Bevan Weir

Bevan Weir

@rhizobia.nz

New Zealand mycology / bacteriology scientist at Manaaki Whenua working on 🍄 #fungi and 🦠 #bacteria taxonomy mostly using 🧬 on 🧫. Hobbies: #fountainpens, #cycling, #homebrew, #photography, and #archery website: https://rhizobia.nz/about

1K followers971 following238 posts

Bevan Weir reposted

Phil Garnock-Jones
@theobrominated.eurosky.social

Ongoing research in taxonomy is absolutely crucial to this mission. That means taxonomists to support and interpret the collections and databases.

Bioeconomy Science Institute@bioeconomyscience.bsky.social

🌿 Have your say on the future of biodiscovery in Aotearoa! Join our online workshops on 20 & 23 October and help shape how we unlock the potential of NZ’s unique biodiversity. Register by 16 October 👇 forms.cloud.microsoft/r/tnjCu7jXvR

Bevan Weir
@rhizobia.nz

New paper on the risk of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death to New Zealand & the S Pacific. This cross #BSI collaboration, supported through #B3NZ, assesses threats to pōhutukawa, rātā and other hosts, identifies spread pathways, and highlights priorities for surveillance and preparedness. doi.org/10.1007/s105...

Bevan Weir reposted

Amy Thorpe
@amycthorpe.bsky.social

Our national-scale study of bacterial biogeography and function in river biofilms has just been published in Nature Communications! @natcomms.nature.com 🦠🧬 Read the paper here: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

nature.comNational-scale biogeography and function of river and stream bacterial biofilm communities - Nature CommunicationsHere, the authors conduct a metagenomic-based study of England’s rivers to show that biofilm bacteria are taxonomically and functionally diverse and are key to biogeochemical cycling, highlighting the...
Bevan Weir
@rhizobia.nz

The Local Organising Committee at #ISME20 Julie and I are the welfare officers. We have ‘office hours’ at the ISME booth, but contact us anytime

Bevan Weir
@rhizobia.nz

Amazing that #ISME20 is in my home city this year. My first ISME was in Mexico 24 years ago. I’m on the LOC so hit me up with any questions

Bevan Weir
@rhizobia.nz

Great to see Dr Greta Stevenson's remarkable legacy featured by 1News. Kew's digitisation project is making historic fungal collections accessible to researchers worldwide. I had a brief cameo explaining why these specimens still matter today. www.1news.co.nz/2026/07/18/r... #mycology

1news.co.nzRenowned London gardens shine light on Kiwi scientist's workThe renowned Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has recently digitised more than seven million plant and fungal specimens, including hundreds of Dr Greta Stevenson's discoveries from New Zealand.

Bevan Weir reposted

IMA Fungus
@imafungus.pensoft.net

🍄🌏 Save the date! The 13th International Mycological Congress #IMC13 comes to Incheon, Republic of Korea, 8-12 August 2027! Join mycologists worldwide for cutting-edge science, symposia & networking. Abstract submission opens Aug 2026. Details: imafungus.pensoft.net/news/1340 @ima-mycology.org

imafungus.pensoft.netThe 13th International Mycological Congress (IMC13) 2027 - Join the Global Mycology Community in KoreaThe 13th International Mycological Congress (IMC13) will be held from 8-12 August 2027 in Incheon, Republic of Korea. Organized by the Korean Society of Mycology (KSM) in collaboration with the Intern...
Bevan Weir
@rhizobia.nz

I was pleased to be nominated for a Science NZ award for my work on the toxic fungus that causes the disease 'facial eczema' in cattle and sheep. It was a great awards evening showcasing the science of many people and groups. Short video of finalists in my category: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxbY... 🧪

youtube.comScience New Zealand 2026 - Collaboration for Impact Finalists.Science New Zealand 2026 - Collaboration for Impact Finalists. Featuring scientists from the Public Research Organisations; Bioeconomy Science Institute, Earth Sciences New Zealand, and Public Health…

Bevan Weir reposted

Kate Evans
@kategevans.bsky.social

500 years ago, people starting building pā all over northern NZ—fortifying their settlements with rows of palisades, cut from nearby bush. Why? What were pā defending—or trying to say? The trees themselves, combined with mātauranga Māori, tell a story. www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-... 🇳🇿🧪 #archaeology

nzgeo.comThe pā buildersFive hundred years ago, people starting building pā all over northern New Zealand—fortifying their settlements with rows of pointed palisades, cut from the surrounding forests. Why? What were pā defen...
Bevan Weir
@rhizobia.nz

Vote for Aotearoa New Zealand’s Fungus of the Year 2026! We have launched the annual vote for #NZ's favourite fungus: interactives.landcareresearch.co.nz/foty/ 🧪 #fungi #mycology

interactives.landcareresearch.co.nzVote for NZ's Fungus of the Year 2026 - Interactives | Bioeconomy Science Institute (Manaaki Whenua Group)Vote for your favourite fungus, or maybe vote for a fungus that is threatened, or culturally important, or edible, or (on the negative side) one that’s causing an important disease.
Bevan Weir
@rhizobia.nz

At the end of the beach were two sea lions! This picture is shot at 600mm so I was more than the 10m away from them as required.

Bevan Weir reposted

Krista Bonfantine 🔥💧
@aridideas.bsky.social

The latest from the Kobziar Fire Ecology Lab with a photo taken by yours truly. We’ve recovered many fungal pathogens in wildland fire 🔥 smoke. Viability was confirmed through culturing & mice developed lung disease when exposed. Lots still to learn abt smoke as a microbial reservoir & vector. 🧬💻🧪

Eos@eos.org

Wildfire smoke, already a health hazard, may come with a dangerous hitchhiker: fungal spores. Research presented at #AGU25 by @kobziar.bsky.social, @phin-lampman.bsky.social, & colleagues. eos.org/articles/fun...

eos.orgFungal Spores in Wildfire Smoke Could Cause Lung Disease - EosMice exposed to fungi spready by wildfires developed symptoms, exposing a potential health hazard to humans that has been understudied.
Bevan Weir
@rhizobia.nz

Black-billed gull (Chroicocephalus bulleri) [Tarāpuka] on the beach in Gisborne, NZ, more slender and less common than the Black-billed gull, this one was was still eyeing up some unattended bags for possible lunch! Shot on #Nikon Z8 with a 180-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/1250, ISO250 #birds #nzbirds

Bevan Weir
@rhizobia.nz

Royal spoonbills (Platalea regia) [Kōtuku ngutupapa] on mud flats in a blustery breeze in Auckland, NZ. Curious looking birds that self mitigated from Australia. Brief video of the same scene: youtu.be/BkeTZXX6hC4 Shot on #Nikon Z8 with a 180-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/640s, ISO90 #birds #nzbirds

Bevan Weir reposted

Dr Abeba Birhane
@abeba.blacksky.app

an important read for at least 2 reasons: 1. shows how big tech operates on intuitions and vibes and not rigorous research 2. this is a masterpiece in how to breakdown complex scientific concepts in simple language and elegant pros that captivate the lay reader taranis.ie/datacenters-...

taranis.ieDatacenters in space are a terrible, horrible, no good idea.There is a rush for AI companies to team up with space launch/satellite companies to build datacenters in space. TL;DR: It's not going to work.

Bevan Weir reposted

Paolo Crosetto
@paolocrosetto.bsky.social

What is the most profitable industry in the world, this side of the law? Not oil, not IT, not pharma. It's *scientific publishing*. We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing. Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820 Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_... Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇

Mark A. Hanson@hansonmark.bsky.social

We wrote the Strain on scientific publishing to highlight the problems of time & trust. With a fantastic group of co-authors, we present The Drain of Scientific Publishing: a 🧵 1/n Drain: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820 Strain: direct.mit.edu/qss/article/... Oligopoly: direct.mit.edu/qss/article/...

Bevan Weir reposted

Strike Map
@strikemap.org

Today, we send solidarity greetings to all involved in the #NewZealand #Megastrike. 100,000 teachers and medical staff taking action. Share this post and support the strike. #StrikeMap

Bevan Weir
@rhizobia.nz

Sacred kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) [Kōtare] perched on a tōtara branch in Auckland, New Zealand. Shot on #Nikon Z8 with a 180-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/1250s, ISO7200 #birds #nzbirds

Bevan Weir
@rhizobia.nz

Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis) [Tauhou] perched at dusk on a willow twig in Auckland, New Zealand. Shot on #Nikon Z8 with 180-600 @ 600mm, f/6.3, 1/1600s, ISO2800 #birds #nzbirds

Bevan Weir
@rhizobia.nz

Of course the norm for social media is to only post the perfect pictures, but of not all shots are like this! In this one the bird slipped over while going for the sugar water! and the shot is a bit out of focus. That is reality! #birds #nzbirds

Bevan Weir
@rhizobia.nz

Swamp harrier (Circus approximans) [kāhu] circling overhead during golden hour in Auckland, New Zealand. Shot on Nikon Z8 with 180-600 @ 600mm, f/8, 1/1250s, ISO500 #birds #nzbirds