 |
The Durrell Trust for Conservation Biology
|
CV
Research Interests My research interests lie primarily in population restoration, population ecology, conservation genetics and evolutionary studies involving phylogeny reconstruction. A central focus is the theoretical and practical aspects of avian conservation and the application of population, genetic, morphological and phylogenetic studies to enhance our understanding of the biological processes that guide the conservation trajectory of endangered species. A background of conservation work on island species in the Indian Ocean (Mauritius and The Seychelles) and the Pacific (Hawaiian islands) has combined the practice of field monitoring and population recovery techniques with the more theoretical approaches of evolutionary phylogenetics and conservation genetics at the population level. Endemic Island Species: Islands are justifiably celebrated as living laboratories for evolutionary studies. Valuable insights for conservation can be gained from studying island endemics in view of their history of isolation from ancestral mainland populations, together with the problems they can encounter from introduced species and diseases. My research group focuses on endemic island species. For photos of my genetics laboratory, click here. The research group's projects centre on (i) conservation genetics to both interpret species recoveries from historical population bottlenecks and to aid genetic management, (ii) recovery of endangered bird populations involving translocation and reintroduction and (iii) evolutionary histories of island species radiations using phylogenetic reconstruction.
Research Group Rachel Bristol, DICE. Ecology, conservation genetics and restoration of the critically-endangered Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher, and a comparison of the evolutionary history of Indian Ocean flycatchers. Claire Browne, DICE, Genetic variation of native white clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) populations across south-east England. Hazel Jackson, DICE. Population genetics of invasive species: characterising population genetic history and disease prevalence in the introduced population of ringneck parakeets (Psittacula krameri) in the UK. Hanna Mounce, DICE. Recovery of the endangered Kiwikiu (Maui Parrotbill, Pseudonestor xanthophrys): population dynamics, conservation genetics and strategies for reintroduction. Siobhan Simpson - Molecular genetics and infectious disease in red squirrels on Jersey. Simon Tollington, DICE, Inbreeding, immune function and disease in endemic and bird populations on Mauritius. NERC Studentship. Collaboration with Mauritius Wildlife Foundation and Wildlife Vets International (CASE partner)
Previous members of research group Dr. Sarah Anderson, NERC-funded postdoctoral Research Associate Dr Simon Black, DICE, MHC diversity and emerging infectious disease in parrot populations on Mauritius Nina Cornish, DICE. Phylogeography and conservation of Jersey’s Wall Lizards Podarcis muralis. Steve Green, DICE. Ecology, conservation and commercial exploitation of the 'Hog Island' Boa constrictor in the Cayos Cochinos, Honduras (co-supervisor). Nicola Jenner, DICE and Institute of Zoology. Factors affecting the social organisation of the black-backed jackal Canis mesomelas (co-supervisor). Dr Samit Kundu, DICE, MHC diversity and emerging infectious disease in parrot populations on Mauritius Rob Pickles, DICE and Institute of Zoology. Population genetics and social structure of the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis). NERC Studentship. Claire Raisin, DICE. Inbreeding, disease, and reproductive fitness in endemic and introduced populations of Psittacula parakeets on Mauritius. NERC Studentship. Collaboration with Mauritius Wildlife Foundation and Wildlife Vets International (CASE partner).
Collaborators:
Teaching BSc in Wildlife Conservation MSc in Conservation Biology
Island Species-Led Action (ISLA): I teach conservation genetics on this two week course, which has been run each year by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust; Jersey (2004), St. Lucia (2005), Galapagos (2006), Mauritius (2007), Guam (2008). The 2009 course was held in Fiji. Further information is available here.
Editorial Review board editor for the journal Endangered Species Research Associate Editor for Conservation Genetics
Selected publications (click here for full list) Black SA and JJ Groombridge (2010). How conservation biologists might learn from Business Excellence. Conservation Biology, 24, 1448-1458. Pickles, R. S. A., J. J. Groombridge, V. D. Zambrana Rojas, P. Van Damme, D. Gottelli, S. Kundu, R. Bodmer, C. V. Ariani & W. C. Jordan (2011). Phylogeography and population structure of the giant otter, Pteronura brasiliensis,revealed by mitochondrial and microsatellite data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, in press. Groombridge, JJ, Jones, CG, Nichols, RA, Carlton, M and Bruford, MW (2004). Molecular phylogeny and morphological change in the Psittacula parakeets. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution, 31, 96-108. Groombridge, JJ, Jones, CG, Bruford, MW & Nichols, RA (2000). ‘Ghost’ alleles of the Mauritius kestrel. Nature 403, 616. |
DI508
- Skills
for Conservation Biologists