Shortlisted for the 2025 Southwood Prize
In regards to the analysis
Overview
For many years, analysis has centered on the breeding grounds of migratory shorebirds in Northwest Europe. But a lot of their annual cycle is elsewhere alongside the East Atlantic Flyway, significantly in West Africa. Utilizing monitoring knowledge from black-tailed godwits alongside discipline knowledge from a key nonbreeding web site, the Senegal Delta, we examined how completely different habitats assist godwits throughout this era. We in contrast use of protected pure wetlands and dealing landscapes reminiscent of rice fields, and assessed how their relative significance shifts throughout the nonbreeding season.
Surprises and challenges
In some methods, the patterns had been apparent. Once you take a look at monitoring knowledge (by means of instruments just like the Animal Tracker App or the World Flyway Community), you’ll be able to clearly see when and the place godwits focus.
The true problem was turning these patterns into one thing rigorous and reproducible. Mapping habitats from satellite tv for pc imagery required in depth ground-truthing. Defining and calculating core-use areas meant making use of superior motion fashions. On this sense, translating motion into measurable habitat worth was much more technically demanding than it first appeared.
Subsequent steps and broader implications
The subsequent step is translating findings to motion. Habitat restoration is already underway within the Senegal Delta by means of LIFE EU tasks like GrassbirdHabitats and Godwit Flyway. On the identical time, new PhD college students are specializing in agroecology and spatial ecology within the area. The way forward for migratory hen conservation within the East Atlantic Flyway lies in connecting breeding and nonbreeding analysis right into a extra unified conservation technique throughout the complete flyway.
This work feeds instantly into conservation choices. Alongside the East Atlantic Flyway, shorebird researchers are collaborating throughout nations and disciplines. By quantifying how protected wetlands and agricultural landscapes each maintain godwits, our examine supplies proof that working landscapes matter. The framework we developed might be utilized to different key nonbreeding websites and to different migratory shorebirds below strain.
In regards to the creator
Present place
I lately accomplished my PhD and am now a postdoctoral researcher on the College of Groningen. I proceed to work on the intersection of motion ecology, conservation, and knowledge science, utilizing godwits as ecological sentinels. More and more, I’m additionally centered on making ecological insights extra accessible past academia, working throughout disciplines and with practitioners to make sure that analysis informs real-world decision-making.
Getting concerned in ecology
I grew up within the countryside with quick access to wild locations, and spending time outside formed how I see the world. I at all times valued the pure world for its personal sake and admired old-school naturalists. I additionally knew I didn’t desire a typical 9 to five job indoors. In school, that curiosity turned extra centered — I needed to know how science might inform administration. Ecology supplied a sensible approach to mix fieldwork, knowledge, and utilized problem-solving.
Present analysis focus
One main path is upscaling the findings from this paper to different nonbreeding websites throughout the flyway. We’re asking whether or not comparable patterns maintain elsewhere and the way native land use shapes habitat worth. On the identical time, our capacity-building efforts in West Africa have strengthened native partnerships. That’s permitting us to conduct extra detailed agroecological and behavioral research, linking foraging ecology and farming practices extra on to conservation outcomes.
Recommendation for fellow ecologists
Conservation is collective work and in case you keep in your disciplinary lane, you’ll miss each perception and affect. I encourage others to take the time to collaborate, particularly with individuals skilled in a different way to problem your assumptions and enhance your science.
Learn the complete article ‘Distant sensing and GPS monitoring reveal temporal shifts in habitat use in nonbreeding Black-tailed Godwits’ in Journal of Utilized Ecology.
Discover the opposite early profession researchers and their articles which have been shortlisted for the 2025 Southwood Prize right here!
