Rodrigo Vargas
@vargaslab.bsky.social
980 followers 710 following 71 posts
University Professor, Ecosystem ecologist, carbon cycle science, VargasLab
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vargaslab.bsky.social
💡 Why it matters:
Long-term data are irreplaceable for understanding ecosystem resilience, variability, and responses to climate change. Sustained support for long-term ecological research is vital to guide adaptive management and policy decisions.

#DataDriven #SciencePolicy

5/5
vargaslab.bsky.social
📈 What we found:
Even after two decades of measurements, predictions of ecosystem behavior remained highly variable and nonlinear. Short-term datasets often miss emergent and unexpected dynamics that only become evident with long-term observation.

#LTER #Sustainability #EcologicalMonitoring

4/5
vargaslab.bsky.social
🔍 What we did:
We analyzed more than 20 years of aboveground net primary production (ANPP) and precipitation data across three dryland ecosystems, spanning a grassland-to-shrubland transition in central New Mexico. We quantified how model predictive capacity evolves as more data accumulate.

3/5
vargaslab.bsky.social
➡️ Long-term data are essential to guide policies on land management, conservation, and climate adaptation. Stable funding streams are crucial to keep these efforts alive.

#FundingScience #Ecology #ScienceMatters

2/5
vargaslab.bsky.social
🌎 Support for Long-Term Ecological Studies Matters Now More Than Ever

I am excited to share our new paper: “Long-term ecological studies must continue: insights from a dryland transition zone” co-authored with Huong LE, Ph.D. and Scott Collins.

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

1/5
vargaslab.bsky.social
BERAC, along with all other Office of Science advisory committees, will be replaced by the newly established Office of Science Advisory Committee (SCAC). This unified advisory committee will support the entire Office of Science.

www.energy.gov/science/arti...

2/2
DOE Establishes the Office of Science Advisory Committee
The Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the establishment of the Office of Science Advisory Committee (SCAC).
www.energy.gov
vargaslab.bsky.social
It was an honor to serve on the Biological and Environmental Research Advisory Committee (BERAC) at the DOE. During my time, I had the privilege of collaborating with outstanding colleagues and advocating for the remarkable work being conducted at DOE.

www.energy.gov/science/arti...

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DOE Establishes the Office of Science Advisory Committee
The Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the establishment of the Office of Science Advisory Committee (SCAC).
www.energy.gov
vargaslab.bsky.social
🌱 What we found:

- Soil respiration temperature thresholds vary across vegetation types and climates.

- Soil moisture strongly interacts with temperature responses.

- A single “universal” temperature response is not enough for accurate carbon-cycle models.

#soilrespiration #drylands
vargaslab.bsky.social
🧪 Excited to share a new paper:

“Vegetation type and climate determine temperature thresholds of soil respiration” in Soil Biology & Biochemistry.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Thanks to Maria Almargo and collaborators for this work!

#soilrespiration #drylands #carboncyclescience
Vegetation type and climate determine temperature thresholds of soil respiration across drylands
Soil respiration (SR) is a key component of terrestrial carbon-climate feedbacks, yet its seasonal dynamics in drylands remain poorly understood. In m…
www.sciencedirect.com
vargaslab.bsky.social
New paper with an incredible group of colleagues ✅

@cleanaircatf.bsky.social
cleanaircatf.bsky.social
🚨BREAKING🚨

Weak forest carbon credit protocols undermine trust in carbon markets. In a new study, leading scientists recommend ways to strengthen standards to ensure lasting climate impacts.

forestcarbonprotocols.org
Forest Carbon Protocols – An evaluation of 20 forest carbon credit protocols
An evaluation and scorecard of 20 forest carbon credit protocols that demonstrate most protocols are not strong enough.
forestcarbonprotocols.org
vargaslab.bsky.social
@cleanaircatf.bsky.social
convened a group of forest carbon experts and we reviewed carbon offset protocols for improved forest management projects in North America.

The paper is out today in Earth's Future.

agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
vargaslab.bsky.social
New publication from PhD student Manan Sarupria in #RSE.

A novel spectral unmixing method for high-accuracy land cover quantification.

Read the full paper (free for 50 days!):

authors.elsevier.com/a/1kZmn_o69J...
vargaslab.bsky.social
Great opportunity for early career scientists!!!!

Nominate an ECS by February 7th 😎

@agubiogeosciences.bsky.social
Reposted by Rodrigo Vargas
cruz-rosmery.bsky.social
Big thanks to everyone who stopped by my poster yesterday at #AGU24!
Almost four straight hours of non-stop talking, and I loved every minute of it. Science is fun, especially when you get to share it with others
#Biogeosciences #VargasLab
@vargaslab.bsky.social
@geolatinas.bsky.social
vargaslab.bsky.social
Hi, meet @cruz-rosmery.bsky.social graduate student in #VargasLab

Also, it will be great to connect Rosmery with
@geolatinas.bsky.social
vargaslab.bsky.social
I will bring up this comment in the next council meeting.
vargaslab.bsky.social
Thank you Ankur…see you @AGU!