Benjamin Birch
@bdjbirch.bsky.social
MRes in Ecology and Environment. Protecting biodiversity is protecting our future 🌴🌳☮️
Pinned
Benjamin Birch
@bdjbirch.bsky.social
· Feb 15
Land sparing outperforms land sharing for Amazonian bird communities regardless of surrounding landscape context
Landscape wildlife friendliness (WF) provided through land sharing is of limited benefit to many tropical forest-dependent species that are unable to move across or utilise pasture, even at high leve...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Our study in the Colombian Amazon reveals that land sparing—intensive farming coupled with preserving large contiguous forest areas—supports higher bird species richness than land sharing, regardless of surrounding landscape context.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
Just like humans, chimps have rhythm when drumming, which suggests that the trait evolved in our common ancestor
Chimps share 'building blocks of musical rhythm' with humans
www.newscientist.com
May 27, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Just like humans, chimps have rhythm when drumming, which suggests that the trait evolved in our common ancestor
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
The biodiversity crisis is existential for humanity. I’m angry that it’s being ignored. Use your vote to force politicians to recognise your concerns
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Australia is in an extinction crisis – why isn’t it an issue at this election?
Some of the country’s most loved native species, including the koala and the hairy-nosed wombat, are on the brink. Is this their last chance at survival?
www.theguardian.com
April 6, 2025 at 7:57 PM
The biodiversity crisis is existential for humanity. I’m angry that it’s being ignored. Use your vote to force politicians to recognise your concerns
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
Riparian Vegetation and Water Quality: A Case Study of Protected and Unprotected Rivers in the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.01.646576v1
April 6, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Riparian Vegetation and Water Quality: A Case Study of Protected and Unprotected Rivers in the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.01.646576v1
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
🌊 We're Hiring 🌊 Project Seahorse is looking for a Research Associate to help advance the conservation of seahorses and their relatives through research, expert collaboration, and community engagement. To apply visit buff.ly/Q299wEc
#Hiring #ProjectSeahorse
#Hiring #ProjectSeahorse
March 31, 2025 at 12:02 PM
🌊 We're Hiring 🌊 Project Seahorse is looking for a Research Associate to help advance the conservation of seahorses and their relatives through research, expert collaboration, and community engagement. To apply visit buff.ly/Q299wEc
#Hiring #ProjectSeahorse
#Hiring #ProjectSeahorse
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
We’ve pumped huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that needs to be paid back. Large animals like wolves, bison and whales may already be tackling the problem.
How a surprising twist on rewilding could help settle our carbon debt
We’ve pumped huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that needs to be paid back. Large animals like wolves, bison and whales may already be tackling the problem
www.newscientist.com
March 31, 2025 at 12:35 PM
We’ve pumped huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that needs to be paid back. Large animals like wolves, bison and whales may already be tackling the problem.
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
Hi, new followers! If you love marine biology and ocean conservation, give these fine folks a follow.
go.bsky.app/HYBnbQn
🌎🧪🦑🐠
go.bsky.app/HYBnbQn
🌎🧪🦑🐠
March 30, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Hi, new followers! If you love marine biology and ocean conservation, give these fine folks a follow.
go.bsky.app/HYBnbQn
🌎🧪🦑🐠
go.bsky.app/HYBnbQn
🌎🧪🦑🐠
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
Active wetland restoration kickstarts vegetation establishment, but natural development promotes greater plant diversity 🌊 🧪
Results imply that restoration projects face a trade-off 💭 🌏
🔗 doi.org/10.1111/1365...
Results imply that restoration projects face a trade-off 💭 🌏
🔗 doi.org/10.1111/1365...
March 28, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Active wetland restoration kickstarts vegetation establishment, but natural development promotes greater plant diversity 🌊 🧪
Results imply that restoration projects face a trade-off 💭 🌏
🔗 doi.org/10.1111/1365...
Results imply that restoration projects face a trade-off 💭 🌏
🔗 doi.org/10.1111/1365...
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
Not cool! #Ningaloo and #GreatBarrierReef hit by ‘profoundly distressing’ simultaneous coral bleaching events www.theguardian.com/environment/... #coralbleaching #climatechange 🔥🌊🪸☠️
Ningaloo and Great Barrier Reef hit by ‘profoundly distressing’ simultaneous coral bleaching events
Scientists say widespread damage to both world heritage-listed reefs is ‘heartbreaking’ as WA reef accumulates highest amount of heat stress on record
www.theguardian.com
March 22, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Not cool! #Ningaloo and #GreatBarrierReef hit by ‘profoundly distressing’ simultaneous coral bleaching events www.theguardian.com/environment/... #coralbleaching #climatechange 🔥🌊🪸☠️
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
The 2025 State of the Birds Report finds birds from almost all habitats continue to decline. The declines are staggering. It’s time to act to bring birds back. Action to help: spread the word! #BringBirdsBack #BirdersUnite #BirdWatching #ProtectBirds
www.stateofthebirds.org/2025/
www.stateofthebirds.org/2025/
March 17, 2025 at 1:56 PM
The 2025 State of the Birds Report finds birds from almost all habitats continue to decline. The declines are staggering. It’s time to act to bring birds back. Action to help: spread the word! #BringBirdsBack #BirdersUnite #BirdWatching #ProtectBirds
www.stateofthebirds.org/2025/
www.stateofthebirds.org/2025/
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
A recent model estimates that 215 million hectares in tropical regions – an area greater than that of all Mexico – have potential for natural forest regeneration, representing an above-ground carbon sequestration potential of 23.4 Gt C over 30 years. Read more here:
Natural forest regeneration in the tropics has the potential to sequester 23.4 gigatonnes of carbon
cbcs.centre.uq.edu.au
March 17, 2025 at 6:49 AM
A recent model estimates that 215 million hectares in tropical regions – an area greater than that of all Mexico – have potential for natural forest regeneration, representing an above-ground carbon sequestration potential of 23.4 Gt C over 30 years. Read more here:
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
The U.S. foreign aid freeze blocks the establishment of Ghana’s first Marine Protected Area (MPA).
Ghana’s small pelagics — sardines, anchovy and mackerels — make up about 60% of local fish landings and serve as a primary source of protein for almost two-thirds of the country’s population.
Ghana’s small pelagics — sardines, anchovy and mackerels — make up about 60% of local fish landings and serve as a primary source of protein for almost two-thirds of the country’s population.
USAID funding cuts jeopardize creation of Ghana’s first Marine Protected Area
For more than 10 years, researchers, civil society and community members and government officials in Ghana worked to create the West African nation’s first marine protected area (MPA). In January, the...
news.mongabay.com
March 17, 2025 at 7:05 AM
The U.S. foreign aid freeze blocks the establishment of Ghana’s first Marine Protected Area (MPA).
Ghana’s small pelagics — sardines, anchovy and mackerels — make up about 60% of local fish landings and serve as a primary source of protein for almost two-thirds of the country’s population.
Ghana’s small pelagics — sardines, anchovy and mackerels — make up about 60% of local fish landings and serve as a primary source of protein for almost two-thirds of the country’s population.
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
Fully funded PhD in Plant Ecophysiology at UBC in Vancouver 🍁! Possible topics include leaf physiology, thermal ecology, microclimates, scaling, tree physiology, forest ecology & more. Start Jan/May/Sept 2026. michaletzlab.org
Please share!
#PlantEcoPhys #Ecology #Botany #PhDposition #GradSchool
Please share!
#PlantEcoPhys #Ecology #Botany #PhDposition #GradSchool
March 13, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Fully funded PhD in Plant Ecophysiology at UBC in Vancouver 🍁! Possible topics include leaf physiology, thermal ecology, microclimates, scaling, tree physiology, forest ecology & more. Start Jan/May/Sept 2026. michaletzlab.org
Please share!
#PlantEcoPhys #Ecology #Botany #PhDposition #GradSchool
Please share!
#PlantEcoPhys #Ecology #Botany #PhDposition #GradSchool
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
My latest post is now out.
I show how Trump's attacks on science and universities are neither random nor new - they fit very precisely into the authoritarian playbook.
This means we can guess what might come next and prepare - and we must!
christinapagel.substack.com/p/censor-pur...
I show how Trump's attacks on science and universities are neither random nor new - they fit very precisely into the authoritarian playbook.
This means we can guess what might come next and prepare - and we must!
christinapagel.substack.com/p/censor-pur...
Censor, purge, defund: how Trump following the authoritarian playbook on science and universities
I have mapped 35 of the Trump administration's attacks on science and universities to the authoritarian playbook - and consider what it means for attacks still to come
christinapagel.substack.com
March 10, 2025 at 2:58 PM
My latest post is now out.
I show how Trump's attacks on science and universities are neither random nor new - they fit very precisely into the authoritarian playbook.
This means we can guess what might come next and prepare - and we must!
christinapagel.substack.com/p/censor-pur...
I show how Trump's attacks on science and universities are neither random nor new - they fit very precisely into the authoritarian playbook.
This means we can guess what might come next and prepare - and we must!
christinapagel.substack.com/p/censor-pur...
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
JOB: Join us as a Postdoctoral Researcher in Biodiversity Genomics & help unlock the genetic secrets of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest 🌿
From microbial diversity to bioactive compounds, your work will help shape conservation & bioeconomy research
📅 Apply by 13 April
👉 careers.kew.org/vacancy/post...
From microbial diversity to bioactive compounds, your work will help shape conservation & bioeconomy research
📅 Apply by 13 April
👉 careers.kew.org/vacancy/post...
March 7, 2025 at 4:14 PM
JOB: Join us as a Postdoctoral Researcher in Biodiversity Genomics & help unlock the genetic secrets of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest 🌿
From microbial diversity to bioactive compounds, your work will help shape conservation & bioeconomy research
📅 Apply by 13 April
👉 careers.kew.org/vacancy/post...
From microbial diversity to bioactive compounds, your work will help shape conservation & bioeconomy research
📅 Apply by 13 April
👉 careers.kew.org/vacancy/post...
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
Join us! Exciting three-year postdoc opportunity integrating the latest techniques to estimate current levels of biodiversity and carbon storage and predict the recovery potential of rainforest restoration sites. Deadline: 17 March 2025. More details here: web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/103...
March 5, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Join us! Exciting three-year postdoc opportunity integrating the latest techniques to estimate current levels of biodiversity and carbon storage and predict the recovery potential of rainforest restoration sites. Deadline: 17 March 2025. More details here: web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/103...
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
New paper! Shallow water habitats provide high-quality foraging environments for Spoon-Billed Sandpipers doi.org/10.1016/j.av.... Shows, via fieldwork at world's most important SbS staging site, Tiaozini in China's Yellow Sea #WorldHeritageSite, key is to conserve upper tidal flats. #ornithology
March 10, 2025 at 12:25 PM
New paper! Shallow water habitats provide high-quality foraging environments for Spoon-Billed Sandpipers doi.org/10.1016/j.av.... Shows, via fieldwork at world's most important SbS staging site, Tiaozini in China's Yellow Sea #WorldHeritageSite, key is to conserve upper tidal flats. #ornithology
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
📣PhD opportunity!
We are looking for a candidate to develop a project on the spatial ecology of #waterbirds using rice fields. Check for the complete details below, and get in touch until the 21st of March!
drive.google.com/file/d/1R8MI...
#ornithology #movement #tracking #connectivity
We are looking for a candidate to develop a project on the spatial ecology of #waterbirds using rice fields. Check for the complete details below, and get in touch until the 21st of March!
drive.google.com/file/d/1R8MI...
#ornithology #movement #tracking #connectivity
March 10, 2025 at 12:10 PM
📣PhD opportunity!
We are looking for a candidate to develop a project on the spatial ecology of #waterbirds using rice fields. Check for the complete details below, and get in touch until the 21st of March!
drive.google.com/file/d/1R8MI...
#ornithology #movement #tracking #connectivity
We are looking for a candidate to develop a project on the spatial ecology of #waterbirds using rice fields. Check for the complete details below, and get in touch until the 21st of March!
drive.google.com/file/d/1R8MI...
#ornithology #movement #tracking #connectivity
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
Climate-driven habitat loss and natural fragmentation increase extinction risk and compromise population viability in freshwater fish https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.02.641059v1
March 7, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Climate-driven habitat loss and natural fragmentation increase extinction risk and compromise population viability in freshwater fish https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.02.641059v1
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
See our response letter below this Science article Time to fix the biodiversity leak | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... thanks to @ianconvery.bsky.social for leading this effort!
Time to fix the biodiversity leak
The risk that locally successful nature conservation may be shifting problems elsewhere can no longer be ignored
www.science.org
March 6, 2025 at 11:23 PM
See our response letter below this Science article Time to fix the biodiversity leak | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... thanks to @ianconvery.bsky.social for leading this effort!
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
If yesterday's excellent paper in Nature wasn't enough for @jeaggu.bsky.social, today he has a new worrying but significant study out in Science where we show that tropical forests in the Americas are changing too slowly to track climate change | awesome job Jesus! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Tropical forests in the Americas are changing too slowly to track climate change
Understanding the capacity of forests to adapt to climate change is of pivotal importance for conservation science, yet this is still widely unknown. This knowledge gap is particularly acute in high-b...
www.science.org
March 6, 2025 at 7:46 PM
If yesterday's excellent paper in Nature wasn't enough for @jeaggu.bsky.social, today he has a new worrying but significant study out in Science where we show that tropical forests in the Americas are changing too slowly to track climate change | awesome job Jesus! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Amazing jackdaw roost just up from the house, I don’t think they get the appreciation they deserve, truly a spectacle 👌
March 7, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Amazing jackdaw roost just up from the house, I don’t think they get the appreciation they deserve, truly a spectacle 👌
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
A glimpse of bird diversity from northwestern South America's complex corner, where the Andes bisect the Amazon-Orinoco basins from the Chocó, across a mosaic of sierras, valleys, deserts, and wetlands - a biodiversity hotspot.
#ornithology #birding #biodiversity #colombia pop
#ornithology #birding #biodiversity #colombia pop
February 23, 2025 at 6:24 PM
A glimpse of bird diversity from northwestern South America's complex corner, where the Andes bisect the Amazon-Orinoco basins from the Chocó, across a mosaic of sierras, valleys, deserts, and wetlands - a biodiversity hotspot.
#ornithology #birding #biodiversity #colombia pop
#ornithology #birding #biodiversity #colombia pop
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
Are you able to help us survey raptors in Wales? Sign up here: www.bto.org/CudyllCymru 🦅 #RaptorResearch
1/ Can you help monitor raptors & Ravens in Wales? Cudyll Cymru is a new #CitizenScience project that asks volunteers to choose a survey patch & record key species. Sign up to survey in your local area via our website. ➡️ www.bto.org/CudyllCymru #Ornithology #birdingWales
February 21, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Are you able to help us survey raptors in Wales? Sign up here: www.bto.org/CudyllCymru 🦅 #RaptorResearch
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
Three subspecies of Black-tailed Godwit share non-breeding sites in the world's largest river delta | www.sciencedirect.co... | Avian Research | #ornithology 🪶
February 21, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Three subspecies of Black-tailed Godwit share non-breeding sites in the world's largest river delta | www.sciencedirect.co... | Avian Research | #ornithology 🪶
Reposted by Benjamin Birch
Farmers used trash like bones, charcoal and ash to grow crops in sand in Israel 1000 years ago.
Farmers used trash to grow crops in barren sand 1000 years ago
Crops don't generally thrive in desert-like ground, but 1000 years ago farmers in Israel utilised refuse such as ash and bones to turn sand into fertile land
www.newscientist.com
February 20, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Farmers used trash like bones, charcoal and ash to grow crops in sand in Israel 1000 years ago.