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Dr Matt Wood

Senior Lecturer in Biosciences

I’m a binocular-wearing field biologist with a fondness for islands, and it’s great to be able to bring that into my work on seabird populations and disease ecology.

Biography

I’m a binocular-wearing field biologist with a fondness for islands, and I feel very fortunate to work in such spectacular outdoor laboratories. I specialise in the analysis of threats to seabird populations, and the use of new technologies in the development of innovative approaches to seabird monitoring.

The study of seabirds in wild places is fascinating, but it’s becoming increasingly important to understand how and why many of their populations are changing in such a rapidly changing world. That drive underpins my teaching in ecology, evolution, marine biology, and biostatistics.

I am also Postgraduate Research Lead for the School of Natural, Social & Sport Sciences.

Qualifications

  • BSc (Hons): Biology, University of Manchester, 1995
  • MSc: Ecology, University of Wales, Bangor, 1996
  • PhD: Evolutionary ecology, University of Sheffield, 2001

Accreditation

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Membership of professional bodies

British Ecological Society, British Trust for Ornithology, UK Seabird Group

Teaching & Research

Teaching

NS4201 Diversity & Evolution

NS5218 Marine Biology

NS5202 Biostatistics

NS6203 Population & Community Ecology

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Dissertations

Research

My research focuses on seabirds, from population dynamics to disease ecology. Recent projects include: climate and the demography of seabirds, assessment of the potential impact of offshore wind on seabird, microplastics in marine ecosystems, and developing new technologies for seabird monitoring

Recent grants:.

Analytical tool for playback census of burrow nesting seabirds (JNCC), available as the Stormie Shiny app web platform

Historical reanalysis of population estimates of European Storm Petrels on Skokholm Island, Wales (Natural Resources Wales)

Whole island censuses of European Storm Petrels and Manx Shearwaters on Skokholm, Skomer and Middleholm Islands (Natural Resources Wales, National Trust)

Publications

More publications from Dr Matt Wood can be found in the Research Repository.

External responsibilities

Associate Editor, Ibis (International Journal of Avian Science)

Management of six long-term seabird population studies on Skomer Island, with partial funding contribution from the Seabird Monitoring Programme

Member, Skokholm & Skomer Islands Conservation Advisory Committee Seabirds Group

Member, BTO-JNCC Seabird Monitoring Programme Advisory Group

Subject for media interview

Ecology

Birds

Seabirds

Evolution