Caitlin MacKenzie
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cmacmtns.bsky.social
Caitlin MacKenzie
@cmacmtns.bsky.social
2.7K followers 680 following 300 posts
Plant ecologist, lover of tiny alpine communities on small mountains, faculty at Bennington College, Plant Love Stories co-founder, she/her
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cmacmtns.bsky.social
I'm teaching a new class in the spring, "The Herbarium: Research, Art & Botany"

I'm looking for your favorite herbarium-based research papers to fill out our reading list of peer-reviewed articles.

Please share your recommendations!

www.bennington.edu/curriculum/c...
The Herbarium: Research, Art & Botany | Bennington College
An herbarium is a museum of pressed plants, a record of flora following a system that dates back to the 16th century. Large herbaria at institutions like D.C.’s Smithsonian National Museum of Natural ...
www.bennington.edu
November 26, 2025 at 1:56 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
looking forward to reading this
annbot.bsky.social Annals of Botany @annbot.bsky.social · 2d
🌱Check the newly published article ‘Better out than in: faecal matrix inhibits establishment success after waterfowl endozoochory’ in @annbot.bsky.social by @iciarjimenez.bsky.social and co-authors🧵1/10

👉 doi.org/qfrv

@drandygreen.bsky.social
#PlantDispersal #SeedEcology #Endozoochory #AoBpapers
Better out than in: faecal matrix inhibits establishment success after waterfowl endozoochory
November 25, 2025 at 1:03 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
We're ready to collect some #Plantsgiving data at Bennington. How about you, @martinebotany.bsky.social?
A college science building hallway with a large poster titled "Plantsgiving" and a blank histogram with an x-axis with Plant Families listed on the bottom. There are photos of corn (Poaceae), coffee (Rubiaceae) and Brassica oleracea (the species that gives us cabbage, brussels sprouts, kohrabi, kale, broccoli, and cauliflower — Brassicaceae). The poster is waiting for students to add their Plantsgiving data.
November 21, 2025 at 3:29 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
"The analogy that I use a lot is that I live in New Hampshire and have for the last 46 years. We make maple syrup there. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup." Ken Burns

(I'll be teaching mostly arts students to make maple syrup this spring)

www.theringer.com/2025/11/20/n...
How the Story of the American Revolution Is Misunderstood
Ken Burns’s new documentary unpacks the Revolutionary War—and explains why history doesn’t repeat, even if human nature never changes
www.theringer.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:34 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/10/24/o...
Taylor Swift, marine worms, and why basic science still matters - The Boston Globe
What will be the fate of research whose applications can’t be known in advance?
www.bostonglobe.com
October 25, 2025 at 3:33 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
HOLD THE PHONE —

The lover that Elizabeth Bishop lost in 'One Art' CAME BACK TO HER after the poem was published.

I always assumed that the 'you' in the last stanza died, but she was just going to marry a man. WOW.

www.newyorker.com/books/page-t...
One Art By Elizabeth Bishop The art of losing isn’t hard to master; so many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster. Lose something every day. Accept the fluster of lost door keys, the hour badly spent. The art of losing isn’t hard to master. Then practice losing farther, losing faster: places, and names, and where it was you meant to travel. None of these will bring disaster. I lost my mother’s watch. And look! my last, or next-to-last, of three loved houses went. The art of losing isn’t hard to master. I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster, some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent. I miss them, but it wasn’t a disaster. —Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture I love) I shan’t have lied. It’s evident the art of losing’s not too hard to master though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.
July 26, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Reposted by Caitlin MacKenzie
nebotanical.bsky.social
Our celebratory issue of Rhodora is available! NEBS members have access through their membership AND we've made most of this issue open-access. We've been publishing since 1899, so there's a lot to celebrate and we want everyone to join in! bioone.org/journals/rho...
June 11, 2025 at 4:00 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
Reading the new alpine snowbank refugia paper at coffee shop while my kid attends a morning sewing camp reminds me of the years when her sister attended day camp at a sculpture park and I wrote manuscripts in a courtyard adjacent to a giant xylophone that kids whaled on with sticks.
July 8, 2025 at 1:39 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
My students' take on the xkcd 'types of scientific papers'. A very cool, interesting moment of reflection on the semester together.

This exercise was inspired by Cindy Kohtala's blog about the meme www.cindykohtala.fi/2021/10/14/f...
a comic that comprises three rows and three columns of mock-scientific papers where only the titles are legible. The title of the whole comic is: "Types of scientific paper we read in advanced forest ecology & conservation (with lab)". The titles of the first row of papers are: "We made a computer model and called it a day"; "It was the past and ecology was easier back then"; "If you ignore the other variables, this finding is shocking!" The titles of the middle row of papers are: "I hope you like graphs…"; "I found these old documents so now I can do research for free*"; "FIA did the field work so we don’t have to" The titles of the bottom row of papers are: "Mars Attacks: Forests Invaded by Evil Alien (plants)"; "Oh, god, that’s right, there’s fauna out there"; "Some good news, actually" a comic that comprises three rows and three columns of mock-scientific papers where only the titles are legible. The title of the whole comic is: "Types of scientific paper we read in advanced forest ecology & conservation (with lab)". The titles of the first row of papers are: "I think I’m obsessed with FIA data"; "I’ve been writing for the last ten years and I refuse to part with a single letter I wrote"; "I just found out about species interactions. Did you know about them?" The titles of the middle row of papers are: "Crap, we’re screwed."; "I've only talked with academics the last 10 years What do you mean you don't know ___"; "I’ve been studying acid rain for a whole lifetime and the government still won’t listen to me" The titles of the bottom row of papers are: "I hate that Canham cited me."; "You need 40 pages of history to begin to understand my brilliance"; "I enjoy making my students read my papers"
May 28, 2025 at 6:41 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
We recently found Emerald Ash Borer on campus.

I'm putting together a Fall 2025 pop-up course/seminar series to celebrate ash trees, mourn the arrival of EAB, and explore the ash's human and non-human relationships in the northern forest.

Please share recommendations for speakers!
May 24, 2025 at 12:01 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
Spent the day in a DIY workshop with co-PIs from an NSF grant that was archived the day we were set to resubmit. Here’s the thing about scientists in a tiny state who work with small natural history collections: we get the science/teaching/conservation/outreach done. Our ROI is off the charts.
May 12, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Reposted by Caitlin MacKenzie
botsocamerica.bsky.social
🌿 Stretching your research dollars? You’re not alone!

Join us for the #Botany360 free virtual event, Botany on a Budget — a casual discussion with BSA members who have experience making research happen with limited resources.

Thursday, May 8, 2025, 2–3 p.m. EST

Register here: tinyurl.com/bot360
Graphic promoting "Botany on a Budget," a casual discussion on May 8, 2025, at 2 p.m. EST. The background shows green and blue tube racks filled with labeled microcentrifuge tubes. Text invites participants to join a conversation about strategies for conducting research on a limited budget. The image includes a QR code to register and logos for the Botanical Society of America (BSA) and Botany360. Sponsored by the BSA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
April 28, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Reposted by Caitlin MacKenzie
botsocamerica.bsky.social
🌱 SPECIAL ISSUE CALL FOR PAPERS 🌱

The #AJB announces a call for papers for a special issue, “Plant Resilience and Conservation for a Changing Climate,” led by guest editors J. Rentsch, E. Stacy, C. Mackenzie, J. Boyd & V. Negron-Ortiz.⁣
⁣
Deadline for proposals: May 30, 2025.

bit.ly/3GcyMUG
This image shows a hand holding a leaf that is half green and half burning and brown. The AJB logo is seen in the top left corner. Text: AJB Special Issue Call for Papers: Plant Resilience and Conservation for a Changing Cliimate. Proposal deadline: May 30, 2025.
April 17, 2025 at 6:13 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
#WithoutNSF my PhD research on the impacts of climate change on plant communities in Acadia National Park would not have been possible. Managers use our work to protect resources. Park educators & interpretive staff use our work to create signage and talk to the public.

We need to fund NPS and NSF.
a scientist sits on the summit of a mountain in Acadia National Park, Maine. She is wearing a purple jacket and blue baseball cap, writing in an orange notebook. Behind her, the view stretches out across Mount Desert Island forests into the Gulf of Maine and distant islands.
May 6, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Reposted by Caitlin MacKenzie
danielbolnick.bsky.social
Thread with an email being sent to @asn-amnat.bsky.social @sse-evolution.bsky.social @systbiol.bsky.social members today calling for a Tri-society week of action for NSF:

Dear members:
The tri-societies (ASN, SSE,SSB) are running a ‘Week of Action for NSF’. Your engagement is crucial.
May 5, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Reposted by Caitlin MacKenzie
evoecoamy.bsky.social
Reminder that I'm looking for grad students. Canada just decided for sanity in government, Fredericton elected a musician MP, and UNB is a great place to be. Come join me! Position is fully funded.
evoecoamy.bsky.social Amy Parachnowitsch @evoecoamy.bsky.social · Apr 17
I'm seeking graduate students interested in studying nectar evolutionary ecology. Masters or PhD. Sep 2025 or Jan 2026 start. Interested students encouraged to apply by May 5 to be eligible for additional scholarships. #gradschool #flower #evolution #nectar #pollination
Masters or PHD student – nectar evolutionary ecology Amy Parachnowitsch’s Floral Evolutionary Ecology Lab University of New Brunswick I am seeking a motivated student(s) to examine the role of anthropomorphic change in nectar evolutionary ecology. Potential projects include: 1) assessing how anthropogenic change affects nectar evolution, 2) quantifying phenotypic selection on nectar traits and assessing the ecological contexts where it is a target of selection, and 3) determining the ecological and genetic contributions to nectar variation to allow a predictive framework for evolutionary change. Project details will be determined with the student. Likely systems will be fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) or white clover (Trifolium repens). More about the Biology program at UNB: https://www.unb.ca/fredericton/science/depts/biology/graduate/index.html Requirements: 4-year undergraduate degree in Biology or similar / research Masters degree for PhD position. Undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher. English language proficiency. Research experience an asset (e.g. honours thesis). Deadline: recruitment will continue until filled, however applications before May 5, 2025 can apply for recruitment scholarships to top up salary. Sept 2025 or Jan 2026 start date Salary: UNB Biology base stipend $13500 plus tuition and fees (includes teaching assistant position for 2 semesters/year). Apply: send a cover letter of research interests, CV, and transcripts (can be unofficial) to aparachn@unb.ca (application to UNB will follow recruitment) Note: Qualified international applicants are welcome to apply but may face additional requirements (e.g. proof of language proficiency, etc).
April 30, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Reposted by Caitlin MacKenzie
seemasheth.bsky.social
Amy Angert & I are recruiting 2 field technicians for demographic surveys of scarlet monkeyflower in late summer-fall. Please spread word to any potentially interested candidates! jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/217...
Temporary Plant Ecology Field Technician
The Sheth evolutionary ecology lab in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at North Carolina State University (Raleigh, North Carolina; USA) and the Angert Lab in the Departments of Botany an...
jobs.ncsu.edu
April 28, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Reposted by Caitlin MacKenzie
jmheberling.bsky.social
So I’m in the New York Times today 👀 😃 in a nice piece on artists and invasive species featuring our new exhibition at Carnegie Museum on invasive plants nyti.ms/42fFzpa
Standing Up for Invasive Species (Gift Article)
Artists and scientists are finding ways to highlight troublesome plants and animals, tell their stories and, in some cases, use them as raw materials.
nyti.ms
April 16, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Reposted by Caitlin MacKenzie
davetoews.bsky.social
A lot of blood sweat and tears put into this one: we revisit Robert MacArthur's classic warbler study—with @eliotmiller.bsky.social and colleagues—using, among other techniques, fecal metabarcoding.
🧪🦉
📸 Ronnie d'Entremont
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
@psubiodept.bsky.social
Reassessing niche partitioning in MacArthur’s warblers: foraging behaviour, morphology and diet differentiation in a phylogenetic context | Biology Letters
Owing in large part to Robert MacArthur’s classic research, wood warblers in the family Parulidae are textbook exemplars of species competition and niche partitioning. Conventional wisdom suggests tha...
royalsocietypublishing.org
April 15, 2025 at 11:34 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
Listen I know college kids aren't watching Seinfeld but I'm writing a lecture for my advanced Forest Ecology class based on Bizarro Jerry because that's where I'm finding joy at the moment...
April 16, 2025 at 1:05 AM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
“the process of knitting itself mirror ecological patterns — it requires attention to structure, repetition, and adaptability"

— my student's written response to the prompt "Why would a forest ecology course include an assignment to knit a wool hat?"
April 8, 2025 at 1:23 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
Organizing the interactive activity for my talk in the 'Celebrating New England Herbaria: Research, Teaching, Community, and Outreach' session at this weekend's Northeast Natural History Conference.

My kids created the first two specimens, mine is the Polystichum acrostichoides.
three small lego plates decorated with a single layer of brown and green flat, square legos that create three pixelated pictures of an herbarium specimen, complete with label (blank white 2x2 square) and envelope packet (1x2 piece with envelope styling).
April 3, 2025 at 12:15 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
My maple sugaring students get a shout out for assisting at one of Emily's research sites!

www.vnews.com/Dartmouth-st...
Dartmouth doctoral student studies contaminants in maple syrup
HANOVER — While attaining a master’s at Yale during the COVID-19 pandemic, Emily Sigman began tapping the Norway maples in the backyard of her New Haven, Conn., home.
www.vnews.com
March 28, 2025 at 10:29 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
class project tracking the impacts of invasive vines on campus red pine trees
a mounted tree core with a post it note. the tree core is blonde with distinct tan lines from the tree rings; the core is mounted on a piece of blonde wood that also cradles a cross-section of a bittersweet vine. the post-it note says “I’m 40 years old and I have vines!!!”
March 27, 2025 at 8:20 PM
cmacmtns.bsky.social
@stephenbheard.bsky.social I’m about to advise a 7-week tutorial for a senior thesis we named “Scientific Writing for Field Experiments”!
March 20, 2025 at 10:35 AM