School of Biosciences
 

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Sarah Luke

Assistant Professor in Environmental Sciences (Ecology and Conservation), Faculty of Science

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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

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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School of Biosciences

University of Nottingham
Sutton Bonington Campus
Nr Loughborough
LE12 5RD, UK

For all enquiries please visit:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/enquire

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