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A couple of fruit bats hanging from a tree

Behaviour, Ecology, and Physiology at Bangor

We conduct research relevant to a broad range of subjects and biological systems to understand the behaviour, ecology and physiology of animals.

On this page:
Lemur in the wild

Our research

Our research addresses both fundamental questions about how and why animals do what they do, as well as applied questions relevant to subjects such as the conservation and welfare of animals. Our research is highly interdisciplinary, including insights, expertise and methods from molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, neurobiology and even quantum physics. We work globally, from here to there and beyond, using both laboratory and field-based techniques to study a broad range of topics.  

Topics we study

Our research topics include:

  • the molecular basis of circadian rhythms
  • the hormonal control of ecdysis in crustaceans
  • the energetics and biomechanics of animal movement
  • animal behaviour and ecology
  • navigation and migration
  • reproductive physiology
  • animal personality 
  • animal social behaviour.

We also work on applied questions such as the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on animals, for example the metabolic and physiological responses to environmental change in marine organisms, the effect of ecotourism and habitat change on stress and reproductive function in primates, and the effect of noise on animal signalling and navigation behaviour.  

Meet the Team

Lady standing holding cameras on a boat in the sea

Dr Ewa Krzyszczyk

Ewa is a marine zoologist interested in behaviour and conservation of marine mammals, fish, and a variety of marine ecosystems (reefs, mangroves, seagrass).

Professor George Turner standing in the river with a fishing net

Prof George Turner

George Turner studies the biodiversity and evolution of African freshwater fish, especially Lake Malawi cichlids and tilapias.

Dr Kirsty MacLeod measuring a lizard

Dr Kirsty MacLeod

Kirsty is interested in the intersection between behaviour and physiology, particularly relating to social behaviour, parental care, maternal effects and stress, primarily but not exclusively in reptiles

Headshot of Richard Holland

Prof Richard Holland

Richard's research questions focus on the cognitive processes and sensory mechanisms by which animals navigate and migrate.

Dr Darren Parker with a net collecting insects in a field

Dr Darren Parker

Darren is an evolutionary biologist interested in the causes and consequences of different reproductive strategies in insects.

block of yellow colour

Dr Katherine Jones

Kat is interested in how animals respond to danger from predators and humans.

Dr Mark Mainwaring on the coast with binoculars around his neck

Dr Mark Mainwaring

Mark examines how environmental conditions influence avian reproduction and life histories in the Anthropocene.

Dr Graeme Shannon with three elephants in the background

Dr Graeme Shannon

Graeme's research focuses on large herbivore ecology and the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on wildlife behaviour.

Dr James Hicks looking at a lizard he is holding in his hand

Dr James Hicks

James is a herpetologist interested in how reptiles and amphibians adapt to changing environments

male standing in forest bird approaching to eat from his hand

Dr Alex Sutton

Alex is a global change ecologist interested in understanding the drivers of differential responses to climate change.

block of yellow colour

Dr Alexander Georgiev

Alex is a primatologist and evolutionary anthropologist studying how the Zanzibar red colobus monkey is coping (or not) with anthropogenic change.

Dr Benjamin Jarrett

Dr Benjamin Jarrett

Benjamin is an evolutionary ecologist who uses insects to answer basic questions about the evolutionary consequences of social behaviour, and applied questions about biological control and invasive species.

A bird feeding from the hand of Dr Nikole Freeman

Dr Nikole Freeman

Koley is a ecophysiologist interested in how the environment shapes physiology and behaviour of birds and mammals

headshot of Will Schneider

Dr Will Schneider

Will has a background in electronic engineering, and now utilises it to answer a wide range of questions related to animal behaviour.

Patrick Allsop looking at trees through binoculars

Mr Patrick Allsop

Patrick is a primatologist interested in how patterns of natal dispersal differ between forests and anthropogenic habitats

Dr Kristen Crandell holding a bird

Dr Kristen Crandell

Kris is a biomechanist interested in how animals move through their environments, using basic engineering principles to answer questions about ecology and evolution across taxa

Miary Raselimanana holding a chameleon

Ms Miary Raselimanana

Miary is a herpetologist, ecologist, and conservation biologist studying winter climate change effects on temperate reptiles.

block of yellow colour

Dr Caroline Bettridge

Caroline is a behavioural ecologist interested in the evolution of social systems and reproductive and mating strategies, and how these are driven and constrained by ecological conditions. She focusses primarily on large mammal behaviour, especially primates.

Behaviour, Ecology, and Physiology Projects

Eurasian reed warbler head

Project 1

Understanding the cognitive mechanisms, sensory systems and environmental cues that guide animals through space, lead by Professor Richard Holland.

Flock of birds above some trees

Project 2

Understanding the cognitive mechanisms, sensory systems and environmental cues that guide animals through space, lead by Professor Richard Holland.

a Reed warbler in the hand.

Project 3

Understanding the cognitive mechanisms, sensory systems and environmental cues that guide animals through space, lead by Professor Richard Holland.

Our Research Around the World

Recent Publications

A selection of recent publications from Zoology@Bangor researchers is listed here, but for all the latest publications, please check individual researcher pages linked above.

  • Widespread extinctions of co-diversified primate gut bacterial symbionts from humans. Sanders, J.G., Sprockett, D.D., Li, Y., Mjungu, D., Lonsdorf, E.V., Ndjango, J.B.N., Georgiev, A.V., Hart, J.A., Sanz, C.M., Morgan, D.B. and Peeters, M., 2023.  Nature Microbiology, pp.1-12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-023-01388-w
  • Topic sensitivity still affects honest responding, even when specialized questioning techniques are used. Ibbett, H., Dorward, L.J., Kohi, E.M., Jones, J.P., Sankeni, S., Kaduma, J., Mchomvu, J., Mawenya, R. and St. John, F.A., 2023.Conservation Science and Practice, p.e12927. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12927
  • Resolving Land Tenure Security Is Essential to Deliver Forest Restoration. Rakotonarivo, O.S., Rakotoarisoa, M., Rajaonarivelo, H.M., Raharijaona, S., Jones, J.P.G., and Hockley, N. 2023.Communications Earth & Environment 4, no. 1, 179. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00847-w.
  • Introducing a common taxonomy to support learning from failure in conservation. Dickson, I., Butchart, S.H., Catalano, A., Gibbons, D., Jones, J.P., Lee‐Brooks, K., Oldfield, T., Noble, D., Paterson, S., Roy, S. and Semelin, J., 2023. Conservation Biology, 37(1), p.e13967. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13967
  • Credit credibility threatens forests. Balmford, A., Brancalion, P.H., Coomes, D., Filewod, B., Groom, B., Guizar-Couti ño, A., Jones, J.P., Keshav, S., Kontoleon, A., Madhavapeddy, A. and Malhi, Y., 2023. Science, 380(6644), pp.466-467. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adh3426
  • Towards a standardized framework for managing lost species. Martin, T.E., Bennett, G.C., Fairbairn, A. and Mooers, A.O., 2023. Animal Conservation, 26(1), pp.29-30. https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12865
  • Applied winter biology: Threats, conservation and management of biological resources during winter in cold climate regions. Reeve, C., Robichaud, J. A., Fernandes, T., Bates, A. E., Bramburger, A. J., Brownscombe, J. W., Davy, C. M., Henry, H. A. L., McMeans, B. C., Moise, E. R. D., Sharma, S., Smith, P. A., Studd, E. K., O’Sullivan, A., Sutton, A. O., Templer, P. H., & Cooke, S. J. 2023. Conservation Physiology, 11(1), coad027. https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coad027
  • Impacts of herbivory by ecological replacements on an island ecosystem. JMoorhouse‐Gann, R.J., Vaughan, I.P., Cole, N.C., Goder, M., Tatayah, V., Jones, C.G., Mike, D., Young, R.P., Bruford, M.W., Rivers, M.C. and Hipperson, H., 2022. ournal of Applied Ecology, 59(9), pp.2245-2261. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14096
  • Rewilding—The farmers’ perspective. Perceptions and attitudinal support for rewilding among the English farming community. Mikołajczak, K.M., Jones, N., Sandom, C.J., Wynne‐Jones, S., Beardsall, A., Burgelman, S., Ellam, L. and Wheeler, H.C., 2022.  People and Nature, 4(6), pp.1435-1449. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10376
  • Impact of landscape configuration and composition on pollinator communities across different European biogeographic regions. Bottero, I., Dominik, C., Schweiger, O., Albrecht, M., Attridge, E., Brown, M.J.F., Cini, E., Costa, C., De la Rúa, P., de Miranda, J.R., Di Prisco, G., Dzul Uuh, D., Hodge, S., Ivarsson, K., Knauer, A.C., Klein, A.-M., Mänd, M., Martínez-López, V., Medrzycki, P., Pereira-Peixoto, H., Potts, S., Raimets, R., Rundlöf, M., Schwarz, J.M., Senapathi, D., Tamburini, G., Talaván, E.T., Stout, J.C., 2023. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1128228
  • Small effects of family size on sociality despite strong kin preferences in female bottlenose dolphins. Foroughirad, V., Frère, C.H., Levengood, A.L., Kopps, A.M., Krzyszczyk, E. and Mann, J., 2023. Animal Behaviour, 195, pp.53-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.10.011
  • Model ensembles of ecosystem services fill global certainty and capacity gaps. Willcock, S., Hooftman, D.A., Neugarten, R.A., Chaplin-Kramer, R., Barredo, J.I., Hickler, T., Kindermann, G., Lewis, A.R., Lindeskog, M., Martínez-López, J. and Bullock, J.M., 2023. Science Advances, 9(14), p.eadf5492. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adf5492
  • Differential effects of vegetation and climate on termite diversity and damage. Wu, D., Seibold, S., Ellwood, M.F. and Chu, C., 2022. Journal of Applied Ecology, 59(12), pp.2922-2935. https://doi-org.bangor.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14282
  • The effects of population management on wild ungulates: A systematic map of evidence for UK species. Barton, O., Gresham, A., Healey, J.R., Cordes, L.S. and Shannon, G., 2022. Plos one, 17(6), p.e0267385. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0267385
  • Gas compressor noise does not influence tree swallow nestling condition or immune response. JMacLeod, K.J., Naugle, L., Brittingham, M.C. and Avery, J.D., 2022. ournal of Zoology, 318(1), pp.1-9.  https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12997
  • Widespread variation in functional trait–vital rate relationships in tropical tree seedlings across a precipitation and soil phosphorus gradient. Browne, L., Markesteijn, L., Manzané‐Pinzón, E., Wright, S.J., Bagchi, R., Engelbrecht, B.M., Jones, F.A. and Comita, L.S., 2023. Functional Ecology, 37(2), pp.248-260.  https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.1421
  • On track to achieve no net loss of forest at Madagascar’s biggest mine. Devenish, K., Desbureaux, S., Willcock, S., & Jones, J. P. G. (2022). Nature Sustainability, 5(6), 498–508. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-00850-7

Opportunities

Behaviour, Ecology, and Physiology researchers supervise PhD researchers through the Envision Doctoral Training Partnership, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). 

If you are interested in completing postgraduate research (MRes or PhD) with us, whether through Envision or an alternative route, please contact individual staff members to discuss.