Research

The distribution of organisms in space has a profound impact on biological and evolutionary outcomes. Dispersal is a key element in the development of spatial patterns. My research group is approaching the study of dispersal in a variety of ways: from practical field ecology trapping or tracking insects and plants, to purely theoretical approaches using simulation modelling.

My research has focussed on the evolution of dispersal strategies and the community-level consequences. Generally, dispersal is favoured when kin competition is strong and habitat is widely distributed, and selected against when suitable habitat is highly aggregated in space, although intelligent organisms, able to detect suitable habitat, will tend be more dispersive.

I have been applying models of dispersal evolution to questions of range expansions and invasions including the spread of human diseases or the interactions of phage, bacteria and plasmids. The implications of environmental change are a focus as models quickly demonstrate that dispersal increases at range margins providing climate has made habitat suitable beyond the range, but that range expansion is slowed by an Allee effect.

My research also considers ageing in relation to dispersal and the effect of inter-specific interactions.  Recently I have considered the evolution of partial migration in birds and of behaviours, such as healthcare, in mobile human groups of the Palaeolithic.