Howard Whiteman, PhD, has studied the same tiger salamanders at Mexican Cut since 1990. Seeing them fluoresce was one eureka. The biggest came from decades of watching. Find out what it was: rmbl.org/article/science-stories-october-2026-2 Newsletter: rmbl.org/newsletter-sign-up 📷 Tara Neufell

New from RMBL: tiger salamanders at Mexican Cut that fluoresce, a caddisfly moving upslope after low-snow years, color-chip decoys that test what male butterflies see, and how one 1992 summer shaped an ecologist's career. rmbl.org/newsletter/october-2026-newsletter

Our July e-newsletter is here! https://www.rmbl.org/newsletter/july-2026-newsletter/ #RMBL #GothicColorado #ScienceOutside #ecologynews

🍻 Raise a glass to science! Join us July 1 at Public House, Crested Butte for the launch of Irwin Brewing Co.'s Marmot Tears, a special edition of their best-selling IPA, with a portion of proceeds benefiting RMBL. Learn more at https://www.rmbl.org/marmottears.

Congratulations to RMBL scientist and University of Arizona Professor Brian Enquist, who recently received the 2026 Robert H. MacArthur Award from the Ecological Society of America (ESA)! 👏🍃

RMBL seeks a chef for the 2026 summer season (June-September). This position supports meal preparation and service at the field station in Gothic, CO. End of season bonus, housing, and meals are possible. To learn more, go to https://www.rmbl.org/about-us/jobs/

The RMBL June e-newsletter is here! conta.cc/4o0cG9F Sign up: https://www.rmbl.org/newsletter-sign-up/

RMBL scientists Jill Anderson and Ian Breckheimer have won the 2026 Ecological Society of America W.S. Cooper Award! Press release: https://www.rmbl.org/news-press/media-center/press-releases/ 📸 Boechera stricta (Jill Anderson); Anderson (Tom Pendergast); Breckheimer (Dave Basden)

New research from RMBL scientists shows that snow cover plays a critical role in supporting bee populations. 8 of 13 species had higher populations after years with longer snow cover. 📸Photo credit: Michael Stemkovski https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article/292/2061/20251887/366095

Our April e-newsletter is here! Link: https://www.rmbl.org/newsletter/april-2026-newsletter/

200- to-1,000-year Snow Anomaly Observed in Colorado Mountains, according to a new analysis at RMBL. Read the press release at https://www.rmbl.org/news-press/media-center/press-releases/. Graph by Dr. Ian Breckheimer on March 23, 2026

Podcast alert❄️🔊 Check out the newly released Vox Unexplainable podcast episode titled "Snow day!", featuring RMBL scientist Dr. Jessica Lundquist, professor of civil & environmental engineering at the University of Washington. UW Civil & Environmental Engineering 🔗Link in bio to listen!

Congrats to RMBL scientist Courtenay Ray and collaborators on their recent publication in the American Journal of Botany! Discover how plant and seed shape influence seed trapping and retention: https://tinyurl.com/24t6cppb Photo: Michael Hensley using the wind tunnel. Credit: Courtenay Ray

Is winter arriving earlier than it used to? After a conversation with John Harte, David Inouye looked at decades of data from the Crested Butte weather station. The trend suggests more winter precipitation is falling earlier in the season by late January. Learn more on our website.

Changes in climate reshape soil ecosystems as well as plant communities, according to new findings by RMBL scientists Jennifer Rudgers, Stephanie Kivlin, Aimée Classen, and Lara Souza (pictured L-R at the RMBL research site). Read the new article in PNAS: https://tinyurl.com/warming-winters-PNAS

Research shows marmot alarm calls aren’t just cute—they’re nonlinear, meaning these furry sentinels dial up the vocal drama to signal danger in surprisingly complex ways. Predators nearby? The sound gets intense. Read more here: royalsocietypublishing.org/rstb/article...

Nonlinear phenomena in marmot alarm calls: a mechanism encoding fear?

Abstract. I review a case study of marmots that contributed to the empirical basis of the nonlinearity and fear hypothesis, which explains why certain nonl

royalsocietypublishing.org

Climate change reshuffles plant communities in unexpected ways. RMBL found warming and cooling change which species appear, but not how related they are. 👉 Species counts don’t tell the full story. #RMBL #ClimateChange #PlantScience Read more here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

What lives on conifer needles? Metagenomics of 67 Rocky Mountain trees uncovered 447 microbial genomes. Communities vary more by location than tree species—revealing a highly adaptive phyllosphere. #Microbiome #ForestEcology #Metagenomics link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Host species and geographic location shape microbial diversity and functional potential in the conifer needle microbiome - Microbiome

Background The aerial surface of plants, known as the phyllosphere, hosts a complex and dynamic microbiome that plays essential roles in plant health and environmental processes. While research has fo...

link.springer.com

Plant metabarcoding upgrade: Adding time + place data boosted bumble bee pollen ID by 77.5%. Clearer bee diets, stronger ecology. 🌿🐝 #Metabarcoding #Pollinators Learn more here: bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Improving plant DNA metabarcoding accuracy with ecological filters and Angiosperms353: Field and pollen microscopy validation

Premise Metabarcoding has become a successful tool for the identification of species in ecological assemblages. However, the usefulness of metabarcoding for identifying plant species has been hamper...

bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

❄️ Snowfall study! W-band radar and snowflake images show high KDP can arise from turbulence, blowing snow, small crystals, and surface dendritic aggregates—not just heavy snowfall. #SnowScience #RadarMeteorology #Cryosphere Learn more Here: acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/...

Investigating KDP signatures inside and below the dendritic growth layer with W-band Doppler radar and in situ snowfall camera

Abstract. Polarimetric radars provide variables like the specific differential phase (KDP) to detect fingerprints of dendritic growth in the dendritic growth layer (DGL) and secondary ice production, ...

acp.copernicus.org

🌼 New Science study shows that even common, widespread plants like Drummond’s rockcress are at real risk from climate change. Big implications for biodiversity. Read Here: ecology.uga.edu/2025/05/01/s... #ClimateScience #Ecology #Biodiversity #PlantResearch #RMBL #ClimateChange

Study reveals even common plants are threatened by climate change - Odum School of Ecology

New research from Jill Anderson is published in Science.

ecology.uga.edu

Beavers aren’t just cute engineers—they’re reshaping mountain rivers in big ways. 🦫💧 A new study used hydrologic models + machine learning to see how beaver ponds boost groundwater. Read here: agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...

Quantifying Groundwater Response and Uncertainty in Beaver‐Influenced Mountainous Floodplains Using Machine Learning‐Based Model Calibration

Floodplain structures and hydraulic conductivities are important for groundwater response with beaver ponds in mountainous floodplains Large down-valley underflow in permeability-stratified flood...

agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

🐜 Check this study out! It reveals that not all “dominant” ants rule the same way! 💪 The study highlights that dominance in nature is complex, with different species excelling in different ways. 🌿 #RMBLResearch #Ecology #AntScience #ClimateBiology Read here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Different Aspects of Dominance Are Not Equivalent When Testing for Trade‐Offs in Ant Communities

Dominance hierarchies are often invoked to explain the outcomes of competition across ecological communities. However, there are a number of difficulties associated with quantifying dominance, making...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

🎉 Big congrats to RMBL scientists Reed Benkendorf, Jane Ogilvie, Paul CaraDonna, and collaborators on their new paper in Applications in Plant Sciences! Their work reveals hidden plant–pollinator stories by pairing field data with genomics. Read here: bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Improving plant DNA metabarcoding accuracy with ecological filters and Angiosperms353: Field and pollen microscopy validation

Premise Metabarcoding has become a successful tool for the identification of species in ecological assemblages. However, the usefulness of metabarcoding for identifying plant species has been hamper.....

bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

✨ A rare sight in Gothic! A strong geomagnetic storm sent charged solar particles colliding with Earth’s magnetic field, painting our mountain skies with the aurora borealis. 🌌 #RMBL #NorthernLights #AuroraBorealis #ScienceInTheMountains Read more: www.denverpost.com 📸 Ashley Hale & David Inouye

🌼 New research alert! A study led by Kaysee Arrowsmith and co-authored by Berry Brosi reveals that rising temperatures are changing which flowers pollinators choose—reshaping plant-pollinator networks.🌿#ClimateChange #Pollination #MountainScience besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Temperature influences pollinators' choice of floral partners independently of community composition

This paper presents novel research that empirically demonstrates a direct link between temperature and plant–pollinator interaction patterns, independently of changes to community composition in eith...

besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

❄️ Exciting news from RMBL! Anton Kötsche and collaborators published their findings on snowfall microphysics in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics from the 2022–2023 SAIL atmospheric campaign. Congratulations to the team! 🎉 acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/... #RMBL #SnowScience #ClimateResearch

Investigating KDP signatures inside and below the dendritic growth layer with W-band Doppler radar and in situ snowfall camera

Abstract. Polarimetric radars provide variables like the specific differential phase (KDP) to detect fingerprints of dendritic growth in the dendritic growth layer (DGL) and secondary ice production, ...

acp.copernicus.org

Hello, Bluesky! 👋 We are the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) — one of the world’s leading field stations for ecological and climate research 🏔️ rmbl.org Follow us for field research highlights, scientist stories, and updates from Gothic, Colorado! #Ecology #FieldScience #ClimateResearch