Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
I am Associate Professor in Ecology and Global Environmental Change interested in understanding biodiversity responses to anthropogenic change including land use and climate change. My research can be used to identify measures to protect endangered species and make human development more compatible with the conservation of other species, for example by setting up priority areas for conservation and by minimizing the impacts of human activities on other species and natural ecosystems. Ultimately, we want humans to thrive while leaving enough space left for all other species and for natural ecosystems to deliver the services we all depend on.
Research Interests
I am a conservation ecologist interested in movement ecology, biogeography and ecological responses to global change. My work identified measures to protect a globally endangered bird species and by working alongside non-governmental organisations we implemented effective conservation actions. This work was included in the Wildlife comeback in Europe report.
I am interested in understanding effects of global enviromental change on biodiversity, in particular the impacts of anthropogenic activities. This work can be used to create adaptation and mitigation measures and to inform the design of priority areas for conservation. My group is involved in developing and testing new animal tracking technologies (GSM, LoRa devices with multiple sensors) aiming to investigate recent changes in animal movement strategies, for example, the establishment of non-migratory populations in previously wholly migratory species. Ultimately we are interested in the identifying the drivers and determinants underlying these fundamental changes in migratory behaviour.
Research projects I am involved in a several research projects as Principal Investigator (PI) and co-Investigator (co-I). - Understanding heatwave damage through reproduction in insect systems (2020-2023). Co-I NERC standard grant. PI: Prof. Matt Gage UEA. - SENSUM: Smart SENSing of landscapes Undergoing hazardous hydrogeological Movement (2020-2022). Co-I NERC Digital Environment. PI: Dr. Georgina Bennett, University of Exeter. - BOULDER: Accounting for BOUlders in Landslide-flood Disaster Evaluation and Resilience. co-I NERC SHEAR catalyst. PI: Dr. Georgie Bennett, University of Exeter. - Refugial Populations at Trailing-Edge Range Margins: Attributes, Survival and Conservation. Co-I NERC standard grant (2015-2018) PI: Prof. Chris Thomas, University of York - Migratory decisions in a changing world: mechanisms and drivers of changing migratory behaviour (2013-16). PI NERC standard grant. - Understanding the migratory behaviour of long-lived species and responses to global environmental change using state-of-the-art GPS/GSM loggers (2016). PI NERC, ELSA and NRP funded. Website: http://whitestork.org/ We have studied the movement of white storks and quantified how important landfill resources are for the resident birds. We have shown that resident birds use their nests all year round and that storks nesting near landfill have smaller home ranges than storks breeding further away: http://movementecologyjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40462-016-0070-0 - Understanding causes and consequences of the extreme thermal sensitivity of male fertility using a model insect (2013-16). Co-I NERC standard grant. PI: Prof. Matt Gage, UEA - The role of dispersal in species' ability to respond to climate change (2010-2013). PI NERC standard grant. Development of animal tracking devices I coordinate the Movetech Telemetry project at UEA, this is a collaboration with BTO and University of Porto, Portugal. We develop state-of-the-art tracking devices for wildlife that include multiple sensors (e.g. barometer, accelerometer). NERC Proof-of-Concept (2016-2017) Long range wireless devices for high-resolution monitoring of animal movement. Co-Is JP Silva (UL e UP), P Atkinson (BTO) Norwich Research Park Innovation Fund (2016) MoveTech – State-of-the art loggers for tracking animal movement. Co-Is JP Silva (UL e UP), P Atkinson (BTO) UEA Proof-of-Concept fund (2015) Development of light weight GPS/GSM loggers. Co-Is JP Silva, (UL e UP), P Atkinson (BTO) https://www.uea.ac.uk/movetech/devices PhD and postdoctoral positions Fully-funded PhD projects: - Identifying multi-scale exposure of anthropogenic threats to migratory birds Supervisors: Aldina Franco (ENV), Adham Aston-Butt (BTO) James Gilroy (ENV), Phil Atkinson (BTO) - Designing protected areas networks that incorporate animal movement and habitat connectivity Supervisors: Aldina Franco (UEA), Rachel Carmenta (DEV, UEA), Trevor Torhurst (ENV,UEA) and Carlos David Santos (Universidade Federal do Para', Brazil). I am happy to accept PhD students and postdocs and to help develop funding applications (e.g Marie Curie, FCT studentships, SwB). My group has an international focus, I am fluent in Portuguese and Spanish. Click here for current PhD opportunities in the School of Environmental Sciences. However, feel free to email me to discuss projects outside these areas and alternative sources of funding. |
Key Research Interests
My research group works in four core research areas:
- Unravelling the mechanisms underlying changes in dispersal capacity and migratory behaviour and their links to global environmental change
- Development of niche theory and envelop models for native and non-native species
- Conservation of endangered species
- Selection of priority areas for conservation
These research areas come together to understand the mechanisms underlying species range changes, this information is essential to identify appropriate conservation measures for endangered species and biodiversity in a changing world.
The work of my research group and collaborators has shown that the southern range margin of northern butterfly species is retracting and this has been associated with recent temperature increases. Dispersal abilities vary dramatically between species and we have demonstrated that small scale movement parameters of species can help us understand species movement capacity in fragmented and heterogeneous landscapes.
Native and non-native species distributions are changing presenting interesting challenges for the conservation of biodiversity and the establishment of effective protected areas. Some of the applications of my work include the identification of priority areas for conservation that account for species capacity to respond to environmental change. this is particularly interesting and challenging for migratory species that move across continents and have suffered sharp population declines in recent decades.
We interact with several Environmental NGOs (BTO, Birdlife International, Audubon Society, SEO, LPN, SPEA) based in the UK, Spain, Portugal and US, and aim to produce scientific evidence that can be used to design effective conservation measures aiming to protect endangered species and conserve biodiversity.
My group is dynamic and international. I will be happy to establish new collaborations and supervise PhD students in the areas mentioned above.
Publications: EPrints Digital Repository
Key Responsibilities
- Director of the International Master in Applied Ecology at UEA http://www.imae.online/
Research Group or Lab Membership
|
Rita Ramos |
|
Bruno Herlander |
|
Joao Gameiro |
|
Jethro Gauld |
|
Ines Catry |
|
Marta Acacio |
|
Claire Buchan |
|
Past lab members |
|
Kate Rogerson |
|
Marta Acacio - Research assistant (2013-2017) |
|
Phil Saunders |
|
Osgur McDermott Long |
|
James Gilroy |
|
Nathalie Gilbert |
|
Ricardo Correia |
|
Martin Sullivan |
|
Audrey Zannese |
|
Eveliina Kallioniemi |
Areas of Expertise
Teaching Interests
My core teaching is research lead. I teach ecology to undergraduate and postgraduate students and my teaching includes several links to my research on ecological responses to environmental change.
- ENV-4001A Global Environmental Challenges
- ENV-5014A Population Ecology and Management
- ENV-MA13 GIS and its Applications for Modelling Ecological and Environmental Change
Administrative Posts
Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes at the School of Environmental Sciences
Career
2009-present Academic (Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader/Associate Professor) at the school of Environmental Sciences, UEA
2007-2009 Postdoctoral Researcher in animal movement at Washington State University, Oregon, USA
2003-2007 Postdoctoral Resarcher examining species range contractions due to climate change, at the Universities of Leeds and York
2003 - PhD in Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, UEA
1997-1999 - Project Manager, Liga para a Proteccao da Natureza, Portugal
1997 - Environmental Consultant
1997- MSc in Maths Applied to Biological Sciences, University of Lisbon
1995- BSc in Biology with Ecology, University of Lisbon, Portugal
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Network
-
Native and invasive ladybirds in a changing U.K. climate
The Royal Horticultural Society
1/10/20 → 31/03/24
Project: Training
-
Understanding the breadth and depth of heatwave damage to reproduction across insect systems
Maklakov, A., Franco, A., Maklakov, A. & Spurgin, L.
Natural Environment Research Council
1/10/20 → 30/05/24
Project: Research
-
SENSUM: Smart SENSing of landscapes Undergoing hazardous hydrogeological Movement
Franco, A., Flowerdew, G. & Griffin, N.
Natural Environment Research Council
1/10/20 → 30/09/22
Project: Research
-
BOULDER: Accounting for BOUlders in Landslide and flood Disaster Evaluation and Resilience
Franco, A. & Dini, B.
Natural Environment Research Council
1/11/19 → 31/03/22
Project: Research
-
BOULDER: Accounting for BOUlders in Landslide and flood Disaster Evaluation and Resilience
Bennett, G., Franco, A. & Lee, G.
Natural Environment Research Council
1/10/18 → 31/10/19
Project: Research
-
Anthropogenic food subsidies reshape the migratory behaviour of a long-distance migrant
Marcelino, J., Franco, A. M. A., Acácio, M., Soriano-Redondo, A., Moreira, F. & Catry, I., 1 Feb 2023, In: Science of the Total Environment. 858, 3, 159992.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Combining bird tracking data with high-resolution thermal mapping to identify microclimate refugia
Franco, A., 16 Mar 2023, (Accepted/In press) In: Scientific Reports.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
-
Demographic consequences of management actions for the successful reintroduction of the White Stork Ciconia ciconia to the UK
Mayall, E., Groves, L., Kennerley, R., Hudson, M. & Franco, A., 20 Feb 2023, In: Bird Conservation International. 33, e47.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Non-reproductive dispersal: an important driver of migratory range dynamics and connectivity
Vickers, S. H., Franco, A. M. A. & Gilroy, J. J., 5 Mar 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Ecography. e06201.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
UK long-term monitoring dataset: assessing factors affecting biomarkers commonly used in environmental programmes
Dalessandri, S., Franco, A. & Assuncao, M., 2023, (Accepted/In press) In: Frontiers in Marine Science.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Datasets
-
Relative hunting risk for large- and small-bodied Afro-Palaearctic migratory birds
Buchan, C. (Creator), Franco, A. (Creator), Catry, I. (Creator), Gamero, A. (Creator), Klvaňová, A. (Creator) & Gilroy, J. (Creator), Figshare, 11 May 2022
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19745830.v3
Dataset
-
Composite risk vulnerability scores for Afro-Palaearctic migratory birds
Buchan, C. (Creator), Franco, A. (Creator), Catry, I. (Creator), Gamero, A. (Creator), Klvaňová, A. (Creator) & Gilroy, J. (Creator), Figshare, 11 May 2022
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19745983.v3
Dataset
Prizes
Activities
- 1 Examination
-
External examiner of PGT programmes at University of Sheffield
Aldina Franco (Examiner)
2022 → 2026Activity: Examination