Biodiversity and behaviour

Thursday 21 July 2022

Research Centre:

Group Highlights

Our research is aimed at understanding the causes and consequences of change in biological diversity. We focus on multiple levels and types of diversity: within and among species, communities and ecosystems, and including taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity. We are also concerned with understanding behaviour, how it evolves and is maintained, how it shapes evolution, and its role in generating and maintaining biodiversity.

We conduct research on a wide range of taxa including corals, fish, birds, aquatic invertebrates, and plants.

We are an international group of people and have ongoing projects and collaborations distributed worldwide.

We also have our own group website: https://biodiversity.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/

Research

Research Themes

*Temporal and spatial change in biodiversity*
We study biodiversity to quantify and identify drivers of global change. We undertake studies at local and global scales, and focus on long term trends as well as short-term fluctuations. Our study systems range from fish in Trinidad to farms in Fife. We are interested in the following topics: agroecology biodiversity measurement diversity scaling drivers of biodiversity change in the Anthropocene evolution of behaviour functional diversity invasive species life histories niche construction macroecology spatial and temporal ecology succession
farms in fife	forestry in the UK
coral reefs	forests in trinidad
fish and invertebrates	birds on Fair Isle
tundra vegetation	plants in Brazil
frogs in Brazil	fish in Scotland
guppies in St Andrews!	reef fish
everything, everywhere! (BioTIME)

Our research informs conservation policy at national and international scales.

Group Members

Principal Investigators

Prof Anne Magurran

Prof Maria Dornelas

Dr Iain Matthews

Dr Miguel Barbosa

Research Staff

Faye Moyes

Inês Martins

Samanta Lop

Viviana Brambilla

Philippe Fernandez-Fournier

Cher Chow

James Cant

Research Students

Haley Arnold

Victoria Dale

Isaac Trinidade Santos

Jessica Haghkerdar

Garrett Fundakowski

Ada F. Eslava

Publications

Endemic fish promote ecological structure in a tropical biodiversity hotspot
Shukla, R., Fontrodona Eslava, A., Atkore, V., Bhat, A., Dahanukar, N., Johnson, J. A., Raghavan, R., Dornelas , M., Magurran, A. E. & Shanker, K., Jan 2026, In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 293, 2063, p. 1-12 12 p., 20251127 .
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

A conceptual framework for measuring ecological novelty
Staples, T. L., Blois, J., Cramer, K. L., Cunningham, E. T., Dornelas, M., Haberle, S. G., Heger, T., Kiessling, W., Magurran, A. E., O'Dea, A., Penny, A. M., Radeloff, V. C., Smith, J. A., Thuiller, W., Williams, J. W. & Pandolfi, J. M., Feb 2025, In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. 34, 2, p. 1-14 14 p., e70005.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Applying a unified framework to compare taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity in Holocene pollen records
Penny, A. M., Chao, A., Davies, A. L. & Magurran, A. E., 6 Aug 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Ecology. Early View, p. 1-18 18 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

BioTIME 2.0: expanding and improving a database of biodiversity time series
Dornelas, M., Antão, L. H., Bates, A. E., Brambilla, V., Chase, J. M., Chow, C. F. Y., Fontrodona-Eslava, A., Magurran, A. E., Martins, I. S., Moyes, F., Sagouis, A., Adu-Acheampong, S., Acquah-Lamptey, D., Adam, D., Ajani, P. A., Albaina, A., Almaraz, P., An, J., Anderson, R. S. & Anderson, M. J. R. & 465 others, Antunes, A. Z., Arismendi, I., Armbrecht, L., Aros-Mardones, P., Ashtamoorthy, S. K., Ayyappan, N., Badihi, G., Bailey, J. J., Baird, A. H., Baird, M. E., Balakrishnan, S. V., Barão-Nóbrega, J. A. L., Barash, A., Barbosa, M., Barlow, J., Bässler, C., Beaumont, M., Beenaerts, N., Begot, T. O., Beiroz, W., Beldade, R., Bell, D. M., Bellgrove, A., Belmaker, J., Benedetti-Cecchi, L., Benkwitt, C. E., Berkum, P.M.-V., Bestelmeyer, B. T., Betts, M. G., Billah, M. K., Bjorkman, A. D., Błażewicz, M., Bloch, C. P., Blowes, S. A., Bode, A., Bogoni, J. A., Bolger, T., Bonebrake, T. C., Bonsdorff, E., Bottarin, R., Brokensha, L. N., Brooker, R. W., Brooks, A. J., Bruelheide, H., Bueno, T. A., Laguionie, C., Campagnoli, M. L., Cant, J., Caramaschi, E. P., Caron, A., Carroll, T., Caruso, T., Carvajal-Quintero, J., Castaldelli, G., Castañeda-Moya, E., Castilho, P. V., Cechin, S. Z., Chaikin, S., Chandrashekara, U. M., Chase, T. J., Chen, C. A., Cherem, J. J., Choi, S.-W., Christensen, E. M., Christianini, A. V., Chu, J. W. F., Coad, P., Van Colen, C., Comte, L., Cooper, E. J., Cornelissen, J. H. C., Cosson, E., Cotano, U., Crevecoeur, L., Crow, S. K., Cumming, G. S., Daga, V. S., Damasceno, G., Daskalova, G. N., Davies, C. H., Davis, R. A., Day, F. P., De-La-Zerda, S., Deacon, A. E., de Castro-Arrazola, I., Degraer, S., Deonarinesingh, K., Diaz-Ricaurte, J. C., Dickman, C. R., Dirilgen, T., Dolan, C. J., Duffy, J. E., Dunn, T. E., Durigan, G., Dwyer, C., Earl, S., Edelist, D., Edgar, G. J., Edmondson, S., Elgin, A. K., Ellingsen, K. E., Elmendorf, S. C., Eriksen, R. S., Ernest, S. K. M., Escribano, R., Eterovick, P. C., Evans, B. S., Everett, J. D., Evtimova, V., Exton, D. A., Fairbairn, A. J., Fantacini, F. M., Farah, F. T., Farneda, F. Z., Favila, M. E., Fernandez-Fournier, P., Fernández-Zapata, B., Ferreira, D. F., Ferronato, C., du Feu, C. R., Fidelis, A., Fifield, D. A., Filho, V. P., Filho, W. M., Fitt, R. N. L., Flechtmann, C. A. H., Fraser, W. R., Fraser, D. L., Freixas, L., Fryxell, J., Fundakowski, G. J., Gabara, S. S., Gallois, E., Criado, M. G., García-Berthou, E., Garrabou, J., Gates, A. R., Gatti, R. C., Gavioli, A., Gavriel, T., Gendreau-Berthiaume, B., Giam, X., Gjerdrum, C., Glemnitz, M., Godbold, J. A., Gómez-Gras, D., Gonçalves, R. B., Goold, A., Gordon, R. R., Goren, M., Goulart, F. V. B., Gould, W. A., Grabowski, M. M., Graham, N. A. J., Graipel, M. E., Grange, L. J., Greenville, A. C., Grossman, G. D., Guinder, V. A., Haase, P., Haskins, G. N., Havstad, K., Hermanutz, L., Hickford, M. J. H., Hidalgo, P., Higuchi, P., Hoey, A. S., Van Hoey, G., Hofgaard, A., Holeck, K. T., Hollister, R. D., Holmes, R. T., Hoogenboom, M. O., Hortal, J., Horton, T., Hsieh, C.-H., Huffard, C. L., Huikkonen, I.-M., Hurlbert, A. H., Hynes, J., Irz, P., Macedo Ivanauskas, N., Iwayama, A., James, D. K., Jandt, U., Jażdżewska, A. M., Jocque, M., Johnston, S. T., Jones, S. E. I., Jones, F. A. M., Jones, J. A., Jucevica, E., Kagainis, U., Kagami, M., Kang, J., Ke, X., Keeley, E. C., Kinnear, R., Klanderud, K., Klinck, U., van Klink, R., Klotz, S., Knockaert, C., Knutsen, H., Koivula, M., Kortz, A., Kriegel, P., Kuo, C.-Y., Kushner, D. J., Kyerematen, R., Lagarde, R., Lancaster, L. T., Landau, O. F., Van Landuyt, W., Larson, E. R., Lazarus, M., Lee, C. M., Lefcheck, J. S., Lembrechts, J. J., Ferreira de Lima, R. A., Lima, R. G., Lima, N. G. S., Linares, C., Lindstrom, S. C., Lloret, F., Lloyd, J. D., Lobato, C. M. C., Lodge, D. M., Long, P. R., López-Abbate, C., López-Baucells, A., Louzada, J., Louzao, M., Lugliè, A., Luiz, M. R., Macdonald, S. E., Madin, J. S., Magalhães, A. L. B., Mahabir, R., Maphisa, D., Martin, T. E., Martins, M., Martone, P. T., Matesanz, S., Matsuzaki, S.-I. S., Matthews, T. J., Matthews, I. M., Maxwell, C. J., McFarland, K. P., McGill, B. J., McKnight, D. M., McWilliam, M. J., Meador, J., Meesenburg, H., Meier, K., Melecis, V., Meserve, P. L., Meyer, C. F. J., Michelsen, A., Miiller, N. O. R., Milardi, M., Milchakova, N., Miller, R. J., Millett, J., Moens, T., Montag, L. F. A., Moore, J., Müller, J., Murali, A., Murray, S. A., Myers-Smith, I. H., Myster, R. W., Nakamura, M., Nayar, S., Neat, F., Nelson, J. A., Nelson, M. P., Nikolov, B. P., Nouioua, R., Nsor, C. A., O'Connor, M., Obodai, E. A., Offland, A. M., Ogaya, R., Ogura, H., Okey, T. A., Olden, J. D., Oliveira-Santos, L. G. R., Oliver, J. C., Olsen, E. M., Onipchenko, V. G., Oro, D., Ozolins, D., Pabis, K., Padedda, B. M., Palacio, F. X., Paquette, A., Pardede, S. T., Paterson, D. M., Pausina, S., Pélissier, R., Pennings, S. C., Penuelas, J., Pereira, F. W., Peroni, N., Picó, S., Pilotto, F., Pinheiro, H. T., Pizarro, O., Pizzolotto, R., Pomati, F., Pompeu, P. S., Ponton, D., Post, E., Poulet, N., Pöyry, J., Presley, S. J., Prins, H. H. T., Provoost, P., Prudic, K. L., Punjayil, V., Pyšek, P., Querner, P., Quimbayo, J. P., Ramnarine, I. W., Reed, D. C., Reich, P. B., Remillard, S. M., Richards, C., Richardson, A. J., van Rijn, I., Rivera-Monroy, V. H., Rixen, C., Robinson, K. P., Rocha, R., Rodrigues, R. R., Rodrigues, C., de Roos, B., de Rossa-Feres, D. D. C., Rosselli, L., Rothlisberg, P. C., Rubio, A., Rudstam, L. G., Ruz, C. S., Rybicki, N. B., Van Ryckegem, G., Rypel, A. L., Sadler, J. P., Saito, V. S., Sal, S., Salomão, R. P., Sanders, N. J., Santos, F. A. M., dos Santos, T. G., Sarker, S. K., Scanga, S. E., Schaub, M., Schmidt, J., Schmidt, I. K., Schooley, R. L., Schultz, A., Scotti, A., Serpell-Stevens, A., Serrano, F. C., Shadwick, E. H., Shaft, M., Sherry, T. W., Shimabukuro, E. M., Siciński, J., Sievers, C., da Silva, F. R., da Silva, A. C., Silveira, J. M., Siqueira, T., Sivadasan, A. K., Sivan, P. T. P., Skuja, A., Slaughter, A. L., Slingsby, J. A., Smith, J. R., Soares, B. E., Solan, M., Souza, F. M., Souza, G. B. G., Sprague, J. L., Stachow, U., Stadt, J. J., Stallings, C. D., Stanchev, R. H., Stanley, E. H., Starzomski, B. M., Sterza, J. M., Stevens, M., Stiles, F. G., Stoll, S., Stuart-Smith, R. D., Súarez, Y. R., Super, L., Supp, S. R., Sutela, T., Suthers, I. M., Suuronen, A., Swadling, K. M., Szydlowski, D. K., Taki, H., Taylor, S. J. S., Tedesco, P. A., Teichert, N., Terui, A., Thiede, G. P., Thimonier, A., Thomas, O., Thompson, P. A., Thorn, S., Tiemann, J. S., Toledo, L. F., Tolvanen, A., Toniato, M. T. Z., Torre, I., Tortato, M. A., Totsu, K., Trant, A., Twilley, R. R., Urabe, H., Valade, P., Valdivia, N., Vallejo, M. I., Valone, T. J., Vanaverbeke, J., Vasconcelos, T. S., Vehanen, T., Venturoli, F., Verheye, H. M., Vermeulen, H. J. W., Verstraeten, A., Vianna, M., Vieira, R., Vieira-Alencar, J. P. S., Vilella, M., Vitule, J. R. S., Van Vu, L., Waide, R. B., Warren, P. S., Wayman, J. P., Webb, S. L., Weigel, B., Welti, E. A. R., West, F., Westermann, F., Whalen, M. A., White, E. P., Widdicombe, C. E., Williams, R., Williamson, M., Willig, M. R., Wipf, S., Woehler, E. J., Woldering, A., Woods, K. D., Xu, W.-B., Yahel, R., Yang, Z., Zawada, K. J. A., Zornosa-Torres, C. & Zvuloni, A., May 2025, In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. 34, 5, p. 1-18 18 p., e70003.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Disentangling nonrandom structure from random placement when estimating β-diversity through space or time
McGlinn, D. J., Blowes, S. A., Dornelas, M., Engel, T., Martins, I. S., Shimadzu, H., Gotelli, N. J., Magurran, A., McGill, B. J. & Chase, J. M., Mar 2025, In: Ecosphere. 16, 3, p. 1-14 14 p., e70061.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Invasive mosquitofish impact a threatened toothcarp through water quality impairment and resource competition
Gil-Luna, I., Zamora, L., Risueño, P., Doadrio, I., Fernández-Delgado, C., Magurran, A. E. & García-Berthou, E., 6 Aug 2025, In: NeoBiota. 100, p. 45-63 19 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Spatial and temporal heterogeneity foster high fish biodiversity in an Amazonian floodplain
Magurran, A. E., Hercos, A. P., Moyes, F., de Oliveira, J. A., Gomes Samento, C., de Mello Mendes, D. M., da Silva Nonato, F. A., de Oliveira, J. C., Rossato, D. P. C., de Oliveira, T. B. C., da Silva, J. B. A., da Silva Coelho, Y. K., Vieira, T. M., Heleodoro, R. A., Henderson, P. A. & da Queiroz, H. L., Aug 2025, In: Science Advances. 11, 35, p. 1-12 12 p., eadv9672.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Species and trait abundance distributions as tools for understanding disturbance effects and community assembly in applied ecology
Ulrich, W., Borges, P. A. V., Fattorini, S., ter Steege, H., Gotelli, N. J., Magurran, A. E., Marquet, P. A., Schrader, J. & Matthews, T. J., Sept 2025, In: Journal of Applied Ecology. 62, 9, p. 2096-2110 15 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Among‐species variation in six decades of changing migration timings explained through ecology, life‐history and local migratory abundance
Dale, V. R., Bolton, M., Dornelas, M., Magurran, A. E., Dennis, R., Broad, R., Riddiford, N. J., Harvey, P. V., Riddington, R., Shaw, D. N., Parnaby, D. & Reid, J. M., Jul 2024, In: Global Change Biology. 30, 7, 21 p., e17400.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

An overview of vinasse pollution in aquatic ecosystems in Brazil
Azevedo-Santos, V. M., Fernandes, J. A., de Souza Andrade, G., de Moraes, P. M., Magurran, A. E., Pelicice, F. M. & Giarrizzo, T., Dec 2024, In: Environmental Management. 74, 6, p. 1037–1044 8 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review

Contact

We are currently all based in the Centre for Biological Diversity (CBD):

Sir Harold Mitchell Building, Greenside Place, KY16 9TH, St Andrews

We welcome interactions with other research groups and encourage enquiries from prospective volunteers, Senior Honours, MRes and PhD students as well as post-doctoral researchers.

For specific enquiries please contact the relevant PIs.

Related themes:

Related Centre: