Peter Stewart
My interests mostly lie at the interface between ecology, animal behaviour, and the human dimensions of conservation. Here are some of the key questions I have been exploring: How does an invasive cactus drive mammal space-use? My PhD research focuses on the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia), an invasive species threatening arid habitats worldwide. In Laikipia County, Kenya, Opuntia has formed impenetrable stands which may affect the distribution of wild mammals, potentially exacerbating human-wildlife conflict. I aim to determine whether Opuntia is having these effects, using a multi-method approach combining on-the-ground surveys, camera trap data, and social science methods. I also aim to test whether any observed impacts are lessened in areas where Opuntia has been subjected to biological control. How will climate change restructure avian assemblages? Climate change will drive range-shifts in species, creating novel assemblages. However, we know very little about how these assemblages will be structured or function. During my Masters degree, I examined how the trait structure of global bird assemblages is predicted to shift under climate change. Do individuals interact with the Landscape of Fear differently? The threat of predation structures the space-use of prey – but not all prey necessarily respond in the same way. As part of the Silwood Park long-term mouse experiment, I studied whether the traits of individual wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) were associated with the use of high-risk microhabitats. Can a trap-building predator remember? Antlion larvae (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) construct cone-shaped pitfall traps in the sand to capture prey. By studying their ability to learn and form memories, we can help to understand how ecology drives differences in learning and memory between species. Position: PhD Student in the Department of Biosciences
Supervised by: Dr. Wayne Dawson, Dr. Philip Stephens, Prof. Russell Hill (Department of Anthropology), and Prof. Mark Whittingham (Newcastle University) Contact details: Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE Email: [email protected] |
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Education
2019 - Present PhD Biosciences, Durham University
2018 - 2019 MRes Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, Imperial College London
2014 - 2018 BSc Zoology, University of St Andrews
2019 - Present PhD Biosciences, Durham University
2018 - 2019 MRes Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, Imperial College London
2014 - 2018 BSc Zoology, University of St Andrews
Publications
Stewart, P.S., Voskamp, A., Santini, L., Biber, M.F., Devenish, A.J.M., Hof, C., et al. (2022) Global impacts of climate change on avian functional diversity. Ecology Letters, 25, 673– 685. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13830
Stewart, P.S., Hill, R.A., Stephens, P.A., Whittingham, M.J., Dawson, W. (2021) Impacts of invasive plants on animal behaviour. Ecology Letters 24, 891-907.
Stewart, P.S., Voskamp, A., Santini, L., Biber, M.F., Devenish, A.J.M., Hof, C., et al. (2022) Global impacts of climate change on avian functional diversity. Ecology Letters, 25, 673– 685. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13830
Stewart, P.S., Hill, R.A., Stephens, P.A., Whittingham, M.J., Dawson, W. (2021) Impacts of invasive plants on animal behaviour. Ecology Letters 24, 891-907.