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Outputs (28)

Distribution models calibrated with independent field data predict two million ancient and veteran trees in England (2022)
Journal Article
Nolan, V., Gilbert, F., Reed, T., & Reader, T. (2022). Distribution models calibrated with independent field data predict two million ancient and veteran trees in England. Ecological Applications, 32(8), Article e2695. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2695

Large, citizen-science species databases are powerful resources for predictive species distribution modeling (SDM), yet they are often subject to sampling bias. Many methods have been proposed to correct for this, but there exists little consensus as... Read More about Distribution models calibrated with independent field data predict two million ancient and veteran trees in England.

The effect of agri-environment schemes on Bombus terrestris colony success (2022)
Journal Article
Crowther, L. I., Reader, T., & Gilbert, F. (2022). The effect of agri-environment schemes on Bombus terrestris colony success. Ecological Entomology, 47(5), 911-914. https://doi.org/10.1111/een.13155

As with other species linked to agricultural environments, many bumblebee species are exhibiting significant population declines. This study assesses the success of colonies of Bombus terrestris audax on farms differing in conservation inputs via agr... Read More about The effect of agri-environment schemes on Bombus terrestris colony success.

Solving sampling bias problems in presence–absence or presence-only species data using zero-inflated models (2021)
Journal Article
Nolan, V., Gilbert, F., & Reader, T. (2022). Solving sampling bias problems in presence–absence or presence-only species data using zero-inflated models. Journal of Biogeography, 49(1), 215-232. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14268

Aim: Large databases of species records such as those generated through citizen science projects, archives or museum collections are being used with increasing frequency in species distribution modelling (SDM) for conservation and land management. De... Read More about Solving sampling bias problems in presence–absence or presence-only species data using zero-inflated models.

Target-group backgrounds prove effective at correcting sampling bias in Maxent models (2021)
Journal Article
Barber, R. A., Ball, S. G., Morris, R. K., & Gilbert, F. (2022). Target-group backgrounds prove effective at correcting sampling bias in Maxent models. Diversity and Distributions, 28(1), 128-141. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13442

Aim: Accounting for sampling bias is the greatest challenge facing presence-only and presence-background species distribution models; no matter what type of model is chosen, using biased data will mask the true relationship between occurrences and en... Read More about Target-group backgrounds prove effective at correcting sampling bias in Maxent models.

Mapping the evolution of accurate Batesian mimicry of social wasps in hoverflies (2021)
Journal Article
Leavey, A., Taylor, C. H., Symonds, M. R. E., Gilbert, F., & Reader, T. (2021). Mapping the evolution of accurate Batesian mimicry of social wasps in hoverflies. Evolution, https://doi.org/10.1111/evo.14336

Hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) provide an excellent opportunity to study the evolution of Batesian mimicry, where defenseless prey avoid predation by evolving to resemble defended “model” species. Although some hoverflies beautifully resemble their... Read More about Mapping the evolution of accurate Batesian mimicry of social wasps in hoverflies.

Historical maps confirm the accuracy of zero‐inflated model predictions of ancient tree abundance in English wood‐pastures (2021)
Journal Article
Nolan, V., Reader, T., Gilbert, F., & Atkinson, N. (2021). Historical maps confirm the accuracy of zero‐inflated model predictions of ancient tree abundance in English wood‐pastures. Journal of Applied Ecology, 58(11), 2661-2672. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13996

Ancient trees have important ecological, historical and social connections, and are a key source of dead and decaying wood, a globally declining resource. Wood-pastures, which combine livestock grazing, open spaces and scattered trees, are significan... Read More about Historical maps confirm the accuracy of zero‐inflated model predictions of ancient tree abundance in English wood‐pastures.

The effect of agri-environment schemes on bees on Shropshire farms (2020)
Journal Article
Crowther, L. I., & Gilbert, F. (2020). The effect of agri-environment schemes on bees on Shropshire farms. Journal for Nature Conservation, 58, Article 125895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2020.125895

© 2020 The decline of bees and other invertebrate pollinators is cause for global concern, with modern intensive agriculture identified as a key driver. Government-run agri-environment schemes (AES) have the potential to restore the local landscape t... Read More about The effect of agri-environment schemes on bees on Shropshire farms.

Elevation patterns of plant diversity and recent altitudinal range shifts in Sinai’s high mountain flora (2018)
Journal Article
Coals, P., Shmida, A., Vasl, A., Mansour, N., & Gilbert, F. (in press). Elevation patterns of plant diversity and recent altitudinal range shifts in Sinai’s high mountain flora. Journal of Vegetation Science, 29(2), https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12618

Questions: Is there evidence of recent altitudinal range shifts in a hyper-arid Middle Eastern desert mountain flora? How do the directions of shift for upper and lower altitudinal range limits of plants vary? Location: Hyper-arid mountain desert,... Read More about Elevation patterns of plant diversity and recent altitudinal range shifts in Sinai’s high mountain flora.

Alien honeybees increase pollination risks for range-restricted plants (2018)
Journal Article
Norfolk, O., Gilbert, F., & Eichhorn, M. P. (2018). Alien honeybees increase pollination risks for range-restricted plants. Diversity and Distributions, 24(5), 705-713. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12715

Aim:Range-restricted species are of high conservation concern and the way in which they interact with more widespread species has implications for their persistence. Here we determine how the specialisation of mutualistic interactions varies with res... Read More about Alien honeybees increase pollination risks for range-restricted plants.

Laws in ecology: diverse modes of explanation for a holistic science? (2017)
Journal Article
Gunton, R., & Gilbert, F. (2017). Laws in ecology: diverse modes of explanation for a holistic science?. Zygon, 52(2), 538-560. https://doi.org/10.1111/zygo.12334

Ecology’s reputation as a holistic and soft science is partly due to widespread misconceptions of its nature as well as shortcomings in its methodology. We show how the pursuit of empirical laws of ecology can foster the emergence of a more unified a... Read More about Laws in ecology: diverse modes of explanation for a holistic science?.