Alpha, beta and gamma diversity in relatively natural, mixed and transformed landscape scenarios Biodiversity losses and biotic homogenisation associated with human-induced land-cover changes are key issues for ecology. However, the effects of human-caused land-use changes on biodiversity change...

The paper was recently published here: nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Thanks to my supervisors and coauthors @cmbeale.bsky.social & Chris Thomas

🧩Human modification does not always lead to a biotic homogenisation.

Using a scenario-based approach, we found that beta diversity increased despite reductions in local alpha diversity, thereby maintaining gamma diversity, when relatively natural landscapes were modified into mixed landscapes.

Welcome to Beijing!

#TIBS2026 brings together island biogeography, macroecology, paleobiogeography, and conservation to spark boundary-crossing ideas about Earth’s past, present, and futures.
📍 Aarhus, Denmark
#TIBS2026 #Biogeography #BlueSkyScience #Macroecology #EarthFutures

An African savanna elephant using its trunk to pull branches towards its mouth.

My first PhD paper is out today in Conservation Biology! @society4conbio.bsky.social

Freely available to read here: doi.org/10.1111/cobi...

Tldr 🧵 below!

Increasing human ecological impact over the Holocene (11,700 - 150 years ago) led to biodiversity gains in Europe.

Why? From ~8,500 years ago, the spread of farming created heterogeneous, habitat-rich landscapes that enhanced biodiversity.

Read our new paper: dx.doi.org/10.1111/geb....

🌏 🧪

Mandarin duck nesting in a tree cavity

What’s up?!
Nesting mandarin duck🪶at summer palace

Thanks so much!

Would it be any better now😧

Hi David, just to ask whether Wheldrake is accessible on foot now? I guess wellies are needed but not completely flooded? Thanks!

Viking has been very hardworking on Christmas Eve🤣
Merry Christmas 🎄 🎄🎄

Should contribute more in the next year

🚨Fully-Funded UK PhD Opportunity!🚨

I’m hiring a #PhD exploring the complexities of #biodiversity change across space and time 🌐. Join @cmbeale.bsky.social and me at #York and for this exciting opportunity!

Please share and/or message me if interested. More info and how to apply: shorturl.at/Zu7ED

Thank you, Colin!

Thanks Tiff! Yes see you in Liverpool!

Thanks Jane!

Thank you Chris!

Thanks Helen, just know that we have an LCAB account now

Me in a car park outside a GP

Got my Viva done yesterday! Many thanks to my examiners @hannah-wht-eco.bsky.social & @elvarobinson.bsky.social, it’s been a great discussion! And a big thank you to my supervisors Chris and @cmbeale.bsky.social for being excellent supervisors!

I wonder how many of those stories/cultural values/traditional beliefs were only overstated or made up while people conserving things

Tiny little thing

Please do so! Thanks!

A yellow-browed warbler in the bush

Yellow-browed warbler at Bempton. Haven’t seen you in four years! Thanks for coming to see me from the far east😂

Woooo.
Little owl was so loud.

Team of 4 students smiling. Text much as the the post.

🌾🌍🌱🍄🌿Prizes and applause for team Take It or Leaf It from University of York who led throughout Botanical University Challenge #BUC2024 but just lost in the final. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @oxfordbiology.bsky.social

‘Doing a PhD with my second language’

Celebrating the mid-autumn festival with the ’mid-autumn duck’!!

Scaly-sided Merganser. 02/05/2019 Erdaobaihe, Jilin