Mike Kaspari
@mikekaspari.bsky.social
I’m a college professor immersed in #teaching and #ecology. I visit lots of ecosystems, combine observations and simple experiments, and look for generalities. I #garden, #cook, play #music and #read to round things out.
Pinned
Mike Kaspari
@mikekaspari.bsky.social
· Nov 18
Nutrient Dilution and the Future of Herbivores: a short thread
The fossil fuel folks claimed that all the extra CO2 is great for plants. Indeed, plant mass has increased globally by about 30% in the past century.
But when you load a plant up the carbs, what happens to all its other nutrients?
The fossil fuel folks claimed that all the extra CO2 is great for plants. Indeed, plant mass has increased globally by about 30% in the past century.
But when you load a plant up the carbs, what happens to all its other nutrients?
Fantastic synthesis here for an iconic system: hope someone turns this into a children’s book and a lecture in Intro Ecology.
🆕 & #OpenAccess in "Ecological Monographs": Coexistence in the Serengeti isn’t simple: body size, dental traits, and water needs together shape how herbivores divide space and food
📄Multidimensional resource partitioning by Serengeti herbivores
doi.org/10.1002/ecm....
📄Multidimensional resource partitioning by Serengeti herbivores
doi.org/10.1002/ecm....
November 26, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Fantastic synthesis here for an iconic system: hope someone turns this into a children’s book and a lecture in Intro Ecology.
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
I used to be a lead bookseller at one of the biggest bookshops in the UK. We had a reputation for being able to "break" books, i.e. build hype for books we got behind and make them start selling.
That often involved handselling just 9 or 10 copies over a couple of days.
That often involved handselling just 9 or 10 copies over a couple of days.
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
November 26, 2025 at 12:06 AM
I used to be a lead bookseller at one of the biggest bookshops in the UK. We had a reputation for being able to "break" books, i.e. build hype for books we got behind and make them start selling.
That often involved handselling just 9 or 10 copies over a couple of days.
That often involved handselling just 9 or 10 copies over a couple of days.
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
New OA paper today! This one is very important to me as is the culmination of over a decade of incredibly intensive field work in KS prairies. I will walk you through the take-homes...
1/n
#Tallgrass #GRSP #LTER #Konza #PopulationEcology #Rain
dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3...
1/n
#Tallgrass #GRSP #LTER #Konza #PopulationEcology #Rain
dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3...
Climatic Variability Threatens Population Growth and Persistence of a Declining Grassland Songbird
Determining the factors responsible for population change in threatened populations and the degree to which changing climates might put those populations at risk is one of the most pressing roles of ...
dx.doi.org
November 25, 2025 at 6:06 PM
New OA paper today! This one is very important to me as is the culmination of over a decade of incredibly intensive field work in KS prairies. I will walk you through the take-homes...
1/n
#Tallgrass #GRSP #LTER #Konza #PopulationEcology #Rain
dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3...
1/n
#Tallgrass #GRSP #LTER #Konza #PopulationEcology #Rain
dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3...
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
The world may be quite turbulent at the moment, but I think we can all take at least some solace in the fact that libraries, cafés, bookstores, bakeries, museums, and Oxford commas exist.
November 25, 2025 at 4:48 PM
The world may be quite turbulent at the moment, but I think we can all take at least some solace in the fact that libraries, cafés, bookstores, bakeries, museums, and Oxford commas exist.
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
True tale: A Baltimore police colonel called a rival at 3 a.m. from a crime scene: "Leon, I got you now. You fucked up. You wrote "POLICE" backwards on the front of the EVU truck."
"Eddie, that's so it reads correctly in a rear view mirror."
Long pause.
"Aw Leon, you got an answer for everything."
"Eddie, that's so it reads correctly in a rear view mirror."
Long pause.
"Aw Leon, you got an answer for everything."
November 25, 2025 at 3:14 PM
True tale: A Baltimore police colonel called a rival at 3 a.m. from a crime scene: "Leon, I got you now. You fucked up. You wrote "POLICE" backwards on the front of the EVU truck."
"Eddie, that's so it reads correctly in a rear view mirror."
Long pause.
"Aw Leon, you got an answer for everything."
"Eddie, that's so it reads correctly in a rear view mirror."
Long pause.
"Aw Leon, you got an answer for everything."
NEW: We cannot continue to pump CO2 into the Atmosphere without re-arranging the Biosphere. Ellen Welti and I analyze datasets from the US Long Term Ecological Research site at Konza Prairie and reveal wholesale reorganization of plant biomass and biogeochemistry, with implications for its food web.
November 24, 2025 at 8:53 PM
NEW: We cannot continue to pump CO2 into the Atmosphere without re-arranging the Biosphere. Ellen Welti and I analyze datasets from the US Long Term Ecological Research site at Konza Prairie and reveal wholesale reorganization of plant biomass and biogeochemistry, with implications for its food web.
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
"If you go back a million minutes, get to the start of 2023. If you go back a billion minutes, you get to the Roman Empire. That's the scale of inequality we're living with." Zack Polanski
Such a brilliant illustration.
Such a brilliant illustration.
November 24, 2025 at 5:35 PM
"If you go back a million minutes, get to the start of 2023. If you go back a billion minutes, you get to the Roman Empire. That's the scale of inequality we're living with." Zack Polanski
Such a brilliant illustration.
Such a brilliant illustration.
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
Queue the ‘Streisand Effect’ so the American people become even more knowledgable about the law concerning ‘Illegal Military Orders’ and the oath taken to uphold The Constitution.
BREAKING: The Pentagon says it's investigating Sen. Mark Kelly for possible military law violations after he joined a video urging U.S. troops to refuse "illegal orders."
Pentagon says it's investigating Sen. Mark Kelly for video urging troops to defy 'illegal orders'
The Pentagon says that it is investigating Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona for possible breaches of military law after Kelly joined a handful of other lawmakers in a video that called for U.S. troops to refuse unlawful orders.
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Queue the ‘Streisand Effect’ so the American people become even more knowledgable about the law concerning ‘Illegal Military Orders’ and the oath taken to uphold The Constitution.
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
Thermal Performance Curves translate temperature into fitness. Heinrichs and colleagues show how they depend upon the a plankton's resource environment.
With high Nitrogen and Light, their thermal breadth and maxima peak.
Imbalances—not simultaneous shortfall—lead to biggest performance declines.
With high Nitrogen and Light, their thermal breadth and maxima peak.
Imbalances—not simultaneous shortfall—lead to biggest performance declines.
Our new study: light and nutrients interactively shape the thermal traits of phytoplankton -> Interactions matter!
#phytoplankton
#light
#nutrients
#temperature
#traits
Led by @alheinrichs.bsky.social and in cooperation with Miriam Gerhard
#bestteam
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
#phytoplankton
#light
#nutrients
#temperature
#traits
Led by @alheinrichs.bsky.social and in cooperation with Miriam Gerhard
#bestteam
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Interactive effects of light and nutrients shape phytoplankton thermal traits - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Interactive effects of light and nutrients shape phytoplankton thermal traits
doi.org
November 23, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Thermal Performance Curves translate temperature into fitness. Heinrichs and colleagues show how they depend upon the a plankton's resource environment.
With high Nitrogen and Light, their thermal breadth and maxima peak.
Imbalances—not simultaneous shortfall—lead to biggest performance declines.
With high Nitrogen and Light, their thermal breadth and maxima peak.
Imbalances—not simultaneous shortfall—lead to biggest performance declines.
A family tradition: before Thanksgiving, Spam Musabi!
November 22, 2025 at 6:03 PM
A family tradition: before Thanksgiving, Spam Musabi!
The first study to survey insect populations on a continental scale finds no evidence of widespread decline, at least over a recent 10-year period. https://scim.ag/4pnb6hN
Radar data find no decline in insect numbers—but there’s a catch
Study of continental U.S. sees stable population of bugs, but it may be missing important pieces of the puzzle
scim.ag
November 22, 2025 at 12:32 PM
I’d love to hear Pete Seeger’s response to Merle Haggard’s “Momma Tried”.
November 21, 2025 at 12:41 AM
I’d love to hear Pete Seeger’s response to Merle Haggard’s “Momma Tried”.
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
“You don’t think they can handle a reminder about federal law is what I’m hearing.”
@RepJasonCrow pushes back on Fox (+ @MarshaBlackburn) as they throw a fit over Dems reminding the military they can disobey illegal orders. (Turning to Tomi Lahren at the end is also perfect)
@RepJasonCrow pushes back on Fox (+ @MarshaBlackburn) as they throw a fit over Dems reminding the military they can disobey illegal orders. (Turning to Tomi Lahren at the end is also perfect)
November 20, 2025 at 2:36 AM
“You don’t think they can handle a reminder about federal law is what I’m hearing.”
@RepJasonCrow pushes back on Fox (+ @MarshaBlackburn) as they throw a fit over Dems reminding the military they can disobey illegal orders. (Turning to Tomi Lahren at the end is also perfect)
@RepJasonCrow pushes back on Fox (+ @MarshaBlackburn) as they throw a fit over Dems reminding the military they can disobey illegal orders. (Turning to Tomi Lahren at the end is also perfect)
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community.
The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.
Don’t give up the ship.
The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.
Don’t give up the ship.
November 18, 2025 at 1:31 PM
We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community.
The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.
Don’t give up the ship.
The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution.
Don’t give up the ship.
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
The fight has come to NC, and it just hit close to home. Our daughter teaches in Durham public schools and she said almost all of the Latinx kids are not in school today. ICE is targeting everyone who "looks Hispanic", citizen or not. I am even more angry today-kids need to go to school!
November 18, 2025 at 4:34 PM
The fight has come to NC, and it just hit close to home. Our daughter teaches in Durham public schools and she said almost all of the Latinx kids are not in school today. ICE is targeting everyone who "looks Hispanic", citizen or not. I am even more angry today-kids need to go to school!
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
Love this so much. 💜
November 15, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Love this so much. 💜
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
NEW: Epstein survivors release the most powerful PSA I have ever seen.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
November 16, 2025 at 11:43 PM
NEW: Epstein survivors release the most powerful PSA I have ever seen.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
Wow 👀
Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE)
"The train has left the station" on the vote and the plan to release the Epstein files.
"The train has left the station" on the vote and the plan to release the Epstein files.
November 16, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Wow 👀
A true gift for musicians: a celebration thread of Neil Innes, of Bonzo Dog Band, Monty Python, Rutland Weekend TV, and the song writer Stig of The Rutles. Like Weird Al, Innes wrote spot on parodies, and like Randy Newman, accompanied them with original sublime melodies. Totally unique. Miss him.
From @ericidle.bsky.social & Neil Innes' brilliant & criminally overlooked/unavailable RUTLAND WEEKEND TELEVISION, here's a truncated glimpse of George Harrison's Christmas 1975 guest appearance runner, where he didn't want to perform a song - He really just wanted to play a pirate...
November 16, 2025 at 8:47 PM
A true gift for musicians: a celebration thread of Neil Innes, of Bonzo Dog Band, Monty Python, Rutland Weekend TV, and the song writer Stig of The Rutles. Like Weird Al, Innes wrote spot on parodies, and like Randy Newman, accompanied them with original sublime melodies. Totally unique. Miss him.
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
That "clubby" NYT headline is awful, but the piece itself is clear-eyed & observant, if cool in tone — it's by a strong writer & it documents the creepy, backpatting insider world of guys griping about MeToo as it happens. The NYT is always doing this! If the hed was different, the piece wd be legit
November 16, 2025 at 5:17 PM
That "clubby" NYT headline is awful, but the piece itself is clear-eyed & observant, if cool in tone — it's by a strong writer & it documents the creepy, backpatting insider world of guys griping about MeToo as it happens. The NYT is always doing this! If the hed was different, the piece wd be legit
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
Alan Dershowitz is one of those claiming Epstein was not a pedophile because he pleaded guilty to one count of having sex for money with a 17-year-and-10-month-old person. "That’s not a pedophile." See this important response from Julia Brown, the brave reporter who broke the news on this
November 15, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Alan Dershowitz is one of those claiming Epstein was not a pedophile because he pleaded guilty to one count of having sex for money with a 17-year-and-10-month-old person. "That’s not a pedophile." See this important response from Julia Brown, the brave reporter who broke the news on this
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
If you're a professor at Texas A&M, you'll need to receive written authorization from the university president before discussing this incident on campus.
November 15, 2025 at 8:18 PM
If you're a professor at Texas A&M, you'll need to receive written authorization from the university president before discussing this incident on campus.
Reposted by Mike Kaspari
From this minister's op-ed: "People wanting to experience God are more likely to meet the Divine trying to shut down the Broadview, Illinois, ICE facility than we ever were in church...God does not live in our houses of worship, but...with those who are bearing the brunt of cruelty in this moment."
Oh wow @reuters.com got the photo here:
November 14, 2025 at 9:38 PM
From this minister's op-ed: "People wanting to experience God are more likely to meet the Divine trying to shut down the Broadview, Illinois, ICE facility than we ever were in church...God does not live in our houses of worship, but...with those who are bearing the brunt of cruelty in this moment."
May his memory be a blessing. Snider’s song-stories are utterly unique and true accounts of life growing up in America.
youtu.be/MBMp085x5-Q?...
youtu.be/MBMp085x5-Q?...
November 15, 2025 at 4:51 PM
May his memory be a blessing. Snider’s song-stories are utterly unique and true accounts of life growing up in America.
youtu.be/MBMp085x5-Q?...
youtu.be/MBMp085x5-Q?...