Mark A Davis
@markdavis79.bsky.social
Conservation Biologist Illinois Natural History Survey Prairie Research Institute University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Another example of the power of environmental DNA (eDNA): a positive eDNA detection led to the rediscovery of a freshwater mussel not found live in Illinois for over a century. New student-led, open access paper in Ecology with @markdavis79.bsky.social at doi.org/10.1002/ecy....
Comparing innovative #eDNA technology with traditional ecology methods 🌍 #Ecology #Surveys #Biodiversity #Monitoring nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
A systematic review evaluating the performance of eDNA methods relative to conventional methods for biodiversity monitoring
The rapid adoption of environmental DNA (eDNA) methods has drastically changed biodiversity monitoring efforts. It is often claimed that eDNA methods are more sensitive and efficient than conventiona...
nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
New paper out today!! We know warming speeds up eDNA removal in lakes and ponds, but what about streams and rivers where physical removal may obscure the impact of decay? onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Warming Increases Environmental DNA (eDNA) Removal Rates in Flowing Waters
This study experimentally investigated how warmer water temperatures impact eDNA removal rates in flowing waters. Using recirculating mesocosms with varying water temperatures (20°C, 23°C, and 26°C) ...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Join us to discuss #eDNA opportunities and needs with @markdavis79.bsky.social at #TWT2025 on May 8th! Registration is open (and free)! together.taxonworks.org
TaxonWorks Together
Annual event about the collective work in the creation of data to Describe life
together.taxonworks.org
@debpaul.bsky.social · last yr.📢 #eDNA? @tdwg.org @gbif.org #SPNHC #idigbio @dissco.bsky.social @prairieresearch.bsky.social join #TWT2025 TaxonWorks Together: connecting eDNA to vouchers, inventories, provenance, scaling, identifiers, fieldwork, standards, AI & collections. Need new connections? 🪡https://together.taxonworks.org/
The snow is falling in the Greater Chambana Metropolitan Area, I’m writing about Eastern Indigo Snakes, and listening Waxahatchee. It’s a good day. youtu.be/ps1f7p720FA?...
Waxahatchee: Tiny Desk Concert
YouTube video by NPR Music
youtu.be
It IS the Year of the Snake, after all… onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Persistence of Reptile DNA in a Terrestrial Substrate: A Case Study Using the Eastern Indigo Snake
We use eastern indigo snakes to study eDNA deposition and persistence in terrestrial substrates to inform the application of terrestrial eDNA sampling at broader landscape scales. We used a species-s....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Nothing like a little NYE eDNA sampling with @jhhartman.bsky.social Training in some new “techs,” to boot! #eDNA
Check out our latest paper on #eDNA and metabarcoding data reporting standards 🤓🧬🧪 These minimum reporting guidelines for metabarcoding workflows extend from the physical layout of laboratories through to data archiving enhance trust and reliability in data mbmg.pensoft.net/article/1286...
The MIEM guidelines: Minimum information for reporting of environmental metabarcoding data
Environmental DNA (eDNA) and RNA (eRNA) metabarcoding has become a popular tool for assessing biodiversity from environmental samples, but inconsistent documentation of methods, data and metadata make...
mbmg.pensoft.net
Nominate your favorite Great Lakes hero for an @iaglr.bsky.social award! Due February 1, 2025 Help recognize excellence in large lake research. • IAGLR Lifetime Achievement Award • John R. (Jack) Vallentyne Award • IAGLR Large Lake Champion Award iaglr.org/awards-schol...
Awards & Scholarships
IAGLR offers many awards and scholarships to recognize and support excellence.
iaglr.org
Two manuscripts accepted within 15 minutes of one another. I’ll take all of that you got!!!
Cool eDNA tech gig at Auburn. www.auemployment.com/postings/50282
Research Associate/Research Fellow (Environmental DNA Lab Technician)
The Southeast Conservation Genetics Lab (SECGL) at Auburn University is seeking a highly qualified individual to serve in the role as a technician in a new environmental DNA (eDNA) lab. This is a full...
auemployment.com
🌳 New findings 🌳 Phylogenetic diversity cannot be used as a proxy for functional diversity in vascular plant communities 🌲🌳🌴🌵🌱🍀🌾🌼 We used the #sPlot database & found a pronounced decoupling between phylogenetic & functional diversity ⬇️ 🧪🌐🌏🍁 @natureecoevo.bsky.social shorturl.at/Bf5IK
Global decoupling of functional and phylogenetic diversity in plant communities - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Functional diversity and phylogenetic diversity are expected to be positively correlated. Here the authors show that the covariation between these metrics in vascular plant communities around the worl...
shorturl.at
I'm very excited to offer this #PhD on the majestic Atlantic bluefin #tuna in Southwest UK waters using #drones, remote sensing, #ocean profiling & eDNA! Working with #anglers & this fantastic team: @bd-stew.bsky.social @peterimiller.bsky.social @marinemicrobes.bsky.social 🧪🌊🦑 tinyurl.com/mrxyh62t
Calling for your paper for the upcoming collection: Genomics of endangered species 🐬🐒🐸🐍🫎🐧🦉🌴🌿 #consgen #conservationgenetics #conservationgenomics I’m very happy to be serving as Guest Editor and eager to read your submission. Deadline: 13 August 2025 More info: bit.ly/48VA9l6 @BioMedCentral
For eDNA Metabarcoding, particulary for pollinators, curating robust sequences libraries is essential. Partnerships like ours a providing a roadmap for success. #conservationgenetics blog.desertmuseum.org/2024/11/01/b...
Bees, Barcodes, and Biodiversity
Desert Museum Volunteers Build Barcode Reference Library of Native Bees By Kim Franklin Eight years ago I launched a small study of the native bee diversity in Las Mipiltas de Cottonwood, a small u…
blog.desertmuseum.org
With snow set to fly later this week, a Sunday Salameander was very necessary.
A new movie on the environmental film circuit provides a rare glimpse into Kyrgyzstan, formerly part of the Soviet Union, where destructive gold #mining threatens centuries-old ways of life. therevelator.org/mountain-wag...
‘The Mountain Wagtail’: How Pollution and Mining Are Destroying Kyrgyzstan • The Revelator
As mining operations destroy millennia-old glaciers, director Begaly Nargozu’s film reflects a disappearing landscape and culture.
therevelator.org
All the Plants We Cannot See -- Our culture has moved away from a fascination with the greenery around us. Experts warn that “plant blindness” could come with a cost. therevelator.org/all-the-plan...
All the Plants We Cannot See • The Revelator
Our culture has moved away from a fascination with the greenery around us. Experts warn that “plant blindness” could come with a cost.
therevelator.org
“…I have work calls at 11, 11:30, 12, 1:30, 3, and 5. At least there are a couple of blocks in there when I might be able to sneak a little more writing in.” www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/if-...
If Jack Kerouac Tried to Write On the Road Now
I first met Dean after my wife and I had split up—dude, why is everyone freaking out, it was just a small earthquake. We get it. Move on. Look at e...
mcsweeneys.net
Every summer I get questions about giant water bugs – a different species than this in my neck of the woods. They’re such big, dramatic creatures! “…L. maximus grows to nearly 12 cm long and can take down a vertebrate many times its size.” 🧪🌎🪲🪳 www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts...
Meet the world's largest, deadliest bug that can suck the life out of fish many times its size - effectively turning its prey into one giant protein smoothie
All you need to know about the deadly giant water bug that attacks anything that moves - even humans, hence its nickname 'toe-biter'.
discoverwildlife.com
I suspect many researchers have been tempted to send off a letter like this. Below is one that I modified from a published example: journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
Entomology job alert!!! jobpostings.alberta.ca/job/Brooks-I... Short turn around. Closing date November 19! Position can be based in Edmonton or Brooks. #insects #entomology #job
Insect Management Specialist
Insect Management Specialist
jobpostings.alberta.ca
“a large group of funny, talented trans posters were the earliest adopters of Bluesky and were able to forge the platform into what it is today: funny, frequently horny, and with very strong moderation tools. If you like Bluesky’s vibe right now, thank a trans person,” journalist Katelyn Burns said
Aja Romano@bookshop.bsky.social · 2y agoOh neat! @adamclarkestes.com and I just landed in a very similar place also! www.vox.com/technology/3...
RFK jr. Hahahahhaahhahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahaha repeating forever. May take 4 years still, but MAGA ain’t gonna survive this term intact. America will be begging them to go away
Do yourself a favor and read this from Fox News contributor Ben Domenech. I’d like to report a murder
i regret to inform everyone that "fish around and find trout" will be my go-to response to everything for the foreseeable future
Kelporama@kelporama.bsky.social · 2y agoFranz it would obviously be fish around and find trout
In the wake of the U.S. election, Natl Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt has authored a spot-on editorial in Science, stressing the apolitical nature of science and how it remains vital to informing a lot of public policy. Best read all week!! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... #scipol 🧪
