Dr Richard Bevan

Background

Roles and Responsibilities within School

• Stage 1 Coordinator for Zoology
• Member of the Board of Studies for Undergraduate Taught Programmes and the School Teaching and Learning Committee
• Member of the Expeditions Committee

External roles

• Member of Farne Islands Advisory Committee
• Mammal Section Coordinator for Natural History Society of Northumbria

Memberships

• Society for Experimental Biology
• British Ecological Society

Google Scholar page: http://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=DPNpD0sAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

Teaching

Undergraduate Teaching

Module leader

• NES1304 UK Wildlife

Contributor

• NES1504 Academic and Professional Skills for the Biosciences
• NES2311/NES2507 Marine Vertebrates
• NES2314 Vertebrate Biology
• BIO2040 Field-based Ecology
• NES3306 Physiological Zoology
• NES3313 Africa Field Course
• NES3505 Undergraduate Research Projects

Postgraduate Teaching

Contributor

• NES8002 MSc Projects

Research

Research Interests

Animal Ecophysiology: how animals work in the wild.

Knowing how animals interact with their environment both physiologically and behaviourally is vital if we are to understand and interpret their biology. Physiological limitations will affect an animal’s behavioural repertoire while an animal’s behaviour can influence the development of an animal’s physiological limits. By integrating physiological and behavioural studies, we can gain a better understanding of the overall ecology of the animals. Underpinning my work is the use of remote monitoring technology such as heart rate monitoring, electronic data archival devices and satellite telemetry. Specific areas of study include: the physiology, ecology and behaviour of aquatic birds and mammals; energy expenditure of free-ranging animals; foraging behaviour of seabirds; use of stable isotopes to study animal ecology; spatial movements of animals; animal conservation.

Current Projects

Factors affecting the foraging behaviour and reproductive success of seabirds.

To understand these factors better, I am deploying technology to determine the movements and behaviour of seabirds while they are at sea.

Conservation grazing of large herbivores.

The use of cattle, sheep and goats (particularly native breeds) as tools to improve the biodiversity of an area is now fairly common practice but is not always based on scientific evidence. I remotely monitor the herbivores within these schemes and link the movements and behaviour of the animals to their impact on the biodiversity.   

Postgraduate Supervision

I currently supervise:

• Janine Maddison, co-supervised with Dr Sara Marsham. PhD title "Assessing pedagogic benefits of the virtual world to enhance fieldwork" 
• Sam Bishop, co-supervised with Prof Per Berggren. MPhil title "Drivers of the spatial distribution, nursing and haul out behaviours of lactating grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) at the Farne Islands, UK"
• Grace Turner, co-supervised with Dr Marion Pfeiffer. MPhil title "Forest recovery and grazing pressure"

Past students include:

• Ibrahim Al-Farwi, co-supervised with Dr Chris Redfern. PhD title "Impact of large gulls on the breeding biology of terns".
• Ross Ahmed, MPhil title "Habitat use by Brent Goose at Holy Island, Northumberland".
• Yaser Binaser, PhD title "Physiological effects of global climate change on common British Marine invertebrates".
• Laura Morris, PhD title "Breeding ecology of Artic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) and Common Tern (Sterna Hirundo)".
• Jim Clapp, PhD title "Avian urate spheres :a non-invasive method to biomonitor environmental pollution and stress in birds".
• Liz Coiffait, PhD title "Elucidating the movements of migratory birds through the combined use of stable isotope signatures and DNA fingerprints".
• Matt Edwards, PhD title: "Foraging behaviour of seabirds : modelling the interaction between individuals and their environment".

I also supervise UG and PG projects on a variety of topics such as: "The impact of Grey Seals on Atlantic Puffins", "Factors affecting Grey Seal distributions during pupping", "Spatial movements of Cheviot goats"

Publications

• Articles

  • Maddison J, Marsham S, Bevan RM. Using ArcGIS StoryMaps to prepare learners for fieldwork. The Open Review Journal 2023, 8, 111-117.
  • Maddison J, Bevan RM, Marsham S. Developing a digital field notebook for bioscience students in higher education. Frontiers in Education 2023, 8, 1271789.
  • Redfern CPF, Bevan RM. The Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea: consistency and variability in spatial use at a global oceanographic scale. Marine Ecology Progress Series 2022, 691, 151-171.
  • Buckingham L, Bogdanova MI, Green JA, Dunn RE, Wanless S, Bennett S, Bevan RM, Call A, Canham M, Corse CJ, Harris MP, Heward CJ, Jardine DC, Lennon J, Parnaby D, Redfern CPF, Scott L, Swann RL, Ward RM, Weston ED, Furness RW, Daunt F. Interspecific variation in non-breeding aggregation: a multi-colony tracking study of two sympatric seabirds. Marine Ecology Progress Series 2022, 684, 181-197.
  • Redfern CPF, Bevan RM. Use of sea ice by arctic terns Sterna paradisaea in Antarctica and impacts of climate change. Journal of Avian Biology 2020, 51(2), e02318.
  • Redfern CPF, Bevan RM. Overland movement and migration phenology in relation to breeding of Arctic Terns Sterna paradisaea. Ibis 2019, 162(2), 373-380.
  • Morgan EA, Hassall C, Redfern CPF, Bevan RM, Hamer KC. Individuality of foraging behaviour in a short-ranging benthic marine predator: Incidence and implications. Marine Ecology Progress Series 2019, 609, 209-219.
  • Redfern CPF, Bevan RM. A comparison of foraging behaviour in the North Sea by Black-legged Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla from an inland and a maritime colony. Bird Study 2014, 61(1), 17-28.
  • Clapp JB, Bevan R, Singleton I. Avian Urine: Its Potential as a Non-Invasive Biomonitor of Environmental Metal Exposure in Birds. Water, Air and Soil Pollution 2012, 223(7), 3923-3938.
  • Milona P, Townes CL, Bevan RM, Hall J. The chicken host peptides, gallinacins 4, 7, and 9 have antimicrobial activity against Salmonella serovars. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 2007, 356(1), 169-174.
  • Thaxter, C., Redfern, C.P.F., Bevan, R.M. Survival rates of adult Reed Warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus at a northern and southern site in England. Ringing and Migration 2006, 23(2), 65-79.
  • Atkinson PW, Baker AJ, Bevan RM, Clark NA, Cole KB, Gonzalez PM, Newton J, Niles LJ, Robinson RA. Unravelling the migration and moult strategies of a long-distance migrant using stable isotopes: Red Knot Calidris canutus movements in the Americas. Ibis 2005, 147(4), 738-749.
  • Bevan RM. Stable isotopes: a tool for linking behaviour and physiology. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 2004, 137, S24-S25.
  • Hawkins P, Morton DB, Bevan R, Heath K, Kirkwood J, Pearce P, Scott L, Whelan G, Webb A. Husbandry refinements for rats, mice, dogs and non-human primates used in telemetry procedures: Seventh report of the BVAAWF/FRAME/RSPCA/UFAW Joint Working Group on Refinement, Part B. Laboratory Animals 2004, 38(1), 1-10.
  • Morton DB, Hawkins P, Bevan R, Heath K, Kirkwood J, Pearce P, Scott L, Whelan G, Webb A, Joint Working Grp Refinement. Refinements in telemetry procedures - Seventh report of the BVAAWF/FRAME/RSPCA/UFAW Joint Working Group on Refinement, part A. Laboratory Animals 2003, 37(4), 261-299.
  • Bevan RM, Butler PJ, Woakes AJ, Boyd IL. The energetics of Gentoo Penguins, Pygoscelis papua, during the breeding season. Functional Ecology 2002, 16(2), 175-190.
  • Nolet BA, Bevan RM, Klaassen M, Langevoord O, Van der Heijden YGJT. Habitat switching by Bewick's swans: maximization of average long-term energy gain?. Journal of Animal Ecology 2002, 71(6), 979-993.
  • Nolet BA, Langevoord O, Bevan RM, Engelaar KR, Klaassen M, Mulder RJW, Van Dijk S. Spatial variation in tuber depletion by swans explained by differences in net intake rates. Ecology 2001, 82(6), 1655-1667.
  • Hale ML, Bevan R, Wolff K. New polymorphic microsatellite markers for the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and their applicability to the grey squirrel (S. carolinensis). Molecular Ecology Notes 2001, 1(1-2), 47-49.
  • Bevan RM, Ropert-Coudert Y, Bost C-A, Handrich Y. Impact of externally-attached loggers on the dive parameters of the king penguin. Physiological & Biochemical Zoology 2000, 73(4), 438-444.
  • Ropert-Coudert Y, Bost CA, Handrich Y, Bevan RM, Butler PJ, Woakes AT, Maho YLe. Impact of externally attached loggers on the diving behaviour of the king penguin. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 2000, 73(4), 438-445.
  • Butler PJ, Woakes AJ, Bevan RM, Stephenson R. Heart rate and rate of oxygen consumption during flight of the barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology a-Molecular and Integrative Physiology 2000, 126(3), 379-385.
  • Y. Handrich,R. M. Bevan,J. B. Charrassin,P. J. Butler,K. Putz,A. J. Woakes,J. Lage,Y. LeMaho. Hypothermia in foraging king penguins. Nature 1997, 388(6637), 64-67.

• Book Chapter

  • Coiffait L, Bevan RM, Newton J, Redfern CPF, Wolff K. Elucidating the movements of migratory birds through the combined use of stable isotope ‘signatures’ and DNA markers. In: Boere, G.C.; Galbraith, C.A.; Stroud, D.A, ed. Waterbirds Around the World. Edinburgh: The Stationery Office, 2006, pp.506-507.

• Report

  • Adams D, Arkle S, Bevan RM, Boachie-Ansah G, Bradshaw T, Cameron G, Campbell AM, Chamberlain M, Gibson A, Gowers D, Hayes M, Heritage J, Hollingsworth M, Hooper H, Hudson K, Hughes I, Lindsey N, Meskin S, Park J, Podesta T, Rattray J, Scott G, Shearer M, Smalley H, Smith VA, Smith D, Tierney A, Todd M, Verran J, Wakeford C, Wilbraham J, Wilson J. 1st Year Practicals: Their Role in Developing Future Bioscientists. Leeds: Centre for Bioscience, University of Leeds, 2008.