Last week our fantastic PhD student @nyxonrf.bsky.social attended the @thembauk.bsky.social Postgraduate Conference in Newcastle!

Nyxon presented her first thesis poster, highlighting data from Kew Herbarium @rbgkew.bsky.social on the photosynthetic diversity of seagrass

Well Done Nyxon!

🐠🐚🌊

Last week some of our PhDs attended Envision's student conference in Windermere

Khatija Alliji, @bwoodhead.bsky.social, @anastasiasmith.bsky.social & @nadia-hamilton.bsky.social spoke on topics from coral reefs to pelagic systems 🎣🪸

AND alumni @markh22.bsky.social joined a panel on post-PhD life 🎓

Researchers studied 184 bull sharks in Fiji – and discovered they might make friends | Discover Wildlife Scientists studying bull sharks in Fiji found that the animals may have more complex social lives than previously thought.

The study, which is based on six years of observing the species in Fiji, has been covered by major media outlets including the BBC…

Check out the BBC Wildlife Magazine:
www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts...

Or listen to Lancaster’s Dr David Jacoby (from 26 mins):
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Bull sharks have ‘friends’ - Lancaster University Bull sharks form social relationships with specific “friends”, new research reveals.

The surprising social life of sharks hit the headlines this week, thanks to new research supported by Lancaster researchers. They discovered that bull sharks form relationships with specific “friends”, rather than mixing at random
www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/bull-sh...

New paper out on the use of Virtual Reality to increase ocean literacy in higher education 🤿🌊
Not everyone has the chance to see & interact with reefs, but immersive tools like these can allow for a more personal connection with the ocean & ultimately foster a deeper sense of agency and empathy!

Enhancing motivation to learn marine ecology and increase ocean literacy through virtual reality in higher education Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly recognized as a tool for enhancing engagement and motivation in education. This is particularly true where access to experiential learning is limited, as is often...

VR dive experience tested on my coral reef ecology module @lancasteruninews.bsky.social found it helped consolidate knowledge & motivated learning+pro-environmental behaviour. Just avoid that uncanny valley! esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... @lec-reefs.bsky.social VR by thehydro.us

Check out this new paper by @salkeith.bsky.social and @lljeannot.bsky.social on using VR to improve and motivate pro-environmental learning behaviour in coral reef contexts!

🪸🐟👩‍💻

This international women’s day we celebrate the inspiring women that are part of, and work alongside our group.

The UN’s theme for #IWD is “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls”- learn more here: www.unwomen.org/en/get-invol...

👩🏽‍🔬👩🏻‍🎓👩🏾‍🏫👩🏼‍💻

Thousands of dead puffins are washing up on Europe’s beaches – why it’s been such a dangerous winter for seabirds Seabirds are washing up on Europe’s beaches in large numbers after weeks of bad weather.

Thousands of dead puffins are washing up on Europe’s beaches - Dr Ruth Dunn explains why in the Conversation @lec-reefs.bsky.social @ruthedunn.bsky.social theconversation.com/thousands-of...

Marine biology scientist recognised by Fellow status in world’s oldest ecological society - Lancaster University A Lancaster University marine biologist has been recognised with prestigious Fellow of the British Ecological Society (BES) status.

Very excited to be one of the new Fellows of the BES! It has always been the society where I feel I belong the most 🥰 www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/marine-... @britishecologicalsociety.org @lec-reefs.bsky.social @dsilu.bsky.social @macrobehaviour.bsky.social @lancasteruninews.bsky.social

Today our Applied Data Science for Biodiversity MSc students took a trip to our underwater Coral Crisis Centre to coordinate a rapid response to an upcoming heatwave. Ready to dive? 👌 @lec-reefs.bsky.social @dsilu.bsky.social @lancasteruninews.bsky.social

Excited to head to Oxford for this on Friday! 🐦

🎙️ The fabulous @mollylouisefowkes.bsky.social was recently invited to talk on the Impact Storytelling Podcast about her research exploring the hidden social lives of the endangered European eel! 📊 👩‍💻🛥️

Listen now on YouTube & Spotify:
tinyurl.com/Eelpodcast 🎧

A marine scientist explains why she eats seafood—even octopus Conservationist Christina Hicks explains the tension between protecting marine life and depending on it for food, and how our seafood choices ripple across the world.

Is it possible to save our seas and enjoy seafood at the same time? 🐟🍴

Check out this #NationalGeographic interview with marine scientist and conservationist Prof Christina Hicks of @lec-reefs.bsky.social on sustainable seafood and protecting marine life 👇

Marine biology scientist recognised by Fellow status in world’s oldest ecological society - Lancaster University A Lancaster University marine biologist has been recognised with prestigious Fellow of the British Ecological Society (BES) status.

Congratulations to @salkeith.bsky.social of @lec-reefs.bsky.social, who has has been recognised as a Fellow of @britishecologicalsociety.org! 👏

Dr Keith pioneered the concept of ‘macrobehaviour’, exploring behavioural patterns across large geographical regions, varying species, and long timescales.

Super excited to announce I've started as a postdoc at LEC REEFS @lec-reefs.bsky.social with James Robinson @james-robinson.bsky.social and Renato Morais @renatoamorais.bsky.social. Not only can I stick with my reef fish, but we're scaling up work on fish productivity and nutrient fluxes 🦠🐠

New paper on coral reef restoration and recovery by @timlamont.bsky.social et al:

doi.org/10.1111/gcb.... 🪸

New PhD project available here at @lancasteruni.bsky.social!

Come and research coral reefs, MPAs, and climate impacts 🪸

www.exageo.org/phd-student-...

We're #hiring a new #PhD student - come join @lec-reefs.bsky.social to investigate coral reefs, MPAs, and climate impacts. 🌊 🧪🦑

Details + apply here - www.exageo.org/phd-student-...

Deadline Jan 9th! International applicants encouraged 👍

You can keep up with the whole LEC REEFS gang via our starter pack! 🐟🪸🎣🏝️

go.bsky.app/3m4FFzH

🦑🧪🌍

Two new post-doc positions in our team here at Lancaster! 👇

We're hiring! 🥳 Come and join our team in Lancaster - we're looking for two senior postdocs to work on corporate sustainability and restoration ecology. 🌳 🪸 ♻️ (1 of 2)
@lec-reefs.bsky.social @pentlandcentre.bsky.social @sci-tech-lancaster.bsky.social @lancasteruni.bsky.social

Schematic diagram of the influence of seabirds on temperate and tropical near-shore marine systems. Temperatre systems: - Nutrient enrichment and predation on herbivorous invertebrates can lead to increased algal production - Phytoplankton communities change, featuring more large-celled species - Intertidal organisms incorporate seabird-enriched material by grazing on detritus and biofilm in tidepools - Macroalgae biodiversity and primary production are boosted Tropical systems: - Mangrove leaf nutritional quality increases - Corals recover faster after bleaching events - Fish biomass increases across different trophic groups - Pelagic and benthic consumers' foraging behaviour shifts - Parrotfish grazing and bioerosion rates increase - Fish grow larger

New in @natrevbiodiv.nature.com: our review of the influence of #seabirds, via their nutrient transfer, on islands & adjacent marine ecosystems 🐦🏝️🪸

We highlight knowledge gaps & future directions ✨

"The circular seabird economy is critical for oceans, islands and people": doi.org/10.1038/s443...

A new study reveals that although they are often overlooked, dried fish are critical to helping feed millions of people across Africa.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4nItEIj

@lancasteruni.bsky.social

Lancaster’s world-class researchers will turn bold ideas into innovations to improve lives - Lancaster University Three Lancaster University researchers have been awarded Future Leaders Fellowships, through a flagship scheme by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Starting a new job felt like a good time to join the BlueSky party! 🙌🦋

Excited to be starting a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship - look out for job ads soon on ecosystem restoration 🪸🌴🐠, business sustainability ♻️ and corporate accounting 🧮📊. Exciting plans ahead!

www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/lancast...

Indian women used to be afraid of the ocean. Now, they’re turning into its strongest defenders Along India’s coastline, a rising wave of women is healing our oceans, moving beyond the margins of shore-bound roles traditionally ascribed to them

@ruchakarkarey.bsky.social is in Vogue India! Great article about India's women marine defenders www.vogue.in/content/once...

Sun-dried and smoked fish are the overlooked yet vital nutrient-packed superfood providing much needed nutrition across tropical Africa, according to a new study 🐠

📰: https://tinyurl.com/yveejt7u

📸: Christina Hicks, Tane Sinclair-Taylor, James Robinson

@lec-reefs.bsky.social

Will Coral Reef Collapse Make Fish Less Intelligent? Marine biologist Annabell reveals how coral reef collapse could affect fish intelligence, with insights on what reef degradation means for underwater life.

Cool article on our PhD student Annabell Klinke's research, asking are fish less smart on less structurally complex reefs? womenlovetech.com/world-first-... @lec-reefs.bsky.social

Density dependent habitat selection in response to habitat loss in a coral reef fish Habitat loss triggers a social chain reaction: adult reef fish crowd onto remaining coral, then spill over onto dead coral—and juveniles follow. This study reveals a novel, socially driven ‘bandwagon...

PAPER hints at ecological traps for damselfish settlement - dead corals chosen for settlement if an adult is present, could cascade to bad ends! besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... Led by @lisabe.bsky.social @lec-reefs.bsky.social @animalecology.bsky.social

Site-level variation in field of view is associated with altered anti-predator responses in farming damselfish The structure of a habitat affects how animals respond to predators. By recording the anti-predator behaviour of reef fish at sites with different levels o

Field of view affects damselfish anti-predator responses BUT other metrics of structural complexity do not. Implications for how we measure structure & predict its effects academic.oup.com/beheco/advan...
@jamesboon.bsky.social is on fire today! @lec-reefs.bsky.social @envisiondtp.bsky.social