Mike Fowler
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theorecol.bsky.social
Mike Fowler
@theorecol.bsky.social
1.4K followers 750 following 630 posts
Theoretical & Quantitative Ecologist. Dad. Whisky lover. Football coach. Relearning the drums. Not necessarily in that order.
See also @[email protected]
He/him
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theorecol.bsky.social
Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · Oct 21
Welcome new followers (thanks to the ecology starter-pack!). I'll take this opportunity to publicise the Response Diversity Network: we seek to understand why species respond in diverse ways to environmental drivers, & the consequences. Join us!

responsediversitynetwork.github.io/RDN-website/
Welcome
responsediversitynetwork.github.io
theorecol.bsky.social
One of the wildest things about acting as an internal examiner for postgraduate theses, is discovering the massive variation in methodological/sampling norms across sub-disciplines *within the same department*.
Entire sub-disciplines have zero problem with pseudoreplication. 🤯
elmo from sesame street sitting at a table with a purple cup and straw
ALT: elmo from sesame street sitting at a table with a purple cup and straw
media.tenor.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
danimontoya.bsky.social
📢❗🚨Reminder: POSTDOC in THEORETICAL ECOLOGY. Great opportunity to develop theoretical models on the ecology of food systems, exploring key aspects such as biodiversity, spatial heterogeneity, pollination, and stability. Close collaboration with researchers from multiple disciplines & countries
November 28, 2025 at 9:45 AM
theorecol.bsky.social
Considering live-streaming my response to Monday's "All-staff webinar" to 'update' us on the Financial Sustainability Programme.

I recommend using headphones set at a low volume. There will be screaming, gutteral noises and agricultural language.
Farm GIF
ALT: Farm GIF
media.tenor.com
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 PM
theorecol.bsky.social
Can't decide whether Runctitional Features should be the name of my Sludge-metal – Jazz fusion band, my wrestling name, or my sex tape.
Why not all three?
You are all now present at The Runctitional Features Universe big-bang moment.
jacksonwryan.com Jack Ryan 🙏🧪 @jacksonwryan.com · 1d
Uhh,,, Figure 1 shows you... what exactly? Trying to understand Medical fryrmbial, runctitional features and mum's legs going through concrete.

This whole article is a bit of a disaster. And it's very difficult to find other published work for the author. Strange! 🧪

(via @smutclyde.bsky.social)
Text says: This section provides a comprehensive description of the methodology employed in this study to develop an explainable XAI framework for ASD diagnosis and parental support. The proposed framework integrates the TabPFNMix regressor, a state-of-the-art machine learning (ML) model for tabular data, with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to ensure both high predictive accuracy and interpretability. The methodology is structured into five subsections: (1) Dataset Description, (2) TabPFNMix Overview, (3) SHAP for Explainability, (4) Framework Design, and (5) Evaluation Metrics. Figure 1 shows the overall methodology. Informed consent was obtained from all participants involved in the study, and, where applicable, consent was obtained from legal guardians for minor participants as approved by the IRB. And then Figure 1 is shown with lots of AI errors on the image. An absolutely totally fine this can be published in a science journal image that purports to show how the study was carried out but instead is just AI slop.
November 27, 2025 at 11:33 AM
theorecol.bsky.social
Sign up! I've been an Assoc Editor @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social for about a year; it's a way better experience than some other places I've been AE. Really great submissions & fantastic editorial & admin support.
Free admission to the @britishecologicalsociety.org annual meeting is an added bonus!
britishecologicalsociety.org British Ecological Society @britishecologicalsociety.org · 3d
💭Are you a researcher or practitioner with an interest in publishing?

We are looking for Associate Editors who can help advance outstanding ecological research by joining the Editorial Board for one of our seven Society-owned journals.
British Ecological Society invites applications for Associate Editor; deadline 23 February. Background shows ants on a green plant.
November 26, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
richarddmorey.bsky.social
Anyone have experience analysing periodicity (eg with Fourier) in data with gaps/missings (eg weekends, holidays) - this is in a health context if it helps? Looking for guides to pitfalls, etc
November 26, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
iite-ecotheory.bsky.social
📅Our speaker next week is Ágnes Móréh (HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Hungary) presenting:

⭐Simultaneous invasion by two species: consequences for their success and for the resident community⭐

Zoom Link: iite.info/seminar/
Global times: www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/f...

See you there!
November 25, 2025 at 11:45 AM
theorecol.bsky.social
Aye, and you can shove yer autotune exactly this far up yer jacksy while yer at it!

(~800 km for metric speaking friends)

youtu.be/MJuyn0WAYNI?...
Proclaimers : Live on Letterman 1989 (21 March) - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
YouTube video by themgnt
youtu.be
November 22, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
ledbydonkeys.org
The real BBC bias story, narrated by Anna Ford
November 19, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
phdhurtbrain.bsky.social
I find the phrase “makes history” nonsensical. Have you seen the stuff historians study? Just dropping an old piece of farm equipment down a well or accidentally freezing to death in a glacier gives you a good shot at the history books
November 14, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
kevinslote.bsky.social
AI Sloppers: AI will put mathematicians out of jobs.

Me: Good. I’d rather be a clerk at a 1980s video store helping teenagers fight vampires or zombies or something.
November 13, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
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/...
A table showing profit margins of major publishers. A snippet of text related to this table is below. 1. The four-fold drain 1.1 Money Currently, academic publishing is dominated by profit-oriented, multinational companies for whom scientific knowledge is a commodity to be sold back to the academic community who created it. The dominant four are Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley and Taylor & Francis, which collectively generated over US$7.1 billion in revenue from journal publishing in 2024 alone, and over US$12 billion in profits between 2019 and 2024 (Table 1A). Their profit margins have always been over 30% in the last five years, and for the largest publisher (Elsevier) always over 37%. Against many comparators, across many sectors, scientific publishing is one of the most consistently profitable industries (Table S1). These financial arrangements make a substantial difference to science budgets. In 2024, 46% of Elsevier revenues and 53% of Taylor & Francis revenues were generated in North America, meaning that North American researchers were charged over US$2.27 billion by just two for-profit publishers. The Canadian research councils and the US National Science Foundation were allocated US$9.3 billion in that year. A figure detailing the drain on researcher time. 1. The four-fold drain 1.2 Time The number of papers published each year is growing faster than the scientific workforce, with the number of papers per researcher almost doubling between 1996 and 2022 (Figure 1A). This reflects the fact that publishers’ commercial desire to publish (sell) more material has aligned well with the competitive prestige culture in which publications help secure jobs, grants, promotions, and awards. To the extent that this growth is driven by a pressure for profit, rather than scholarly imperatives, it distorts the way researchers spend their time. The publishing system depends on unpaid reviewer labour, estimated to be over 130 million unpaid hours annually in 2020 alone (9). Researchers have complained about the demands of peer-review for decades, but the scale of the problem is now worse, with editors reporting widespread difficulties recruiting reviewers. The growth in publications involves not only the authors’ time, but that of academic editors and reviewers who are dealing with so many review demands. Even more seriously, the imperative to produce ever more articles reshapes the nature of scientific inquiry. Evidence across multiple fields shows that more papers result in ‘ossification’, not new ideas (10). It may seem paradoxical that more papers can slow progress until one considers how it affects researchers’ time. While rewards remain tied to volume, prestige, and impact of publications, researchers will be nudged away from riskier, local, interdisciplinary, and long-term work. The result is a treadmill of constant activity with limited progress whereas core scholarly practices – such as reading, reflecting and engaging with others’ contributions – is de-prioritized. What looks like productivity often masks intellectual exhaustion built on a demoralizing, narrowing scientific vision. A table of profit margins across industries. The section of text related to this table is below: 1. The four-fold drain 1.1 Money Currently, academic publishing is dominated by profit-oriented, multinational companies for whom scientific knowledge is a commodity to be sold back to the academic community who created it. The dominant four are Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley and Taylor & Francis, which collectively generated over US$7.1 billion in revenue from journal publishing in 2024 alone, and over US$12 billion in profits between 2019 and 2024 (Table 1A). Their profit margins have always been over 30% in the last five years, and for the largest publisher (Elsevier) always over 37%. Against many comparators, across many sectors, scientific publishing is one of the most consistently profitable industries (Table S1). These financial arrangements make a substantial difference to science budgets. In 2024, 46% of Elsevier revenues and 53% of Taylor & Francis revenues were generated in North America, meaning that North American researchers were charged over US$2.27 billion by just two for-profit publishers. The Canadian research councils and the US National Science Foundation were allocated US$9.3 billion in that year. The costs of inaction are plain: wasted public funds, lost researcher time, compromised scientific integrity and eroded public trust. Today, the system rewards commercial publishers first, and science second. Without bold action from the funders we risk continuing to pour resources into a system that prioritizes profit over the advancement of scientific knowledge.
November 11, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
hansonmark.bsky.social
Scientists operate on principles of good faith. But this is just ridiculous. If you, dear reader, take nothing else away from The Drain paper, it is that publishers cannot be invited to the table any longer.

They can participate and carve a space, but they can't be part of shaping policy.

3/n
November 11, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
plashingvole.bsky.social
Uncanny.
Beavis. Or Butthead. The 47th President of the United States. Seriously.
November 12, 2025 at 11:00 AM
theorecol.bsky.social
Just in case anyone else needs a bit of this, this morning.
youtu.be/FaTcIzLk880?...
Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Kill Your Television (Video)
YouTube video by nedsatomicVEVO
youtu.be
November 12, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
orkneylibrary.bsky.social
Along with the toolboxes and drills we've just added 2 Wagner Wallpaper Strippers and 2 Cable Reels to our NEW loanable tool collection. And we'll be adding more items shortly so watch this space! 👀

Find out more about our loanable tool collection at: orkneylibrary.org.uk/tools/
A wallpaper stripper A cable reel
November 11, 2025 at 1:19 PM
theorecol.bsky.social
#PhD on the Metapopulation dynamics of pollinating bees under joint pesticide & habitat fragmentation pressure. Starts Sept 2026 based at Swansea and Bristol Unis.

More project details: bpb-eu-w2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.bristo...

BBSRC SWBio Doctoral Training Programme: www.findaphd.com/phds/program...
bpb-eu-w2.wpmucdn.com
November 11, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
blytheroad.bsky.social
“In the last year of the Conservative Government alone, 115 prisoners were released in error, including a series of serious offenders.

“At no point did this fact ever make the front pages of British newspapers, or lead news bulletins on the BBC.”
November 8, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
plaidcymru.bsky.social
A tax of 2% on wealth over £10 million would raise £24 billion every year 🤯

This could be used to fund our public services properly - from schools to hospitals.

While Reeves says we must all “do our bit”, Plaid Cymru believes it’s time for those with the broadest shoulders to pay their fair share.
November 7, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
danimontoya.bsky.social
I am pleased to announce a new postdoctoral position in Theoretical Ecology. More info here: info.bc3research.org/2025/11/06/p...
Postdoctoral position in agroecology for TRANSFORM Project
The Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3) is offering a full-time postdoctoral research position to support activities within a Horizon Europe project. The project focuses on developing innovative cr...
info.bc3research.org
November 6, 2025 at 3:40 PM
theorecol.bsky.social
So, a few good things happened in the US and A today.

May you all enjoy this, which does not need to be ranked.

(Another time I'll tell you all about my inability to remember the difference between the Michaels Marra and McDonald, which is rarely a trial.)

youtu.be/jrkOQuRYCIQ?...
The Doobie Brothers: Tiny Desk Concert
YouTube video by NPR Music
youtu.be
November 5, 2025 at 10:40 PM
theorecol.bsky.social
Hey Cat-I-farted, show me a classic example of "why not both?" that also includes just a dash of "and pay for it all yourself, you obscene fucknugget"
October 30, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Reposted by Mike Fowler
watts-km.bsky.social
more PhD info here www.linkedin.com/posts/efuent...
October 29, 2025 at 4:25 PM
theorecol.bsky.social
Come for the exchange of knowledge, stay for the views!
Arthur's Seat, waking up to autumnal sunshine, from the Bayes Centre. Arthur's Seat bathed in autumnal afternoon sunshine, from the Bayes Centre. Solving some temperature dependent problems during a coffee break: plots and diagrams on a chalkboard. A rainbow, erupting from an extinct volcano in Edinburgh.
October 22, 2025 at 4:41 PM
theorecol.bsky.social
Our Biophilic Living project needs a Research Assistant to help us map Stakeholders, the development of the Green Infrastructure movement & Green Infrastructure Training in Wales, to improve design, delivery and maintenance of biodiverse GI.
More info & application:
www.swansea.ac.uk/jobs-at-swan...
Research Assistant
We are looking for a Research Assistant with outstanding organisational and communication skills
www.swansea.ac.uk
October 22, 2025 at 11:30 AM