Professor William J Sutherland
Miriam Rothschild Chair in Conservation Biology
Funded by Arcadia
w.sutherland@zoo.cam.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1223 336686
Research Interests
I have wide research interests. They encompass four broad areas.
My research career has largely been devoted to building population models based on the behaviour of individuals and then using these to answer a wide range of applied questions, such as the impact of GM crops, climate change, human disturbance or agricultural change. I am interested in a wide range of applied conservation issues, especially those involving birds.
I believe that we need a revolution in conservation practice equivalent to the revolution in evidence caused by the development of evidence-based conservation. I am keen to research how evidence is used in conservation practice. I am also interested in projects that tests and collates the evidence relating to a broad issue in conservation biology. We are interested in collaborations that incorporate evidence-based conservation.
The purpose of conservation science is to be useful by means of aiding policy and practice. I am very interested in researching the interface between science and policy and in exploring means of collaborating with policy makers. This has included identifying the questions of greatest interest to UK (Sutherland et al., 2006) and global policy makers (Sutherland et al., 2010) and identifying the future issues facing the UK environment (Sutherland et al., 2008).
Studentships
I welcome PhD students who either find their own grants or who apply for grants within the department. Places are highly competitive.
Collaboration
The Cambridge Conservation Initiative is an exciting collaboration between university academics and various conservation organisations based nearby. We are currently collaborating with policy makers, policy influencers and academics to identify gaps in UK policy relating to biodiversity. We are carrying out an annual horizon scan of novel global environmental issues. We plan to act as a catalyst for global conservation. The activities include a Masters in Conservation leadership, a proposed campus providing a stimulating centre running activities of interest to global conservationists and a horizon scanning programme.
Conservation Evidence.com I strongly believe that, as a conservation community, we are nowhere near as effective as we could be due to our failure to document and collate the experience of the effectiveness of conservation interventions. This website provides over a 2,000 examples where the effectiveness of conservation interventions are quantified.
Conservation EvidenceThis open access online journal provides an outlet to describe the consequences of interventions. Submissions are welcome from practitioners and academics.
Conservation Letters. We established this new journal in 2008. As well as providing exciting cutting edge science we are determined to ensure that cuts across disciplines and provides science that is useful to policy makers and practitioners.
Gratis book scheme.I believe that providing books to practicing conservationists and libraries in developing countries is one of the most cost effective measures available. After discovering that the run on costs of The Conservation Handbook were the same as the royalties, I asked to be given free books instead of royalties. Over three thousand copies have been given to160 Countries. We have since given away over 5,000 books. Please contact me if you are writing a conservation or ecology text and would like 200 copies distributed globally. The British Ecological Society kindly pay for the postage and the nhbs.com bookstore kindly coordinate the distribution.
Techniques in Ecology and Conservation. This is a series of practical handbooks published by OUP. These books are given free to developing countries through the gratis book scheme. Ten are currently published and another seven are being written.
Publications
William J. Sutherland's full list of publications (1979-2012) is available as a word document or a pdf.
2012
Amano, T., Okamura, H., Carrizo, S.F. and Sutherland, W.J. (2012) Hierarchical models for smoothed population indices: the importance of considering variations in trends of count. Ecological Indicators, 13, 243–252.
2011
Sutherland, W.J. Aveling, R., Bennun, L., Chapman,E.. Clout, M., Côté, I.C., Depledge, M.H., Dicks, L.V., Dobson, A.P., Fellman, L., Fleishman, E., Gibbons, D.W., Keim, B., Lickorish, F., Lindenmayer, D.B., Monk, K.A., Norris, K. Peck, L.S., Prior, S.V., Scharlemann, J.P.W., Spalding, M. & Watkinson, A.R. (2012) A Horizon Scan of Global Conservation Issues for 2012. Trends in Ecology and Evolution doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2011.10.011
Fleishman, E., Blockstein, D.E., Hall, J.A., Mascia, M.B., Rudd, M.A., Scott, J.M., Sutherland, W.J., Bartuska,A.M. Brown, A.G., Christen, C.A., Clement, J. P., Sala, D.D., Duke, C.D., Eaton, M., Fiske, S.J., Gosnell,H., Haney, J.C., Hutchins, M., Klein, M.L., Marqusee, J., Noon, B.R., Nordgren, J.R., Orbuch,P.M., Powell, J., Quarles,S.P., Saterson, K.A., Savitt, C.C., Stein, B.A., Webster, M. S. & Vedder, A. (2011) Top 40 priorities for science to inform conservation and management policy in the United States. BioScience, 61, 290-300.
Rayn, D. & Sutherland, W.J. (2011) Impact of nature reserve establishment on deforestation: A test. Biodiversity and Conservation, 20, 1625-1633.
Knudsen, E., Lindén, A., Both, C., Jonzén, N., Pulido, F., Saino, N., Sutherland, W. J., Bach, L.A., Coppack, T., Ergon, T., Gienapp, P., Gill, J. A., Gordo, O. & Hedenström, A., Lehikoinen, E., Marra, P.P., Møller, A.P., Nilsson, A.L., Péron, G., Ranta, E., Rubolini. D,, Sparks, T.H., Spina, F., Studds, C.E., Saether, S.A., Tryjanowski, P., Chr Stenseth N. (2011) Challenging claims in the study of migratory birds and climate change. Biological Reviews,
86, 928–946.
Sutherland, W.J. Barlow, R., Clements, A., Harper, M., Herkenrath, P., Margerison, C., Monk, K.A., Robinson, J.A. & Thompson,D.B.A. (2011). What are the forthcoming legislative issues of interest to ecologists and conservationists in 2011? BES Bulletin, 1, 26-31.
Queenborough, S.A., Burnet, K.M., Sutherland, W.J., Watkinson, A.R. & Freckleton, R.P. From meso- to macroscale population dynamics: a new density-structured approach (2011) Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 2, 289-302.
Sutherland, W.J. Fleishman, E., Mascia, M.B., Pretty, P. & Rudd, M.A. (2011) Methods for collaboratively identifying research priorities and emerging issues in science and policy. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 2, 238-247.
Catry, I., Franco, A.M.A. & Sutherland, W.J. (2011) Adapting conservation efforts to face climate change: modifying nest-site provisioning for lesser kestrels. Biological Conservation, 144, 1111-1119.
Jacquet, J., Boyd, I., Carlton, J.T., Fox, H., Johnson, A.E., Mee, L., Roman, J., Spalding, M. & Sutherland, W.J. (2011) Scanning the oceans for solutions. Solutions, 2, 46-55.
Sutherland, W.J. & Peel, M.J.S. (2011) Benchmarking as a means of improving conservation practice. Oryx, 45, 56 -59.
Sutherland, W.J., Bardsley, S., Bennun, L., Clout, M., Côté, I.M., Depledge, M.H., Dicks, L.V., Dobson, A.P., Fellman, L., Fleishman, E., Gibbons, D.W., Impey, A.J., Lawton, J.H., Lickorish, F., Lindenmayer, D.B., Lovejoy, T.E., Mac Nally, R., Madgwick, J., Peck, L.S., Pretty, J., Prior, S.V., Redford, K.H., Scharlemann, J.P.W., Spalding, M. & Watkinson, A.R. (2011) A Horizon Scan of Global Conservation Issues for 2011. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 26, 10-16.
Queenborough, S.A., Burnet, K.M, Sutherland, W.J., Watkinson, A.R. & Freckleton, R.P. (2011) Density-structured models for plant population dynamics. American Naturalist, 177, 1-17.
Catry, I., Dias, M.P., Catry, T., Afanasyev, V., Fox, J. Franco, A. M.A. & Sutherland, W.J. (2011) Geolocation data reveals individual variation in migratory movements and winter behaviour of Iberian Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni. Ibis, 153, 154-164
Cornulier, T., Robinson, R.A., Elston, D., Lambin, X., Sutherland, W.J. & Benton, T.G. (2011) Bayesian reconstitution of environmental change from disparate historical records: hedgerow loss and farmland bird declines. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 2, 86–94.
Dicks, L & Sutherland, W.J. (2011) Evidence-based conservation on farmland – making it possible. In Practice, 71, 16-18.
2010
Rands, M. R. W, Adams, W. M., Bennun, L., Butchart, S. H. M., Clements, A., Coomes, D., Entwistle, A., Hodge, I., Kapos, V., Scharlemann, J. P. W., Sutherland, W. J. & Vira, B. (2010) Biodiversity Conservation Beyond 2010. Culture and Biodiversity Losses Linked—Response. Science, 331, 31.
Pretty, J.J., Sutherland, W.J., Ashby, J., Auburn, J. Baulcombe, D. Bell, M. Bentley, J., Bickersteth, S., Brown, K., Burke, J., Campbell, H., Chen, K., Crowley, E., Crute, I., Dobbelaere, D., Edwards-Jones, G., Funes-Monzote, F., H. Godfray, C.J., Griffon, M., Gypmantisiri, P., Haddad, L., Halavatau, S., Herren, H, Holderness, M, Izac,A-M, Jones, M., Koohafkan, P. Lal, R., Lang, T., McNeely, J., Mueller, A., Nisbett, N., Noble, A., Pingali, P., Pinto, Y., Rabbinge, R., Ravindranath, N.H., Rola, A., Roling, N., Sage, C., Settle, W., Sha, J.M., Shiming, L., Simons, T., Smith, P., Strzepeck, K., Swaine, H., Terry, E., Tomich, T.P., Toulmin, C., Trigo, E., Twomlow, S. Kees Vis, J., Wilson, J. & Pilgrim, S. (2010) The top 100 questions for global agriculture and food. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 8, 219-236.
Lawton, J.H., Brotherton, P.N.M., Brown, V.K., Elphick, C., Fitter, A.H., Forshaw, J., Haddow, R.W., Hilborner, S., Leafe, R.N., Mace, G.M., Southgate, M.P., Sutherland, W.J., Tew, T.E., Varley, J. & Wynne, G.R. (2010) Making Space for Nature: a review of England’s wildlife sites and ecological networks. Report to Defra.
Sutherland, W.J., Albon, S.D., Allison, H., Armstrong-Brown, S., Bailey, M.J., Bereton, T., Boyd, I.L., Carey, P., Edwards, J., Gill, M., Hill, D., Hodge, I., Hunt, A.J., Le Quesne, W.J.F., Macdonald, D.W., Mee, L.D., Mitchell, R., Norman, T., Owen, R.P., Parker, D., Prior, S.V., Pullin, A.S., Rands, M.R.W., Redpath, S., Spencer, J., Spray, C.J., Thomas, C.D., Tucker, G,M., Watkinson, A.R. & Clements, A. (2010) The identification of priority opportunities for UK nature conservation policy. Journal of Applied Ecology, 47, 955-965.
Rands, M. R. W, Adams, W. M., Bennun, L., Butchart, S. H. M., Clements, A., Coomes, D., Entwistle, A., Hodge, I., Kapos, V., Scharlemann, J. P. W., Sutherland, W. J. & Vira, B. (2010) Biodiversity Conservation Beyond 2010. Science, 329, 1298-1303.
Székely, T. & Sutherland, W.J. (2010) Hunting the cause of a population crash. Nature 466, 448.
Eglington, S.N.,Bolton, M. A., Smart, J., Sutherland, W.J., Watkinson, A.R. & Gill, J.A.(2010) Managing water levels on wet grasslands to improve foraging conditions for breeding northern lapwing Vanellus vanellus. Journal of Applied Ecology, 47, 451-458.
Amano, T., Székely, T., Koyama, K., Amano, H. & Sutherland, W.J. (2010) A framework for monitoring the status of populations: an example from wader populations in the East Asian-Australasian flyway. Biological Conservation, 143, 2238-2247.
Amano, T., Smithers, R.J. Sparks, T.H. & Sutherland, W.J. (2010). A 250-year index of first flowering dates and its response to temperature changes. Proceedings B Royal Society 277, 2451-2457.
Sutherland, W,J., Armstrong, D., Butchart, S.H.M., Earnhardt, J., Ewen, J., Jamieson, I., Jones, C.G., Lee, R., Newbery, P., Nichols, J.D., Parker, K. A., Sarrazin, F., Seddon, P., Shah, N. & Tatayah, V. (2010) Standards for documenting and monitoring bird reintroduction projects Conservation Letters, 3, 229-235.
Hanson, S., Nicholls, R. J., Balson. P., Brown, I.., French, J. R., Spencer, T. & Sutherland, W.J. (2010) Capturing coastal geomorphological change within regional integrated assessment: an outcome-driven fuzzy logic approach. Journal of Coastal Research, 26, 831–842.
Smith, R.K., Pullin, A.S., Stewart, G.B. & Sutherland, W.J. (2010) Is nest predator exclusion an effective strategy for enhancing bird populations? Biological Conservation, 24, 820-829.
Alves,J.A., Lourenço, P.M., Piersma, T., Sutherland, W.J. & Gill, J.A. (2010) Population overlap and habitat segregation in wintering Black-tailed Godwits. Bird Study, 57, 381-391.
Tejeda-Cruz, C., Silva-Rivera, E., Barton, J. & Sutherland, W.J. (2010) Why shade coffee does not guarantee biodiversity conservation. Ecology and Society, 15, 1 (13).
Smith, R.K., Pullin, A.S., Stewart, G.B. & Sutherland, W.J. (2010) The effectiveness of predator removal for enhancing bird populations: a systematic review. Conservation Biology, 24, 820-829.
Dicks, L.J. Showler, D.A. & Sutherland, W.J. (2010) Bee conservation: evidence for the effectiveness of interventions. Pelagic Publishing.
Gilroy, J.J., Anderson, G.Q.A., Grice, P.V., Vickery, J.A. & Sutherland, W.J. (2010) Mid-season shifts in the habitat associations of Yellow Wagtails Motacilla flava breeding in arable farmland. Ibis, 152, 90-104.
Sutherland, W.J., Clout, M., Côté, I.M., Daszak,P., Depledge, M.H., Fellman, L., Fleishman, E., Garthwaite,R., Gibbons, D.W., De Lurio, J., Impey, A.J., Lickorish, F., Lindenmayer, D., Madgwick, J., Margerison, C., Maynard, T., Peck, L.S., Pretty, J., Prior,S.V., Redford, K.H., Scharlemann, J.P.W., Spalding, M. & Watkinson, A.R. (2010) A Horizon Scan of Global Conservation Issues for (2010) Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 25, 1-7.
Milner-Gulland, E.J., Fisher, M., Browne, S., Redford, K.H., Spencer M., & Sutherland W. J. (2010) Do we need to develop a more relevant conservation literature? Oryx, 44, 1-2.
2009
Sachs, J.D., Baillie, J., Sutherland, W.J., Armsworth, P.R., Ash, N., Beddington, J., Blackburn,T.M., Collen, B., Gardiner,B., Gaston, K.J., Godfray, H.C.J., Green, R., Harvey, P.H., House, B., Knapp, S., Kmpe, N.F., Macdonald, D.W., Mace, G.M., Mallet, J., Matthews, A., May, R.M., Petchey, O., Purvis, A., Roe1, D., Safi, K., Turner, K., Walpole, M., Watson, R. & Jones, K.E. (2009) Biodiversity Conservation and the Millennium Development Goals. Science, 325, 1502-3.
Raine, A.F., Brown, A.F., Amano, T. & Sutherland W.J. (2009) Assessing population changes from disparate data sources: the decline of the Twite (Carduelis flavirostris) in England. Bird Conservation International, 19, 401-416.
Coomes, E.G., Jones, A.P. & Sutherland, W.J. (2009) The implications of climate change on coastal visitor numbers: a regional analysis. Journal of Coastal Research, 25, 981-990.
Gilroy, J.J., Anderson, G.Q.A., Grice, P.V., Vickery, J.A., Watts, P.N. & Sutherland, W.J. (2009) Foraging habitat selection, diet and nestling condition in Yellow Wagtails Motacilla flava breeding on arable farmland. Bird Study, 56, 221-232.
Sutherland, W.J. & Woodroof, H.J. (2009) The need for environmental horizon scanning. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 24, 523-527.
Cowling, R.M., Mascia, M.B., Possingham H. & Sutherland, W. J. (2009) Conservation science for impact: the first year of Conservation Letters. Conservation Letters, 2, 1-2.
Sutherland, W.J., Adams, W.M., Aronson, R.B., Aveling, R., Blackburn, T.M., Broad, S., Ceballos, G., Ct, I.M., Cowling, R.M., da Fonseca, G.A.B., Dinerstein, E., Ferraro, P.J., Fleishman, E., Gascon, C., Hunter Jr, M., Hutton, J., Kareiva, P., Kuria, A., Macdonald, D.W., MacKinnon, K., Madgwick, F.J., Mascia, M.B., McNeely, J., Milner-Gulland, E.J., Moon, S., Morley, C.G., Nelson, S., Osborn, D., Pai, M., Parsons, E.C.M., Peck, L.S., Possingham, H., Prior, S.V., Pullin, A.S., Rands, M.R.W., Ranganathan, J., Redford, K.H., Rodriguez, J.P., Seymour, F., Sobel, F., Sodhi, N.S., Stott, A., Vance-Borland, K. & Watkinson, A.R. (2009) An assessment of the 100 questions of greatest importance to the conservation of global biological diversity. Conservation Biology, 23, 557567.
Cooke, I.R., Queenborough, S.A., Mattison, E. H. A., Bailey, A. P., Sandars, D.L., Graves, A. R., Morris, J., Atkinson, P., Trawick, P., Freckleton, R. P., Watkinson, A.R. & Sutherland, W.J. (2009) Integrating socio-economics and ecology: a taxonomy of quantitative methods and a review of their use in agro-ecology. Journal of Applied Ecology, 46, 269277.
Coomes, E.G., Jones, A.P., Bateman, I.J., Tratalos, J.A., Gill, J.A., Showler, D.A., Watkinson, A.R. & Sutherland, W.J. (2009) Spatial and Temporal Modeling of Beach Use: A Case Study of East Anglia, UK. Coastal Management, 37, 94115.
Stewart, G.B. Bayliss, H.R. Showler, D.A. Sutherland, W.J. & Pullin, A.S. (2009) Effectiveness of engineered in-stream structure mitigation measures for increasing salmonid abundance: a systematic review. Ecological Application, 19, 931941.
Keo, O., Collar, N.J. & Sutherland, W.J. (2009) Nest protectors provide a cost-effective means of increasing breeding success in Giant Ibis Thaumatibis gigantean. Bird Conservation International, 19, 77-82.
Eglington, S.M., Gill, J.A., Sutherland, W.J., Watkinson, A.R. & Bolton, M. (2009) Habitat management and patterns of predation of Northern Lapwings on wet grasslands: the influence of linear habitat structures at different spatial scales. Biological Conservation, 142, 314-324.
