KEVIN J GASTON

The last of our recent flurry of new additions to the research group started work today. It is a pleasure to have Stefano Casalegno join us as a postdoctoral researcher mapping and analysing the distribution of ecosystem goods and services across Cornwall.

Maru Correa joins the research group today as a PhD student. We hope that she thoroughly enjoys her new life by the sea!

Two new additions to the research group today. Rich Inger joins as the group manager and a postdoctoral researcher working on the ecosystem services provided by wild birds. Maria Avila-Jimenez joins as a postdoctoral researcher working on the EPSRC-funded SECURE project. We hope to make both converts to the benefits of interdisciplinary research…

Sandel, B., Arge, L., Dalsgaard, B., Davies, R.G., Gaston, K.J., Sutherland, W.J. & Svenning, J-C. 2011. The influence of late Quaternary climate-change velocity on species endemism. Science 334, 660-664.

We show that areas of the Earth that have experienced low rates of climate-change velocity (the rate of climate displacement) are essential refuges for many small-ranged species.

Eigenbrod, F., Bell, V.A., Davies, H.N., Heinemeyer, A., Armsworth, P.R. & Gaston, K.J. 2011. The impact of projected increases in urbanization on ecosystem services. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 278, 3201-3208.

We examine some of the challenges of meeting future demands on and patterns of ecosystem services in the face of increasing urbanization, determining the relative influence on different services of sprawl and densification solutions to housing projected population growth across Britain (media coverage: BBC)

Booth, J.E., Gaston, K.J., Evans, K.L. & Armsworth, P.R. 2011. The value of species rarity in biodiversity recreation: a birdwatching example. Biological Conservation 144, 2728-2732.

We determine the relationship between the rarity of species and their value for wildlife viewing recreation. We document the significance of rare birds in drawing increasing numbers of visitors, but also the apparent failure of protected area managers to capitalise on the opportunities for revenue raising and education.

Dallimer, M., Tang, Z., Bibby, P.R., Brindley, P., Gaston, K.J. & Davies, Z.G. 2011. Temporal changes in greenspace in a highly urbanised region. Biology Letters 7, 763-766.

We document the impact of national level planning policy on temporal patterns in the extent of greenspace in cities.

Edmondson, J.L., Davies, Z.G., McCormack, S.A., Gaston, K.J. & Leake, J.R. 2011. Are soils in urban ecosystems compacted? A citywide analysis. Biology Letters 7, 771-774.

We show that, across a typical UK city, urban soils are in better physical condition than agricultural soils and can contribute significantly to ecosystem service provision.

Davies, Z.G., Edmondson, J.L., Leake, J.R. & Gaston, K.J. 2011. Mapping an urban ecosystem service: quantifying above-ground carbon storage at a city-wide scale. Journal of Applied Ecology 48, 1125-1134.

We demonstrate the potential benefits of accounting for, mapping and appropriately managing aboveground vegetation carbon stores, even within a typical densely urbanized European city (Examples of media coverage: BBC; Nature; New Scientist; Times of India)

Holland, R.A., Eigenbrod, F., Armsworth, P.R., Anderson, B.J., Thomas, C.D., Heinemeyer, A., Gillings, S., Roy, D.B. & Gaston, K.J. 2011. Spatial covariation between freshwater and terrestrial ecosystem services. Ecological Applications 21, 2034-2048.

We examine relationships between indicators of riverine water and associated habitat quality, freshwater biodiversity, three terrestrial ecosystem services, and terrestrial biodiversity across England and Wales.