

In this project, you will investigate the biogeography of above- and belowground fungi associated with several Scalesia species. We aim to develop an integrated view of diversity and distribution of t...

nioo.knaw.nl

🐦🧬 Back in 2023, @markravinet.bsky.social and I showed that the famous Dutch "Italian Sparrow" was actually a House Sparrow in disguise. Now, our genomic analysis of another Italian Sparrow lookalike from Berlin shows it wasn't a one-off! #sparrowsindisguise www.dutchbirding.nl/dbactueel/21...

And now 2 more unusual house sparrows from Germany - www.dutchbirding.nl/dbactueel/21...

Jente Ottenburghs | Avian Hybrids@jenteo.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Your daily Avian Hybrids story! An Italian Sparrow in the Netherlands turns out to be a House Sparrow avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2023/07/19/a... #ornithology

🐦 Interested in avian reproduction, microbiomes, or reproductive microbiomes? I'm looking for outstanding early-career researchers interested in applying for an NWO Veni grant to join my group at NIOO. Pre-proposals are due after the summer. Email me to discuss ideas. #EarlyCareerResearcher #Postdoc

New to avian microbiome research? 🐦🦠 Our latest article explores key methodological challenges in the field and shares insights to help newcomers set realistic expectations, navigate common obstacles, and better prepare for research in this area. doi.org/10.1186/s425... #AvianMicrobiomes

The elephant (bird) in the room: unknown mechanisms and unresolved impacts of low DNA yields in avian microbiome research - Animal Microbiome

To holistically understand the biology of animals, we must unravel the complexities and specificities of host-microbe interactions across animal taxa. Birds represent enigmatic and scientifically compelling hosts in which to understand these interactions. Here, we present a brief summary of a series of conversations among avian microbiome researchers regarding methodological challenges facing the avian microbiome field, where most research to date has focused on bacterial communities of the gut. Collectively, we acknowledged a commonly shared but underreported issue facing the avian microbiome field: that of difficulty in obtaining high-quality and high-yield microbial DNA from avian fecal samples. We discuss some of the potential reasons underlying low DNA yields, such as inhibitory compounds and rapid DNA degradation, and provide recommendations for how researchers in the avian microbiome field might cope with these methodological challenges. Collective and dedicated efforts to address these challenges will be required for a robust understanding of host-microbe interactions in avian systems.

doi.org

Do you want to use your experience with AI to help ecological research? The Netherlands Institute of Ecology is looking for an AI engineer in ecology. Interested? Or know someone who is? Apply to the vacancy by 14 June: nioo.knaw.nl/en/vacancies...

AI engineer in ecology

The Animal Ecology Department has several ongoing data and software-related projects that already integrate AI, LLM, and machine learning approaches into our work. Many of these projects will benefit ...

nioo.knaw.nl

Attention ECRs! The next round of our ECR Research Exchanges is open for application! Up to €1400 for travel & accommodation for visits to groups with complementary research interests. You can find the application here: bit.ly/4ntSVY4 and more info on our website: www.wamestn.com/research-exc...

2026_WAME_ECR_Exchange.docx

Wild Animal Microbiome Evolution – WAME A Special Topic Network funded by ESEB ECR Research exchange visits Funding available to help early career scientists visit another research group with compleme...

docs.google.com

Parental nutrition: Do #milk and #mucus have things in common? Find out at the BYOF seminar on May 6th at 15:00–16:00 UK / UTC+1 | 16:00–17:00 Europe / UTC+2 | 10:00–11:00 US East / UTC-4 of our #SociallyTransferredMaterials network. Bring a beverage ☕️ as you prefer – with or without the milk!

Run, don’t walk, to Sara’s lab 🏃‍♀️

Sara Lipshutz (she/her)@jacanamama.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Interested in a PhD working on sexual selection in tropical shorebirds? I'm recruiting a student for Fall 2027! I'm happy to support an applicant writing a Simons Graduate Fellowship in Ecology & Evolution: www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/simons...

With Bart Pollux and @anikokorosi.bsky.social , I will chair the Focus session “Socially Transferred Materials" at NWO Life (28-29 May 2026) 🐜🐸🐌🐄🥚 Invites speakers are @sanjahakala.bsky.social , @pranasag.bsky.social, Peter Kwant and @melissahrowe.bsky.social @socialtransfernet.bsky.social

Weird sperm of the red-browed finch take the cover of @jevbio.bsky.social this month.

Journal of Evolutionary Biology@jevbio.bsky.social · 4mo ago

📣 Read our latest issue! 📘 academic.oup.com/jeb/issue/39/4 📸 Red-browed Finch (Neochmia temporalis temporalis), an Australian songbird with highly atypical sperm morphology. Most passerines have elongated, corkscrew-shaped sperm, this subspecies has 'tadpole-like' sperm. Photo Credit: Des Boorman

📣 Read our latest issue! 📘 academic.oup.com/jeb/issue/39/4 📸 Red-browed Finch (Neochmia temporalis temporalis), an Australian songbird with highly atypical sperm morphology. Most passerines have elongated, corkscrew-shaped sperm, this subspecies has 'tadpole-like' sperm. Photo Credit: Des Boorman

Sperm can “age” independently of the male, when stored in male or female reproductive tracts. Our meta-analysis finds widespread evidence across animals (including abstinence in men). Important consequences for fertility, sexual selection, haploid selection! doi.org/10.1098/rspb...

What do milk, seminal fluid, eggs, and regurgitates have in common? Find out during our Focus Session at NWO Life 2026 “Socially Transferred Materials: Connecting Physiology, Ecology & Evolution” (28-29 May 2026, Egmond aan Zee, NL) 🐜 🐸 🐌 🐄🥚 @socialtransfernet.bsky.social

Speakers: @sanjahakala.bsky.social (University of Helsinki), @pranasag.bsky.social (VU/KIT), Peter Kwant (WUR), @melissahrowe.bsky.social (NIOO-KNAW) Chairs: @joriskoene.bsky.social (VU), @anikokorosi.bsky.social (UvA), Bart Pollux (WUR)

Abstract submission may be closed, but it is not too late to sign up to attend the NLSEB Annual meeting. Great plenary talks and a great line up of talks and posters. And thanks to our sponsors NWO and @isme-microbes.bsky.social for helping making this meeting possible.

Don’t miss out. If you are in the Netherlands and consider yourself an evolutionary biologist then this is a must attend event!

NLSEB@nlseb.bsky.social · 6mo ago

We are excited to welcome you to the #NLSEB2026 meeting that will be held on Tuesday April 14 at Akoesticum in Ede! The deadline for abstract submission is March 1st! To register and to learn more about this event, visit our webpage: www.nlseb.nl/nlseb-meetings We hope to see you all there!

I am proud to present our recent #neuroethology paper on #magnetoreception in #ants today on the #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience where all authors are #WomenInSTEM @chiaratenne.bsky.social 🤩👩‍🔬🧪🧠🐜🧭 Thanks to @sfb1372.bsky.social for featuring our research in a video 🤩 doi.org/10.1007/s003...

International Society for Neuroethology@neuroethology.org · 6mo ago

Today is #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience 💜👩‍🔬🧪🧠🧫🔬 #WomenInSTEM #Neuroethology Check out the #Unesco virtual museum about #Women in #Science ↘️ www.unesco.org/en/virtual-s... ↙️ Feel free to post interesting facts about women researchers and link women neuroethologists below 👇

📣SUBMISSION DEADLINE APPROACHING: 📣 28th February Special Issue: Foundations of Internal Conflicts Guest Edited by @martijnschenkel.bsky.social, @arvidagren.bsky.social, @imprintedgene.bsky.social, Nina Wedell and Manus Patten For more info: academic.oup.com/jeb/pages/ca...

Heat can make #fruitfly males sterile at temperatures below their lethal limits. We explore if tissue-specific heat shock protein expression can explain why using 6 #Drosophila species: @chsmithson.bsky.social et al. @ejduncan.bsky.social @amandabretman.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

Expression of heat shock proteins and thermal sensitivity of male fertility across six Drosophila species

Abstract. Understanding the mechanisms that confer resilience to thermal stress is crucial in the context of climate change. Recently there has been increa

doi.org

Special Feature: Can we predict the future of evolution? In this review, Jackson et al. dig into genomic analyses of change over time to determine if and when evolution can be forecast using genomic methods. Read now ahead of print! www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...

Great to have @alexfig.bsky.social joining the team to work on reproductive microbiomes in house sparrows

Alex Figueiredo@alexfig.eurosky.social · 7mo ago

After 4 wonderful years at @biology.ox.ac.uk working with Sarah Knowles on house mouse gut microbiota-behaviour links, today I started a new postdoc position at @niooknaw.bsky.social with @melissahrowe.bsky.social, where we'll be looking at house sparrow reproductive tract microbiotas! Stay tuned :D

Grateful for received #funding from @koneensaatio.fi for our project on impact of light pollution on the flux of insects between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Will be looking for a #postdoc and a #PhD for 4 years – take contact if interested. koneensaatio.fi/apurahat-ja-...

Are you an evolutionary biologist? Would you like to support your society journal? We are looking for new editorial board members across the field of evolutionary biology: 🧬🌿🪰🐀🦀🔬🧫🦠🐟🐦🧑‍💻🪸🦎 Learn more and find out how to apply: jevbio.net/call-for-edi... DEADLINE 19th January 2026 📣