I'm a terrestrial ecologist, with many interests including wildfowl, seabirds, bumblebees, plants, invasive species control, plant-herbivore interactions, breeding bird surveys and habitat restoration and monitoring.  I also routinely use remote sensing technology and GIS techniques to monitor, describe and analyse ecological data.

I have a broad range of ecological research interests, both across the UK and the Arctic.  These are terrestrial focussed, with much of my work occurring in rural and often remote coastal habitats, freshwater environments and on islands.  My main interests are:

• changes in High Arctic plant communities due to climate change
• impacts of climate change in the High Arctic on herbivores
• wildfowl predator-prey interactions in the High Arctic
• plant-herbivore interactions
• seabirds - including diet and predator-prey interactions
• invasive plant species control for habitat improvement
• use of GIS and remote sensing technologies to improve ecological surveying
• bumblebee distributions and feeding preferences
• citizen science - encouraging active participation and how to use the data collected

I am currently working on a range of different projects:

• Craigleith Invasive Species Project - Ecological PI (with the Scottish Seabird Centre, funded by SMEEF).  Restoration of coastal habitats and improve conditions for seabird populations
• Guillemot Chick Diet in North-east Scotland - PI (funded by the Seabird Group)
• Horizon Scan for Emergent Issues in Arctic Herbivory - collaborative project with members of the Arctic Herbivory Network
• Impact of Increasing Numbers of Geese on High Arctic Vegetation - collaborative project with members of the Climate Observatory for Arctic Tundra (funded by the Research Council of Norway)

I sit on the Craigleith Management Group, providing expert ecological knowlege on invasive plant species control and habitat restoration to improve the breeding environment for puffins.

I teach a range of modules for both campus and distance learning students.  These modules include:

• Geology and Geomorphology (1st year)
• Terrestrial Ecology (2nd year)
• Freshwater Environments (2nd year)
• GIS (2nd year)
• GIS and Remote Sensing (3rd year)
• Conservation Management Planning (MSc)

I supervise a number of students, both on campus and via distance learning:

2024-2025 Louise McLaren (MSc) The Diet of Common Guillemot Chicks (Uria aalge) in North-East Scotland

2024-2025 Mike Raby (BSc Hons) Carbon Sequestration, Growth Rates and Nutrient Uptake of Miyawaki Forests in Scotland

2023-2024 Fiona Bonellie (MSc) Identifying Scotland's Lost Ponds

2023-2024 Charlotte Tomlinson (BSc Hons) The Influence of Soil Disturbance by Puffins (Fratercula artica) on Tree Mallow (Lavatera arborea) Germination

2022-2023 Nick Hall (MSc) The Impact of Crassula helmsii on Wintering Birds in Bassenthwaith Lake SSSI

2022-2023 Brodie Ogilvy (BA Hons) An Investigation of Socio-economic Impacts of the 2022 Export Ban of Pheasant and Partridges from France on the Scottish Low-ground Shooting Industry