vCardDr Mark Whittingham

Dr Mark Whittingham
Senior Lecturer

I am an ecologist with a strong interest in birds, conservation and behaviour. A flavour of my interests can be found by looking at my papers (www.ncl.ac.uk/biology/staff/Mark_Whittingham.html).

Research Interests

My research interests lie in integrating farming and wildlife (especially birds) to help design sustainable farming systems.

Other Expertise

Ecology, bird behaviour, statistical modelling.

Current Work

1. The influence of habitat structure on farmland bird populations (sponsored by BBSRC 2004-2009).

I studied how vegetation structure influences the feeding ecology, habitat use and demographic rates of farmland birds. The basic tenet is that the variation in the suitability of habitats for birds is dependent to a significant degree on vegetation structure. This is because the structure of the habitat affects both the availability of food and the vulnerability of foraging birds to attack by predators. In turn, food availability and predation risk affect habitat suitability and hence habitat choice. The effects of vegetation structure on habitat choice have largely been studied in enclosures and in short-term experiments. I scale up these effects to look at them at the local population level. My results, in addition to advancing our understanding of population processes, will therefore lead directly to options for managing the agricultural environment for bird populations.

2. The effect of organic farming on foraging by granivorous birds (sponsors: NERC, Catherine Cookson foundation).

The aim of this project is to investigate the influence of organic farming on foraging of granivorous birds. Several studies have shown that farms under organic management tend to have greater abundance and diversity of birds than farms managed within conventional farming systems. Promoting organic farming could, therefore, enhance populations of European farmland birds (whose populations have fallen dramatically over recent decades) but the mechanisms whereby these systems benefit birds remain unclear. Although organic farming systems are mainly defined by a lack of use of artificial pesticides and fertilizers there are other changes to farmland which often accompany conversion of a farm from conventional to organic management. Previous studies found that hedgerows tend to be taller and wider and field boundaries tend to have more trees, all of which are favoured by many different farmland bird species. If organic management systems, or components of these systems, are to be advocated as a conservation measure for farmland birds it is vital to understand whether the benefits relate to management of cropped or non cropped habitats. This project focussed on the differences in food quality between different crop types for birds and also the use of different crops by birds. Ailsa McKenzie is funded by a NERC Case studentship with the BTO to work on this project and she is working alongside a fieldworker employed by a Catherine Cookson Trust grant.

3. Foraging personality and anti-predatory vigilance in starlings Sturnus vulgaris (sponsored by Newcastle University studentship to Jeroen Minderman).

Recent studies have shown individual differences in behaviour that are consistent and correlated across contexts in many species. Although such behavioural syndromes or ‘animal personalities’ may be interesting in itself, analysis of their relevance in an ecological context is vital because they are expected to constrain behavioural flexibility. This project investigates the relevance of individual differences in behaviour as measured under controlled conditions with those in the field. For further details see: www.students.ncl.ac.uk/jeroen.minderman/

4. Foraging ecology of kestrels on farmland (PhD project sponsored by Natural England).

Despite large increases in grassland margins on farmland kestrel populations have continued to decline. This project aims to identify key habitat requirements of kestrels breeding on lowland farmland and how to best manage those habitats to benefit kestrels.

Selected Publications

More Publications

Projects

Research Roles

School of Biology Post-graduate Committee member.

Postgraduate Supervision

I am the main supervisor of four PhD students at Newcastle (two started in autumn 2005 and two in Autumn 2008).

Esteem Indicators

BBSRC David Phillips Research Fellow.
Associate editor of 'Journal of Applied Ecology' (2006-date) and member of editorial board of 'Bird Study' (2005-date) and 'Open Ornithology' and 'Open Zoology' (2007-date).
Joined NERC peer review panel (June 2007)
Guest editorial In Journal of Applied Ecology (Feb 2007).
Invited plenary talk at 'Popluations under pressure' conference in March 2007.
Referee 10-20 papers per annum for ecological and ornithological journals.

Funding

2009 4 year DEFRA grant (£700,000 - £176k to Newcastle) to investigate the extent of soil compaction in England and Wales and how it can be potentially be remediated to benefit birds and soil invertebrates.
2009 NERC grant entitled "Estimating the independent effects of different components of organic farming on biodiversity". £82,000.
NERC studentship departmental quota award - Climate change and bird demography started 1st October 2008 (funded for 3.5 years).
£40,000 - 2008 Natural England towards PhD project on kestrels.
£4752 - Catherine Cookson Foundation Grant 'Why do birds prefer organic food?'.
£5000 - 2006 award from BSG for work on windfarms and farmland birds.
£10,000 - 2006 award from English Nature for pilot project on kestrels.
£2200 – 2005 awarded by RSPB for pilot project on stubble management.
NERC CASE studentship with BTO. Autumn 2005 until spring 2009.
£361,000 - May 2004 awarded a 5-year BBSRC David Phillips Fellowship. This pays my salary for 5 years (£204,000) and comes with a tied grant of £157,000.
Jointly awarded 3 DPhil studentships (1 from NERC and 2 from BBSRC) with Sir John Krebs, two from October 2001-2004 and one from October 2003-2006.
Involved with two PhD projects and the setting up of a research institute in Nigeria in collaboration with Dr Will Cresswell. This project has so far raised in excess of £150,000.
£230,000 awarded by BBSRC in 2001 for three-year project entitled “Testing the trans-situationality of bird-habitat models in agricultural landscapes” (I wrote the proposal and Sir John Krebs was Principal Investigator).
£6000 from English Nature in 1999 for project entitled “The effect of field margin management on foraging by breeding yellowhammers”.
£750 from the Royal Society to attend a conference in Utah, USA in 1999.
£35,000 from the European Commission in 1998 for continuation of my work at JNCC.
£1500 from English Nature in 1996 for project entitled “Population dynamics of golden plover”.
In 1991 awarded £400 travel scholarship by the University of East Anglia for Mexico expedition.

Background

Keen birdwatcher since an early age and strong interest in conservation.

See article in Science in 2005 about being a UK Research Fellow sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_development/previous_issues/articles/3500/keys_to_independence_views_from_the_trenches/(parent)/12077

Press article about recent paper on golden plovers and climate change www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/050328182234.htm

Press coverage about recent paper by Dr Whittingham in Ecology Letters on farmland birds and conservation strategies www.hero.ac.uk/uk/research/archives/2007/field_reports_Jan.cfm

Previous Positions

06/98 – 06/04. Post-doctoral Research Assistant (RA1A), EGI, Oxford University. From 2001-4 I was responsible for the daily running of the Farmland Bird Group reporting directly to Prof. Lord John Krebs.

1992- present. Associate consultant for BSG Environmental Consultants. Carried out 15 Environmental Impact Assessments and also literature reviews.

02/97-06/98 Joint Nature Conservation Committee (Higher Scientific Officer).

Memberships

BES, ASAB.

Informal Interests

Football, birdwatching.

Undergraduate Teaching

BIO 2001: Biology Research Communication.
BIO 2003: Field Identification Skills (Leader of Autumn Bird ID course).
BIO 390: Honours Research Projects (c6 per annum).
BIO 3012: Conservation Biology Issues.
BIO 3015: Social Impacts of Biology (Module Leader).

Postgraduate Teaching

2-3 Masters student research projects per year.
4 PhD students as main supervisor.