| Research | ||
Mechanisms of Ant Diversity
Maintenance in a Tropical Epiphyte
The manner in which diversity is maintained is a central question in community
ecology. In order that diversity is maintained it is necessary that species
co-exist. There are two broad mechanisms by which species co-existence
can come about. Species can co-exist stably if each species has its own
unique niche. On the other hand, if certain sets of species (functional
groups) are ecologically neutral then these can co-exist on long random
walks to extinction, with speciation topping up the number of species
over long timescales. I have been investigating this broad dichotomy between
niche-based and neutral diversity maintenance mechanisms using the ant
communities in a common rainforest epiphyte, the bird’s nest fern
(Asplenium spp.).
Impacts of Habitat Change on Ant Communities
Ants are one of the most abundant and ecologically important groups in
many habitats. In SE Asia forested areas are being increasingly converted
into oil palm plantations. It is therefore important to understand how
such habitat conversion affects the composition of ant communities. In
collaboration with Ed
Turner, who carried out the fieldwork for this project, I have
been documenting the ant communities present in pristine rainforest, logged
forest and oil palm plantation. We have focused on the ants inhabiting
three sub-habitats: epiphytes (bird’s nest ferns), ground litter,
and the canopy.
Improving Metrics of Species Co-occurrence
Null models of species co-occurrence are an increasingly popular way
of assessing interactions between species. Despite this, little is known
about the rates of Type 1 and Type 2 errors for such metrics. In collaboration
with Andrea
Manica I am using a simulation-based approach to assess the
way error rates vary with matrix size and variance in species abundance
for a commonly-used metric, the c-score.
Dilobocondyla Taxonomy
I am planning to carry out a taxonomic review of the SE Asian ant genus
Dilobocondyla. If anyone has any specimens they are willing
to loan then I would be grateful to hear
from them.
Impacts of
Leaf-litter Input on Heathland Eutrophication
I am involved in a project run by Ed
Turner at the Wildlife
Trusts investigating the impacts of increased leaf-litter deposition
on heathland. This involves quantifying the contributions of trees of
different species and sizes to litter input across an area of heathland
and relating this to rates of grassland encroachment.
The Biodiversity of Abandoned Farmland
I have carried out work investigating the effects of abandonment on the
biodiversity of farmland. I surveyed a chronoseries of abandoned farmland
sites for birds, plants, mammals and a range of arthropod groups. For
a copy of my Master’s thesis click
here.
My PhD supervisors are William Foster and Paul Eggleton. My MPhil supervisors were Rhys Green and William Foster.
For these projects I am funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, the Natural History Museum, the Hanne and Torkel Weis-Fogh Fund and the Eranda Foundation.