The rufous-collared kingfisher (Actenoides concretus) is a marvelous, uncommon bird to catch in the net. Photo credit Tanith Hackney-Huck.

Simone Messina: Effects of logging on stress levels of birds in Borneo

Simone Messina, a PhD student in the Behavioral Ecology and Ecophysiology Group in the Department of Biology at the University of Antwerp, shares the basis of his recent publication, “Glucocorticoids link forest type to local abundance in tropical birds”, as well as his opinion on the “highs and lows” associated with being an ecologist. What is the background behind your paper? The integrity of tropical … Continue reading Simone Messina: Effects of logging on stress levels of birds in Borneo

Functional Ecology8 Jun 20203 Jun 2020Leave a comment

Field work for this study was done at Lizard Island, on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, where the authors were lucky to have access to great infrastructure and exceptional autonomy. Photo by Victor Huertas.

Behind the paper

Renato Morais: Mass coral mortality affects energetic functioning of coral reefs

Renato Morais, a Ph.D. student at James Cook University in Australia, gives us a ‘behind-the-scenes’ view of his research on the energetic effects of coral mortality, related to his recent publication in Functional Ecology entitled “Severe coral loss shifts energetic dynamics on a coral reef”.

Functional Ecology1 Jun 202029 May 2020Leave a comment

Andrii Zaiats during the experiment, Summer 2012.

Behind the paper

Andrii Zaiats: Surface roots in a high desert shrub

2021 Update: The research discussed in this blog has been shortlisted for the 2020 Haldane Prize for early career researchers.

Andrii Zaiats, a PhD student at Boise State University, talks about his research into neighbouring plant interactions and competition for water, Intraspecific variation in surface water uptake in a perennial desert shrub – his first peer-reviewed publication.

Functional Ecology21 May 202020 Apr 20211 Comment

Behind the paper

Noémie Pichon: decomposition disentangled

2021 Update – The paper discussed in this blog by Noémie Pichon is shortlisted for the 2020 Haldane Prize. This blog is also available in French.

Noémie A. Pichon, a PhD student in the Allan Lab, talks about her recent paper Decomposition disentangled: a test of the multiple mechanisms by which nitrogen enrichment alters litter decomposition, the background behind this paper and the next steps in this field.

Functional Ecology2 Apr 202019 Apr 20213 Comments

Community+Ecology

Getting a PhD in the UK – Victoria Pattison-Willits

This post is part of a series on what goes into getting a PhD around the world. In this post, Vicki Pattison-Willits, a PhD student at the University of Birmingham, UK.

Functional Ecology15 Oct 20199 Jun 2020Leave a comment

Community+Ecology

Getting a PhD in Tanzania – Upendo Msalilwa

This post is part of a series on what goes into getting a PhD around the world. In this post, Upendo Msalilwa talks about goes into getting a PhD in Tanzania. Where are you getting your PhD? I am a third year Ph.D. student in the Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem management in the school of Life Sciences (LiSe) at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science … Continue reading Getting a PhD in Tanzania – Upendo Msalilwa

Functional Ecology4 Oct 20199 Jun 2020Leave a comment

Community+Ecology

Getting a PhD in China – Zheng Fu

This post is part of a series on what goes into getting a PhD around the world. In this post, Zheng Fu talks about getting a PhD in China. Where are you getting your PhD? I recently finished my PhD at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS). UCAS consist of more than 100 institutes and I am at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and … Continue reading Getting a PhD in China – Zheng Fu

Functional Ecology3 Oct 20199 Jun 2020Leave a comment

Community+Ecology

Getting a Phd in Spain – Sara Reverte

This post is part of a series on what goes into getting a PhD around the world. In this post, Sara Reverte discusses getting a PhD in Spain

Functional Ecology3 Oct 20199 Jun 20203 Comments

Community+Ecology

Getting a PhD in Switzerland – Nicole Ponta

This post is part of a series on what goes into getting a PhD around the world. In this post, Nicole Ponta discusses getting a PhD in Switzerland. Where are you getting your PhD? I am doing my PhD at ETH Zurich, in the group of Forest Management and Development under the supervision of Dr Claude Garcia. ETH is considered the best university in continental … Continue reading Getting a PhD in Switzerland – Nicole Ponta

Functional Ecology2 Oct 20199 Jun 20201 Comment