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Sandra Varga

@sandravarga

Evolutionary ecologist. Associate Professor at the University of Lincoln, UK. #Plants | #Soil | #Mycorrhizal #Fungi | #SustainableFoodProduction | #NetZero https://sites.google.com/site/sandravargaes/home

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11.11.2024
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Latest posts by Sandra Varga @sandravarga

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🌱 "Soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all." β€”Wendell Berry

07.02.2026 20:00 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
a meme β€” the top says β€œMy dog just got a haircut and now he looks like he gave up drinking and got his life together” and underneath are 2 photos of a dog (a schnauzer i think?). on the left, the β€œbefore,” he’s scruffy and in need of a haircut and a bath. and on the right, the β€œafter,” he’s clean and clipped and wearing a jaunty red bow tie and looking very dapper indeed.

a meme β€” the top says β€œMy dog just got a haircut and now he looks like he gave up drinking and got his life together” and underneath are 2 photos of a dog (a schnauzer i think?). on the left, the β€œbefore,” he’s scruffy and in need of a haircut and a bath. and on the right, the β€œafter,” he’s clean and clipped and wearing a jaunty red bow tie and looking very dapper indeed.

i don’t know if it’s the jaunty bow tie or what but i cannot stop laughing at this

07.02.2026 06:19 πŸ‘ 16633 πŸ” 2129 πŸ’¬ 494 πŸ“Œ 168
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Biological Flora of Britain and Ireland: Geranium sylvaticum* Geranium sylvaticum is a perennial forb of upland grasslands, woodlands and riverbanks in northern Britain, with scattered native occurrences also in Wales, central England and Northern Ireland. It h...

Our Biological Flora on Wood Crane's-bill is out in @journalofecology.bsky.social. besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... A team effort w/ @ruthsk.bsky.social @sandravarga.bsky.social @spp-rich.bsky.social @duncanwestbury.bsky.social, irina Tatarenko & artist Lucy Hulmes on pen and ink.

03.02.2026 08:48 πŸ‘ 69 πŸ” 23 πŸ’¬ 6 πŸ“Œ 2
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Day 2 at the #BES2025. So great to see so many colleagues awarded for their ecological work and initiatives! And many related to fungi, as it should be!

17.12.2025 10:23 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

🚨Happening today!🚨

πŸ“If you're at the #BES2025 Annual Meeting and are thinking about becoming an editor, come along to our workshop!

πŸ’‘@britishecologicalsociety.org editors Franciska de Vries, Rob Fish, Sandra Varga and Tim Higham will be sharing their experiences and top tips on the role

πŸ§ͺ🌍

16.12.2025 10:47 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Come and join us! Such a rewarding way to give back to society and the BES and being on top of current science!

13.12.2025 17:33 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Adding beneficial root bacteria to densely planted maize fields improves soil health and boosts yields Ning Wang, Meng Hao, Rui Zhou, Bao-Zhong Wang, Peng-Yang Wang, Hong-Yan Tao, Ying Zhuc, Yan Hu, Hai-Ying Liu, Guang-Fu Huang, Fu-Yan Jiang, Qing-Yuan Huang, Xing-Ming Fan, You-Cai Xiong This is a p…

πŸ“°PublishedπŸ“°Adding beneficial root bacteria to densely planted maize fields improves soil health and boosts yields🦠

buff.ly/GeU8dxJ

πŸ§ͺ🌍

08.12.2025 21:01 πŸ‘ 12 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 2
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❄️December issue out now!❄️

πŸ“™On the cover: A female Weddell seal rests on the sea ice. Since she skipped having a pup this year, she doesn’t have to expend energy caring for offspring - leaving her with more time to enjoy a nice snow pillow! Credit: Amy Kirkham🦭

Read it hereπŸ‘‡
buff.ly/b29bCGX

πŸ§ͺ🌍

03.12.2025 12:00 πŸ‘ 13 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Caterpillars and aphids leave different β€œsoil memories” that change how plants resist attack Carla VΓ‘zquez-GonzΓ‘lez, Kristin M. Barbour, Beatriz Lago-NΓΊΓ±ez , Beatriz RodrΓ­guez-Garrido, Lydia S. Dean, Ignacio Vicente-DΓ­ez, Jennifer B. H. Martiny, Kailen A. Mooney This is a plain language su…

πŸ“°PublishedπŸ“°Caterpillars and aphids leave different β€œsoil memories” that change how plants resist attackπŸ›

buff.ly/46Asyj9

πŸ§ͺ🌍

11.12.2025 09:00 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Mural on the back of a flower shop in Portland, Oregon #Photography #StreetArt #Mural #BloomscrollingπŸ“·πŸΈπŸŒΉ

29.11.2025 07:52 πŸ‘ 4641 πŸ” 442 πŸ’¬ 60 πŸ“Œ 19
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S3143 | SUSTAIN

We are recruiting! We are currently accepting applications for our 4-Year PhD Studentship (start date October 2026)β€―in the application of Artificial Intelligence to sustainable agri-food (deadline 1st October).

www.sustain-cdt.ai/advertised-p...

20.09.2025 16:58 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Wildlife of the Year Award 2025 – the best pictures so far The photo taken by Bidyut Kalita, is among several highly commended in this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

27.08.2025 10:16 πŸ‘ 27 πŸ” 9 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Senior Editor for Journal of Applied Ecology - British Ecological Society Join the editorial board on Journal of Applied Ecology! Apply by 07 Sep 2025.

We're seeking a new Senior Editor! ⏰

Are you...
πŸ‘‰intrigued by the interface between ecology & biological resource management?
πŸ‘‰a clear communicator who enjoys working as part of a team?
πŸ‘‰committed to maintaining high editorial standards?

More info πŸ‘‡
bit.ly/4lPzaIx

21.08.2025 12:28 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 8 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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VACANCY - We’re currently hiring into two new senior roles:

Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences: okt.to/tqoasR
πŸ—“οΈ Closing date: 25 August 2025

Β·An Independent Fellowship in Plant-Associated Microbial Interactions: okt.to/fDV0ha
πŸ—“οΈ Closing date: 5 September 2025

21.08.2025 13:19 πŸ‘ 21 πŸ” 22 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 1
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These little gestures always make my day, week, or even month! Tell your lecturers/tutors/colleagues when they are doing a good job, especially these days with so much going on... And yes, this little plant has found a home! #ilovemyjob

30.07.2025 19:18 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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There's a full-time position as Ecologist (with botanical skills) and Field survey co-ordinator advertised here at @ukceh.bsky.social. Full details here: ceh.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/CEH_Ca...

06.02.2025 13:58 πŸ‘ 18 πŸ” 13 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

Emotional intelligence is so underrated... it should be taught from kindergarten until you can demonstrate proficiency as a functional adult.

18.01.2025 12:42 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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a man in a green shirt is surrounded by a bunch of stuffed animals ALT: a man in a green shirt is surrounded by a bunch of stuffed animals

When you look at the garden and realize that the 8 varieties and 80 broccoli and cauliflower plants you chose with maturation dates to come in over two months have plasticity. And this year the plasticity means they are coming all at once because it never really got cold.

11.01.2025 18:36 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Just another amazing sunset...!

24.12.2024 19:39 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Talking to friends about this, I realised the big difference between cycling in the UK and NL is the mental load.

In the UK, I’m constantly alert, looking in every direction, navigating bad junctions, expecting drivers to put me at risk.

In NL, I can assume I am largely safe and just cycle.

14.12.2024 21:24 πŸ‘ 196 πŸ” 50 πŸ’¬ 23 πŸ“Œ 3
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Lucy Waruingi of the African Conservation Centre is a fabulous choice as plenary at #BES2024.

12.12.2024 09:00 πŸ‘ 26 πŸ” 8 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1
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Hmmm... not sure how this fire exit door should be used... #lemmings game style?

12.12.2024 09:08 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

And have I mentioned the manuscript rejected today as well? #RejectionIsTheRule

10.12.2024 19:55 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Come and find me by our poster to know more about the effects of #arbuscular #mycorrhizal #fungi and a novel low C emission fertiliser on potato crops. #BES2024

10.12.2024 19:12 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Faculty of Science is recruiting Assistant Professors in Biodiversity - Stockholm University Faculty of Science is recruiting Assistant Professors in Biodiversity - Stockholm University

Three positions as assistant professor in #Biodiversity
You could become my colleague. I'll be at the #BES2024 conference from tomorrow Wednesday if you want to chat about it.
Maximum 7 years since phd . Excellent package comes with the positions
#stockholmUniversity 🌍πŸ§ͺ

www.su.se/english/news...

10.12.2024 09:35 πŸ‘ 59 πŸ” 49 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
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🌿 We need to raise the profile of #bryophyte ecological research 🌿 (and also a bryophyte emoji!)

In this opinion piece, we as a group of #ECRs outline barriers in bryophyte research and provide recommendations to overcome them across institutional levels & disciplines.

doi.org/10.1016/j.ba...

09.12.2024 09:44 πŸ‘ 86 πŸ” 32 πŸ’¬ 11 πŸ“Œ 3
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We're thrilled to welcome you to #BES2024! πŸŽ‰

Connect with fellow ecologists, and celebrate the innovations that come out of this week 🌿

Don’t forget to tag us and share your favourite moments from the Annual Meeting. We can't wait to see what inspires you! ✨

10.12.2024 18:43 πŸ‘ 99 πŸ” 16 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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This year I always had my camera and a small photo box to hand when I was gardening. My children are always finding caterpillars outside, and I wanted to document that a bit this year. With the exception of the garden tiger moth (Arctia caja), they all came from my garden.

09.12.2024 20:21 πŸ‘ 673 πŸ” 144 πŸ’¬ 26 πŸ“Œ 5

I am looking forward to travelling to Liverpool for the #BES2024. It's time to catch up with old friends and make new ones! And talk about #mycorrizal #fungi, of course.

09.12.2024 19:29 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0