Contact
Biography
2021 - present: Assistant Professor in Environmental Sciences (Ecology and Conservation), School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham
2016 - 2021: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge
2016 - 2017 (50% time alongside Cambridge role): Postdoctoral Research Associate, DICE University of Kent
2012 - 2016: PhD, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge
2010 - 2012: Research Assistant, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge
2009 - 2010: MSc Applied Ecology and Conservation, University of East Anglia (UEA)
2006 - 2009: BA (Hons.) Natural Sciences (Zoology), University of Cambridge
Expertise Summary
- Community ecology and biodiversity conservation
- Agroecology and sustainable agriculture
- Land-use change impacts
- Habitat restoration
- Terrestrial-aquatic linkages, including value of riparian buffers
- Insect ecology
- Oil palm ecosystems
Research Summary
Sarah is interested in the effects of habitat change on biodiversity and ecosystem functions, and development of possible strategies for conservation. Her work is largely focused on tropical… read more
Selected Publications
MICHAEL D. PASHKEVICH, FRANCISCO D'ALBERTAS, ANAK A.K. ARYAWAN, DAMAYANTI BUCHORI, JEAN-PIERRE CALIMAN, ADRIAN D. GONZÁLEZ CHAVES, PURNAMA HIDAYAT, HOLGER KREFT, MOHAMMAD NAIM, APPOLINAIRE RAZAFIMAHATRATRA, EDGAR C. TURNER, DELPHINE CLARA ZEMP and SARAH H. LUKE, 2022. Nine actions to successfully restore tropical agroecosystems Trends in Ecology and Evolution. SARAH H. LUKE, ANDREAS DWI ADVENTO, ANAK AGUNG KETUT ARYAWAN, DWI NUGROHO ADHY, ADHAM ASHTON-BUTT, HOLLY BARCLAY, JASSICA PRAJNA DEWI, JULIA DREWER, ALEX J. DUMBRELL, EDI, AMY E. EYCOTT, MARTINA F. HARIANJA, JULIE K. HINSCH, AMELIA S.C. HOOD, CANDRA KURNIAWAN, DAVID J. KURZ, DARREN J. MANN, KIRSTY J. MATTHEWS NICHOLASS, MOHAMMAD NAIM, MICHAEL D. PASHKEVICH, GRAHAM W. PRESCOTT, SUDHARTO PS, PUJIANTO, DEDI PURNOMO, RIZKY RAJABILLAH PURWOKO, SYAFRISAR PUTRA, T. DZULFIKAR S. RAMBE, SOEPRAPTO, DAKOTA M. SPEAR, SUHARDI, DAVID J. X. TAN, HSIAO-HANG TAO, RIBKA SIONITA TARIGAN, RESTI WAHYUNINGSIH, HELEN S. WATERS, RUDI HARTO WIDODO, WHENDY, CHRISTOPHER R. WOODHAM, JEAN-PIERRE CALIMAN, ELEANOR M. SLADE, JAKE L. SNADDON, WILLIAM A. FOSTER and EDGAR C. TURNER, 2020. Managing Oil Palm Plantations More Sustainably: Large-Scale Experiments Within the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function in Tropical Agriculture (BEFTA) Programme Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. 2, SARAH H. LUKE, ELEANOR M. SLADE, CLAUDIA L. GRAY, KOGILA V. ANNAMMALA, JULIA DREWER, JOSEPH WILLIAMSON, AGNES L. AGAMA, MIKLIN ATIONG, SIMON L. MITCHELL, CHARLES S. VAIRAPPAN and MATTHEW J. STRUEBIG, 2019. Riparian buffers in tropical agriculture: Scientific support, effectiveness and directions for policy Journal of Applied Ecology. 56, 85-92 SARAH H. LUKE, RORY A. DOW, STEPHEN BUTLER, CHEY VUN KHEN, DAVID C. ALDRIDGE, WILLIAM A. FOSTER and EDGAR C. TURNER, 2017. The impacts of habitat disturbance on adult and larval dragonflies (Odonata) in rainforest streams in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo Freshwater Biology. 62, 491-506
General opportunities for study/research within the group
I have availability to supervise Masters, PhD, and fellowship applicants. Please contact me if you are interested in developing a project related to the impacts of land-use change on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and options for more sustainable management.
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Current Research
Sarah is interested in the effects of habitat change on biodiversity and ecosystem functions, and development of possible strategies for conservation. Her work is largely focused on tropical agricultural systems and insects, and considers both terrestrial and freshwater habitats. Ongoing projects include:
- Assessing the impacts of selective logging and conversion of forest to oil palm plantations on terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates (with the SAFE Project)
- Testing strategies for striking a balance between production and conservation in oil palm-dominated landscapes, including:
---> Varying management of understory vegetation, and restoring riparian buffers (with the BEFTA Programme)
---> Maintaining riparian buffers of different widths (with the SAFE Project and LOMBOK Project)
---> Adjusting management practices within smallholder oil palm systems, including effects of polyculture practices
- Testing the effects of agroecological approaches for reducing outbreaks of fall armyworm in maize systems in Nigeria
- Developing tools to help improve sustainability of tropical agriculture (with the Cool Farm Biodiversity Tool)
- Determining the current 'Grand Challenges' in entomology (with the Royal Entomological Society)
Future Research
General opportunities for study/research within the group
I have availability to supervise Masters, PhD, and fellowship applicants who are interested in ecology and conservation topics, and in particular, in questions related to the impacts of land-use change on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and developing options for more sustainable management. Please feel free to contact me with ideas for developing research proposals and funding applications.
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