Bio-Interactions Lab

Situated in the heart of fynbos, we study evolutionary and ecological interactions between organisms and their variations across landscapes.

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

The Most Effective Pollinator Principle is a caricature of floral divergence. Adaptive landscapes can offer a more nuanced depiction of floral divergence that recognizes the fitness contributions of all visitors, not just the ones we think are important.
https://t.co/bcyimj48Bh

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

Here is a media release for our new paper about explosive pollination and male male competition in flowers

https://t.co/QAivBsVxJC

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

Sujay Sanan - one of favourite biological artists has a new exhibition coming soon. https://t.co/r4A10O6z0Z
instagram @sujaysanan

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

Mario Vallejo-Marin and his team have just released a great study contrasting pollen fates of 2 different buzz pollinated plants (with fused and unfused anthers). https://t.co/0qd6mvhETn

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

Pollen Wars: explosive pollination removes pollen deposited by previously visited flowers
Check out the early view publication in Am Nat

https://t.co/EfZ9KIKxhp

and the video below

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

Some pollen is for loving, but some is for fighting: Check out this popular article explaining how explosive pollination is used to remove the pollen of rival flowers from the bills of hummingbird pollinators
https://t.co/UO9SoTAsjl

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

It bites down on the upper peal of a flower when it lands, scrapes the oil from the flower and stores it in the dense hairs of its hind legs

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

A Centris bee approaching the oil producing inflorescences of Byrsonima intermedia

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

Found a little family of burrowing owls hanging out on the street corner. Someone even built them a little house

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

Also home to the largest living rodent. ..capybaras roam the shoreline of the lake munching on shoreline vegetation. They get over a meter long and weigh up to 70kg

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

Curious terrapins in an urban park in Uberlandia, Brazil

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

With areas are characterized by stands of palms where red shouldered macaws noisily roost

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

A walk with Vini and colleagues through the fire-dependent cerrado vegetation of Brazil

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

Allan Ellis is well known for his work on mimicry, crypsis and deception https://t.co/HLji0llL0x
Here, he ttempts to hide among the daisies with his yellow t-shirt. But his students are not easily fooled!

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

Back in Brazil, with Vini and his great students

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

This year the Nobel prize for chemistry was awarded to the researchers who discovered and made quantum dots accessible to applied sciences https://t.co/5TP6hgjzAr
What better time to apply quantum dots to biological research

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

Congratulations to Sam McCarren who won best session presentation at the 12th International Symposium on Pollination (ISPXII) for his talk: Fire maintains coexistence of divergent flower forms

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

Enantiostyly making styles go opposite directions but bringing scientists together at @Grootbos

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

This is so cool!

[Science girl @sciencegirl]

In the dry savannah and shrublands, a tiny bird, the Anthoscopus minutus builds its nest from spider silk and plant fibres

It builds a false entry and a blind chamber to avoid predation

Watch it close the ‘door’ as it leaves, leaving the false one ajar

[Bio-Interactions Lab @BioInteractLab]

Vertebral disk of a young southern right whale found on the beach