Alexander Kopatz

Asiatic black bear sits in bushes. On-screen text encourages donations for giving Tuesday.

It’s Giving Tuesday - the most generous day of the year!

Your support fuels our many programs that help bears.

Donate to help us help bears bearbiology.app.neoncrm.com/forms/donate

Make a Cryptocurrency donation to IBA through The Giving Block: thegivingblock.com/donate/inter...  

Thank you!

🧬Last week at @ebdonana.bsky.social ’s Science & Tech Week, we walked students through #ConservationGenetics — from alleles and diversity to drift, fitness, and genetic rescue — using the #Iberianlynx in an interactive demo.
Great to see so much curiosity and enthusiasm for conservation science 🐾

Hybrids Along a Natural‐Anthropogenic Gradient: Improving Policy and Management Across All Levels of Biodiversity Hybridization has long been a central topic in evolution and conservation. Recent developments in genomics have increased the ability to detect hybridization, defined here as breeding between species....

We have another publication out! 🎉🎉🎉
“Hybrids along a natural–anthropogenic gradient: improving policy and management across all levels of biodiversity.”
We explore how to deal with hybrids in conservation — scientifically and practically. A thread 🧵
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Visiting one of Norway’s important 🐻 bear areas: Lierne, northern Trøndelag. 🍁 #Rovdata

Welcome! Get to know GINAMO in 10 questions Welcome to the GINAMO (Genetic Indicators for NAture MOnitoring) blog! Whether you’ve already attended one of our workshops or are just discovering us, we&#…

🧬 Interested in monitoring & reporting on genetic diversity?

🏞️ Our project GINAMO (Genetic Indicators for NAture MOnitoring) now has a blog & newsletter!

🐝 Please share! ginamo.org/2025/09/29/welcome-2

#Conservation #Genetics #Biodiversity #Nature #consgen #KMGBF #SciComm

🥾 and  autumn 🌄 sunsets.

🦴🧬🦴🧬🦴

Abstract submission is now open for the 1st International Conference on Palaeogenomics!

June 23–26 2026, in Stockholm.

Join researchers from across the field for 4 days and >100 talks (+ poster sessions)!

Submit abstracts here 👉
icp2026.palaeogenomics.org/abstracts/

Deadline: Nov 30th

Temporal analysis reveals loss of genetic diversity and increasing differentiation in South-west German red deer populations - Conservation Genetics In the German federal state Baden-Wuerttemberg, the distribution of red deer (Cervus elaphus) is restricted by law to five spatially separated management units, and it is mandatory to harvest deer moving outside of these units. This practice could severely reduce gene flow among management units, which occur in a landscape that is already highly fragmented by anthropogenic infrastructure. We here use 27 microsatellite loci to analyse 579 red deer samples collected between 2018 and 2022 from all five management units in the state, as well as eight sites in adjacent states and countries. Furthermore, we compare our estimates of genetic variation within the state to results of a previous study that included samples collected from 2004 to 2007. Compared to adjacent sampling areas, management units in Baden-Wuerttemberg show lower levels of genetic diversity, gene flow and genetic effective population size (Ne), as well as higher levels of genetic differentiation and inbreeding. Furthermore, our temporal comparison reveals notable changes in genetic variation over time. Specifically, during approximately 15 years (i.e., less than three red deer generations), allelic richness declined by ca. 16.7%, genetic differentiation (measured via fixation index FST) increased by ca. 17.2%, and Ne dropped by ca. 19.8% on average across management units in the state. Current Ne values are below recommended thresholds to prevent further genetic erosion, indicating that the situation will likely worsen without intervention. Evidence-based management concepts, involving all stakeholders, are needed to increase genetic connectivity of red deer management units in Baden-Wuerttemberg.

Temporal analysis reveals loss of genetic diversity and increasing differentiation in South-west German red deer populations
link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Interested in giving a talk at the Plant and Animal Genome conference (PAG 33) in San Diego?

Together with several colleagues, we are arranging 5 interconnected sessions.

To submit an abstract, please fill out this Google Form before Oct 12th, 2025:
forms.gle/q7j275Di6umY...

Scientists link hundreds of severe heat waves to fossil fuel producers' pollution A new study finds dozens of heat waves would be "virtually impossible" without the activity of major fossil fuel producers, including oil companies.

A new study finds dozens of heat waves would be "virtually impossible" without the activity of major fossil fuel producers, including oil companies.

Get a physical copy of this poster on the big 4 in 🇳🇴 Norway.

If you’re on the @int-wildcongress.bsky.social
+ interested in large #carnivore (🐻🐺 wolverine, lynx + also golden eagle) #monitoring in 🇳🇴 Norway visit us, #Rovdata, @ the poster session.

We brought some posters feat the big 4 (see next skeet) for you to take home/your office 😊

#IWC2025 #Wildlife

A few more side impressions from Belgium when attending #GENOA COST Action WG2 training school on genetic 🧬 indicators + CBD reporting starts #consgen

Poster freshly printed, rolled + on my way to the @int-wildcongress.bsky.social

Looking forward to see friends + colleagues

If you’re interested in large #carnivore (🐻🐺 wolverine, lynx + also golden eagle) #monitoring in 🇳🇴 Norway visit us, #Rovdata, @ the poster session.

#IWC2025 #Wildlife

⛵️GENOA COST Action finally IRL! 💛

Met some of our brilliant young researchers & innovators @lperezsorribes.bsky.social & 🤿🔍 together into groundbreaking evolutionary conservation at #ESEB2025🇪🇸

Inspired + energized for science's future! ✨

#consgen #PopGen #evolution #NatureConservation

PhD - Terrestrial Ecology (284000) | Nord University Job title: PhD - Terrestrial Ecology (284000), Employer: Nord University, Deadline: Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Exciting PhD opportunity at Nord University with @ebnilsen.bsky.social. The PhD will work together with a team of researchers to assess sustainable levels of recreational harvest on willow ptarmigan, black grouse and capercaillie populations.

www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...

From a walk before breakfast this morning, and before the #GENOA COST Action WG2 training school on genetic 🧬 indicators + CBD reporting starts #consgen

😍

Open positions | University of Helsinki Read about our range of career options and apply now. Application processes ends on the date indicated in the job ad at 23.59 local Helsinki time (EEST).

3 prof positions open in Helsinki!

🧬Human genetics and genomics (open rank, DL 10.10)
🧬Cellular physiology (TT, DL 17.8)
🏙️ Ecological restoration of urban environments (open rank, DL 17.8)

www.helsinki.fi/en/about-us/...

Come and join us in the happiest country in the world 5 years running!

Weaponizing Europe’s borders imperils wildlife

@aaberhe.com @katzyna.bsky.social co-authored a letter @science.org advocating against bringing back anti-personnel mines & cluster munitions as weapons of war given their likelihood to kill & maim civilians & animals & degrade environment www.science.org/stoken/autho...

An effigy of refugees, burned by a crowd: this is where Europe’s brutal fantasy of border control has led us | Maurice Stierl The shocking scene in Northern Ireland is the result of a decade spent militarising Europe’s fringes – and dismissing the human cost, says migration and border researcher Maurice Stierl

An effigy of refugees, burned by a crowd: this is where Europe’s brutal fantasy of border control has led us | Maurice Stierl

⚠️ Explosive weapons poses a danger not only to people but also to wildlife and ecosystems, scientists warn.

➡️ Several European countries have recently withdrawn from international treaties paving the way to their use.

www.ebd.csic.es/en/outreach/...

Letter: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Young Ohio scientist: Trump slamming door on my dreams of making the world better |Opinion President Donald Trump and his administration are crushing my dream as they work deliberately to destroy the American scientific community.

My Ph.D. student, Tricia Hall Collins, published the following OpEd in her hometown newspaper, The Columbus Dispatch. Consider giving it a read. 🧪
www.dispatch.com/story/opinio...

In a letter in @science.org , 9 scientists in 7 countries Poland, Ukraine, Norway, Spain, US, Finland + Croatia, warn against deployment of explosive weapons as countries that border Russia withdraw from conventions that restrict them
w/ @katzyna.bsky.social, @aaberhe.com

Check 🧵by @aaberhe.com 👇

Not all Iberian lynx movements are the same 🐾
Using GPS data of 124 lynxes we found that:
-Resident lynxes avoided human areas
-Dispersers tolerated crossing them
-Reintroduced lynxes were particularly cautious in their new environments
A remarkable plasticity for living in heterogeneous landscapes

As someone whose research touches on pinniped health, this is really concerning...

Trap catching upstream migrating salmonids in Vestre Jakobselv, Norway

Adult male pink salmon

This year, traps will be installed in 63 Norwegian rivers to remove pink salmon before they are able to spawn. New publication assessing these extraordinary measures, based on experiences two years ago: reabic.net/journals/mbi/2025/2/MBI_2025_Thorstad_etal.pdf @ninanatureresearch.bsky.social

😥 Uff.

An engraved paving stone that says "publish." The word appears twice, in mirror image, so you can see it whether you're coming or going.

Christ's sake, Chicago, I'm just trying to go for a walk.