Maria (⌐■_■)

Have you ever wondered why there's such a lack of ectomycorrhizal-affiliated tree seedlings under mountain laurel thickets? Read all about it! This is also my first first-author publication 🥳 authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...

Interesting article! wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Beef production has been the largest driver of deforestation this century. Over the last two decades, around 128 million hectares of forest have been cleared to make way for agriculture and forest plantations. That’s an area five times the size of the United Kingdom.

With all of this rogue AI business - if the tech bros are scared of their own creation why don't they just stop doing it? Turn the servers off, stop involving computers and the internet where they needn't be.

Does anyone have suggestions for events to attend at NY Climate Week?

This morning in Biddeford, Maine, a 26-year-old man said goodbye to his wife and daughter and left for work. Moments later he was dead, shot in the head by ICE agents, the second man ICE has killed in six days. ICE is killing our neighbors. ICE cannot be reformed. Abolish ICE.

Hearing "This study is an excellent contribution to the literature!" from a reviewer after major revisions is very heartening! Feeling ready to tackle the next manuscript 😄

Lots of good papers coming out in the mycorrhizal-mediated PSF/CDD space these days. I'm gonna have to take a few weeks off from lab and field work to catch up!

Has anybody imported tree cores into the US and can give me some pointers on paperwork? 🌎🧪

Here's an exciting new publication from my research group! We analyzed long-term demographic data from two forests in the Cumberland Plateau and found that species composition changes align with tree mycorrhizal association www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

This is my first time going through the peer-review process as first author. Reviewer #2 was the harshest but I've gotta say, they make good points. I appreciate that they're making the paper better

One of the big issues I think Nashville has right now is the lack of shade around town. The sun beats down here and the lack of shade makes most roads unwalkable. The way cars super-heat in uncovered lots and the reflection off roads makes driving miserable too.

We’re launching the 2026 International Summer School on Complex Systems in Earth System 🌍 Explore resilience, tipping points, and climate dynamics through lectures, discussions, and hands-on work. 📍 Tsinghua University 📅 Aug 3–15, 2026 Deadline: June 15

Trying to revise a paper that I converted from PDF to word, this is awful. I'd rather just do edits in red pen and retype the whole thing than deal with this formatting nightmare.

Penn State Biology is hiring! We have an opening for a tenure-line faculty position in plant biology - if you'd like to pursue awesome science in a supportive and interdisciplinary community of researchers, consider applying! psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/PSU_Ac...

I wish I could have a hobby. All work all the time is miserable. Considering starting over as a barista.

Please spread this widely!

Happy late Earth Day! My university's environmental science club picked up about 5 bags of trash from our local wetland to celebrate

Academics, did you use time in your PhD program to target a dream job? I'm interested in a small niche and would have to start incorporating things outside of my advisor's expertise to build the right resume. I don't know if that's a good idea if I want to graduate on time. Advice appreciated :)

“NSF Plant Biology Act.” H.R. 7949 www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c... This bill would expand NSF funding for plant and microbial biology grants with $150 million authorized each year from FY2026 through 2031. Reach out to your representatives. www.house.gov/representati...

The mountain azaleas are blooming, 5-lined skinks are running around, and leaf-out is in full swing! Fingers crossed we get some rain soon because I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the mushrooms 🍄

I'm seeing a lot of newly planted street trees around Nashville, and none of them are invasive species (I checked)! Plus, the trees planted on my street last year are doing well. Things are really moving in the right direction here

Is anyone else cautiously optimistic about the silver linings of gas prices? I'm hoping this is what gets the average suburbanite to choose any form of transit other than massive SUVs/pickups. Maybe plastics won't be the cheap default packaging if prices stay high. Anything's possible

I now have a paper in review that cites another one of my papers that is also in review. Feeling very academic 😎

Revising figures in R you made a year ago when you're at the very end of writing a manuscript is like deciphering hieroglyphics

Always sad when you hear from an old classmate and it turns out they just want you to join an MLM.

Nashville's public transit has improved so much in the four years I've lived here that the bus has actually become a commute option for me! Thanks Freddie @freddieoconnell.bsky.social

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

The long-awaited @robertmoor.com In Trees: An Exploration comes out Apr 7! I've been looking forward to this book since reading Moor's brilliant On Trails. I just preordered. You can, too. Support an excellent author & have something great to look forward to. www.publishersweekly.com/9781476739250

What a delight it is to come across people you know while browsing literature outside of your field. It's like finding an easter egg

Good news, I got health insurance. It won't cover anything unless it's an emergency but at least I can maintain employment (because Tennessee State University requires proof of health insurance for grad students but doesn't provide plans). Can't wait to immigrate to a civilized country.

Currently grading, one of the senior agriculture majors described part of the carbon cycle as "plants eat carbon". The word "photosynthesis" was nowhere to be found. This man should not be two months away from a college degree. What is happening to the education system!?

Prepping a lecture, lab, and exam questions for a class I'm TAing, studying for my own midterms, trying to get a revision through to submit a paper to a journal this week, and getting a purchase list ready for this summer's experiment. PhDs are exhausting

Any soil microbial community ecologists around here? I have some questions about sampling and would appreciate an expert's opinion 😊

Good news, we got a microscope camera! I can now make better ID guides for lab protocols, and that is very exciting

Anyone have a recommendation on fungicides? I'm looking for one that will kill all fungi and another that will spare mycorrhiza but kill pathogens

The to-do list doesn't end but hey, at least my paper revision is done. I'll take wins where I can get them

All of the men dropped out of my biogeochemistry class, most of the women are still standing! #WomeninSTEM

Does anyone come back to writing after a period of lab/field work and feel like a complete dunce? It's like I have to build skills and endurance back up every time I come back to work on manuscripts

Does anyone on here have expertise relating to dark septate endophytes? If so, I have some questions about how to distinguish the hyaline hyphae from other types of endophytic fungi