1.3.1 Biodiversity and ecosystem function

Debbie is a community ecologist with experience of working in a range of habitats including upland and lowland grasslands, moorland and arable landscapes.  She is interested in how land management choices, particularly in the uplands influence biodiversity and other ecosystem services.  Recent work has involved studying the interactions between heather burning and grazing by deer and sheep and the subsequent recovery of vegetation after burning.

Sally is based at the Royal Botanic Garden and is currently doing research towards her PhD, jointly working with Royal Botanic Garden and the University of Glasgow. Her research uses meta-population modelling to reconstruct patterns in the distribution and abundance of oceanic epiphyte species and to infer exological processes for better habitat management. 

Katharine is a senior statistician at BioSS, based at the James Hutton Institute. Katharine has a background in ecological modelling with a focus on spatial systems and physiologically based models. 

Christopher is head of Cryptogamic Plants and Fungi at the Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh, using his research to understand how habitat management can offset negative impacts of global change. He co-ordinates RBGE's Scottish biodiversity science, including activities contributing to the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (2020 Route Map) and the Scottish Government’s Strategic Research Programme (Theme 1 - Natural Assets).

Alison is a research leader in ecological sciences at the James Hutton Institute. Alison is an agroecologist with 20 years research experience in plant production and ecology, with a focus on agroecosystem biodiversity and pest biocontrol under reduced inputs and climate change. Her research interests are driven by the wider challenges of how to enchance ecosystem service provision in agroecosystems and optimise sustainable crop production.

Aline is a molecular ecologist at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, whos research focus is conservation and ecological genetics of threatened and important plant species.

Robin is a plant ecologist based at the James Hutton Institute. His research focuses on the management and functioning of biodiversity in a range of Scottish Ecosystems and he currently leads a workpackage, Functioning of Species, Habitats and Ecosystems, as part of the Scottish Government funded research programme on Environment - Land Use and Rural Stewardship.

His current research covers the following areas:

My research focuses on understanding the interaction between wildlife populations, and management practices and land use. My current research includes work on mountain hares, capercaillie, and upland waders. I use large scale experiments, correlational, and modelling approaches to assess how management and land use affect individual species and communities, and how wildlife can sustainably co-exist in human dominated landscapes.

My research interests relate to interactions between plants and their environment. This has included work in alpine and arctic environments, and trying to understand the factors that regulate biodiversity and the response of these systems to climate change. Visit my profile to find about more.