School of Geography: Biogeography, Ecology and Ecosystem Management
Our research aims to understand the drivers and mechanisms of changes in biodiversity and ecosystem functions, services and values in space and time. We use this knowledge to inform sustainable management of ecosystems.
Our interdisciplinary group works across a variety of different ecosystems, ranging from the arctic to the tropics, including terrestrial and freshwater communities. Working from local to global scales, we use a variety of approaches, including traditional field surveys, environmental DNA and metabarcoding, remote sensing, environmental modelling and palaeoecological reconstructions. We are passionate about our research having impact on the ground and frequently work with governments, NGOs, communities and other stakeholders.
Biodiversity and its conservation, financing and management
Whilst our research activities on biodiversity conservation, financing and management span a wide range of habitats and taxonomic groups, they all share a strong focus on real-world impact and close collaboration with non-academic partners from local to global scales.
We are active in assessing the sensitivity and reliability of emerging techniques for rapid biodiversity monitoring, including remote sensing, environmental DNA (eDNA), passive acoustic monitoring and the development of novel tools combined with AI to measure different aspects of biodiversity (including species interactions).
We also advise on international policy related to biodiversity finance (for example, as members of the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits and the World Economic Forum) and the state of biodiversity (for example, as contributing authors to the upcoming IPBES ecosystem assessment).
Ecosystem functions, values and services
Our research underscores the functioning and the critical ecosystem services (for example, carbon sequestration and storage, water quality and nutrient cycling) provided by a diverse range of habitats and organisms, and the values people attach to those ecosystem services.
Specific examples of our work include the impact of lianas on forest dynamics, how agricultural management practices affect biodiversity and ecosystem services, carbon cycling and diversity; and, the ecological roles and ecosystem services provided by freshwater bivalves, and; improved models of global ecosystem functional changes.
Geodiversity and its relationship with biodiversity
Geodiversity, the variety of Earth's natural geological, geomorphological, and soil features, is crucial for sustaining ecosystems, human well-being, and the environment, influencing the distribution of plant and animal species, as well as resources such as minerals, fossil fuels, and groundwater, which are essential for economic development. Additionally, it shapes cultural and historical heritage.
Our group works on both the practical elements of how to measure, model and integrate geodiversity with biodiversity across different spatio-temporal scales, including within digital twins, and applied theoretical topics, including policy implications and the use of geodiversity in nature finance frameworks.
Ecological theory and model development
We combine the largest global databases of species distributions and above- as well as below-ground traits (characteristics) with field data and remote sensing images to model how species interact with each other and their environment, anticipate the effects of climate change, habitat loss, and human activity, and design effective conservation strategies.
We further work on developing and using causal frameworks to test hypotheses and simulate future scenarios, for example, how environmental factors and species interactions influence the spread of diseases. It considers how changes in land use, climate, and species distribution affect pathogen dynamics seeking to understand and predict outbreaks, informing strategies for disease control and prevention.
As we recognise the importance of access to data and aligning with FAIR data standards, we contribute to the development and accessibility of global databases, including for example, sPlot (the largest global database of permanent vegetation plots) and the first global database of plant metabolomics.
Applied palaeoecology
The Applied Palaeoecology Group focuses on understanding past ecosystems and their responses to environmental changes. By analysing fossil records preserved in sediment cores, and other natural archives, they reconstruct historical climates, vegetation, and biodiversity through time.
This knowledge helps setting long-term baselines and predict future ecological trends to inform conservation and management strategies. Their work bridges the gap between ancient ecological data and modern environmental challenges, providing insights into how ecosystems can be managed sustainably in the face of climate change and human impacts.
Knowledge integration for ecosystem management
The Knowledge Integration for Ecosystem Management Group focuses on studying, understanding and integrating different knowledge systems to understand how ecosystems have been managed historically in response to different environmental changes and human impacts and how they can be managed sustainably in the context of contemporary challenges. This group particularly explores the role of knowledge systems to deal with changes in ecosystems and how to integrate them to respond to change adaptively.