果冻影院

I joined 果冻影院 Geography in 2005, and my current roles are Professor of Biodiversity Conservation and Head of Teaching / Deputy Head of Department. I am also the Director of the 果冻影院 MSc Conservation programme.聽

My diverse research and education portfolios cover aspects of applied biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration, ecosystem services, environmental governance, biodiversity metrics, patterns of invertebrate and plant diversity in space and time, models linking these patterns to environmental factors like climate and land-use change, ecological survey techniques, alien species invasions, sustainable resource use, biogeography and biogeochemical processes.聽

My research is conducted in agricultural, forested and mountainous landscapes across the globe.聽

More about Professor Axmacher

My academic career started in my native Germany, where I studied geo-ecology (鈥楧iplom鈥� studies ~ equivalent to an MSci, 1993-1998) at Bayreuth University. At the same university, I subsequently completed PhD studies (Dr. rer. nat., 1999-2003) investigating biodiversity patterns of plants and moths on the SW slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. After a year spent at the University of Hohenheim as PDRA/PDTA, where I helped establish a joint Sino-German research training group with the China Agricultural University, I arrived at 果冻影院 in 2005, where I took on a position as lecturer.聽

Here, I shifted my research focus from tropical mountain rainforests to agricultural and forest habitats in temperate regions, and I started diversifying my education and research portfolios from a strong biogeographical and macroecological focus to increasingly include applied aspects of biodiversity conservation, environmental governance and restoration ecology. The invasion patterns and potential control of alien species, ecosystem services and biodiversity metrics/multivariate statistics subsequently added to the breadth of this portfolio. 聽

In 2013, I was promoted to Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor, and in 2021 to Professor of Biodiversity Conservation. Between 2020 and 2023, I also held a Guest Professor position at the Agricultural University of Iceland.聽

In relation to outreach activities, I have for example been engaged with IPBES, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. I was elected as Lead Author for the IPBES Regional Assessment for Asia and the Pacific Region, focusing particularly on Chapter 4 (drivers). I am also currently a fellow of 鈥淎dvance HE鈥� (formerly the Higher Education Academy), the Royal Entomological Society (RES) and the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), and a Member of the Society for Conservation Biology, the International Biogeography Society and the Institute for Biodiversity 鈥� Network.鈥�鈥�聽聽

Teaching

I am the Course Convenor for 惭厂肠听颁辞苍蝉别谤惫补迟颈辞苍.

I teach on the following modules:

Undergraduate:

• Ecological Patterns and Processes (GEOG0020, Convenor)
• Physical Geography Field Research (GEOG0017)

Postgraduate:

• Environmental Data Acquisition and Analysis (GEOG0106, Convenor)
• Scientific Basis for Freshwater and Coastal Conservation (GEOG0108, Co-Convenor)
• Conservation and Environmental Management (GEOG0093, Convenor)

Publications

To view Professor聽Axmacher's publications, please visit 果冻影院 Profiles:

Research Interests

We are facing unprecedented environmental pressures from dramatic changes in climatic conditions and the rapid loss of biodiversity and associated environmental resources and services. I have dedicated my academic research career to establishing how these factors are linked, and how they affect particularly the composition and diversity of plant and invertebrate assemblages, and associated ecosystem services like pollination, biological pest control and agricultural yields.

Most of my research activities aim to establish what we can do to mitigate the rapidly changing environmental conditions we are facing, and, crucially, how we can adapt biodiversity conservation efforts, environmental management and agricultural practices to optimize positive outcomes both for the natural environment and for humanity.

Impact

I strongly contribute towards debates relating to biodiversity conservation, habitat restoration, environmental management and climate change adaptation. I am particularly passionate about promoting the crucial roles played by the most species-rich taxa on our planet that nonetheless have been strongly neglected in these debates. Other focal areas of my research that generate significant impact include contributions towards an improved understanding of the colonization patterns of invasive species, which are becoming an increasingly severe problem across the world.聽

As lead author (LA), I have participated in the 'Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services' (IPBES) 'Regional Assessment for Asia and the Pacific' (IPBES Deliverable 2 (b)).聽

Together with my Chinese colleagues, I have also been in discussion with representatives of relevant Chinese Ministries to explore how the sustainability of agricultural practices in China can be enhanced, and how the agricultural landscape structure can be optimized, to conserve and enhance biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services in the agricultural landscapes.聽

Research Students

Current PhD Research Students

• Beth Stacey (2024-) Working title: Scandinavian large carnivore communities and their interaction with local prey populations聽
• Claudia Fernandez De Cordoba Farini (2023-) Working title: Cross-sector relationships between food systems and biodiversity conservation聽
• Elizabeth Downey (2023-)鈥疻orking title: Ecological baselines, biodiversity conservation and human-wildlife co-existence 鈥� opportunities and insights from natural history collections聽
• Jian Chen鈥�(2021-) Working title: Marine Protected Area Governance in a Chinese Context聽
• 颁丑补谤濒颈别鈥�舛膵舛膵舛膵舛膵舛膵舛膵H补肠办蹿辞谤迟丑鈥�(2021-) Working title: Insect diversity and pollination networks in Congolese peat swamp forest聽
• Hurling, S鈥�聽(2021-) Working title: Distribution, population dynamics and conservation status of Iceland鈥檚 nocturnal seabirds.鈥疨hD project based at the Agricultural University of Iceland)聽
• Joshua Powell鈥�(2020-) Working title: Challenges and Opportunities for Transboundary Conservation of Amur tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) in North-East Asia聽
• David Downes鈥�(2018-)鈥疻orking title: Importance of pond restoration for the conservation of freshwater biodiversity in agricultural landscapes聽
• Helen Greaves鈥�(2011-)鈥疻orking title: Assessing the value of pond management for biodiversity conservation聽

Past PhD Research Students

• Paulson K鈥�(2023) No man is an island: Collaboration, communication, and other facilitators and barriers to environmental indicator use as heterogenous policy tools in the environmental governance of Small Island Developing States聽
• Unger L (2023)鈥疷sing palaeolimnology to determine restoration targets for the Madagascan Pochard聽
• Pritchard E鈥�(2021) New approaches for exploring signal crayfish invasion biology and ecological impacts in headwater streams鈥�(果冻影院)聽
• Chadwick D鈥�(2019) Invasion of the signal crayfish, 'Pacifastacus leniusculus', in England: implications for the conservation of the white-clawed crayfish, 'Austropotamobius pallipes'鈥�(果冻影院)聽
• Lewis-Phillips J鈥�(2019) Contribution of pond management to local bird abundance and diversity on farms in lowland England鈥�(果冻影院)聽
• Walton R鈥�(2019) 鈥淭he pond pollinator pantry鈥�: Assessing how pond management influences pollinators in the UK farmland landscape鈥�(果冻影院)聽
• Alderton E鈥�(2017)鈥�"Ghost ponds" Resurrecting lost ponds and species to assist aquatic biodiversity conservation鈥�(果冻影院)聽
• Clilverd H鈥�(2016) Hydroecological monitoring and modelling of river-floodplain restoration in a UK lowland river meadow鈥�(果冻影院)聽
• Puspitasari S鈥�(2016) Biogeography and ecology of beetles in a tropical archipelago: A case study from Kepulauan Seribu Marine National Park鈥�(果冻影院)聽
• Yi Z鈥�(2014) Insect diversity patterns along environmental gradients in the temperate forests of Northern China鈥�(果冻影院)聽
• Shepherd V鈥�(2014) Beetle diversity of chalk river floodplains鈥�(果冻影院)聽
• Jun M鈥�(2014)鈥疓overning Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in California: Analysis of the MLPA Implementation process鈥�(果冻影院)聽
• Geijer C鈥�(2013) Connecting the nodes: migratory whale conservation and the challenge of accommodating uncertainty鈥�(果冻影院)聽
• Qui W鈥�(2010) Governing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in China: Towards the repositioning of the Central State and the empowerment of local communities鈥�(果冻影院)聽
• Jaksic-Born C鈥�(2008) Das Feuerregime im Queen Elizabeth Nationalpark, Uganda - Auswirkung auf die Verbreitung und Habitatnutzung grosser Herbivoren鈥�(University of Basel, Switzerland)聽

Completed MSc Students

• Cheung HL (2023) The impact of fire on soil and litter biodiversity in forests聽
• van Dinter H (2023) Do Alderney's blonde hedgehogs produce any melanin?聽
• Dolan J (2023), Assessing historical forest cover and vegetation changes in the Democratic People鈥檚 Republic of Korea using Remote Sensing and Local Ecological Knowledge聽
• Gandon GG (2023), The impacts of nature reserves and ecotourism on local livelihoods聽
• Godding C (2023), The consumption, trade and conservation of endangered civets in South and Southeast Asia聽
• Mackintosh J (2023), The effects of climatic factors on green sea turtle nest development in Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia聽
• Oxer M (2023), The impacts of selective logging on tropical forest structure and leaf traits聽
• Russell M (2023), The contribution of nocturnal moths to pollen transport in an area of lowland calcareous grassland in Oxford, UK聽
• Yuen B (2023), Population Structure and Habitat Occupancy Patterns of Native and Non-Native Crayfish Communities in the River Glaven, Norfolk聽
• Burd C鈥�(2022), Historical trends of relic Panthera spp. populations in South Korea聽
• Demuynck H鈥�(2022), The influence of priority effects following restoration in a series of Belgian ponds聽
• Fisher L鈥�(2022), The impact of climate change on soil and litter biodiversity聽
• Fox E鈥�(2022), Relating aquatic macrophyte communities to native and invasive crayfish density in a rocky headwater catchment聽
• Nykiel-Jastrzebski F鈥�(2022), Alien ant invasion potential in response to a changing climate聽
• Zevenbergen R鈥�(2022), Effect of climatic conditions on the efficacy of a Sea Turtle Conservation Programme in Malaysia聽
• Andreeva G鈥�(2021), Conflict and coexistence of humans and Amur tigers in the Russian Far East聽
• Dias M鈥�(2021), Assessing the efficacy of the deworming protocol at the Iberian Lynx National Reproduction Centre, Portugal聽
• Eke-Goodwin P鈥�(2021), A Pond鈥檚 Purpose - Differences in insect availability at open and overgrown farmland ponds and impacts on farmland bird and bat activity聽
• Hurling S鈥�(2021), Northern Storm-Petrels (Hydrobatidae): An Assessment of Conservation Threats in Europe聽
• Scott L鈥�(2021), Investigating the influence of climate change on British moth species richness and species abundance聽
• Shen Y鈥�(2021), Impact interactions from multiple alien species invasions on invertebrate communities in English rivers聽
• Alfs BW鈥�(2020), Floodplain Vegetation Responses to the Removal of an Embankment and Re-meandering of a Chalk Stream River聽
• Allan JMO鈥�(2020), Vegetation response to peatland restoration: a review聽
• Baker LJ鈥�(2020), The importance of farmland pond management for aquatic macrophyte diversity in Norfolk, UK聽
• Zhan P鈥�(2020), Empirically-based assessment of the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions for containing COVID-19 in Europe and Asia聽
• Zoha S鈥�(2020), Assessing the impact of climate change on cetacean distribution in Iceland聽
• Feider F鈥�(2019), A global investigation of camera trap damage and loss, and their mitigation measures in ecological surveys聽
• Hong SY鈥�(2019), Diversity and distribution of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in Northeast China and South Korea聽
• Humphries A鈥�(2019), An analysis of the diversity patterns in plants and ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in North-eastern China鈥檚 forested landscape聽
• Lee DJ鈥�(2019), Investigating ecological impacts of invasive freshwater demon shrimp (Dikerogammarus haemobaphes, Eichwald 1841) in Lea Valley and Colne Catchment, UK, using citizen science tools聽
• Lyu Z鈥�(2019), An investigation into the distribution patterns of nocturnal macromoths (Lepidoptera) across various semi-natural habitats in a modern agricultural landscape in Norfolk, UK, during summer time聽
• Song Y鈥�(2019), Ground beetle diversity patterns in temporate secondary and plantation forests of northeast China聽
• Waygood U鈥�(2019), Urban foraging: Its role in conservation and green space management in London聽
• Field A鈥�(2018), Temporal dynamics of pond restoration and its relationship with habitat mosaics in agricultural landscapes聽
• MacLaughlin A鈥�(2018), A tern of the tide? Monitoring the breeding productivity of little terns (Sternula albifrons) at Blakeney National Nature Reserve聽
• Baxter B鈥�(2017), Putting people at the heart of the environment: The visitor access and conservation conflict of the Thames Basin Heath SPAs聽
• Cottam L鈥�(2017), Hedgerow management schemes and their effect on plant diversity聽
• Rothero D鈥�(2017), Cultural ecosystem services 鈥� In what way do local people value green spaces in Walthamstow and what are the implications for the conservation of protected areas in this urban area?聽
• Sui Z鈥�(2017), Exploring geographic distributions of three plant species in China based on Maximum Entropy Models聽
• Diekman M鈥�(2016), Diversity patterns of ground beetle communities in forest and agricultural habitats of Liaoning, Northeast China聽
• Bishop Vranch L鈥�(2015), Microvolunteerism in conservation: the impact of email updates on the attitudinal and behavioural engagement of citizen scientists聽
• Brennan EJ鈥�(2015), Diversity and assemblage patterns of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and understory vegetation in the forests of Liaoning Province, China聽
• Caviedes Pa煤l JJ鈥�(2015), Influence of anthropogenic disturbances on stand-structural complexity in Anden temperate forests聽
• Atzeni L鈥�(2014), On the role of red-collared brown lemur for the regeneration of littoral forest fragments聽
• Breden N鈥�(2014), The influences of habitat type and environmental characteristics on bat activity along five streams in East Sussex聽
• Kasana D鈥�(2014), Terning tides聽
• Flint D鈥�(2013), Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus) butterfly abundance, distribution and behavioural patterns, and associations with habitat condition聽
• Kirkland M鈥�(2013), The impacts and sustainability of hunting and fishing by the Cocoma-Cocamilla people in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, Peru聽
• Salvaterra T鈥�(2013), Promoting conservation and sustainability awareness: a case study at London Zoo聽
• Capstick L鈥�(2012), Using historical farming records to analyse the factors contributing to the decline of the grey partridge (Perdix perdix) and investigate the possibilities for its future recovery聽
• Edmondson H鈥�(2012), National Character Areas: A landscape-scale conservation framework for Higher Level Stewardship聽
• Handley T鈥�(2012), Current status of Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) in Montes de Toledos, central Spain聽
• Llewellyn L鈥�(2012), Response of a floodplain carabid beetle community to stream restoration and grazing聽
• Lowndes L鈥�(2012), Bird Wars聽
• Parnwell E鈥�(2012), Nature Conservation in London鈥檚 urban woodland: An evaluation of factors affecting biodiversity聽
• Honour L鈥�(2011), Investigation of the feeding ecology of a small population of southern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) on a private nature reserve in South Africa, and the implications for conservation and management of the species聽
• Raggett L鈥�(2011), Mitigation for Annex II Bat foraging and commuting habitat 鈥� Hoping for the best?聽
• Strebel G鈥�(2011), Impacts of grassland farming on the Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra): appropriate conservation measures for a threatened grassland bird in the Goms valley, Switzerland聽
• Warren-Thomas E鈥�(2011)鈥疘nsect diversity conservation in the secondary forests of Northern China聽
• Zak A鈥�(2011), The effects of rhino dehorning: Rhino behaviour and tourist attitudes at the Oserian Wildlife Sanctuary in Kenya聽
• Bergland L鈥�(2010), Prospects for the conservation of brown bears (Ursus arctos) and Asian black bears (Ursus thibetanus) in Fenglin Man and Biosphere Reserve, Yichun, China聽
• Fenton E鈥�(2010), Can you call a Gibbon by its call?聽
• Kingsley H鈥�(2010), An investigation into the habitat suitability for Armur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) of Fenglin National Nature Reserve, Heilongjiang Province, China聽
• Longhurst K鈥�(2010), Investigating the conservation implications of using zero-tillage in agricultural systems in the UK聽
• Needham O鈥�(2010), Avian density and distribution at Fenglin Nature Reserve, Yichun City, China聽
• Yates F鈥�(2010), The effect of Himalayan Balsam Impatiens glandulifera on carabid and other epigeal invertebrate assemblages and diversity in riparian vegetation聽
• Craig J鈥�(2009), Modelling Lion territories and capacity in Kenya聽
• Smith L鈥�(2009), Does hunting inhibit regeneration of primate-dispersed tree species in Amazonian Ecuador?聽
• Storie A鈥�(2009), Planning and Biodiversity Conservation: Deciding the appropriate scale of mitigation for habitat loss - Northamptonshire Grasslands聽
• Collingham N鈥�(2008), Impacts of pheasant releasing on carabid and other epigeal invertebrate assemblages and diversity in broadleaved deciduous woodland聽
• Deakin E鈥�(2008), Impacts of recreational disturbance on the ecological functioning of Rdum tal-Madonna SPA/SAC, Malta聽
• Gurney J鈥�(2008)鈥疭tudy of the cattle grazing trial in Richmond Park聽
• Livingston F鈥�(2008), An Investigation into Habitat Requirements and ecology of the Small Red-Eyed Damselfly (Erythromma viridulum, Charpentier) in South-East England聽
• Majid SA鈥�(2008), Vegetation Patterns and Anthropogenic Effects in Al-Reem Biosphere Reserve in Qatar聽
• Cartwright S鈥�(2007), Habitat Association of the Critically Endangered Djibouti Francolin (Francolinus ochropectus) in the For锚t du Day, Djibouti聽
• Cording F鈥�(2007), Greenspaces in the London Borough of Enfield: Use of Electronic Devices in Habitat Surveys and the Consideration of Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation聽
• Cotton D鈥�(2007), Beech woodland fragmentation and factors affecting the persistence of rarities聽
• Kapsalas G鈥�(2007), Biodiversity of ground beetles in river floodplains: implications for river restoration and conservation聽
• Neal S鈥�(2007), An assessment of the Herpetofaunal biological diversity of the Hydrological Reserve on Isla Del Ray, Las Perlas Archipelago, Panama聽
• Ashby N鈥�(2006), Ecological connectance of river-floodplain systems in lowland England: implications for river restoration and riparian ecosystem conservation聽
• Gilbert T鈥�(2006), Population density and diet of the African golden cat Profelis aurata in Lope National Park, Gabon聽
• Sahlen V鈥�(2006), Effects of slaughter remains on female brown bear behaviour and implications for Swedish/Scandinavian carnivore tourism and bear management policy聽
• Vaux H鈥�(2006), Arribada Olive Ridleys at Ostional, Costa Rica : are low levels of fertility or high levels of organic matter to blame for low hatching rates?聽

Research Grants, Prizes and Awards

Fellowships

• 2016 International Fellow; Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS, Fellowship Number 2015SA15)
• 鈥嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧��2011 Visiting Fellowship for International Scientists Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS, Fellowship Number 2011T2S18)
• 2010 Visiting Fellowship for Young International Scientists Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS, Fellowship Number 2010Y1SA16)

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Research projects

• 2011 鈥� 2024 The role of farmland pond restoration and management for aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem service provisions in agricultural landscapes; Co-Principal investigator (Co-PI)
• 2017 鈥� 2021 Assessment of ecological resources and environmental compensation strategies for China鈥檚 National Parks and other protected areas; Co-Investigator (Co-I)
• 2015 鈥� 2021 Impact of alien crayfish invasions on freshwater ecosystems; Co-PI
• 2018 鈥� 2020 Relationships between insect and plant diversity and their functioning and services across trophic levels in China鈥檚 temperate forests; Co-I聽
• 2013 鈥� 2016 Biodiversity patterns at different trophic levels in temperate forest ecosystems and their response to climate and environmental change; Co-PI聽
• 2007 鈥� 2015 Effects of river restoration on ecology and biogeochemical processes of floodplain ecosystems in the agricultural landscapes of Norfolk, UK; Co-PI聽
• 2011 鈥� 2012 Relationship between vascular plant and insect diversity in warm-temperate forest ecosystems; Principal Investigator (PI)
• 2008 鈥� 2011 Biodiversity patterns at varying trophic levels along an altitudinal gradient in the agricultural landscapes of Northern China;聽Co-I聽
• 2006 鈥� 2008 Modelling the biodiversity of carabids in the agrarian landscape of Northern China; Co-I聽