Alumni 

 

PhD students

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1. 1990. Dr Paul .M. Hughes. Aspects of microchiropteran reproduction in flight in relation to flight performance. Joint supervision with Dr J.M.V. Rayner, secondary supervisory role. SERC-funded.

2. 1993. Dr A.M. Hollyfield. Directionality of bat echolocation in relation to foraging strategies. Joint supervision with Dr J.M.V. Rayner, secondary supervisory role. SERC. 

3. 1993. Dr Dean .A. Waters. The auditory responses of noctuid moths to the echolocation calls of bats. SERC. 

4. 1994. Dr Elena. De Fanis. Cues used in communication by microchiropteran bats. Council of Research, Italy/ self-funding. 

5. 1996. Dr Nancy. Vaughan. Partitioning of foraging habitat resources among bats (Chiroptera) in Great Britain.NERC. Joint supervision with Professor S. Harris. 

6. 1997. Dr. P. Laurent. Duvergé.  Foraging activity, habitat use, development of juveniles, and diet of the greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum - Schreber 1774) in south-west England. Vincent Wildlife Trust.

7. 1997. Dr Kate E. Barlow. Resource partitioning between two cryptic species of Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Chiroptera). NERC.

8. 1998. Dr Kirsty.J. Park. Roosting ecology and behaviour of four temperate species of bat. NERC. Joint supervision with Dr John Altringham (University of Leeds). 

9. 1999. Dr Robert. D. Houston. Prey detection and evaluation by echolocation in aerial feeding and trawling bats. 

10. 2000. Dr Steve.J. Rossiter. The causes and consequences of genetic structure in the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum). NERC. Joint supervision with Dr Elizabeth Barratt (Institute of Zoology, London). 

11. 2001. Dr Tigga Kingston. Diversity, extinction risk and structure in an insectivorous bat community from Malaysia. Joint supervision with Dr T.H. Kunz, Boston University

12. 2002. Dr Arjan.M. Boonman. Signal design and dynamics in FM bats – implications for echo processing. University of Bristol Scholarship. 

13. 2002. Dr Danilo. Russo. Habitat use by foraging bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in southern Italy determined by broad-band acoustic surveys and radiotracking. EC TMR Programme. 

14. 2003. Dr Katharine.N. Parsons. Autumnal swarming of bats (Chiroptera) in Britain. University of Bristol Scholarship.

15. 2003. Dr Liat. P.  Wickramasinghe. A study of the activity and species richness of British bats and their insect prey on organic and conventional farms using acoustic survey methods. Self-funded. Joint supervision with Dr N. Vaughan and Professor S. Harris. 

16. 2006. Dr Adora. Thabah. The diversity of bats in Meghalaya, north east India, with emphasis on the species found at Phlang karuh cave in Nongtrai and Tem dibai cave in Sohbar. Self-funded.

17. 2006. Dr Shiang-Fan Chen. Population genetic structure and echolocation call frequency in the endemic Formosan lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus monoceros). ORS and self-funded. 

18. 2006. Dr Sarah Harris. European bat lyssaviruses (EBLVs) –detection and surveillance in British bats. BBSRC Special Studentship, in collaboration with Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge. 

19. 2006. Dr. Tessa Knight. The use of landscape features and habitats by the lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros). Funded by English Nature, Countryside Council for Wales, Forestry Commission and Mammals Trust UK. 

20. 2007. Dr Lene Berge. Resource partitioning between the cryptic species Brandt’s bat (Myotis brandtii) and the whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus) in the UK. Funded by Laanekasse (Norwegian Government) and self-funding. 

21. 2007. Dr Jon Flanders. An integrated approach to bat conservation: applications of ecology, phylogeny and spatial modelling of bats on the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset. National Trust/ Landfill Tax. 

22. 2009. Dr Hugo Rebelo. Using species distribution modelling and genetic analysis for the conservation of rare species: case studies on European bats.  Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. 

23. 2010. Dr Bruna Bezerra. Behaviour and vocal communication in golden-backed uacaris, Cacajao melanocephalus. Alban Scholarship, EU. 

24. 2011. Dr Matt Zeale. Conservation biology of the barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus). Applications of spatial modelling, ecology and molecular analysis of diet. Self-funded.

25. 2011. Dr Emma Stone. Bats and development: with a particular focus on the impacts of artificial lighting. Self-funded. Joint supervisor with Professor S. Harris. 

26. 2011. Dr Alice Hughes. The conservation and biogeography of southeast Asian bats. Self-funded.

27. 2012. Dr Alanna Maltby. The evolution of echolocation in bats: a comparative approach. Joint supervision with Professor Kate Jones, UCL, where thesis was submitted. 

28. 2012. Dr Orly Razgour. From genes to landscapes: conservation biology of the grey long-eared bat, Plecotus austriacus, across spatio-temporal scales. Funded by the Hon. Vincent Weir in collaboration with the Bat Conservation Trust.

29. 2013. Dr Paul Hope. The hibernal ecology of a vespertilionid bat Myotis nattereri: an integrative study. Self-funded. 

30. 2013. Dr Helen L. Ward. Describing and explaining mating behaviour and reproductive success in the greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum. Joint supervision with Dr Stephen J. Rossiter, Queen Mary University of London

31. 2014. Dr Ryszard Oleksy. The contribution of fruit bats (Pteropus rufus) to seed dispersal and forest regeneration in Madagascar. Wide range of funders, including Conservation, Food and Health Foundation (USA) and the Rufford Foundation. 

32. 2014. Dr Nor Zalipah Mohamed. The role of nectar-feeding bats (Pteropodidae) in the pollination ecology of the genus Sonneratia at Settu Mangrove Areas, Terengganu, Malaysia. Funded by Malaysian Government. 

33. 2015. Dr Kristine Bohmann. Bats, blood-feeders and biodiversity – Illumina metabarcoding in dietary studies. Joint supervision with Professor Tom Gilbert, University of Copenhagen, where thesis submitted. 

34. 2015. Dr Sarah Jane Scott. The impact of riparian habitat quality on the activity of British bats in lowland river systems, and its relevance to conservation management. Funded by the Environment Agency. Joint supervision with Professor S. Harris.

35. 2015. Dr Rachael Cooper-Bohannon. Species distribution modelling of African bats. Joint supervision with Dr Kirsty Park, University of Stirling, where thesis submitted. 

36. 2015. Dr Madeleine Ryan. Bats, churches and the landscape: ecology of soprano pipistrelle bats in eastern England.  SITA Trust, in collaboration with the Bat Conservation Trust. 

37. 2016. Dr Andy Wakefield. Insect abundance and street lighting. NERC studentship on research grant. Joint supervision with Professor S. Harris. NERC.

38. 2018. Dr Chris Draper. Zoo licensing and inspection: using legislative requirements to assess animal welfare and conservation in British zoos. Took over supervision after retirement of Professor S. Harris. 

39. 2018. Dr James Stevens. Understanding human-elephant interactions in and around Magadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana. Took over supervision after retirement of Professor S. Harris.

40. 2018. Dr Andy Carr. Bats and insects in woodlands managed for biofuels. Part-funded by Scottish Forestry Trust.

41. 2018. Dr Jérémy Froidevaux. Bats and agri-environment schemes. BBSRC DTP award. 

42. 2018. Dr Angelica Menchaca Rodriguez. Differential gene expression and morphological variation in tequila bats (Leptonycteris yerabauenae): adaptations to migration. CONICYT, Mexico.

43. 2019. Dr Liz Rowse. Bat activity and street lighting. NERC studentship. Joint supervision with Professor S. Harris and Dr Emma Stone. 

44. 2020. Dr Lia Gilmour. Deterring bats from wind turbines. Joint supervision with Dr Marc Holderied and Dr Simon Pickering: Ecotricity (CASE partner). NERC. 

45. 2020. Dr Parvathy Venugopal. An integrated approach to the taxonomy of hipposiderid bats in South Asia. Commonwealth Scholarship. 

46. 2020. Dr Jo Riley. Spatial ecology and conservation management of the endangered sandhill dunnart, Sminthopsis psammophila. Part-funded by APA and Goldfields Environmental Management Group.

47. 2022. Dr Megan Power. The evolutionary ecology of telomere variation in an exceptionally long-lived mammal, the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum). Joint supervision with Prof. Emma Teeling at University College Dublin where thesis was submitted.

48. 2022. Dr Raphael Reinegger. The human-made monkey forest: cumulative impacts of a non-native frugivorous primate and non-native plants on Mauritius’ native flora and keystone fruit bat species. Self-funded.

49. 2022. Dr Jack Greenhalgh. Developing Two Non-invasive Survey Methods for Freshwater Ecosystems: Environmental DNA and Ecoacoustics. NERC GW4 FRESH CDT

50. 2023. Dr Sarah Richdon. Informing effective captive management of Critically Endangered Livingstone’s fruit bats (Pteropus livingstonii). Crowd-funded

51. 2023. Dr Roksana Wilson. Designing LED lights that minimise the attraction of nocturnal, blood-feeding Diptera: Lights that stop the bites. NERC.

52. 2023. Dr Luke Romaine. Social and genetic drivers of behaviour and life history in horseshoe bats. NERC GW4+ DTP

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Open University

• 1998-2002. Dr Carol Williams. Winter ecology of the lesser horseshoe bat.

• 2000. Dr Ian Davidson-Watts. Use of roosts and habitats by two cryptic species of pipistrelle.

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MSc by Research

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• 1995. Mrs Sara Oakeley. Habitat around maternity roosts of the pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus): implications for conservation and management.

• 1996. Mr Peter Chapman. The use of travel routes by greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in south Devon: implications for management of linear landscape features.

• 1997. Mr John D. Cotterill. Microlight aerial photography as an aid to ecologists. 

• 1997. Mr Phil Shepherd. Conservation of breeding waders and skylarks. 

• 1999. Ms Hazel Wilmott. Beach clearance and the conservation of amphipods.

• 2007. Ms Jan Collins. Bat activity at height and at ground level.

• 2007. Ms Jo Donnelly. Artificial roosts for lesser horseshoe bats. 

• 2007. Mr Leighton Williams-Davies. A comparison of the performance of two models of bat detector.

• 2009. Mr Angus Tillotson. The use of thermal imaging in ecological consultancy.

• 2009. Mr Grant Bramhall. The importance of veteran trees for bats.

• 2009. Mr Matt Winter. How climate change might influence the distribution of greater horseshoe bats.  

• 2009. Mr Nick Crumpton. A quantitative microwear analysis of insectivorous bats with implications for the dietary preferences of early mammals. Joint supervision with Dr. Mark Purnell (University of Leicester), Dr. Pam Gill, Dr. Emily Rayfield (Earth Sciences, Bristol). 

• 2011. Mr Brian Hicks. Bat activity in relation to deer grazing.

• 2011. Mr Mike Ashford. Bat activity at wind turbines. 

• 2011. Mr Adam Martin. A comparison of bat detector performance. 

• 2013. Miss Agata Staniewicz. Conservation biology of Tomistoma schlegelii crocodiles in Indonesia. 

• 2013. Miss Paula Vargas. Resource partitioning by Molossus currentium and Molossus molossus, and echolocation calls of Molossus molossus in Quibdó, Chocó, Colombia. 

• 2014. Miss Lia Gilmour. Modelling, mapping and monitoring bats. Species distribution modelling for Bechstein’s bats in Britain and the use of acoustic lure to study bats in woodland. 

• 2015. Miss Heather Nichol. Bats at height: bat activity at proposed wind farms in Britain. 

• 2016. Mr Phil Brown. Resource partitioning by three cryptic bat species in woodland. 

• 2017. Mr Matthew Lavelle. Effects of noise and light pollution on singing crickets and leaf drop. 

• 2019. Ms Emily Cavill. Conservation genomics of the Endangered Seychelles magpie robin Copsychus sechellarum.

• 2022. Ms Claire Wilkie. Assessing hybridization between Morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) and American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) in Belize using genome wide markers

 

German Diplomarbeit student supervised

 

2000. Ms Pia Wohland (University of Konstanz). Ectoparasite load and grooming behaviour in greater horseshoe bats.

 

Postdocs/RAs

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• Dr Raphael Arlettaz. Echolocation and passive listening in bats. Now a Professor at Berne University.

• Dr Marc Holderied. Echolocation call structure and its relationship with flight ecology. Now a senior lecturer at the University of Bristol.

• Dr Alex Norman. The neuroethological interactions between echolocating bats and tympanate moths.

• Dr Stuart Parsons. Acoustic species identification using artificial neural networks, echolocation call structure and its relationship with flight ecology. Now Head of Biological Sciences at Queensland Institute of Technology.

• Dr Michael Pocock. Interactions between agricultural management, biodiversity and life history: insectivorous mammals and their prey as bioindicators.

• Richard Shaw. Simulation of bat echolocation (Robat Project).

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Matt Zeale, Nancy Jennings, and Steve Rossiter have also been postdocs here (see PhD students, above).

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Research Collaborations

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• 2019-2022: ERC COST Action Network- Climate change and bats: from science to conservation (CLIMBATS). Led by Danilo Russo, Naples. 

• 2018-2022: FCT, Portugal. BatPine: promoting the resilience of ecosystem services to climate change. Co-I; award of £205 led by Hugo Rebelo, University of Porto.

• 2018-2022. UFPE: PGR exchange and training programme with the University of Pernambuco, Brazil. Led by Bruna Bezerra. 

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• Emma Teeling, UCD - Longevity of Bats

• Tom Gilbert, Copenhagen Museum - Conservation Genomics

• Ryszard Oleksy ERA Indian Ocean - Conservation Biology on Mauritius

• Steve Rossiter, QMUL