Ben R Lee, PhD
@benrlee.com
Assistant Prof of Forest Ecology in southern Appalachia. Interested in climate change effects on forest plants, especially phenology, ecophys, and species interactions. He/him
Views my own
🧪🌎🌱📜🌐
More at https://peacchlab.com
Views my own
🧪🌎🌱📜🌐
More at https://peacchlab.com
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
In case anyone wants a little break, here are a few of my favorite facts that I learned in 2025, in no particular order.
Some trees benefit from, and may even encourage, getting struck by lightning because it kills their nearby competitors nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Some trees benefit from, and may even encourage, getting struck by lightning because it kills their nearby competitors nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
January 28, 2026 at 3:44 PM
In case anyone wants a little break, here are a few of my favorite facts that I learned in 2025, in no particular order.
Some trees benefit from, and may even encourage, getting struck by lightning because it kills their nearby competitors nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Some trees benefit from, and may even encourage, getting struck by lightning because it kills their nearby competitors nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
✨ Paper spotlight ✨
(🧵 1/7) From growth potential to drought survival: a trait- and time-based framework for plant water economics across vascular species
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
(🧵 1/7) From growth potential to drought survival: a trait- and time-based framework for plant water economics across vascular species
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
January 28, 2026 at 10:30 AM
✨ Paper spotlight ✨
(🧵 1/7) From growth potential to drought survival: a trait- and time-based framework for plant water economics across vascular species
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
(🧵 1/7) From growth potential to drought survival: a trait- and time-based framework for plant water economics across vascular species
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
Our 2025 Annual Report is here! Below, excerpts from the report including a Letter from our Director,
@theresacrimmins.bsky.social, and highlights of #phenology
accomplishments made possible by our partners and observers!
Read the full 2025 Annual Report at www.usanpn.org/files/npn/re...
@theresacrimmins.bsky.social, and highlights of #phenology
accomplishments made possible by our partners and observers!
Read the full 2025 Annual Report at www.usanpn.org/files/npn/re...
January 27, 2026 at 10:26 PM
Our 2025 Annual Report is here! Below, excerpts from the report including a Letter from our Director,
@theresacrimmins.bsky.social, and highlights of #phenology
accomplishments made possible by our partners and observers!
Read the full 2025 Annual Report at www.usanpn.org/files/npn/re...
@theresacrimmins.bsky.social, and highlights of #phenology
accomplishments made possible by our partners and observers!
Read the full 2025 Annual Report at www.usanpn.org/files/npn/re...
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
The Garden Club of America Iselin Fellowship in Public Horticulture supports experiential learning at public gardens for horticulture graduate students🌸
💰 $5k
📆 application due Feb. 1
www.gcamerica.org/scholarships...
💰 $5k
📆 application due Feb. 1
www.gcamerica.org/scholarships...
The Garden Club of America Hope Goddard Iselin Fellowship in Public Horticulture
www.gcamerica.org
January 26, 2026 at 4:32 PM
The Garden Club of America Iselin Fellowship in Public Horticulture supports experiential learning at public gardens for horticulture graduate students🌸
💰 $5k
📆 application due Feb. 1
www.gcamerica.org/scholarships...
💰 $5k
📆 application due Feb. 1
www.gcamerica.org/scholarships...
When I forget to add a fill to my half-eye plot in R
The snow today on our back porch stairs in central Massachusetts. To me, this looks like the shape of duck heads that have long pills all facing to the right. Others may see different things in the shapes.
January 26, 2026 at 12:48 PM
When I forget to add a fill to my half-eye plot in R
I love going to BSA! Just will depend on preference from my students more than anything.
January 23, 2026 at 4:28 PM
I love going to BSA! Just will depend on preference from my students more than anything.
Torn between going to BSA or ESA this year. Might also try to attend the Natural Areas conference in October since it's just up the road in Asheville.
📣 plant ecologists! 📣 tell me what conferences you're going to in 2026!
January 23, 2026 at 4:20 PM
Torn between going to BSA or ESA this year. Might also try to attend the Natural Areas conference in October since it's just up the road in Asheville.
I just saw an undergrad present at a poster forum last fall that used similar data to what you're describing. I think @mossplants.bsky.social was involved in that project? Not sure how the data were acquired though
January 22, 2026 at 2:38 PM
I just saw an undergrad present at a poster forum last fall that used similar data to what you're describing. I think @mossplants.bsky.social was involved in that project? Not sure how the data were acquired though
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
So if not extra time, then what? Students clearly need SOMETHING—but we’ve leaned on this single accommodation for decades, which means other scalable options haven’t gotten much attention.
Genuinely asking: Instructors + students with disabilities: what’s actually worked for you?
Genuinely asking: Instructors + students with disabilities: what’s actually worked for you?
January 21, 2026 at 7:01 PM
So if not extra time, then what? Students clearly need SOMETHING—but we’ve leaned on this single accommodation for decades, which means other scalable options haven’t gotten much attention.
Genuinely asking: Instructors + students with disabilities: what’s actually worked for you?
Genuinely asking: Instructors + students with disabilities: what’s actually worked for you?
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
excited to hear about the new @usa-npn.bsky.social Nature's Notebook app! phenophase definitions and reference images, new funcationality for advanced traits, adding photos, geolocation tags...and more! #NPNLPLconference #makinguphashtags
January 21, 2026 at 5:23 PM
excited to hear about the new @usa-npn.bsky.social Nature's Notebook app! phenophase definitions and reference images, new funcationality for advanced traits, adding photos, geolocation tags...and more! #NPNLPLconference #makinguphashtags
I've never been at the center of one of these before. Gonna be fun
I'm not a young man. I've been watching the weather for 50+ years. This may be the most significant winter storm I've seen.
January 21, 2026 at 1:41 AM
I've never been at the center of one of these before. Gonna be fun
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
Great National Phenology Network conference on local phenology leaders going on this week online. Really enjoying and learning new ideas from the talks so far! usanpn.org/community/Lo... @usa-npn.bsky.social
2026 Local Phenology Leader Virtual Conference | USA National Phenology Network
usanpn.org
January 20, 2026 at 6:44 PM
Great National Phenology Network conference on local phenology leaders going on this week online. Really enjoying and learning new ideas from the talks so far! usanpn.org/community/Lo... @usa-npn.bsky.social
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
Graduating seniors, check out Scientists in Parks.... Applications due by Feb 15th but don't procrastinate, positions close once they get 60 applications.
conservation-legacy.breezy.hr
conservation-legacy.breezy.hr
SCIENTISTS IN PARKS
The next application period will open in late January.
conservation-legacy.breezy.hr
January 20, 2026 at 1:05 PM
Graduating seniors, check out Scientists in Parks.... Applications due by Feb 15th but don't procrastinate, positions close once they get 60 applications.
conservation-legacy.breezy.hr
conservation-legacy.breezy.hr
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
damn what is wrong with me, i am having the hardest time concentrating on work, i lament as i compulsively refresh live feeds of unspeakable horrors
January 17, 2026 at 7:52 PM
damn what is wrong with me, i am having the hardest time concentrating on work, i lament as i compulsively refresh live feeds of unspeakable horrors
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
Not a single day in 2025 was cooler than the 1991-2020 average, on a global scale. @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social
January 14, 2026 at 9:27 PM
Not a single day in 2025 was cooler than the 1991-2020 average, on a global scale. @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
Undergrads: strengthen your research skills with a summer at the Arboretum! Gain the guidance of staff scientists through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at The Morton Arboretum. Apps due Jan. 31! bit.ly/49t9pZD #SummerInternship #TreeScience #STEM
January 15, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Undergrads: strengthen your research skills with a summer at the Arboretum! Gain the guidance of staff scientists through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at The Morton Arboretum. Apps due Jan. 31! bit.ly/49t9pZD #SummerInternship #TreeScience #STEM
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
🍁Funding for new PhD students ($40k/yr) & postdocs ($70k/yr) coming from outside Canada. Contact me if interested in #Ecophysiology at #UBC in #Vancouver! Possible topics: leaf physiology, thermal ecology, microclimate, scaling, tree physiology, forest ecology, more! michaletzlab.org
Please share!
Please share!
January 15, 2026 at 5:49 PM
🍁Funding for new PhD students ($40k/yr) & postdocs ($70k/yr) coming from outside Canada. Contact me if interested in #Ecophysiology at #UBC in #Vancouver! Possible topics: leaf physiology, thermal ecology, microclimate, scaling, tree physiology, forest ecology, more! michaletzlab.org
Please share!
Please share!
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
You cannot separate out climate from the rest of society and social issues. You cannot separate out climate from the rest of society and social issues. You cannot separate out climate from the rest of society and social issues.
January 15, 2026 at 4:12 PM
You cannot separate out climate from the rest of society and social issues. You cannot separate out climate from the rest of society and social issues. You cannot separate out climate from the rest of society and social issues.
Fog finally burned off to allow us a glimpse of the last sunset of the year over the Olympics. Here's to a brighter year ahead!
#NewYear #2026
#NewYear #2026
January 1, 2026 at 1:21 AM
Fog finally burned off to allow us a glimpse of the last sunset of the year over the Olympics. Here's to a brighter year ahead!
#NewYear #2026
#NewYear #2026
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
Please repost! The LOC Lab @UCSB is recruiting a #PostdoctoralScholar in forest ecology and data science to
develop data-driven models of forest resilience to compound disturbances (e.g., fire, drought, insects). 🌱🍁🌏🧪🌐
Applications due Feb 5
Apply here: www.landscapesofchangelab.com/were-hiring-1
develop data-driven models of forest resilience to compound disturbances (e.g., fire, drought, insects). 🌱🍁🌏🧪🌐
Applications due Feb 5
Apply here: www.landscapesofchangelab.com/were-hiring-1
December 18, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Please repost! The LOC Lab @UCSB is recruiting a #PostdoctoralScholar in forest ecology and data science to
develop data-driven models of forest resilience to compound disturbances (e.g., fire, drought, insects). 🌱🍁🌏🧪🌐
Applications due Feb 5
Apply here: www.landscapesofchangelab.com/were-hiring-1
develop data-driven models of forest resilience to compound disturbances (e.g., fire, drought, insects). 🌱🍁🌏🧪🌐
Applications due Feb 5
Apply here: www.landscapesofchangelab.com/were-hiring-1
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
NSF is about to dismantle NCAR at Russell Vought's direction to protect the fossil fuel industry. It's hard to communicate just how much NCAR does, so let's take a look: I've never worked at NCAR, and I've worked with NCAR researchers once ever. What scientific discoveries has NCAR made possible? 👇
December 17, 2025 at 4:14 AM
NSF is about to dismantle NCAR at Russell Vought's direction to protect the fossil fuel industry. It's hard to communicate just how much NCAR does, so let's take a look: I've never worked at NCAR, and I've worked with NCAR researchers once ever. What scientific discoveries has NCAR made possible? 👇
Go dawgs
UW WINS THE NATIONAL TITLE! Lengthy review after the goal stands.
December 16, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Go dawgs
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
Here's an opportunity to lead research at Kilpisjärvi Biological Station (northern Finland, but close to the border with Norway and Sweden). An amazing place and job. Please forward to Arctic-focused folk.
jobs.helsinki.fi/job/Helsinki...
jobs.helsinki.fi/job/Helsinki...
Professor or Assistant Professor / Associate Professor in Arctic Ecosystem Ecology
Professor or Assistant Professor / Associate Professor in Arctic Ecosystem Ecology
jobs.helsinki.fi
December 12, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Here's an opportunity to lead research at Kilpisjärvi Biological Station (northern Finland, but close to the border with Norway and Sweden). An amazing place and job. Please forward to Arctic-focused folk.
jobs.helsinki.fi/job/Helsinki...
jobs.helsinki.fi/job/Helsinki...
Reposted by Ben R Lee, PhD
I'm recruiting a #PhDstudent ! Deadline Feb 10th!
Explore how forest management shapes peatlands, riparian zones, streams and the #biodiversity that depends on them. www.slu.se/en/about-slu...
Explore how forest management shapes peatlands, riparian zones, streams and the #biodiversity that depends on them. www.slu.se/en/about-slu...
December 11, 2025 at 8:08 AM
I'm recruiting a #PhDstudent ! Deadline Feb 10th!
Explore how forest management shapes peatlands, riparian zones, streams and the #biodiversity that depends on them. www.slu.se/en/about-slu...
Explore how forest management shapes peatlands, riparian zones, streams and the #biodiversity that depends on them. www.slu.se/en/about-slu...