I am an enthusiastic conservationist and pollinator ecologist; the kind of person to point out the native bees foraging in the Koala enclosure. I have extensive experience in researching insect behaviour, invasion biology and ecology, and use a variety of analytical techniques, including spatial analysis, occupancy modelling, environmental risk assessment and field experiments. More recently, I have focused on promoting biodiversity urban and agricultural areas through biodiversity sensitive urban design and regenerative agriculture, respectively.
Research
My research explores the factors that influence the successful colonisation and persistence of wildlife in human-dominated landscapes. My passion for conservation biology and curiosity for understanding natural phenomena has led to a diverse research background in animal behaviour, spatial analysis, urban ecology, sustainable agriculture, invasion biology and ecological theory. Currently, I am investigating the environmental benefits of regenerative farming as part of the H3 programme (www.h3.ac.uk).
Publications
- Berthon, K, Wade, R, Chapman, P, Leake, JR, McHugh, N, Collins, L, Zhao, Y, Watts, P, Dicks, LV (2024) Measuring the Socio-Economic and Environmental Outcomes of Regenerative Agriculture across Spatio-Temporal Scales. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B (in press)
- Berthon, K., Jaworski, C. C., Beacham, J. D., Jackson, P., Leake, J., McHugh, N. M., ... & Dicks, L. V. (2024). Measuring the transition to regenerative agriculture in the UK with a co-designed experiment: design, methods and expected outcomes. Environmental Research: Food Systems, 1(2), 025007.
- Ju, Q, Wei, X, Berthon, K, Zhang, Q, Ma, W, Qu, M, Ge, F, Dicks, LV, (2024) Flower strips increase natural pest regulation of peanut aphids and crop yield (submitted to Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment)
- Berthon, K., Baumann, J., Thomas, F., Bekessy, S. & Encinas-Viso, F, 2022, Flowers for The Bees: Floral Resources Encourage Green Roof Colonisation, Urban Ecosystems (2024)
- Berthon, K., Meyer, S. T., Thomas, F., Frank, A., Weisser, W. W., & Bekessy, S. (2021). Small-Scale Habitat Conditions Are More Important Than Site Context for Influencing Pollinator Visitation. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 544.
- Kirk, H., Garrard, G. E., Croeser, T., Backstrom, A., Berthon, K., Furlong, C., Hurley, J., Thomas, F., Webb, A. & Bekessy, S. A. (2021). Building biodiversity into the urban fabric: A case study in applying Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design (BSUD). Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 62, 127176.
- Berthon, K., Thomas, F., & Bekessy, S. (2021). The role of ‘nativeness’ in urban greening to support animal biodiversity. Landscape and Urban Planning, 205, 103959.
- Berthon, K., Winzer, L. F., Sandhu, K., Cuddy, W., Manea, A., Carnegie, A. J., & Leishman, M. R. (2019). Endangered species face an extra threat: susceptibility to the invasive pathogen Austropuccinia psidii (myrtle rust) in Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology, 1-9.
- Winzer, L. F., Berthon, K., Carnegie, A. J., Pegg, G. S., & Leishman, M. R. (2019). Austropuccinia psidii on the move: survey based insights to its geographical distribution, host species, impacts and management in Australia. Biological Invasions, 21(4), 1215-1225.
- Esperón‐Rodríguez, M., Baumgartner, J. B., Beaumont, L. J., Berthon, K., Carnegie, A. J., Alfonzetti, M. A., & Leishman, M. (2018). The risk to Myrtaceae of Austropuccinia psidii, myrtle rust, in Mexico. Forest Pathology, e12428.
- Berthon K., Esperon-Rodriguez M., Beaumont L.J., Carnegie A.J., Leishman M.R. (2017) Assessment and prioritisation of plant species at risk from Myrtle Rust (Austropuccinia psidii) under current and future climates in Australia. Biological Conservation
- Berthon, K. (2015). How do native species respond to invaders? Mechanistic and trait-based perspectives. Biological Invasions, 17(8), 2199-2211.
- Andrew SC, Perry CJ, Barron AB, Berthon K, Peralta V, Cheng K. (2014) Peak shift in honeybee olfactory learning. Animal cognition. 1-10.
Peer-reviewed Conference Papers
- Berthon K, Nipperess D, Davies P, Bulbert M, 2015, Confirmed at Last: Green Roofs Add Invertebrate Diversity, State of Australian Cities Research Network, <http://apo.org.au/node/63205>.
- Berthon K, 2014, The Urban Ecosystem: Integrating Human and Natural Systems, Conference Proceedings of the 9th G20 Youth Forum, 411 – 417
Unpublished Reports
- Berthon, K., Wade, R., Leake, J.R. and Chapman, P.J. (2024) Sharing Experiences of Regenerative Agriculture: Report on Workshop. Transforming UK Food Systems Programme
- Bekessy SA, Berthon K, Garrard GE, Croeser T, Keogh C, Kirk H, Visintin C (2024) Blueprint for a Nature-Positive Adelaide. Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Group, RMIT University.
- Berthon, K., Baumann, J., Thomas, F., Bekessy, S. & Encinas-Viso, F, 2022, Flowers for The Bees: Floral Resources Encourage Green Roof Colonisation, Final Report for the Green Our Rooftop Grants
- Berthon, K, 2013, Bangkok Biodiversity Baseline Report, IUCN Asia Regional Office, Bangkok
- Berthon K, and Toth, A, 2014, G20 Youth Forum Round Table Report: Ecology, Environment and Resources
Government Submissions
- Kidd L, Backstrom A, Kusmanoff AM, Gordon A, Gregg E, Damiens F, Thomas FM, Garrard GE, Kirk H, Ringma J, Berthon K, Gutierrez M, Hardy MJ, Selinske M, Croeser T, Bekessy SA. (2018) Submission to the Senate Inquiry on Australia’s Faunal Extinction Crisis, 12pp.
- Croeser T, Garrard GE, Kusmanoff AM, Gordon A, Bekessy SA, Kidd L, Berthon K, Selinske MJ, Gregg E, Thomas FM, Kirk H, Mata L, Damiens F, Hardy MJ, Peterson I, Mumaw LM, Torabi N, Backstrom A, Hurley SV. (2018) Submission from ICON Science to the Australia’s Strategy for Nature 2018–2030, 4pp.
Find a full, up-to-date list of publications, including forthcoming preprints, on my Research Gate profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Katherine-Berthon
Supervisions
I am currently surpervising masters and undergraduate projects looking at the impacts of regenerative agriculture on biodiversity, crop health and disease.
