Jenny Gill

Biography

Professor of Applied Ecology, University of East Anglia (2014-present) Reader, University of East Anglia (2007-2014) Lecturer, University of East Anglia (2006-2007) NERC Fellow, University of East Anglia (2003-2006) Tyndall Senior Research Associate, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research (2001-2003) NERC Senior Research Associate, University of East Anglia (1998-2001) RSPB-funded Senior Research Associate, University of East Anglia (1994-1998) PhD: Population Ecology, University of East Anglia (1994) BSc: Zoology, University of Edinburgh (1990)

Research Interest

I am an ecologist with primary interests in the ecology and evolution of migratory systems, and in applied issues of understanding and managing the impact of environmental changes on biodiversity. My research is principally focused on large-scale population regulation in migratory shorebirds, and developing tools for managing coastal habitats. Much of my large-scale shorebird work is constructed around a long-term study of Icelandic black-tailed godwits, Limosa limosa islandica. Since 1995, individual colour-marking of c. 1-2% of this population, and the development of a network of hundreds of volunteer observers across Europe, has allowed us to unravel the links between habitats of varying quality in summer and winter, and to track the population expansion in both seasons. These links have profound implications for a wide range of population and evolutionary processes, which we are exploring in detail. In addition to this work, I am also involved in studies of the impact of climate change on coastal habitats in the UK, management of lowland habitats for biodiversity and ecosystem services in the UK and drivers of spatial variation in population trends in migratory birds.