Jake Dalzell’s Blog
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Plant pathogens and nutrient cycling
Plant pathogens are ubiquitous in terrestrial ecosystems, but their role in these ecosystems is understudied. One aspect of their ecology that has not been studied is their influence on nutrient cycling.
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Kit review: Framework 13 Laptop
In September I started a PhD in fungal ecology at Aberystwyth University. This aligning with the end of support for Windows 10 and my old laptop coming up on five years old felt like a good time to invest in a new computer and switch to Linux. I care a lot about the right to…
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My new microscope
As part of my project recording the plant-pathogenic fungi and oomycetes of Ireland, I received an Irish Naturalists’ Journal grant to buy a new microscope. I finally have it and I am excited to use it in my micromycological research this year! The microscope I got is a Motic Panthera C2 Trinocular. My old microscope…
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Introducing the Field Guide to Plant Pathogens
Since I started seriously recording plant pathogens, I have been really encouraged by the reception and interest other biological recorders have shown. I think there is a huge potential for recorders on platforms like iNaturalist to generate a lot more data on the distribution of these overlooked taxa. When people have told me my interest…
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2024 in Review
Last year was a big one for me, where my life changed in two major ways. One is that I started seriously studying plant pathogens, which I have found I have a deep passion for and know I want to study for the forseeable future. The other is that I graduated from university. I have…
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In Defence of Disease
Disease is something few people love. There are exceptions though, particularly among those who appreciate the diversity and ecological role of plant disease. The early conservationist, Aldo Leopold, described the role of tree diseases in creating food and shelter for the animals on his farm in Wisconsin: Soon after I bought the woods a decade…
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Strangford Lough flora: an update
Since 2022 I have been recording the flora of some islands in Strangford Lough. I received a Plant Study Grant from the BSBI to work on this in the Summer of 2022 but as it turned out I had committed to a much bigger project than I first thought! I recently submitted my records and…
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Yellow Rattle
This is an adapted version of my poster, which is also available as a pdf or png. As with all my work on this site it is CC BY 4.0 (free for use/adaptation as long as I am credited).
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Plasmopara euphrasiae: a downy mildew species new to Ireland
Slievenacloy Nature Reserve is an Ulster Wildlife reserve in Antrim. It is very well managed for upland grassland, with a wealth of Devil’s-Bit dominated grassland. I was there for the first time ever on the eleventh of August, and was very impressed by how rich and large the reserve is. In one of the fields…
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Autumn Lady’s Tresses: an orchid species new to Ulster
On the thirteenth of August, I was at Killard National Nature Reserve, Co. Down, with my mum. We were looking for Frog Orchids and other species rare in the county like Quaking Grass and Field Scabious. She found a plant she didn’t recognise and asked me what it was, and it was Autumn Lady’s Tresses.…
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Modelling Yellow Rattle in a simulated grassland
The model in this post is based on the one in Cameron et al. (2009), improving how seed dispersal is modelled and the dynamics are visualised.
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Total ecosystem evapotranspiration – an overlooked factor in grassland hemiparasite ecology?
A factor that I believe has been overlooked in the ecology of hemiparasites is that they could have a significant effect on water availability in grassland communities, by increasing the total evapotransiration in the ecosystem.