Quick guess! Do you think biotic resistance holds up in mountains? Elton (1958) predicted diverse native communities resist newcomers. Our new paper using the global MIREN data says: not really — mountains didn't play along. The breakdown --> the3dlab.org/2026/09/22/n...

Little resistance where we expected it

Once you have gone through the effort of collecting a global database, you can start playing with it. And one of the most fun things to play with, I’d say, is general ecological theories &#82…

the3dlab.org

Local extinctions of cold-adapted plant species on mountain tops are happening. And they're accelerating! That, and much more interesting nuance, in our new paper - just out, and on the cover of, Science! More on the story on my blog: the3dlab.org/2026/09/03/p...

Proving extinction is hard. But we can do so now.

For decades, climate change ecology has mostly been a story about shifts: species moving upslope, poleward, tracking the climate they’re adapted to as it slides out from under them. It’…

the3dlab.org

Can you imagine how much roadside fieldwork went into this? We just published the database of the Mountain Invasion Research Network (MIREN) road survey, from 2007 till 2022, with all its 170,000 georeferenced plant records! More on the blog: the3dlab.org/2026/08/22/t...

The MIREN road survey database

Can you imagine how many hours of roadside fieldwork went into this? We’ve just published the MIREN road survey database, and the accompanying paper led together with Sylvia Haider: 170,000 g…

the3dlab.org

Mountain tops are big, rocky canaries in the coalmine. And these canaries are showing clear signs of warming! Our new paper, just out in NEE, shows widespread thermophilisation across Europe's summits, yet with little link with local climate. Why? I explain here --> the3dlab.org/2026/08/14/b...

Big, rocky canaries in the coalmine

Mountain tops are big, rocky canaries in the coalmine that is our planet. Up there, above the last trees, change happens in real time and out in the open: plants, rock and climate, negotiating dire…

the3dlab.org

The third Microclimate Ecology & Biogeography conference is on in Montpellier, France, this week! On the blog, some first quick thoughts about what this gathering of enthusiastic minds will show us about the state of the field: the3dlab.org/2026/06/02/m... #meb2026

MEB 2026

Big week in Montpellier this week, as the world’s microclimate ecology and biogeography community has gathered for the third global MEB conference. After the first edition in Antwerp in 2022 …

the3dlab.org

The Mountain Invasion Research Network (MIREN) just turned 20! 🎉 We celebrate with a new paper in Biol Invasions on what 20 years of mountain monitoring taught us - and how ecological networks can survive (and thrive). Blog: the3dlab.org/2026/05/24/a... Paper: link.springer.com/epdf/10.1007...

A beautiful birthday

The MIREN network has turned twenty! Imagine: a global ecological network, built on friendship, enthusiasm, and a shared love for mountains, that has managed not only to survive, but to grow and th…

the3dlab.org

This paper means a lot to me. Main finding: mountain roadsides can differ in temperature from adjacent vegetation as much as sites >200 elevational meters apart. A long-overdue crossover between MIREN and the MEB network. More here: the3dlab.org/2026/04/28/m...

Mountain road microclimate

This is a massively important paper. At least for me. It brings together the work I’ve been doing in the Mountain Invasion Research Network and the Microclimate Ecology & Biogeography Network. …

the3dlab.org

Virtual trip to the Canary Islands! We mapped microrefugia across the archipelago by combining climate change with local landscape features. Key insight: refugia are rarer in the dry east, and shift from topography-driven → vegetation-buffered westward. More 👇 the3dlab.org/2026/04/16/f...

Finding refuge on the Canaries

Microrefugia. It’s a tempting concept, and one that has quickly moved from theory to the frontline of conservation. As climates warm, these small, buffered places may allow species to persist where…

the3dlab.org

Where does Flanders actually sound nice? Using soundscape observations from ~4,000 citizens, our new paper (led by Ablenya Barros) shows how traffic and nature shape perceived pleasantness — and maps it spatially. Story: the3dlab.org/2026/03/11/w...

Where the soundscape is pleasant

So, where in Flanders does it still sound nice? A simple question, perhaps. But one for which the data has long remained elusive. Sound is a complex, multi-dimensional beast, and capturing how peop…

the3dlab.org

Last chance to register for this week's MEB General Assembly! During this online event, we’ll share updates on the network, highlight ongoing projects and collaborations, and create space for discussion, questions, and feedback. 👉 Sign up now via: www.meb-network.com!

New paper in PLOS Digital Health — on smartwatches, smartphones & sleep. How did I as an ecologist end up here? I wrote a short story about wandering through science, citizen science, and why that’s made me a better researcher: 👉 the3dlab.org/2026/02/17/f...

From plants to smartphones: how I wandered through science

New paper out! –> Decorte et al. in PLOS Digital Health This paper might be the furthest I have ever ventured from my core scientific discipline. And honestly? That feels very much right. …

the3dlab.org

Non-native species can be a hell of a nuisance. Pines in Chile? Even after removal, the damage is done. I wrote a short blogpost - with well-deserved swear words - about our new paper in Journal of Vegetation Science 👇 the3dlab.org/2026/01/24/a...

This is how scientific discourse should operate. A respectful + insightful comment by Tomas Uxa on the limits of ML from @jlembrechts.bsky.social's high-impact paper, yet still celebrating it. In return, Jonas applauds Tomas for his detective work. Well done, Tomas and Jonas! A model for us all.

Jonas Lembrechts@jlembrechts.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Did we rewrite the laws of physics - or did our ML model predict things that are physically impossible? Tomas Uxa just published a Commentary on our 'Global maps of soil temp', arguing the latter I break down the what, the how, and the what next here 👇 the3dlab.org/2025/12/22/d...

Did we rewrite the laws of physics - or did our ML model predict things that are physically impossible? Tomas Uxa just published a Commentary on our 'Global maps of soil temp', arguing the latter I break down the what, the how, and the what next here 👇 the3dlab.org/2025/12/22/d...

Don’t mess with physics

Gather ‘round, my friends, because this one is important! A few years ago, we released our Global maps of soil temperature – a project that brought climate data much closer to the conditions …

the3dlab.org

Twelve years of uninterrupted blogging on www.the3dlab.org! Safe to say I’ve learned a thing or two about what it means to maintain a science blog. Curious whether I’d recommend this to others? I wrote an honest reflection on my blog (obviously😉) the3dlab.org/2025/12/18/t...

Twelve years of blogging (and counting)

With the end of the year in sight, I always reflect a bit on this website and what it has achieved. Quite a shock to realize now that I’ve been blogging consistently for more than twelve years! Eve…

the3dlab.org

Thanks @jlembrechts.bsky.social for this blog post about our new Oikos paper! Love your blog. :-)

Jonas Lembrechts@jlembrechts.bsky.social · 11mo ago

How to not be swamped by your microclimate data? The rise of microclimate data may have opened Pandora’s box. Gone are the days of simple bioclimatic variables — now heads spin trying to summarize these timeseries. A much-needed paper by @krystofchytry.bsky.social: 🔗 the3dlab.org/2025/11/11/h...

**Help!** Are you working with environmental or biodiversity data and willing to help us out? We have a questionnaire for you --> the3dlab.org/2025/11/11/s...

How to not be swamped by your microclimate data? The rise of microclimate data may have opened Pandora’s box. Gone are the days of simple bioclimatic variables — now heads spin trying to summarize these timeseries. A much-needed paper by @krystofchytry.bsky.social: 🔗 the3dlab.org/2025/11/11/h...

How to not be swamped by your microclimate data

Microclimate data are finally finding their way more routineously into ecological models – and rightly so. Hooray for that! The growing availability of in-situ measurements is helping us brid…

the3dlab.org

Little brain-teaser: Would you expect non-native plant species to make mountain floras more diverse (more heterogeneous) or less so (more homogenised)? Find the answer in my latest blog, where I dive into a new global paper from the Mountain Invasion Research Network: the3dlab.org/2025/10/22/a...

A tale of homogenisation

I’ve always been intrigued by ecological scaling – it’s literally in my title: Assistant Professor in Ecological Scaling. One of the main reasons we care so much about scaling is that ecologi…

the3dlab.org

New paper from the MIREN network! We tested how homogenisation (ecosystems becoming more alike through invasions) changes with scale. Global = clear pattern Local = not so simple Read more: the3dlab.org/2025/10/22/a... Paper, led by @mbuhaly.bsky.social: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

A tale of homogenisation

I’ve always been intrigued by ecological scaling – it’s literally in my title: Assistant Professor in Ecological Scaling. One of the main reasons we care so much about scaling is that ecologi…

the3dlab.org

Cliffhanger: Am I, as a climber, a threat or a treasure for plant diversity on rock cliffs? In her Vlaamse Scriptieprijs story, Sarane Coen finds that a bit of climbing would rather boost than harm diversity. Read more👉 the3dlab.org/2025/10/21/c... #Ecology #Biodiversity #Climbing

Cliffhanger: Am I, as a climber, a threat or a treasure for plant diversity on rock cliffs?

Translation of  the submission for the pop-sci writing competition ‘Vlaamse Scriptiepijs’ by team member Sarane Coen With the River Meuse flowing far below, I search for the way up to the top. With…

the3dlab.org

So here’s a question for you: would species that have historically experienced strong climate fluctuations not be better equipped to handle contemporary climate change than those from stable climates? Our new paper, led by Yuheng Chen, suggests they are! 🔗 the3dlab.org/2025/09/30/m...

Mapping the past to predict the future

Long-term followers of this blog know I’ve always been fascinated by species distribution changes. We’ve tracked non-native species moving into mountains and cities, studied how mountain plants tra…

the3dlab.org

New for all microclimate enthusiasts! A step-by-step workflow to build your own sensor network - with awesome R code for site selection + tips on engagement, fieldwork & outreach. Led with @thenaturedave.bsky.social and @rebeccasenior.bsky.social 🔗 the3dlab.org/2025/08/16/h...

How to set up your own microclimate network

Back in 2021, we had an important thought: maybe we should start treating microclimate the same way we treat macroclimate. Weather and climate are monitored by national governments through organize…

the3dlab.org

Seen loads of monocultures on our #EcoFracNet trips across the Netherlands - but not all are the same. One even hosted a rare, shiny green surprise! 🐸💚 Where in our flat little country do you think the highest plant diversity hides? Suggestions welcome! 👉 the3dlab.org/2025/08/11/monocultures/

Monocultures

Our EcoFracNet biodiversity monitoring project is gathering momentum. Over the past months, we’ve been roaming the Netherlands, clipboards in hand, from endless heathlands to city parks, to record …

the3dlab.org

We suspected it: soil microbes don’t care much about our neat climate gradients. 🌱🦠 Across 7 Chinese mountains, their biogeography is messy - but not without patterns. I unpack it here 👉 the3dlab.org/2025/08/05/s... Paper by Kunwei Wang et al. in GEB 👉 authorservices.wiley.com/api/pdf/full...

Soil microbes care little about your climate gradients

We had a hunch: the biogeography of soil microbial communities was going to be messy. Even less than plants or animals, microbes aren’t paying attention to the broad-brush macroclimatic gradients t…

the3dlab.org

“Most biodiversity studies still rely on coarse, long-term averages or climate station data far away from where organisms actually live. But extreme events are short-lived and highly local – meaning we need fine-scale data in both space and time to catch them”

Jonas Lembrechts@jlembrechts.bsky.social · last yr.

Climate change hits fast and erratic - through extremes, not slow trends. In our new TREE paper (led by @lysoifer.bsky.social), we discuss what's needed for us to deal with the resulting unpredictable range shifts. Summary: the3dlab.org/2025/07/20/e... Paper: sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Climate change hits fast and erratic - through extremes, not slow trends. In our new TREE paper (led by @lysoifer.bsky.social), we discuss what's needed for us to deal with the resulting unpredictable range shifts. Summary: the3dlab.org/2025/07/20/e... Paper: sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Extremes

I’ve just returned from a field visit to northern Sweden – above the Arctic Circle. It was close to thirty degrees Celsius this week. We nearly got burned off the mountain. This kind of heat …

the3dlab.org

A forest, a heatland/raised bog, a farm, two school yards and the university campus, our own data collecting for #EcoFracNet has been very successful so far! Now looking forward to the data from all over the world to come in - everyone still welcome to join! the3dlab.org/2025/02/10/m...

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