A well-connected earth: the science and conservation of organismal movement
Over 194 million birds and 57 million mammals are killed annually on European roads and up to 1 billion birds die every year from building collisions in the United States. a_well_connected_earth.png Connectivity, the free movement of organisms of all kinds, from amoebas and algae to waxworms and wildebeest, across...
Easter field courses: fun and fascinating
Field courses are a key part of our undergraduate teaching: they help students put the material from their lectures in context, develop a spirit of curiosity, and engage with each other and their teachers in a more informal environment. Dr Hamish Symington , Postdoctoral Researcher in the Glover Lab, Department of Plant...
Research finds toxins in wildflowers are passed on to polinators
Research by Dr Sarah Scott, a member of our Agroecology Group , and colleagues published today in the journal Ecology and Evolution shows that toxins accumulated in wildflowers can damage the health of pollinators. Dr Scott who is first author of the report, said: “It’s really important to have wildflowers as a food source...
Oil palm farming in West Africa: how industrial plantations might benefit from traditional methods
A recent paper published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, co-authored by Jonathan Timperley, Prof Edgar Turner and Dr Michael Pahskevich, describes how oil palm farming methods in Liberia affect arthropod diversity, and suggests strategies to protect these key animals and help ensure the long-term...
New light on human evolution: recent papers and a podcast from our Evolutionary Ecology Group
The Evolutionary Ecology Group here in Zoology, studies how animals (including our own species) respond and adapt to changing environments. Sea-faring hunter-gathers Dr Margherita Colucci, a research associate with the EEG, is one of the authors of a paper published in Nature this week, which shows that humans were able to...
Insects can’t wait! New study proposes research rethink to better understand and support them
Insects are the dominant animal life-form on our planet and an essential part of our ecosystems. Yet, despite reports of catastrophic insect declines and potentially imminent ‘insectageddon’, the global state of insect biodiversity remains unclear due in part to a massive lack of data. A study published this week in the...
2025 Student Conference on Conservation Science begins!
This week Zoology is hosting, for the 24th time, the Student Conference on Conservation Science. The event will bring together in person around 160 early career conservation researchers, plus many more attending online. They’re coming here from over 40 countries - to find out about one another’s work, learn skills, meet...
Helen Weavers wins Women in Cell Biology Early Career Medal
Dr Helen Weavers , whose PhD was supervised by Professor Helen Skaer here in the Department of Zoology, has been awarded the prestigious Women in Cell Biology Early Career Medal . Dr Weavers is Associate Professor in Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Bristol. Professor Skaer was delighted by the news of...
Professor Helen Skaer awarded BSDB Waddington medal
Congratulations to Professor Helen Skaer who has been awarded the prestigious British Society for Developmental Biology Waddington Medal . The Waddington Medal is the only national award in Developmental Biology. It honours outstanding research performance as well as services to the subject community. Professor Skaer said...
2025 Bumblebee Working Group (BBWG)
Congratulations to Sofia Dartnell, Nynke Blömer, Jacqui James, Dr. Sarah Scott, and Professor Lynn Dicks hosts of the 2025 Bumblebee Working Group (BBWG) meeting, held here in the Department of Zoology earlier this week. This biannual meeting brings British bumblebee researchers together to discuss their work and updates...
Creative writing as conservation: Zoology graduate Brogen Murphy’s first novel
Out this month, Zoology pt II graduate (2005) Brogen Murphy’s first novel, Wildlands published by Penguin Random House, is a survival story aimed at readers aged 10 and older. brogen_murphy_headshot.jpg The year is 2050, no humans are allowed in the Wildlands – a vast area in Britain where wolves, lynx and bison roam free...
Study shows 'conservation works if given the chance'
Ashley Simkins, a PhD candidate in this department is the lead author of a study reported in the journal PLOS Biology, that highlights both conservation successes and the need for urgent action. Other co-authors from the Dept of Zoology were Prof William Sutherland, Prof Lynn Dicks and Dr Silviu Petrovan. The research was...