Robin Rohwer
@robinrohwer.bsky.social
Microbial ecology and evolution. Special love for freshwater lakes & long-term time series 🌊🌊🌊 ➡️ ⏳⏳⌛ ➡️ 🧬🖥️ ➡️ 📈📊📝
postdoc @ UT Austin working remotely from the Pacific Northwest
(views my own)
robinrohwer.com
postdoc @ UT Austin working remotely from the Pacific Northwest
(views my own)
robinrohwer.com
My friend knew this was a stressful week for me and dropped off this friendship bracelet 🤗😂 it is making me smile!
October 16, 2025 at 7:26 PM
My friend knew this was a stressful week for me and dropped off this friendship bracelet 🤗😂 it is making me smile!
I had to change pediatricians to do this.
I was met with derision when I asked about early vaccination. After seeing how parents are treated when requesting a "nonstandard vaccination schedule" I feel like I understand why parents become antivax.
I was met with derision when I asked about early vaccination. After seeing how parents are treated when requesting a "nonstandard vaccination schedule" I feel like I understand why parents become antivax.
July 1, 2025 at 9:16 PM
I had to change pediatricians to do this.
I was met with derision when I asked about early vaccination. After seeing how parents are treated when requesting a "nonstandard vaccination schedule" I feel like I understand why parents become antivax.
I was met with derision when I asked about early vaccination. After seeing how parents are treated when requesting a "nonstandard vaccination schedule" I feel like I understand why parents become antivax.
New swag from the @taccutexas.bsky.social machine learning training 😂
So nice to be back in Texas for a week, see my labbies IRL and learn some new things
So nice to be back in Texas for a week, see my labbies IRL and learn some new things
May 20, 2025 at 3:36 PM
New swag from the @taccutexas.bsky.social machine learning training 😂
So nice to be back in Texas for a week, see my labbies IRL and learn some new things
So nice to be back in Texas for a week, see my labbies IRL and learn some new things
@theatlantic.com has made reading a Newick tree as a text file into a fun game 😂
April 15, 2025 at 10:35 PM
@theatlantic.com has made reading a Newick tree as a text file into a fun game 😂
Happy pi day! This year we made sinusoidal cucumbers in addition to the traditional pizza and pies 😋
March 16, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Happy pi day! This year we made sinusoidal cucumbers in addition to the traditional pizza and pies 😋
I love data.table so so much more than tidyverse. #rstats
Here's an example, similar length but count the total functions outside of core syntax:
dplyr: 10
group_by(), summarize(), sum(), arrange(), desc(), slice_head(), pull(), mutate(), ifelse(), %in%
data.table: 3
sum(), order(), %in%
Here's an example, similar length but count the total functions outside of core syntax:
dplyr: 10
group_by(), summarize(), sum(), arrange(), desc(), slice_head(), pull(), mutate(), ifelse(), %in%
data.table: 3
sum(), order(), %in%
February 7, 2025 at 9:12 PM
I love data.table so so much more than tidyverse. #rstats
Here's an example, similar length but count the total functions outside of core syntax:
dplyr: 10
group_by(), summarize(), sum(), arrange(), desc(), slice_head(), pull(), mutate(), ifelse(), %in%
data.table: 3
sum(), order(), %in%
Here's an example, similar length but count the total functions outside of core syntax:
dplyr: 10
group_by(), summarize(), sum(), arrange(), desc(), slice_head(), pull(), mutate(), ifelse(), %in%
data.table: 3
sum(), order(), %in%
The key genes driving strain trade-offs should stay different over time. So to figure out what was driving the new strain dynamics, we looked at genes that were consistently positively selected.
Turns out, it was a lot of genes involved in org-N metabolism. Maybe we should think about org-N more!
Turns out, it was a lot of genes involved in org-N metabolism. Maybe we should think about org-N more!
January 22, 2025 at 8:22 PM
The key genes driving strain trade-offs should stay different over time. So to figure out what was driving the new strain dynamics, we looked at genes that were consistently positively selected.
Turns out, it was a lot of genes involved in org-N metabolism. Maybe we should think about org-N more!
Turns out, it was a lot of genes involved in org-N metabolism. Maybe we should think about org-N more!
What are the genes coming under selection and why do they KEEP ON coming under selection? This likely represents partial gene sweeps. As strains trade off in relative abundance, all the differences between them will appear positively selected.
(10/n)
(10/n)
January 22, 2025 at 8:22 PM
What are the genes coming under selection and why do they KEEP ON coming under selection? This likely represents partial gene sweeps. As strains trade off in relative abundance, all the differences between them will appear positively selected.
(10/n)
(10/n)
Now let's dig into one of the Nanopelagicus genomes that had a step change.
Its abundance stayed pretty constant, there was not an unusual influx of new SNVs (no big migration event), but when strain diversity increased (more evenness) more genes also came under positive selection!
(9/n)
Its abundance stayed pretty constant, there was not an unusual influx of new SNVs (no big migration event), but when strain diversity increased (more evenness) more genes also came under positive selection!
(9/n)
January 22, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Now let's dig into one of the Nanopelagicus genomes that had a step change.
Its abundance stayed pretty constant, there was not an unusual influx of new SNVs (no big migration event), but when strain diversity increased (more evenness) more genes also came under positive selection!
(9/n)
Its abundance stayed pretty constant, there was not an unusual influx of new SNVs (no big migration event), but when strain diversity increased (more evenness) more genes also came under positive selection!
(9/n)
What happened in Lake Mendota in 2012? Well, good thing it's the best-studied lake in the world so we have over a century of limnological data look back at! @ntl-lter.bsky.social
2012 was extremely hot and dry. environmental extremes like this are expected to increase with #climate change.
(8/n)
2012 was extremely hot and dry. environmental extremes like this are expected to increase with #climate change.
(8/n)
January 22, 2025 at 8:22 PM
What happened in Lake Mendota in 2012? Well, good thing it's the best-studied lake in the world so we have over a century of limnological data look back at! @ntl-lter.bsky.social
2012 was extremely hot and dry. environmental extremes like this are expected to increase with #climate change.
(8/n)
2012 was extremely hot and dry. environmental extremes like this are expected to increase with #climate change.
(8/n)
When did the abrupt step changes and disturbances occur? Most were isolated events, but seven major Nanopelagicales genomes experienced an abrupt change in strain composition in 2012! all together!
These Nano's are the most abundant bacteria in most lakes, globally, by a lot! (aka acI)
(7/n)
These Nano's are the most abundant bacteria in most lakes, globally, by a lot! (aka acI)
(7/n)
January 22, 2025 at 8:22 PM
When did the abrupt step changes and disturbances occur? Most were isolated events, but seven major Nanopelagicales genomes experienced an abrupt change in strain composition in 2012! all together!
These Nano's are the most abundant bacteria in most lakes, globally, by a lot! (aka acI)
(7/n)
These Nano's are the most abundant bacteria in most lakes, globally, by a lot! (aka acI)
(7/n)
We also saw long-term, decadal changes in strain composition.
We identified gradual change, step change, and disturbance patterns.
1 in 5 genomes had long-term changes in strain composition.
This could be interpreted as widespread evolution within microbiomes on decadal time scales #EcoEvo
(6/n)
We identified gradual change, step change, and disturbance patterns.
1 in 5 genomes had long-term changes in strain composition.
This could be interpreted as widespread evolution within microbiomes on decadal time scales #EcoEvo
(6/n)
January 22, 2025 at 8:22 PM
We also saw long-term, decadal changes in strain composition.
We identified gradual change, step change, and disturbance patterns.
1 in 5 genomes had long-term changes in strain composition.
This could be interpreted as widespread evolution within microbiomes on decadal time scales #EcoEvo
(6/n)
We identified gradual change, step change, and disturbance patterns.
1 in 5 genomes had long-term changes in strain composition.
This could be interpreted as widespread evolution within microbiomes on decadal time scales #EcoEvo
(6/n)
What happened in the genomes with seasonal abundance and diversity? Well, sometimes the seasonal bloom was low diversity (few strains win out in competition?) and sometimes it was high diversity (micro-niches and a rising tide lifts all boats?). Both were common.
(5/n)
(5/n)
January 22, 2025 at 8:22 PM
What happened in the genomes with seasonal abundance and diversity? Well, sometimes the seasonal bloom was low diversity (few strains win out in competition?) and sometimes it was high diversity (micro-niches and a rising tide lifts all boats?). Both were common.
(5/n)
(5/n)
We calculated the abundance and strain diversity of the genomes across all the samples. As expected, a majority of species had seasonal abundance patterns. But many also had seasonal strain dynamics, which could be interpreted as cyclical evolution. #microbiome #phenology #EcoEvo
(4/n)
(4/n)
January 22, 2025 at 8:22 PM
We calculated the abundance and strain diversity of the genomes across all the samples. As expected, a majority of species had seasonal abundance patterns. But many also had seasonal strain dynamics, which could be interpreted as cyclical evolution. #microbiome #phenology #EcoEvo
(4/n)
(4/n)
We assembled a ****-ton of genomes using UT's supercomputer @taccutexas.bsky.social 🖥️🧬
85,000 bins
30,000 MQ or HQ
2800 unique species reps
and a ton of the difficult to assemble but super abundant freshwater Actinobacteria!
I calculated this would've taken 34 years on my laptop
(3/n)
85,000 bins
30,000 MQ or HQ
2800 unique species reps
and a ton of the difficult to assemble but super abundant freshwater Actinobacteria!
I calculated this would've taken 34 years on my laptop
(3/n)
January 22, 2025 at 8:22 PM
We assembled a ****-ton of genomes using UT's supercomputer @taccutexas.bsky.social 🖥️🧬
85,000 bins
30,000 MQ or HQ
2800 unique species reps
and a ton of the difficult to assemble but super abundant freshwater Actinobacteria!
I calculated this would've taken 34 years on my laptop
(3/n)
85,000 bins
30,000 MQ or HQ
2800 unique species reps
and a ton of the difficult to assemble but super abundant freshwater Actinobacteria!
I calculated this would've taken 34 years on my laptop
(3/n)
We collected a 20-year 471-sample metagenome dataset from #LakeMendota with the support of @ntl-lter.bsky.social @uslter.bsky.social @jgi.doe.gov @quendi.bsky.social
For more on these microbiome samples, see www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
(2/n)
For more on these microbiome samples, see www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
(2/n)
January 22, 2025 at 8:22 PM
We collected a 20-year 471-sample metagenome dataset from #LakeMendota with the support of @ntl-lter.bsky.social @uslter.bsky.social @jgi.doe.gov @quendi.bsky.social
For more on these microbiome samples, see www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
(2/n)
For more on these microbiome samples, see www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
(2/n)
Googled "is science broken right now" and... depressing. 🧪But seriously is anyone else unable to load @science.org journal articles rn?
January 13, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Googled "is science broken right now" and... depressing. 🧪But seriously is anyone else unable to load @science.org journal articles rn?
Thanks to Marc Airhart for the lovely #SciComm about my latest paper. It's awesome to see a professional make your work accessible 🖥️🧬🧪 @texasscience.bsky.social
January 3, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Thanks to Marc Airhart for the lovely #SciComm about my latest paper. It's awesome to see a professional make your work accessible 🖥️🧬🧪 @texasscience.bsky.social
Tell me you've organized field campaigns without telling me you've organized field campaigns
🌎
🌎
November 30, 2024 at 10:29 PM
Tell me you've organized field campaigns without telling me you've organized field campaigns
🌎
🌎
On a personal note, writing this paper has spanned both medical leave and a pregnancy. I want to thank @quendi.bsky.social , @archaeal.bsky.social , and an amazing NSF program officer for believing in me and supporting me through all of it.
February 9, 2024 at 12:02 AM
On a personal note, writing this paper has spanned both medical leave and a pregnancy. I want to thank @quendi.bsky.social , @archaeal.bsky.social , and an amazing NSF program officer for believing in me and supporting me through all of it.
A lot of this could be ecology OR evolution, depending on how species are delineated. Instead of considering feedbacks between eco & evo, we need to consider eco & evo as a continuum of the same processes unfolding. After all, they’re also both happening on the same time scales!
February 9, 2024 at 12:00 AM
A lot of this could be ecology OR evolution, depending on how species are delineated. Instead of considering feedbacks between eco & evo, we need to consider eco & evo as a continuum of the same processes unfolding. After all, they’re also both happening on the same time scales!
Which genes are under selection though? Turns out a lot of them are amino acid-related and nucleic acid-related. This suggests these fundamental organic nitrogen compounds are key drivers of dynamics in the most abundant freshwater bacteria!
February 8, 2024 at 11:59 PM
Which genes are under selection though? Turns out a lot of them are amino acid-related and nucleic acid-related. This suggests these fundamental organic nitrogen compounds are key drivers of dynamics in the most abundant freshwater bacteria!
Abundance stayed pretty constant while nucleotide diversity shifted, and at the same time more genes came under positive selection. No spike in new SNVs suggests this was an increase in existing strain evenness, rather than a migration event.
February 8, 2024 at 11:58 PM
Abundance stayed pretty constant while nucleotide diversity shifted, and at the same time more genes came under positive selection. No spike in new SNVs suggests this was an increase in existing strain evenness, rather than a migration event.
Abundance stayed pretty constant while nucleotide diversity shifted, and at the same time more genes came under positive selection. No spike in new SNVs suggests this was an increase in existing strain evenness, rather than a migration event.
February 8, 2024 at 11:57 PM
Abundance stayed pretty constant while nucleotide diversity shifted, and at the same time more genes came under positive selection. No spike in new SNVs suggests this was an increase in existing strain evenness, rather than a migration event.