SELU has an extensive research record, which focuses on the role of biodiversity
informatics in resource management and on the development of spatial tools for
sustainable natural resource management; the following is a brief overview.
Ontology for freshwater ecology (OFE). Investigation of the potential role of ontology
in adding value to topographic spatial data. Funded by the Ordnance Survey of Great
Britain.
Landscape Visualisation Opportunities Toolkit (LOViT). Development of Gridenabled computing tools for regional biodiversity assessment, modelling and
visualisation of potential future landscapes. Funded by the BBSRC.
Spatial targeting of habitat conservation. Development of GIS-based methods for
identifying the optimum locations in a landscape for the conservation and creation of
chalk grassland and beech woodland.
Modelling the multiple benefits of habitat creation. Evaluation and incorporation of
likely socio-economic benefits together with the more traditional landscape ecology
approach to targeting native broadleaf woodland creation. Funded by NERC/ESRC.
Multi-species approach to habitat conservation. Development of predictive associative
models based on multi-level modelling, geostatistics and Bayesian inference for a
suite of threatened species. Sponsored by the Royal Society and the Esme Fairburn
Foundation.
Targeting for freshwater biodiversity enhancement. Evaluation of the contribution of
different freshwater bodies to regional biodiversity and generation of appropriate
methods to target habitat expansion. Funded by NERC/ESRC.
Historical landscape assessment. Evalution of the role of the historic distribution of
ancient semi-natural woodlands on present-day biodiversity and the implications for
future landscape management.
Assessment of changes to agri-environment payments schemes. Evaluation of the
current impacts of agri-environment schemes on biodiversity and likely contribution
of modified schemes.
Multi-criteria evaluation for habitat creation. Assessment of habitat conservation
worth and identification of optimum sites for habitat creation of threatened wet
grassland.
Ecological landscape assessment. Generation of methods of landscape evaluation
based on land use type and value for biodiversity.
Connectivity in threatened habitat networks. Evaluation of spatial structure of existing
habitat reserve and identification of optimal placement of new habitat for natuve
broadleaf woodland.
SELU has attracted more than £500,000 of funding from a variety of sources
including UK Research Councils, the European Union, UK Statutory Bodies and
NGOs. In addition we have an extensive list of publications, which have appeared in
academic journals, books, conference proceedings and reports