Phillipa Gillingham

Dr Phillipa Gillingham

  • Associate Professor of Biogeography
  • Christchurch House C208, Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, BH12 5BB
UN SDGs:
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Biography

I'm an ecologist with an interest in social science, so I work on interdisciplinary projects to try and advance sustainability in a variety of ways. In general, my research interests could be summed up as 'where species are found and why, how this will change with climate change, and finding win-win solutions for biodiversity and climate change that work for people'. I'm very aware that to make a difference, we need to involve people - whether that be via encouraging more environmentally friendly behaviours, working with nature reserve managers to include climate change, or consulting with local communities about which proposed climate change adaptation solutions work for them.

As an Associate Professor I am involved in the communication, teaching and assessment of climate change and its impacts, as well as sustainability and ecology. I lead a third-year unit in climate change and BU’s first year Geography field course, as well as contributing to a wide range of other units. I lead a multidisciplinary research cluster on Communicating Climate Change and Sustainability for Society within the Centre for Science, Health and Data Communication, with members from across three faculties...

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Research

I am currently working on Climate Change Adaptation, including Nature-based Solutions to Climate Change, which should be win-win solutions for both biodiversity and climate that also work for people. I am co-lead of a multidisciplinary research cluster aiming to resolve the extinction crisis, which includes academics from across natural, physical and social sciences. I also lead a research cluster in Communicating Climate Change and Sustainability for Society.

I am lead supervisor for a PhD student studying how people's perceptions of greenwashing are affected by personality factors and how this affects their tendency to wishcycle, and co-supervisor of a PhD student studying the factors affecting Osprey migration, and the success of an Osprey reintroduction project. I'm also lead supervisor of a MRes student quantifying effectiveness of heathland restoration.

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:

Responsible consumption and production

"Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns"

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Climate action

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

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Life below water

"Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development"

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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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Journal Articles

Chapters

Conferences

  • Vayona, A., Hartwell, H., Britton, R. and Gillingham, P., 2024. Human-in-the-circular-loop (HITCL): A human-centric approach in circular economy ecosystems research. Proceedings - 2024 20th International Conference on Distributed Computing in Smart Systems and the Internet of Things, DCOSS-IoT 2024, 653-660.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Reports

Theses

PhD Students

  • Anastasia Vayona, 2024. Human-in-the-Circular-Loop: A consumer attributions-based approach for investigating the effect of enterprise greenwashing on wishcycling, (In progress)
  • Brittany Maxsted. Proximate causes and spatiotemporal consequences of natal dispersal in an expanding Osprey Pandion haliaetus population, (In progress)
  • Daraporn Chairat, 2015. Systematic conservation planning in Thailand
  • Aralisa 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
  • Peter Davies
  • Victoria Dominguez Almela, 2020. Predicting the invasiveness of alien fishes: modelling invasion dynamics to inform management programmes
  • Olivia Simmons, 2021. Predicting the implications of changes in migration phenology for the conservation of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)
  • Arjan Gosal
  • David Fletcher
  • Helen Slater. The Importance of Micro-Climate Refuges for Mammal Responses to Climate Change & Human Disturbance
  • Jacqueline Pitt
  • 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.
  • Tadhg Carroll

Profile of Teaching PG

  • Geographical Information Systems

Profile of Teaching UG

  • Applied Geospatial Science

Grants

  • Surveys of Six-spotted cranefly (Forestry Commission, 03 Jul 2017). In Progress
  • Up scaling microclimate to macro-ecological importance for global conservation (Leverhulme Trust, 27 Feb 2017). Completed
  • Predicting responses to climate warming of freshwater communities in temperate regions (CLIMACOMM) (Marie Curie, 01 Oct 2014). In Progress
  • The historic peat record: A guide to restoration of blanket bog (Natural England, 01 Oct 2014). Completed
  • Burning as a control for Heather Beetle (Natural England, 07 Oct 2013). Awarded
  • Bioblitz (Royal Entomological Society, 01 Jun 2013). Awarded
  • Palaeoecological evidence to inform identification of potential climate change refugia and areas for ecological restoration (Natural England, 04 Feb 2013). Awarded
  • Terrestrial biodiversity Climate change impacts report card technical paper 4. Implications of Climate Change for SSSIs and other Protected Areas (Natural England, 01 Jul 2012). Awarded

Public Engagement & Outreach Activities

  • Career Fair-Glenmoor and Winton Aacedemies (08 Oct 2015)
  • Bournemouth School Career Fair (23 Oct 2014)

Conference Presentations

  • Using Climate Data in Ecological Research, How Species Respond to Microclimates, 14 Sep 2016, UK Meteorological Office

Qualifications

  • PhD in Ecology/Biogeography (2011)

Memberships