PhD - Climate Opportunists a threat to UK Biodiversity & Ecosystems
There are some 1,800 species living in the UK that have been introduced by humans from elsewhere. Some of these non-native species are classed as “invasive”, meaning they cause significant damage to native ecosystems. However, another kind of non-native species is emerging: species that are colonising the UK without human assistance (“natural colonists”).
My PhD aims to evaluate the threat posed by natural colonists, using data from the national biodiversity network and a range of modelling approaches. I will also be considering their management in the context of the wider conservation status of these species. My thesis will also investigate relevant actors’ perception of and readiness for this potential problem using a social science methodology.
Before starting on this project I did an MSc in Biodiversity, Conservation and Management at the University of Oxford, following straight on from my undergraduate in Zoology at the university of Cambridge.
Twitter: @JP_Cranston