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Many academics introduce teaching innovations in the classroom and beyond, with the aim of improving student learning and experience. These initiatives can generate a wealth of quantitative and qualitative data which could potentially lead to publications that would benefit the whole sector. What is more, educational publications provide evidence for scholarship which can promote the authors’ career. Despite these obvious advantages, colleagues sometimes struggle to take the step from innovation to publication. This presentation will give an introduction to the processes leading from designing and planning of educational research to its publication.  It aims to provide a background and basis for an interactive workshop exploring how publication barriers could be overcome.

SEB Conference 2025

Publishing educational research

publication

research

education

We are pleased to announce the Fortieth AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI-26), which will be held in Singapore EXPO from January 20 to January 27, 2026.

The purpose of the AAAI conference series is to promote research in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and foster scientific exchange between researchers, practitioners, scientists, students, and engineers across the entirety of AI and its affiliated disciplines. AAAI-26 will feature technical paper presentations, special tracks, invited speakers, workshops, tutorials, poster sessions, senior member presentations, competitions, and exhibit programs, and a range of other activities to be announced.<br><br>

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AAAI 2026

We are pleased to announce the Fortieth AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI-26), which will be held in Singapore EXPO from January 20 to January 27, 2026.

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SEB’s Annual Conference is celebrated for creating the perfect composition of research, new discoveries and collaborative connections. Be creative and innovative by exchanging ideas and knowledge with masters of biology from all over the world.

Warming affects a range of individual traits in aquatic ectotherms, with cascading effects on species interactions and community structure and dynamics. In addition to the direct kinetic effects of temperature, warming often leads to a smaller body size, which indirectly affects individual life history, population dynamics and species interactions. We provide a framework to study the effects of warming-induced changes in body size at multiple levels of biological organisation and use a tri-trophic food chain model with size-and temperature-dependent vital rates and species interaction strengths to explore the role of direct kinetic effects of temperature and warming-induced smaller body sizes on community structure along resource productivity and temperature gradients. We find that community structure, including the propensity for sudden collapse along environmental gradients, is primarily driven by the direct kinetic effects of temperature on vital rates and thermal mismatches between the consumer and predator species, overshadowing the effects mediated by shrinking body sizes. Overall, our study shows that warming-induced reductions in body size modulate population- and community-level responses to warming and emphasises the need for robust data on the temperature dependence of basic processes, such as body growth, to make more accurate predictions about the future impact of global change on communities and ecosystems.

Indirect effects of warming-induced body size reductions versus direct kinetic effects of warming: implications for population and community responses to changing climate

Trait variation in predator populations can influence the outcome of predator-prey dynamics, with consequences for trophic dynamics and ecosystem functioning. However, the influence of prey trait variation on the impacts of predators is not well understood, especially for introduced predators where variation in prey can shape invasion outcomes. In this study, we investigated if intra-specific differences in vertical position of Daphnia influenced the impacts of the invasive zooplankton predator, Bythotrephes cederströmii, on plankton communities. Our results show that vertical position of Daphnia influenced Bythotrephes predation on smaller cladoceran species and impacts on primary production. Larger reductions in small cladoceran density and greater algal biomass were observed in mesocosms with less spatial overlap between Daphnia and Bythotrephes. These results suggest that differences in vertical position of Daphnia can alter the type and magnitude of Bythotrephes impacts in invaded systems.

Variation in behaviour of native prey mediates the impact of an invasive species on plankton communities

Aquatic ecosystems are increasingly disrupted by anthropogenic stressors such as nutrient-driven eutrophication and global warming. Understanding these multi-stressor effects is crucial yet challenging due to the complexity of ecosystem interactions. Here, we investigated the impacts of nitrate enrichment (5, 50, or 200 mg/L) and heatwaves on semi-realistic mesocosm aquatic ecosystems, assessing primary producers (algae, submerged and floating macrophytes) and consumers (Daphnia, fish). The findings revealed that heatwaves and nutrient loading influence ecosystems in complex ways. At the ecosystem level, we did not observe a synergistic positive effect of heatwaves and nitrate on algal growth, as is often reported in studies focusing on single organisms. Moreover, results revealed that nitrate enrichment alone reduced submerged macrophyte growth while promoting floating macrophyte dominance. Combined nitrate and heatwave stressors led to a decline in both macrophyte types, though the reduction was not statistically significant for floating macrophytes. We can conclude that neither stressor alone shifted the ecosystem to a phytoplankton-dominated turbid state; however, nitrate enrichment alone resulted in a floating macrophyte-dominated turbid state. Additionally, nitrate and heatwave interactions negatively affected both primary (Daphnia) and secondary (fish) consumers, potentially allowing the ecosystem to shift to a phytoplankton-dominated turbid under extreme conditions. In conclusion, these findings underscore the species-specific and time-dependent nature of stressors impacts. Moreover, our finding emphasizes the importance of conducting additional mesocosm experiments with longer durations and more diverse species compositions to elucidate ecosystem-level responses and adaptive capacities under multi-stressor scenarios.

GETTING A BURN-OUT: HOW HEATWAVES IMPACT EUTROPHIC FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS

The cranium of rabbits and hares (Leporidae) is highly modified from other mammals including their closest relatives, pikas (Ochotonidae). They possess unique features including a fenestrated rostrum and posterior cranial bones, pronounced ventral facial tilting relative to the occipital bone, and an intracranial joint that is potentially the only instance of mammalian cranial kinesis. In mammals, a primary force driving cranial form is mastication. However, these unique traits have been linked to specialised cursorial and saltatorial locomotion and likely function to reduce weight, improve vision and dissipate kinetic energy during high-speed running. Previous work has assessed these traits within the contexts of lagomorph evolutionary history and extant leporid comparative morphology. However, the biomechanical function of these traits remains poorly understood. In recent work, we have utilised finite element analysis to assess the extent to which mastication and locomotion influence cranial form across leporid species displaying varying locomotor forms. Furthermore, we also assessed masticatory efficiency in the extinct lagomorph Palaeolagus to determine whether its intermediate cranial morphology (sharing traits with both Ochotonidae and Leporidae) translates to its mechanical efficiency. Palaeolagus almost certainly did not run at the speeds seen in modern leporids. Therefore, assessing Palaeolagus allows us to better differentiate the influences of mastication and locomotion on cranial form in lagomorphs. We found relationships between facial tilt, complexity of the intracranial joint, habitual locomotor form and the mechanical response of the cranium under loads simulating a deceleration force, revealing that high-speed running has likely influenced the evolution of leporid cranial form.

Comparative analysis of masticatory and locomotor biomechanics in extinct and extant lagomorphs

Ocean warming resulting from natural or anthropogenic processes require ectothermic species, such as fishes, to be able to sustain higher energetic costs. This can be particularly challenging when additionally faced with environmental threats such as oil spills. Crude oil contains a complex mixture of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC), which can have negative effects on marine species such as cardiac impairment in fishes. Because the heart plays a central role in sustaining energy demand during warming, PAC-induced cardiac perturbations could have detrimental impacts on the fish’s warming tolerance. I am investigating the physiological impacts of acute (24 hr) PAC exposure (methylnaphthalene, naphthalene, phenanthrene) on cardiac thermal tolerance in larval and juvenile lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus), an ecologically and economically important cold-water fish. Thusfar, I found that juvenile lumpfish are resistant to relevant levels of naphthalene and phenanthrene, whereas methylnaphthalene reduced peak heart rate (fH ) and the temperature of peak fH  and cardiac arrhythmia. Understanding the combined effects of oil exposure and warming can help us better predict the severity of oil spills in our changing climate and their impact on marine fishes.

The effects of polycyclic aromatic compound exposure on cardiac thermal tolerance of larval and juvenile lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)

Hypomethylation in plants is associated with improved stress responses and is therefore a favourable trait. However, when methylation mutants are produced there is often a transgenerational decrease in fitness, meaning this is not a viable avenue to explore in crops. Previously this has been associated with ectopic methylation (ibm1) and alternative splicing of the IBM1 transcript due to changes in intron methylation (met1-3). We aimed to determine the responsibility of IBM1 in this phenotype, and investigate whether other genes are involved.
Utilising a set of epigenetics recombinant inbred lines (epiRILs), where met1-3 was crossed with Col-0 to produce a ‘mosaic pattern’ in DNA methylation, a ditch in chromosome 3 where inheritance was solely Col-0 was identified in the F8 generation. Within this region, genes were mined from the F1, selected based on hemimethlyation. One other gene, VHA, was identified to have a similar methylation profile to IBM1 and has a complementary expression within the flower. We hypothesized that the interaction of IBM1 and VHA could explain the transgenerational decrease in fitness observed inmet1-3plants. We generated RNA-seq and methylomic data in the pollen and carpels to assess the impacts of this interaction, and a range of genetic approaches were applied including crossing of IBM1 and VHA knockout mutants and CRISPR-Cas9 to generate double mutants.
We propose there is incompatibility between the pollen and carpels of these methylation mutants, ultimately resulting in decreased fitness and viability.

Why do hypomethylated plants display transgenerational infertility?

Global warming intensifies flooding, causing US$7.8 billion in annual agricultural damages, making it the second most destructive disaster after drought. Plant flood tolerance depends on structural and physiological traits like adventitious roots and hypocotyl hypertrophy, but tomato plants are particularly sensitive to flooding. Current tomato varieties lack sufficient flooding tolerance, leading to significant crop losses. Introgression lines (ILs) provide genetic diversity, precise trait mapping, and improved flood resilience, enabling stable production under changing conditions. We hypothesized that tomato ILs IL8-1 and IL11-4, with distinct drought responses, exhibit significantly different physiological and morphological reactions to flooding compared to the mother plant M82, likely due to differential abscisic acid-mediated stress regulation. Under oxygen deficiency (via nitrogen gas) and flooding for seven and fourteen days, parameters such as oxygen levels, redox potential, nutrient concentration, flood sensitivity index (FSI), transpiration rate, and adventitious root formation were measured. Flooding reduced midday transpiration rates by 9.72% to 67.37%, with M82 showing the least reduction. M82’s shoot dry weight was unaffected, while ILs decreased by 50%. M82 developed 10% stem hypertrophy and had the lowest FSI (27.35%). Despite forming more adventitious roots, ILs were more sensitive to flooding. This research highlights IL potential for breeding flood-resilient tomatoes.

Exploring ABA-Mediated Flood Tolerance Mechanisms in Tomato: Insights from Introgression Lines

Biochar, a soil amendment known to influence plant growth by modifying soil properties, nutrient availability, and physiological processes, has been extensively studied in field and soilless cultivation systems. However, its molecular effects on plants remain poorly understood. Research on crops, such as tomato, pepper, soybean, lettuce, and wheat, has revealed different gene expression responses to biochar, with growth-related genes generally up-regulated, while defense-related genes show more variable trends. This study investigates the molecular effect of biochar on young blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) plants (cv. Sierra). To evaluate the effect of biochar on plant growth and gene expression, before transplanting, it was added at 0, 5, and 10% v/v in combination with a coir-based substrate, in 10L pots. Key parameters, including plant height, branch number, and chlorophyll content, were measured. Additionally, photosynthetic performance was evaluated through leaf gas exchange analysis and qRT-PCR was conducted to assess the expression of four growth-related and four defense-related genes. The results showed that biochar influenced plant growth and physiology in a concentration-dependent manner. At 10% biochar, plant height significantly decreased, while branch number remained unaffected. Photosynthetic efficiency did not seem to be influenced by the different substrates tested, even if chlorophyll content was lower in biochar-treated plants. Gene expression analysis revealed up-regulation of auxin-responsive and sugar transporter genes, while defense-related genes displayed variable expression patterns based on biochar concentration. These findings suggest biochar modulates physiological and molecular processes in blueberries, making further research necessary to optimize its application strategies and assess long-term effects.

Exploring the impact of biochar on growth and molecular responses in young blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.), cv. Sierra, plants

Artificial intelligence methods are a key enabler in high throughput phenotyping. With AI, we can phenotype plants at large scale, more accurately, and often faster than humans. However, there have been fewer attempts in incorporating AI in modelling genotype by environment by management interactions. This talks offers a reflection on how AI methods can advance GxExM modelling, starting with some motivating examples from the PHENET project: How AI can improve estimating yields in multi-environment breeding trials? How hybrid models, combining neural networks with process based models, can improve phenology estimation models? And finally how machine vision advances can be combined with 3d structural models towards crop growth digital twins? We conclude with a research agenda for the years to come and some open problems in this emerging field.

Artificial intelligence in plant phenotyping - towards end-to-end GxExM modelling

Automated vegetation analysis is crucial for precision agriculture, particularly in arboriculture and viticulture, where accurate plant segmentation enhances monitoring, yield estimation, and disease detection. Traditional vegetation segmentation approaches often rely on supervised learning, requiring extensive labeled datasets, which are costly and time-consuming to produce. In this presentation, we introduce a generic, non-supervised vegetation foreground extraction method designed for tree and vine crops, eliminating the need for labeled data while maintaining high segmentation accuracy despite operating in a non-controlled environment. In the literature, vegetation foreground extraction is mostly based on LIDAR or Stereo Vision which enables it to cope with the non uniform lighting. We demonstrate the possibility to achieve high quality without the need of such 3D sensors via the sole use of monocular RGB imaging and by leveraging on the state-of-the-art in deep learning foundation models.

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Indirect effects of warming-induced body size reductions versus direct kinetic effects of warming: implications for population and community responses to changing climate

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The Publication Choice Problem

Stay up to date with the latest Underline news!

PRESENTATIONS

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