KU EEB GSO

Geographic patterns of upward shifts in treeline vegetation across western North America, 1984–2017 Abstract. Previous research has shown that (1) treelines are shifting upward in elevation on high mountain peaks worldwide, and (2) the rate of the upward shift appears to have increased markedly in r...

Mountain treelines have moved upward 20.2 m on average since the 1980s; this upward shift is more pronounced in the tropics than in temperate regions: bg.copernicus.org/articles/22/...

Bellator militaris — the horned searobin. Just like other armored searobins, they possess modified pectoral fin rays used to walk and detect food on the seafloor.

This specimen is TCWC 6818.17 available on MorphoSource.
www.morphosource.org/concern/biol...

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New paper on AM fungi in a prairie restoration experiment planted with community members back in 2021! Beyond the cool results we found, this was such a fun day where so many of my labmates and volunteers supported my first field experiment as a grad student. Feeling so grateful! ☺️

Topsicle: a method for estimating telomere length from whole genome long-read sequencing data - Genome Biology Telomeres protect chromosome ends and their length varies significantly between organisms. Because telomere length variation is associated with various biomedical and eco-evolutionary phenotypes, many...

Excited to share a new method developed from my group thats published at Genome Biology. This was an amazing effort by my grad student Linh @linhngk.bsky.social. We developed Topsicle, a method that analyzes long read data for telomere analysis and length measuring.
doi.org/10.1186/s130...

Revision of the Lecanicephalidean Genus Flapocephalus Deshmukh, 1979 (Eucestoda) from Cowtail Rays (Genus Pastinachus Rüppell) (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae Jordan and Gilbert) with the Description of ... The genus Flapocephalus Deshmukh, 1979, is a little-known group of lecanicephalidean cestodes parasitizing cowtail rays (genus Pastinachus Rüppell) mainly in the Indo-Pacific region. Since the erectio...

🚨New Worm Alert🚨

The flappy-"headed" tapeworm genus (Flapocephalus) from cowtail rays gets a makeover in our new paper!

Check out the genus revision and new species descriptions in the Journal of Parasitology or on BioOne.

bioone.org/journals/jou...

Good news! KU's IRACDA program was reinstated! We are now taking applications for postdocs. Please spread the word.

sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Sear...

Shedding Light on Patterns of Unconventional Expression of Opsin Genes in Hydra vulgaris Synopsis. Opsins are G-protein-coupled receptors often expressed in neuronal photoreceptor cells and used for light detection in most animals, including cn

First, first-author paper alert!

“Shedding Light on Patterns of Unconventional Expression of Opsin Genes in Hydra vulgaris” is out and open access in @sicbjournals.bsky.social

academic.oup.com/icb/advance-...

Keep reading for some highlights in the thread below!

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Graduate researchers like Reb Bryant are trying to preserve what remains of our Tallgrass prairie and restore retired farm lands with help from something unexpected. Fungi! Graduate researchers like Reb Bryant are trying to preserve what remains of our Tallgrass prairie and restore retired farm lands with help from something unexpected. Fungi!

Kansas Public Radio ‘Research Matters’: featuring Reb Bryant, ecology & evolutionary biology @KU_EEB

kansaspublicradio.org/podcast/rese...

Outreach drawer collections and visual science communication enhance public engagement with native bee diversity in Colombia Scientific research is often confined to academic circles, limiting public awareness of critical discoveries. This document highlights the transformative impact of science communication through an ent...

Andrés a PhD candidate in @ku-eeb.bsky.social and @kunhm.bsky.social studying the diversity and ecology of neotropical bees! Check out his recent project on outreach opportunities with bee collections in Columbia!

nhcm.pensoft.net/article/1575...

Monocentris japonica — the Japanese pineapplefish (or pinecone fish)

#evolution2025 with KU evolutionary biologists past and present!

@ku-eeb.bsky.social
@kubiology.bsky.social
@kueebgso.bsky.social

Congratulations to @ku-eeb.bsky.social graduate student Austin Nguyen for receiving the @sse-evolution.bsky.social R.C. Lewontin Award!!

A total-evidence phylogenetic approach to understanding the evolution, depth transitions, and body-shape changes in the anglerfishes and allies (Acanthuriformes: Lophioidei) The anglerfishes and allies (Lophioidei) are a diverse group of fishes with over 400 carnivorous species that are renowned for their remarkable hunting behavior employing a modified first dorsal-fin s...

1/11 New #OpenAccess #anglerfish paper in @plosone.org! We combine genomic, mitochondrial, and morphological data to produce the most complete evolutionary hypothesis for anglerfishes! Includes new body shape, habitat analyses, and a new frogfish subfamily) 🦑
doi.org/10.1371/jour...

Attention!! The @ku-eeb.bsky.social GSO is hosting a fundraiser this Thursday, May 8th. Please join us for dinner and order off the special menu to support graduate students!!

@kubiology.bsky.social
@kunewsservice.bsky.social

Join us this afternoon to support Arezoo Fani as she presents her thesis, Adaptive Transgenerational Plasticity and Priming in Mimulus platycalyx in Response to Neighbor Density, at 2pm in the English Room in the Union or on Zoom!

Congratulations to Dr. Bowman on a successful defense of her dissertation!

A total-evidence phylogenetic approach to understanding the evolution, depth transitions, and body-shape changes in the anglerfishes and allies (Acanthuriformes: Lophioidei) The anglerfishes and allies (Lophioidei) are a diverse group of fishes with over 400 carnivorous species that are renowned for their remarkable hunting behavior employing a modified first dorsal-fin s...

Check out this new paper by Alex Maile! @anoplogaster.bsky.social

Join us this afternoon to support Ashley Bowman (Wojciechowski) at her Dissertation Defense at 2pm in Smissman 130 or on Zoom!

Last Week to get 70% off some amazing titles! Click here to start shopping today: kansaspress.ku.edu/warehouse-sa....

Haskell fashion show to return to campus with featured musical guests The second installment of a Haskell Indian Nations University fashion runway show will feature two young music artists, in celebration of Indigenous strength and resilience.

The second installment of a Haskell Indian Nations University fashion runway show will feature two young music artists, in celebration of Indigenous strength and resilience.
lawrenceks.news/4jy7nv2

Congrats to the 3 new 2025-2029 Self Graduate Fellows in the EEB department!!
- Alex Hey
- Kenzie Grover
- Kit Savoy

Insights Into Spatial Synchrony Enabled by Long‐Term Data We review and synthesise some important recent advances in spatial synchrony, with a focus on how long-term data have facilitated new understanding. Longer time series do not just facilitate better t....

GSO Social chair Nat Coombs @natnotnathaniel.bsky.social has a new paper out! Check it out at the link below:
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Just wrapped up an incredible few days at #Dros25. Full of brilliant science, amazing discussions, and the buzzing energy of fly people geeking out together.

Domestic water in Haworth Hall is affected by local water line break. Please go to Summerfield or Dole to use restrooms or refill water bottles.

Grad student funding - Apply for the ASN Student Research Awards. $2k each for research that advances the conceptual unification of ecology, evolution, or behavior. Applications due March 14 www.amnat.org/announcement...

Another 1st place win for the GSO trivia team last night! Join us next week at Johnny's North trivia (or make your own team and play against us if you dare!).

Good luck Javier! See below for details on how you can attend his defense on Friday!

There are only 2 days left of the GSO fundraiser and we are just $325 short of our goal! Help us reach our goal at www.launchku.org/project/44646

Independent effects of tree diversity on aboveground and soil carbon pools after six years of experimental afforestation Planting diverse forests has been proposed as a means to increase long-term carbon (C) sequestration while providing many co-benefits. Positive tree diversity–productivity relationships are well esta...

Check out this new paper from our very own Reb Bryant!
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

We are one week in to the GSO fundraiser, and have already reached 25% of our goal!
This fund helps provide vital support to graduate students as they pursue their research.
Find out how you can contribute at www.launchku.org/project/44646