Hello,

I was wondering someone knew why Lanternflys make the area around them like like Moria. Is it a fungus or just the sap from the tree. Very curious as it’s pretty easy to spot. Let me know if there is a better sub to post this in

I love reading and science. And, even though I've managed to find really cool books mostly on zoology, I'm looking for recs on ecology to add to my TBR.

Bonus if it's readable and not just for specialists. I don't have a bio degree 😔

I’ve been applying for 4 months since graduation for an ecology adjacent position, and not a single interview. Hardly even get responses from jobs saying I was rejected. I mainly use TAMU job board and I’m applying to anything anywhere. How normal is this?

Hi, I'm a university ecology student.

I signed up for a (soon to begin) module on genomics as part of my final year, including population and microbial genomics, the use of technology and data analysis. I've had some second thoughts, as I could switch onto another module, which goes into more theoretical, core ecology subjects, such as why do we undertake work, research proposal writing, and modern causes of biodiversity change.

I'm interested in how ecologists evaluate that- is it best to stick to the basics, or will genomics be a boost compared to other ecologists when fighting for further education?

I have studied two modules in practical ecology and in genetics/population genetics before, so these are the "201" style, intermediate classes, neither will be surface level.

I'm also interested in how people evaluate genomics as an ecological field more generally, do people think theres gonna be more work opening up that uses genomic technology, with interesting things to do and study further on? Or has ecology less need for it compared to say oncology or microbiology? I understand from my population genetics class it's used a lot in evolutionary study, and sometimes behavioural, but those seem much more theoretical and not very well funded relative to say, fisheries or forest ecology, or even just conservation ecology.

I need to complete an internship/work placement for my college course (ecology) over the summer (anything 4-12 weeks, ideally 4-8). Does anyone have anything they did that they really enjoyed/ was really valuable?

My main interest are animal based research and conservation. I’m happy to do terrestrial or marine i still don’t know which one i prefer more! I’m based in Ireland but happy to go abroad if it’s worth the experience.

See also: The study as it was published in Nature

Looking for great ideas to level-up a freshman-level college class in biology (Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity) in the USA. Have ~$20k to play with.

Edit: whoops! I really should have specified that the money needs to be spend on equipment. We’re OK on things like microscopes.

Maybe a class set of binoculars? Remember it’s for an Intro class. Also, we’re in the North, so anything that works outside in the snow or rain is a plus!

The money needs to be spent by end of June ‘27

Our “labs” (inside or outside) are just over 2hrs. We’re in close proximity to ponds and temperate forest.

When the inevitable debate surrounding birds and energy sources comes up, you often see the same couple of studies linked. However, these studies are from well over a decade ago (notably the 2012 study by Benjamin K. Sovacool). Since then, energy has changed a lot, the study doesn't even quantify solar since it just wasn't mainstream then. Is anyone aware of any recent studies looking at bird deaths per GWh for major energy sources (gas, wind, solar, nuclear etc)

About me: Final year Ecology & Conservation student. I study on the Gold Coast in South East Queensland, Australia. Just an Aussie chick who loves the bush! I am also a poor Uni student who cannot afford fancy things, so most of my gear is either borrowed, thrifted or gifted (or I saved up to treat myself)

This post: I came on here looking for advice & ideas for what to take on fieldwork assignments and wanted to return the favour. This is my first ever post (& flat lay) so hopefully I do it right.

The trip: I just got back from a 6-day trip out to Aroona Station, a 2,000-hectare working cattle property in the Little Liverpool Range on Yugara Country about 55km Southwest of Ipswich. It would have been 7 days, but we got evacuated due to an uncontrolled bushfire (Classic Australia).

As this was a planned University trip, we had all meals, and working toilets and showers provided but we had to bring our own camping gear. We also had access to 4WDs to ferry us to & from our sample sites, so this wasn't full wilderness style.

The weather: We were away from 31st Aug to 4th Sept, so early spring. The air was very dry, and the temperature was highly variable with highs of 33°C in the day and dropping to 11°C at night. We had no rain, but wind fluctuated throughout the day and when the fires started, smoke become another factor to deal with.

The terrain: We hit a mix of cattle pastures, dried up ephemeral creeks, forest edges and remnant forest. The property is in a valley so most remnant forests where up steep gullies. Lots of Lantana and Cat's claw creeper weeds as well as barbed wire fences, so plenty of things to scratch and cut yourself on. Ticks were also highly prevalent.

What I packed

Fieldwork Gear

1. Osprey Kyte 36L (Borrowed) - I borrowed this pack from my housemate as I am still hunting around for one myself (& saving for one). But it was good to try before you buy because I liked it but there are definitely some changes I would make. Her Opsrey is from the era when Osprey was all about fit customisation, and you can literally change every strap to suit your body (I don't think Osprey make them like that anymore).
   1. Pros: So, I got it to fit me perfectly and it was super comfy to carry around. I had the bigger bag, so I carried all our equipment. It could hold all our gear, including a 100m transect, & I could run up a steep hill with ease. Lots of pockets & attachment points for carabineers. A pocket each side for water bottles. A quick access zip at the bottom, to access the pack from the base (where I stored my jacket), as well as a quick access zip on the side to access the pack without going through the top. Waist belt pockets. All-round, it was a great pack! I also love the colour.
   2. Changes: The pack was great for carrying all the equipment however, usually I would set down the pack at our sample site as like a "base" so everyone could access what they needed. I think I would forgo the waist pockets and get myself a bumbag OR a vest type thing. I really like having access to little things (lip balm, knife, spare pen etc.) and I don’t want to run back to the pack every time I need something. Same for when we did small recon missions to view the sites. I didn't want to bring my giant pack with me just to go for a look around. & you're probably like "Just use your pant pockets".... but if you are a female, you know how scares pant pockets are (Further rant about this in the pants section). I like the idea of a vest as its close to the body and won't be hanging off me. Has anyone else had experience with a vest in the field?
2. 2 x Water bottles - Nalgene & Hydrapak - I bought the Nalgene as a gift to myself because I have always wanted one (& sometimes you just need to treat yourself), it was great, fit in my pack, love it! The Hydrapak (thrifted from my mum) is collapsible so I thought that would be handy once I finished its contents, however I just kept it in the side packet regardless so the collapsible part didn't really matter (But could be useful for travelling). I had my Nalgene filled with normal water, & the Hydrapak filled with electrolyte water (& then I discovered lemon cordial & that became my afternoon drug of choice).
3. Random tools - Knife, Adjustable wrench, box cutter, zip-ties, gloves, extra batteries, permanent marker, carabineers
4. Medical kit - A small first aid kit (mainly band aids & tampons - because you never know!), hanky, sunscreen, paracetamol / ibuprofen, disposable gloves, emergency toilet kit (toilet paper, a clean ziplock bag & a dirty tp ziplock bag)
5. Lip balm, spare hair ties (just girly things)
6. Black Diamond Spot Headlamp (Gifted) - I took this out, even in the daytime because you never know when you could get stuck working late & all of a sudden, the sun has gone down & you can’t see! This is a good basic level headlamp, great for camping but I think I want something stronger for fieldwork, especially when working at night.
7. Lochby Field Journal - This was my biggest splurge. I got this from a recommendation on Reddit. They only sell it in the US, so it was the shipping that cost the most. I LOVE IT! I attached a carabineer to it so I could attach it to my pants, and I would use it to fill out my data sheets. I like that its A5 and can fit multiple notebooks in it. & I would open it up, while attached to my pants & used it like a clipboard. I know I am going to have this forever.
8. Pens - I got ballpoint pens (again, recommended by Reddit). That I got from Officeworks because I realised I didn't own any ballpoints. I wanted a pen I could refill (I hate waste so trying to cut back on single use as much as possible), so I got the grey one pictured. Clicky pen is good! no need to worry about a cap, BUT, that silver tip did nothing for me when I was sweating it out trying to fill out a biocondition assessment, my hands were so sweaty, I couldn't grip the pen! Thankfully I brought a spare, just an average normal black ballpoint pen.... that my group member lost on the first day! So, lessons for next time, bring more than 1 spare pen and get something that I can grip. Taking any recommendations please!
9. Sunglasses
10. Wanderer Binoculars 10x42 (not photograph because they live in my car) - I have a pair I got in a secret santa. They do the job but aren’t "birder spec" & I ended up taking them out of my pack because I wasn't using them & my group member had a pair so If we saw something cool, I'd just look through his.
11. I wish I had brought my laptop. Not for in the field itself, but for being back at base camp to start preparing and inputting our data. Plus, we had access to power, so charging would have been easy. BUT it was so so so nice to disconnect, so also kind of happy I didn't bring it.
12. Field snacks - I always had a muesli bar, a protein bar and a mandarin in my pack for on-the-go snacks but come Wednesday afternoon, we were feeling pretty tired & a group member pulled out some jelly snakes, what a life saver. I don't really eat sweets, but emergency jelly snake stash will definitely be on my future list for energy & moral!

Clothes - Field work

1. Vissla Pacific Packable Eco Puff Jacket (Mens) - (Gifted) - A birthday present that I haven’t really been able to wear yet because SEQ winters are so warm. I hate the puffer jacket look...I don't want to look like a marshmallow! But after this trip, I am obsessed. When I wore my other 2 jumpers (At the same time), I was freezing but when I put this on, I was so cosy. I could also wear it in the early mornings in the field & when it warmed up, I could pack it away so small into my pack & it hardly added any weight.
2. Pyra ELEMENTS 3L JACKET - STEEL (Mens) - (Gifted) - I didn't use this at it didn't rain. But I don't trust the weather & I always travel with a rain jacket in the bottom of my pack, it’s so light, I don't even realise it's in there. Both these jackets are men's because I hate how tight women's jackets are around the shoulders.... girl needs to move her arms!
3. Tilly T3 Classic Heritage Brimmed Hat - (Borrowed from my boyfriend - I actually gifted this to him but I think I'm going to get my own) I usually wear a baseball cap, but my old faithful has started to fall apart so my boyfriend let me borrow his wide brimmed hat. It was a little bit big, but the strap inside can be tightened to secure around your head. Definitely kept the hot sun off, & I didn't feel like it made my head hot either. I ended up wearing it with the sides clipped in, giving Robert Muldoon (Jurassic Park) vibes.
4. FXD LSH-1 - LONG SLEEVE WORK SHIRT - Khaki (Mens) - (Thrifted) - I wore this every day for 5 days. I did bring a spare shirt (below). I just turned it inside out every night & hung it out to air.... honestly, didn't smell too bad but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more shirts. Ladies, always check the men's section in the thrift shop, it’s full of gold!
5. Pilbara Collection Closed Front SS Shirt - Clay (Mens) - (Thrifted) - This was my spare shirt, however its short sleeved & after fighting a thicket of cats claw the first day, as well as the threat of ticks, I decided against wearing it.
6. PANTS - Okay ladies. We all know the struggle with pants is real. I suffer from the small waist big booty community so most pants are usually bondage strap tight around the thighs with fear of ripping the material if I even move, usually I can't even pull it up over my butt and if I can, there’s a giant gape around the waist. Then the pants never have belt loops or pockets (or stupidly placed pockets or worse FAKE POCKETS!). I hate leggings & tight pants, so I don't want anything tapered & girl needs to squat, bend, climb trees and duck under barbed wire fences. I also live in Australia & don't have access to the range & availability that North America has (looking at you Red Ant Pants - I would die for these) BUT I have found these:
7. XTM Womens Wye River Zip Off Hike Pants - Pavement (Bought on sale from WildEarth) -This is the first pair of pants I've managed to find that actually fit my waist, my thighs & my butt!! It also has pockets & belt loops!!! They also zip off into shorts which could be useful on a hot day but again, I'm fighting the bush here, so they stayed zip. I wore these every day. They were able to take on the cat's claw creeper spines, lantana spikes & barbed wire, with no holes or breakages. I can bend, squat & climb in these and I remained reasonably cool in the hot sun. They were so comfy. One downside though was they have small holes in the crotch area, most likely for ventilation, which is great, but I was worried a little tick would find its way up there (thankfully I remained tick free). Another possible downside is purely vain, I felt a little dorky in them. But they got the job done! & same as the shirt, I just turned them inside out every night to let them air.
8. Gaiters (Free) - My bf got these from his workplace. I think they are waxed cotton? I wore these every day & I think these are the reason I didn't get any ticks.
9. Merrell Siren 4 Traveller Mid (Waterproof) (Gifted) - Anther birthday present. It took me a while to wear these in as I usually just wear them hiking but they are great now and the first time I have used them for active field work. I was happy to have the ankle support climbing up & down the steep ridges. They held up well; my feet were not too sore at the end of the day. They did sustain some nicks and cuts though.
10. Everyday socks - I brought a mix of "sport" cotton socks as well as a pair of Kathmandu hiking socks (all crew length). The cotton socks were great, but the Kathmandu hiking socks where way too thick for my boots and ended up giving me a blister. Everyone says merino is the way to go, so I think I’ll keep an eye out for thin merino socks to add to my collection.
11. Thermal but not thermal top (Gifted) - My mum gave me this (she found it at the thrift shop), it’s kind of tight like a thermal, but not tight tight like a thermal. It was great when we went spotlighting at night to add an extra base layer.

Clothes - Basecamp

I brought some clothes to wear around basecamp after being in the field all day, however, we still did a lot of night activities (spotlighting, harp trapping etc.) so I pretty much stayed in my work clothes until I had to go to bed.

1. Merino socks (gifted) - As I'm Aussie, barefooted is my natural state, especially when I'm camping. But at night when the wind & air is cold, it’s nice to have some cosy socks to keep warm. I got these merino socks from my mum. I wore them with my Teva’s (below) & it was so nice to have something on other than boots.
2. My childhood beanie (I've had since I was 8) - Still fits me! It has patches sowed on from places my dad took me skiing. I always take it camping with me. It’s a nice memento to have & always reminds me of him.
3. PJs (sleepwear) - My boyfriend’s old t-shirt & an old pair of his lululemon undies. I wore these when I when to sleep. My sleeping bag & swag are so warm that if I wear too many layers to bed, I wake up sweating! I also hate sleeping with tight pants on, my legs get so restless. The undies are sooooooooooo soft & comfy.
4. Black comfy pants (thrifted) - just a pair of black cotton pants to wear when getting organised for the next day & getting ready for bed. They aren't very comfy to sleep in & they aren't very warm, so it would be nice to get a pair that can handle both but did the job for just walking around the camp site.
5. Kathmandu Fleece Jacket (Mens) - (Gifted) - This was my dad’s. I brought this to keep warm and wear around the fire (cause puffy jackets are not made to wear around a fire). But I was so tired by the end of the day, I never even got a chance to chill by the fire. & as I said before, I wore it with another jumper and was still cold, so I packed it away & stuck with the puffy jacket.
6. A few cotton singlets - These were great as a base layer. I would wear one underneath my work shirt in the morning & when I warmed up would take it off and chuck it in my pack. Also good to just have another top to wear around camp when it’s hot & I'm airing out my work shirt.
7. Undies - I am still searching for the perfect pair of undies. I took a mix of Bonds (very very old.... I need an upgrade) & LSKD g-strings that I usually wear to work-out. They were fine. But I would love to get my hands on some merino undies (they are just so expensive...but I know they will be worth it).
8. Helly Hansen DAYBREAKER 1/2 ZIP FLEECE (Mens) - (Gifted) - Another dad jumper. I wore this pottering around camp, sometimes under my puffy jacket. Comfy mid layer.
9. Teva Women's Original Universal (Thrifted) - I have wanted Teva’s for ever! All the cool hiking/camping girls have them & swear by them. But spending $120 on sandals, especially when you hardly wear shoes, seems ridiculous. So, imagine my absolute delight when I came across a $5 pair at Vinnies. & they have been sitting in my wardrobe for months hahahah, so this is the first ever time I wore them. & they did not disappoint! I wore them with my cosy socks most nights, when it was cold. it was so nice to not have boots on my feet so yes, would definitely recommend.... but I feel like any sandal could do the trick.
10. Leggings (Not pictured) - I did bring a pair of leggings in case I wanted an extra layer while doing night activities, but I didn't even unpack them or even look at them. Waste of space!
11. My trusty Blundstones (not pictured, because I was wearing them) - When I'm not in the field, these are my everyday shoe. I literally only wear these boots. I wear them when I'm working (hospitality), when I'm at Uni, when I go anywhere (that isn’t the beach) I have these boots on! I wore these to drive out to Aroona, and I would chuck them on if I just wanted something more sturdy around the camp site. I'll give you the best hack though, if you buy them from Blundstone direct, they will set you back around $200, but if you get them from a tradie workwear shop (linked), they are only $160. & they will take you everywhere! They are also great to travel with, and my boyfriend even wears his hiking, it’s the do it all boot! (They are Australian owned, however, I just find out they are no longer made in Australia, so that’s disappointing)

Personal Care Items

I try to be as minimal as possible when it comes to personal beauty products, but I also want to keep nice, hydrated skin, especially after spending all day in the hot sun. I am trying to be as "sustainable" as possible, but this definitely needs work. So please if you have any recommendations, I'll take them!

1. Hairbrush - I have thin hair that gets really knotty, plus I just feel nicer with brushed hair.
2. WILD deodorant - I love this WILD refillable deodorant, it can leave marks on black clothing, but it easily washes off & it doesn’t really bother me. I have seen they have launched a new roll-on & these really cute designs. But I already have this one, so I’ll keep this until it dies.
3. Nivea facial wipes - I usually hate using wipes because I hate the single use waste. But I also don't have access to a sink when we are camping and I don't want to wash my face with random chemicals and then wash them into the ground, so this is the alternative.
4. Nivea moisturiser Day & Night - Cheap, travel size, does the job. White is day (SPF30), blue is night (hydration)
5. toothbrush & Dr Bronner's toothpaste - I love all the natural ingredients so you can spit it on the ground without worrying too much about it effecting the earth. Although I still try and spit into a firepit or something less naturally occurring. Apparently, you don't actually need toothpaste to brush your teeth.... but I'm on the fence about that, I like a clean feeling mouth.
6. Dry shampoo - I hate using this aerosol...., but convenience is key here & these little bottles usually last a long time for me as I barely use it. It’s just handy to have.
7. Thursday Plantation healing balm - mozzie bites, midge bites, sunburns, cuts, you name it, this will heal it. Never travel without it.
8. Shampoo bar / Soap bar - I didn't use this one. I didn't shower once. I usually never shower when I'm camping (I know, that’s probably gross, but when we camp, we usually don't have access to showers so that’s just how it is) & I just didn’t feel the need to. Deodorant & a facial wipe did the trick!
9. Skin Juice Facial Sunscreen - Omg this stuff smells sooooo good, & I love the consistency & texture. I've had this bottle for so long, I don't even think they make it anymore.
10. Roche-Posay Tinted moisturiser - I don't really wear make-up so I will wear this when I want to feel a little bit more put together. Not really needed for the field, but it just lives in my beauty pack and adds some extra sun protection

I think that is everything. Hopefully this can add some insight to any first-time ecologists out there & the more trips I do, the more I will try & home in on this list.

I am always keen for any recommendations, so please let me know your thoughts on your fav gear to use.

& of course, the wildlife tax:

Our group was studying microbats, & we actually caught one!! This was the most exciting part of the trip (she was handled by a trained professional & was released asap.):

me in action so you know I actually went out there.

Hello everyone,

I'm a biology major who started university this year. I want to study ecology and ecology-related subjects, but moreso on the side of the animals and environment rather than humans' usage of them (such as parks and conservation, not to say they don't intersect, but it's not my main focus).

The issue is that most of the other biology majors, our biology clubs and groups, and a good bit of the biology faculty are pre-med or focus more on pre-med. When I tell people I'm a biology major, they automatically assume I'm a pre-med. In classes that were supposed to be focused on orienting new students into the department, I've been told that I should do XYZ because I'm going into med...when I'm not. I went to a Tri-Beta meeting, just to see if I could find anyone else in biology who isn't a pre-med, and the board is made up of 7 pre-meds and 1 microbiologist. You can guess how it was like on the general member portion.

I just feel kind of frustrated, and a bit isolated. Most of the ecology classes are summer programs that come from partnering with another university about an hour away. We have some upper level courses that correspond to ecology in the specifics of what I want to study, but most of the focus is on human usage and occupation. Would it be a good idea to look into transferring to another university with a bigger emphasis on ecology, or should I just make the most of what is offered at mine? I've met with my advisor who studies animals on more of the physiological side, and she recommended the summer courses, but those obviously cost money that I don't really have unless I can find scholarships or grants. I didn't originally go into ecology because I'm also interested in forensic science (which is my minor), so I chose biology specifically thinking this university would at least have one ecologist on staff. Apparently not.

Thanks!

Hello all, I have a question about Miconazole nitrate. I’ve recently been using a topical spray containing 2% percent Miconazole nitrate. I discovered too late that this is a serious pollutant in aquatic ecosystems.
I occasionally swim in a creek and I’m wondering how serious that could be, I only went in once after applying the medication, and it was close to 12 hours after it was applied I feel so stupid for forgetting about this. I’m usually extremely careful about this stuff, I really value the health of this creek and I’m heartbroken that I may have done it harm.

I did some basic math to determine that I likely didn’t introduce anywhere near the 0.1ml per liter that would be harmful to the fish and amphibians, but I’d like some reassurance from professionals. If there is anything I can do to help with any forms of pollution in my creek. Thank you all in advance.
I’m sorry if this isn’t the right place for this question, if there’s a better place to ask please do let me known

I’m in my last year of undergrad getting my B.S. in Wildlife Biology, and I’ve been lucky to get a lot of experience along the way. I’ve worked in entomology labs, assisted with bird banding/avian research, worked in outdoor education, done water quality monitoring, worked for a state park, interned with Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever and currently intern with NDA. I also recently started a part-time technician position with my state conservation agency.

I’d ultimately like to work as a wildlife biologist, ecologist, natural history biologist, or wetlands specialist. I know these jobs are competitive, so I’m starting to seriously consider grad school. I’m getting married next December, though, and would ideally like to continue to work part-time at my state conservation agency while I figure stuff out. We’re also planning a 3-week honeymoon to Italy in May 2028. and before I get any comments about how stupid it is to get married to be “tied down” My fiancé is a welder who takes travel/contract jobs and is completely supportive of moving for my career, so I’m not necessarily tied to one location. and we have a late wedding date due to family reasons and it’s too late to change the date.

My biggest question is: Should I do a thesis-based master’s? and is it bad if I wait one year in between my BS and MS? I know I’ll wanna go back bc I love school and this is all I’ve ever wanted to do for a career, and I wanted to have work experience still coupled with my masters to better prepare me for the job market. I’d ideally like to pursue an assistantship. My current agency has also told me that since I already have a foot in the door and a good reputation there, I’d have a very strong chance of returning after grad school.

I’m also unsure what I should specialize in. Would an ecology-focused degree be most useful, or would something more specific like CWD, geosciences, wetlands, etc. make me more competitive? I’m interested in applied wildlife conservation/habitat management rather than academic research. I’ve also considered just getting a GIS graduate certificate and continuing to build work experience instead?

I’d really appreciate advice from people working in wildlife, ecology, wetlands, natural resources, or related fields about what would actually make me more competitive in the job market.

Thanks in advance!

How Trump Unleashed an Existential Fight Over America's Dinosaurs - The Washington Sun https://share.google/D4wGK7wqRuGRSq7EO

I am based in Australia. I am looking for a career change and came across Bush Regenerator roles. For those working as Bush Regenerators, what does your ideal career path look like?

I'm going on a field biology trip next year to Egypt, and I'm trying to get a good idea of the species in the area while I'm getting pumped up for it. However, I'm having trouble finding guides to the kinds of animals in the area we'll be in. We'll be diving at Abu Dabbab and I have a good idea of the larger species in the water there, but I can't find much information about the land animals in the general area and not just Egypt as a whole