Rachel Dobson
I am particularly interested in large-scale ecological modelling to explore present-day macroecological patterns, and to forecast future situations under climate change. These models can provide valuable understanding to inform environmental policy and action to protect our natural world and generate important socio-economic benefits for humans. Having just completed an MBiol at Durham, I am now undertaking my PhD research at the University of Leeds, with Dr Martin Dallimer as my primary supervisor, and continuing my link with Durham, this is co-supervised by Professor Stephen Willis. My current research aims to integrate climate and species modelling to predict movements of migratory and nomadic birds in sub-Saharan Africa. This will primarily focus on the red-billed quelea, Quelea quelea, a hyperabundant crop pest that threatens food security in Africa. I aim to forecast how climate change will alter crop production and the distribution of this damaging migratory crop pest to advise essential management. Previously, for my MBiol research project at Durham University I investigated the drivers of global avian population densities and estimated population sizes for the world’s birds. Alongside this, I also explored the global phylogenetic and spatial distribution of colonial breeding behaviour to provide novel insights on its evolution. Position: PhD Student at University of Leeds
Supervised by: Dr. Martin Dallimer (University of Leeds), Dr. Ann-Kristin Koehler (University of Leeds), Prof. Andrew Challinor (University of Leeds), Prof. Robert Cheke (University of Greenwich), Prof. Stephen Willis Contact Details: eerdo@leeds.ac.uk Education
2020 - Present PhD Biology, University of Leeds 2016 - 2020 MBiol BioSciences, Durham University |
|
