Amanda Korstjens

Professor Amanda Korstjens

  • Professor Of Behavioural Ecology
  • Christchurch House C108, Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, BH12 5BB
UN SDGs:
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Biography

I am interested in the a wide range of subjects. Mostly related to tropical ecosystems and primates. Research topics include: I. How climate and human disturbance influence primate distribution patterns and survival; II. Eco-tourism, conservation, and human-wildlife conflicts; III. The evolution of mating strategies and female sexual signals, esp. in red colobus monkeys.

Research

I am extremely keen to talk to any people who want to do an MRes in Primatology, PhD in primatology, or MRes, PhD or Postdoc/ fellowship with us. I am a supervisor listed in the ESRC Southwest Doctoral Training Partnership. https://www.swdtp.ac.uk/. There is an annual call for PhD studentships. I am part of the theme: Climate Change, Sustainability and Society. Rounds typically open in Autumn, with a deadline in November or December.

Placement and project opportunities are also available.

See: http://go-leap.wix.com/home#!get-involved/ Please contact me if you are interested.

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 SDGs:

Sustainable cities and communities

"Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable"

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Climate action

"Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts"

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Life on land

"Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss"

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Partnership for the Goals

"Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development"

more information

Journal Articles

Chapters

  • Winder, I.C., Mace, B. and Korstjens, A.H., 2023. Climate change impacts on non-human primates: What have we modelled and what do we do now? In: McKinney, T., Waters, S. and Rodrigues, M., eds. Primates in Anthropogenic Landscapes. Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
  • Korstjens, A.H., Hillyer, A.P. and Koné, I., 2022. Red Colobus Natural History. In: Matsuda, I., Grueter, C.C. and Teichroeb, J.A., eds. The Colobines Natural History, Behaviour and Ecological Diversity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 108-127.
  • Teichroeb, J. and Korstjens, A.H., 2022. Behaviour and Ecology of Olive Colobus. In: Matsuda, I., Grueter, C. and Teichroeb, J., eds. The Colobines: Natural History, Behaviour and Ecological Diversity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 146-155.
  • Korstjens, A.H., 2019. The effect of climate change on the distribution of the genera colobus and cercopithecus. Primate Research and Conservation in the Anthropocene. 257-280.
  • Bramer, I., Hill, R.A., Korstjens, A.H., Gillingham, P.K. et al., 2018. Advances in Monitoring and Modelling Climate at Ecologically Relevant Scales. Advances in Ecological Research. 101-161.
  • Korstjens, A.H. and Hillyer, A.P., 2016. Primates and climate change: a review of current knowledge. In: Wich, S.A. and Marshall, A.J., eds. An Introduction to Primate Conservation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 175-192.
  • Dunbar, R.I.M., Lehmann, J., Korstjens, A.H. and Gowlett, J.A.J., 2013. The road to modern humans: time budgets, fission-fusion sociality, kinship and the division of labour in hominin evolution. In: Dunbar, R.I.M., Gamble, C. and Gowlett, J.A.J., eds. Lucy to Language Benchmark Papers. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Korstjens, A.H., Lehmann, J. and Dunbar, R.I.M., 2013. Time as an ecological constraint. In: Dunbar, R.I.M., Gamble, C. and Gowlett, J.A.J., eds. Lucy to Language Benchmark Papers. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Korstjens, A.H. and Galat-Luong, A., 2013. Colobus polykomos King Colobus (Western Pied Colobus, Western Black-and-white Colobus). In: Butynski, T.M., Kingdon, J. and Kalina, J., eds. Mammals of Africa. Volume II: Primates. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 100-103.
  • Oates, J.F. and Korstjens, A.H., 2013. Procolobus verus olive colobus (Van Beneden’s colobus). In: Butynski, T.M., Kingdon, J. and Kalina, J., eds. Mammals of Africa. Volume II: Primates. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 121-124.
  • Korstjens, A.H., 2008. Importance of Kinship in Monkey Society. In: Allen, N., Callan, H., Dunbar, R.I.M. and James, W., eds. Early Human Kinship: From Sex to Social Reproduction. Oxford: Blackwell, 151-159.
  • Korstjens, A.H., Bergman, K., Deffernez, C., Krebs, M., Nijssen, E.C., van Oirschot, B.A.M., Paukert, C. and Schippers, E., 2007. How Small-Scale Differences in Food Competition Lead to Different Social Systems in Three Closely Related Sympatric Colobines. In: McGraw, S., Zuberbühler, K. and Noë, R., eds. In The Monkeys of the Taï Forest, Ivory Coast: An African Primate Community. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 72-108.

Conferences

  • Korstjens, A., Slater, H., van Leeuwen, K., Marsh, C. and Hill, R., 2020. Does Conservation Need or Want Habitat Suitability Research? In: Our Primate heritage our primate legacy, EFP/PSGB International conference 8-11 September 2019 Oxford, UK. FOLIA PRIMATOLOGICA, 91 (3), 314.
  • Marsh, C., Hill, R., Nowak, M., Abdullah, A. and Korstjens, A., 2020. Utilising Drone Technology in Primatology for 3D Mapping. In: 8th European Federation for Primatology Meeting and 2019 Primate Society of Great Britain Winter Meeting (EFP-PSGB) 8 September 2019-11 November 2020 Oxford. FOLIA PRIMATOLOGICA, 91 (3), 266.
  • Marsh, C.D., Hill, R., Nowak, M. and Korstjens, A., 2020. Arboreal primate ranging from a new perspective: UAS technology at the landscape scale. In: The 89th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (2020) 15-18 April 2020 Conference was cancelled. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, 171, 175.
  • Marsh, C., Nowak, M., Hill, R. and Korstjens, A.H., 2020. The effects of forest degradation on arboreal primates within Sikundur, the Gunung Leuser Ecosystem, Northern Sumatra. In: The 89th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (2020) 14-18 April 2020 cancelled. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, 165, 167.
  • Korstjens, A.H., 2017. Understanding the role of biological traits, environmental conditions and neutral processes in primate species' and communities' biogeography. In: PSGB Winter meeting 2016 10-12 January 2017 Durham. Primate Eye PSGB.
  • Marsh, C., Korstjens, A.H., Alexander, C., Nowak, M., Wich, S. and Hill, R., 2017. Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) habitat use of a historically selectively logged forest in relation to the synergistic relationship between canopy structure and microclimate. In: PSGB Winter Meeting 2016 10-12 January 2017 Durham University.
  • Hankinson, E., Korstjens, A.H., Hill, R.A., Marsh, C., Wich, S. and Nowak, M., 2017. Spatial Distribution and abundance of two Hylobatidae species (gibbon & siamang) in relation to canopy structure and disturbance in a Sumatran lowland dipterocarp forest. In: PSGB Winter Meeting 2016 10-12 January 2017 Durham University.
  • Alexander, C., Korstjens, A.H. and Hill, R.A., 2016. Structural attributes of single trees for identifying homogeneous patches in a tropical rainforest. In: RSPSoc Annual Conference 5-8 September 2016 Nottingham.
  • Shedden, A., Solorzano, B., Gillingham, P., White, J. and Korstjens, A.H., 2016. Human disturbance, natural predation and hunting: effects on priamtes in Southern Mexico. In: Joint meeting of the International Primatological Society and the American Society of Primatologists 21-27 August 2016 Chicago, USA.
  • Korstjens, A.H., Williams, K. and Slater, H.D., 2016. Predicting species' responses to environmental change: identifying the roles of ecological and biological traits versus stochastic events in driving the biogeography of diurnal African primates. In: Joint meeting of the International Primatological Society and the American Society of Primatologists 21-27 August 2016 Chicago, USA.
  • Marsh, C., Korstjens, A.H., Wich, S.A., Nowak, M., Alexander, C. and Hill, R., 2016. The effect of 3-dimensional habitats and microclimate changes due to forest degradation on the ranging habits and activities of Sumatran orang-utans (Pongo abelii). In: Joint meeting of the International Primatological Society and the American Society of Primatologists, 21-27 August 2016 Chicago, Illinois, USA.
  • Korstjens, A.H., Hill, R., Wich, S.A. and Nowak, M., 2016. LEAP: Landscape Ecology and Primatology – An Inter-Disciplinary Research Project. In: Joint meeting of the International Primatological Society and the American Society of Primatologists 21-27 August 2016 , Chicago, Illinois, USA..
  • Hankinson, E., Korstjens, A.H., Hill, R., Wich, S.A. and Nowak, M., 2016. Spatial Distribution and abundance of two Hylobatidae species in relation to canopy structure and disturbance in a Sumatran lowland dipterocarp forest. In: Joint meeting of the International Primatological Society and the American Society of Primatologists 21-27 August 2016 Chicago, Illinois, USA.
  • Abernethy, J., Nowak, M., Korstjens, A.H., Hill, R.A., Consiglio, R.A., Slater, H.D. and Wich, S.A., 2016. Influence of forest structure on Sumatran orangutan ecology in a recovering lowland dipterocarp forest. In: CONSERVATION ASIA 2016 29 June-2 July 2016 National University of Singapore, Singapore.
  • Slater, H.D., Consiglio, R.A., Nowak, M., Hill, R.A. and Korstjens, A., 2015. Logging, Forest Structure and Primate Group Densities in North Sumatra, Indonesia. In: PSGB Winter Conference 2015 2 December 2015 Zoological Society of London, London.
  • Korstjens, A.H., Brett, J.C., Rix, M., Wich, S.A. and Hill, R., 2015. LEAP: Landscape Ecology and Primatology – an inter-disciplinary research programme. In: Primate Society of Great Britain Spring Meeting 9-10 April 2015 University of Roehampton, UK..
  • Slater, H., Consiglio, R., Korstjens, A.H. and Hill, R., 2014. The importance of forest structure on primate distributions in Sikundur, Sumatra, Indonesia. In: Primate Society of Great Britain Winter Meeting 15-16 December 2014 University of Birmingham, UK.
  • Shedden, A., Gillingham, P. and Korstjens, A.H., 2014. The influence of vegetation type on howler and spider monkey distribution in the Uxpanapa valley, Mexico. In: 25th Congress of the International Primatological Society 11-16 August 2014 Hanoi, Vietnam.
  • Korstjens, A.H. and Hillyer, A., 2014. Adapt or perish: modelling primate responses to climate change. In: 25th Conference of the International Primatological Society 11-16 August 2014 Hanoi, Vietnam.
  • Shedden, A., Gillingham, P., Newton, A., Dunn, J., Cristobal-Azkarate, J., McSwiney, C., Rodriguez-Luna, E. and Korstjens, A.H., 2013. The influence of vegetation type on howler and spider monkey distribution Uxpanapa Valley area in Mexico. In: PSGB Winter Meeting 2013 11 December 2013 London.
  • Hillyer, A. and Korstjens, A.H., 2013. Observations of Human Disturbance in Abuko Nature Reserve, The Gambia and Threats to a Wild Population of Temminck’s Colobus, Procolobus badius temminckii. In: 9. Goettinger Freilandtagen 3-6 December 2013 Goettingen, Germany.
  • Brett, J.R. and Korstjens, A.H., 2013. Chimpanzee hunting behaviour: patterns and comparisons in social carnivory. In: PSGB Winter Meeting 2013 11 December 2013 London.
  • Piachaud, M., Beziers, P., Hobeika, S. and Korstjens, A.H., 2009. What Is the Best Strategy to Access Females in Oestrus? Folia Primatologica, 80.
  • Korstjens, A.H., Hobeika, S., Beziers, P. and Piachaud, E., 2009. How Sexy Does a Girl Have to Be to Achieve Her Goals? Folia Primatologica, 80, 122.
  • Hobeika, S., Beziers, P. and Korstjens, A.H., 2009. The Accuracy of Sexual Swellings as Indicators for the Reproductive Status of Female Red Colobus (Piliocolobus tephrosceles). Folia Primatologica, 80, 161-162.
  • Beziers, P., Hobeika, S. and Korstjens, A.H., 2009. Are Dominant Males More Successful Reproductively? In: 3rd Congress of the European Federation for Primatology 12-15 August 2009 Zurich, Switzerland. Folia Primatologica, 80, 151-152.
  • Korstjens, A.H., Hobeika, S., Beziers, P. and Heistermann, M., 2008. What Procolobus Can Tell Us About The Evolution of Female Sexual Signals. Primate Eye, 96, 19.
  • Asensio, N., Korstjens, A.H. and Aureli, F., 2008. Ranging costs in wild spider monkeys. In: 2nd Congress of the European Federation for Primatology 3-7 September 2007 Vancatova, Prague, Czech Republic. Folia Primatologica, 79, 310.
  • Korstjens, A.H., Lehmann, J. and Dunbar, R.I.M., 2007. Ecological Determinants of Primate Distribution Patterns and the Effect of Climate Change. In: BES Annual Meeting (Programme and Abstracts) 17 5-7 September 2006 University of Oxford.
  • Lehmann, J., Korstjens, A.H. and Dunbar, R.I.M., 2007. Ape Biogeography and Social Organisation: A Time Budget Model. In: BES Annual Meeting (Programme and Abstracts) 17 5-7 September 2006 University of Oxford.
  • Lehmann, J., Korstjens, A.H. and Dunbar, R.I.M., 2007. Weight and time matter: determinants of ape social system and biogeography. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 132, 153-154.
  • Asensio, N., Korstjens, A.H. and Aureli, F., 2006. Intra-Group Aggression in Wild Spider Monkeys. Primate Eye, 89.
  • Lehmann, J., Korstjens, A.H. and Dunbar, R.I.M., 2006. Why Chimpanzees Are Chimpanzees and Not Gorillas: Insights From Time Budget Models. International Journal of Primatology, 27.
  • Korstjens, A.H., Lehmann, J. and Dunbar, R.I.M., 2006. Come Rain, Come Shine: Why Guenons (Cercopithecus) Conquered Africa. International Journal of Primatology, 27.
  • Korstjens, A.H., 2001. The Mating System of the Olive Colobus. , 404 Adelaide: IPS.
  • Korstjens, A.H., 2001. Sexual Activity and Sexual Swellings in Females: A Comparison of Three Colobus Species. Primate Report, Special Issue 60-61, 26.
  • Noe, R. and Korstjens, A.H., 2001. West-African Colobines: Three Different Peaks to the Same Landscape. , 263 Adelaide: IPS.

Theses

  • Harrison, N.J., Hill, R.A., Alexander, C., Marsh, C.D., Nowak, M.G., Abdullah, A., Slater, H.D. and Korstjens, A.H., 2021. Sleeping trees and sleep-related behaviours of the siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) in a tropical lowland rainforest, Sumatra, Indonesia.
  • Korstjens, A.H., 2001. The mob, the secret sorority, and the phantoms. An analysis of the socio-ecol ogical strategies of the three colobines of Taï. PhD Thesis. Utrecht University; Behavioural biology.

PhD Students

  • Emma Hankinson. Orang-utan (Pongo abelii) sleep architecture: Exploring the importance of a good night’s sleep and sleeping platform construction for cognitive functioning in the Hominidae, (Completed)
  • Alexandria Young, 2013. An Investigation of patterns of mammalian scavenging in relation to vertebrate skeletal remains in a Northwestern European context: forensic applications
  • Aralisa Citalli SHEDDEN-GONZALEZ, 2016. Using Primates for Developing Strategic Conservation Policies in Mexico
  • Helen Slater, 2020. The importance of microclimate refuges for mammal responses to climate change and human disturbance
  • Christopher Marsh. LEAP: Landscape Ecology and Primatology in Sikundur Indonesia
  • Helen Slater. The Importance of Micro-Climate Refuges for Mammal Responses to Climate Change & Human Disturbance
  • Kelly van Leeuwen. Landscape use by savannah chimpanzees as a proxy for hominin landscape use
  • Lindsay Biermann. Assessing the impact of human disturbance on wildlife: insights from waterfowl on the Exe Estuary
  • Monika Knul. The project examines the dynamics of geographic ranges of both mammals that went extinct and those that survived during one of the most dramatic climatic changes in recent history: the Last Glacial Maximum up to the beginning of the Holocene. Furthermore it also explores changes in bio-geography in response to changes in climate between 60.000 and 8000 years ago. This comparative approach is likely to provide novel insights into the ways in which species respond to climate change and human presence e.g. the cause of mega faunal and Neanderthal extinction.

Profile of Teaching PG

  • Primate Behaviour and Ecology

Profile of Teaching UG

  • L6 - Primate Behavioural Ecology
  • L4 - Biological Research Skills (contributor)
  • L4 - Ecology (guest lecture)
  • L6 - Independent Research Project LES (contributor)
  • L5 - Advanced Skills for Biology (2018/2019 & 2019/2020)
  • L5 - Behavioural Ecology
  • L5 - Bonobos, Bones and Bottlenecks: Understanding Modern Human Variation (until 2018)
  • FOUN0008 Academic Study Skills Foundation year

Invited Lectures

  • Predicting primate responses to environmental chan, Bangor University, 16 Oct 2020 more
  • Predicting primate responses to environmental chan, DICE, University of Kent, 03 Oct 2019 more
  • Research in support of conservation, Syiah Kuala UniversBlankejeren, Sumatra, Indonesia, 25 Apr 2019 more
  • Workshop on Publication and Conservation, Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, 28 Jun 2018 more
  • Primate biogeography, Oxford, 23 Oct 2017 more

Grants

  • Up scaling microclimate to macro-ecological importance for global conservation (Leverhulme Trust, 27 Feb 2017). Completed
  • Supporting the planning of corridors and buffer zones by identifying the habitat requirements of the Critically Endangered Sumatran elephant in Leuser Ecosystem, Sumatra, Indonesia (People's Trust for endangered species, 16 Jun 2016). In Progress
  • Savannah chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) landscape use in the Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve, Uganda (Primate Society of Great Britain, 01 Jun 2016). In Progress
  • The effects of forest degradation on ranging habits and activities of arboreal primates within Sikundur, the Gunung Leuser Ecosystem, Northern Sumatra (Primate Society of Great Britain, 01 May 2016). In Progress
  • The effects of forest degradation on ranging habits, and activities of arboreal primates within Sikundur, the Gunung Leuser Ecosystem, Northern Sumatra (Royal Geographical Society, 01 Apr 2016). In Progress
  • Taking elephant behavior and habitat modeling to a new dimension (International Elephant Foundation, 01 Mar 2016). In Progress
  • Estimating a critically endangered Sumatran elephant population and developing human-elephant coexistence strategies in Leuser Ecosystem (Rufford Small Grants, 01 Mar 2016). In Progress
  • Co-creation of scientific publications and conference outputs on primate biogeography and conservation (Bournemouth University, 01 Feb 2016). Completed
  • Supporting the science of lowland dipterocarp rainforest conservation: orang-utans, carbon and disturbance trajectories (NERC - ARSF: Awarded but not executed due to problems in obtaining permits, 01 Oct 2014). Completed
  • Collecting and spreading knowledge on species’ distributions and forest disturbance (Bournemouth University Fusion Investment Fund, 01 Sep 2014). In Progress
  • Networking and mobility towards consolidation of a multi-stakeholder learning platform enhancing research and professional practice in conservation (Bournemouth University, 01 Sep 2014). In Progress
  • The importance of climate on primate distribution patterns (Bournemouth University - Fusion Investment Fund, 15 Aug 2013). Completed

External Responsibilities

Internal Responsibilities

  • Leader, logistics, supervision, support, planning, assessing,, Independent Research Project Unit leadership PGT
  • Design, teaching, planning, assessing responsibility, Unit leadership PGT Reseach Skills
  • Unit leadership & all teaching, assessment & planning, Unit leadership UG yr6 Primate Behavioural Ecology
  • Unit leader and full teaching & assessment & design responsibility, Unit leadership Primate Behaviour & Ecology PGT
  • Programme leader, Programme leader for 3 largest AppSci Forensic PGT courses
  • Framework manager/ leader of all 10 PG courses in School of Applied Sciences, Framework leadership
  • REF Output Champion, REF group for UOA17
  • Committee member, SAT - Athena Swan application team - for Dep LES

Journal Reviewing/Refereeing

  • Animal Behaviour, Anonymous peer review, 01 Aug 2003

Public Engagement & Outreach Activities

  • The importance of microclimates for ape survival (20 Nov 2019)
  • What it means to be a monkey on planet of the people (24 Jan 2019)
  • Talk at local Infant School (12 May 2017)
  • Public Lecture Afternoon Presentation (14 Sep 2016)

Qualifications

  • PhD in Biology (Utrecht University, The Netherlands, 2001)

Memberships

  • PSGB Conservation Working Party (Primate Society of Great Britain), Associate (2017-), http://www.psgb.org/conservation_grants.php
  • Higher Education Academy, Fellow,
  • International Primatologial Society, Member,
  • IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group, Primate Specialist,
  • Primate Society of Great Britain, Member,

Social Media Links

External Media and Press