Research in Zoology
Ecology and Conservation Science
We work on how and why the size and composition of populations and communities changes over time and space, and why these changes matter. The bulk of our research focuses on applied questions in conservation, epidemiology and resource management. Approaches adopted include empirical observations, experiments, and theoretical modelling. David Aldridge specialises in freshwater ecology and conservation, particularly the ecology and control of invasive species. Andrew Balmford works on the costs and benefits of conservation, on identifying priority areas for intervention, and on reconciling conservation with other forms of land-use. Richard Barnes studies the ecology and conservation of lagoonal, mangrove and reef-flat environments in and around the Indian Ocean and in East Anglia. Rhys Green looks at the effects of human land use and conservation management on populations of birds, and the effects of climate change on bird distributions. Andrea Manica studies the evolution of behavioural strategies under different social and ecological conditions, with an emphasis on the interaction between individual behaviours and population-wide phenomena. Derek Smith works on the phenotypic and genetic evolution of pathogens, particularly influenza virus, and their coevolution with acquired immunity in their host population. William Sutherland works on the causes of bird population decline, on predicting environmental change, and on evidence-based conservation.
Aquatic Ecology Group
Conservation Science Group
The Center for Pathogen Evolution
Evolutionary Ecology Group