Population and community ecology: conservation and dynamics

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Background: We need a better understanding of how populations, communities and ecosystems function if we are to predict and manage, rationally and sustainably, the effects of environmental change. In this programme we have access to unique sets of data that enable us to study long-term effects of anthropogenic and environmental change on populations, increase our understanding of the role of long-range movement in insect population dynamics and develop predictive frameworks for the dynamics and diversity of populations, communities and ecosystems.

Objectives and Methods:

Analyses of Rothamsted Insect Survey (RIS) data have detected major declines and changes in the dynamics of UK insect populations that are causing agricultural and conservation concern. The environmental drivers of these changes will be studied in relation to individual species traits using multivariate statistical methodology, with the objective of developing predictive models. Behavioural studies, using vertical-looking entomological radar (VLR), harmonic radar and flight-simulators, will be used to reveal the sophisticated behaviours insects have evolved to increase success of migratory strategies, and the role such strategies play in modifying population structure and dynamics of key insect pests and natural enemies, plus non-target species of conservation importance. Predictive frameworks for the dynamics and diversity of ecosystems are being developed; guided by a need to understand, theoretically, how ecosystems are structured. These analytical and predictive methodologies will unite the currently quite separate ecological theories for food webs (network theory) and population dynamics.
The main datasets for testing our theories (and other fundamental theories in population ecology) come from the RIS national light and suction trap networks, the VLR that continuously record high-altitude insect migrants, the Environmental Change Network, and the Farm Scale Evaluations of GM crops.

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