Reader, University of East Anglia (2007-present)
Lecturer, University of East Anglia (2006-2007)
NERC Fellow, University of East Anglia (2003-2006)
Tyndall Senior Research Associate, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research (2001-2003)
NERC Senior Research Associate, University of East Anglia (1998-2001)
RSPB-funded Senior Research Associate, University of East Anglia (1994-1998)
PhD: Population Ecology, University of East Anglia (1994)
BSc: Zoology, University of Edinburgh (1990)

Key Research Interests

I am an ecologist with primary interests in the ecology and evolution of migratory systems, and in applied issues such as the impacts of climate change, sea level rise and environmental change on biodiversity in coastal zones. My research is principally focused on large-scale population regulation in migratory shorebirds, and developing tools for managing coastal habitats. The large-scale shorebird work is based primarily on a long-term study of Icelandic black-tailed godwits, Limosa limosa islandica. Over the last 12 years, individual colour-marking of c. 1-2% of this population, and the development of a network of hundreds of volunteer observers across Europe, has allowed us to unravel the links between habitats of varying quality in summer and winter, and to track the population expansion into poorer quality habitats in both seasons. These links have profound implications for a wide range of population and evolutionary processes, which we are now exploring in detail. In addition to this work, I am also involved in studies of the impact of climate change on coastal habitats in the UK and on small island states in the Caribbean, management of lowland habitats for biodiversity and ecosystem services in the UK, drivers of spatial variation in population trends in migratory birds and ecological sustainability of eider populations in Iceland. 

Current Research Projects

Demographic consequences of large-scale variation in habitat quality and philopatry in a migratory shorebird, the black-tailed godwit.
Roles of juvenile settlement decisions, migration strategies and winter habitat choice in driving population regulation in black-tailed godwits.
Drivers of population changes in migratory birds
Developing management tools for improving the biodiversity value of lowland wet grasslands, and exploring future states of coastal areas in response to sea level rise, and national and international policy frameworks.
Impacts of rising sea temperatures, hurricane intensity and frequency and global atmospheric processes on coral reefs in the Caribbean.
The economic and ecological sustainability of the common eider in Iceland.


 

Life in our research group

Field research is carried out in a variety of locations and habitats. Our shorebird work includes breeding season research in Iceland (in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Iceland), and non-breeding season research in coastal habitats throughout western Europe. In addition, we work with colleagues at the RSPB to explore the consequences of different habitat management techniques for biodiversity and ecosystem services on wetlands, and we work with colleagues at the British Trust for Ornithology to explore demographic trends and their drivers in migratory species. Research into coral reef ecology and conservation (in collaboration with colleagues at Simon Fraser University, Canada) is focused around identifying large-scale changes in reef ecosystems and their ecological and socio-economic consequences. We are a dynamic group with passionate interests in conservation ecology, and we meet regularly to discuss and develop research ideas and plans. We attend many conferences and workshops and we are involved in organising the annual Rebellion student conference at UEA.

PhD Positions

Click here for current PhD opportunities in BIO. But feel free to email me to discuss projects outside these areas and alternative sources of funding.

Postdocs & Fellows

I am always happy to discuss potential post-doctoral research and collaborations.

Research Group

Daniel Hayhow NERC PhD student Consequences of migration strategies and habitat selection in migratory shorebirds.

Catriona Morrison NERC Case (British Trust for Ornithology) PhD student Causes of population change in a long-distance migratory bird (co-supervised with Jacquie Clark & Rob Robinson, BTO).

Katie Newton NERC/ESRC PhD student Sustainable livelihoods for reef fishers in the Caribbean (co-supervised with Andrew Watkinson, UEA, Isabelle Côté & Nick Dulvy, Simon Fraser University, Canada).

Maria Calvo Uyarra Fundación Caja Madrid PhD Student Appropriate management of tourism: an essential tool for coral reef conservation in Bonaire (co-supervised with Andrew Watkinson, UEA & Isabelle Côté, Simon Fraser University, Canada).

Jon Einar Jonsson University of Iceland, Snæfellsnes Research Centre (http://hs.hi.is/page/english-joneinar). The economic and ecological sustainability of the common eider (with Tómas Gunnarsson & Arnthor Gardarsson, University of Iceland and Aevar Peterson, Natural History Institute, Iceland).

Becky Laidlaw UEA PhD student Intra-guild relationships among predators of breeding waders (co-supervised with Jen Smart, RSPB).

Freydís Vigfúsdóttir UEA/Icelandic Research Council PhD Student. Population limitation in arctic seabirds (co-supervised with Tómas Gunnarsson (University of Iceland) and Gudmundur Gudmundsson (Icelandic Institute of Natural History).

Lorenzo Alvarez CONACYT PhD student Large-Scale ecology and vulnerability of coral reefs (co-supervised with Andrew Watkinson, UEA, Nick Dulvy, Simon Fraser University, Canada)

Johanna Forster ESRC/NERC PhD student Implications of climate change for tourism-dependent coral reef resource users in Caribbean small islands (co-supervised with Andrew Watkinson & Iain Lake, UEA)

Jose Alves Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation PhD student Implications of winter habitat choice in migratory shorebirds.

External & Professional Activities

Vice-President of the British Ornithologists’ Union (2009 – present)
NERC Review College (2009 – present)
Associate editor: Journal of Applied Ecology (2005 – present)
Editorial Board member: Bird Study (2004 – present) and Ringing & Migration (2001 – present).
UKPopNet Science Management Committee (2006 – present)
Awarded NERC Fellowship (2003-2006).
Grant reviewer for NERC and NWO.

Internal Administration & Teaching Activities

Post-graduate Research Committee member
Chair of Post-graduate Taught working group
Module organiser for Biodiversity Conservation and Human Society (3A17 & M511), Univariate Statistics (M519) and Multivariate Statistics (M517).
Lecturer on Mathematics and Statistics for Biologists (1A6Y), Skills for Biologists (IA4Y) and on the annual fieldcourse of the MSc in Applied Ecology and Conservation.
Supervision of undergraduate and MSc dissertation projects.

Recent Publications (2001-present)

Coombes, E.G., Jones, A.P., Bateman, I.J., Tratalos, J.A., Gill, J.A., Showler, D.A., Watkinson, A.R. & Sutherland, W.J., 2009,  Spatial and temporal modelling of beach use: a case study of East Anglia, UK,Coastal Management, 37, 94-115,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Eglington, S.E., Gill, J.A., Smart, M.A., Sutherland, W.J., Watkinson, A.R. & Bolton, M., 2009,  Habitat management and patterns of predation of Northern Lapwings on wet grasslands: the influence of linear habitat structures at different spatial scales,Biological Conservation, 142, 314-324,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Alvarez-Filip, L., Dulvy, N.K., Gill, J.A., Cote, I.M. & Watkinson, A.R., 2009,  Flattening of Caribbean coral reefs: region-wide declines in architectural complexity,Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 276, 3019-3025,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Jonsson, J.E., Gardarsson, A., Gill, J.A., Petersen, A. & Gunnarsson, T.G., 2009,  Seasonal weather effects on the common eider, a subarctic capital breeder, in Iceland over 55 years,Climate Research, 38, 237-248,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Robinson, R.A., Crick, H.Q.P., Learmonth, J.A., Maclean, I.M.D., Thomas, C.D., Bairlein, F., Forchhammer, M.C., Francis, C.M., Gill, J.A., Godley, B.J., Harwood, J., Hays, G.C., Huntley, B., Hutson, A.M., Pierce, G.J., Rehfisch, M.M., Sims, D.W., Begona Santos, M., Sparks, T.H., Stroud, D.A. & Visser, M.E., 2009,  Travelling through a warming world - climate change and migratory species,Endangered Species Research, 7, 87-99,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Brooks, S.E., Allison, E.J., Gill, J.A. & Reynolds, J.D., 2009,  Reproductive and trophic ecology of an assemblage of aquatic and semi-aquatic snakes in Tonle Sap, Cambodia,Copeia, 1, 7-20,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Eglington, S.M., Gill, J.A., Smart, M. & Bolton, M., 2009,  Reversion of arable land to wet grassland for breeding waders,Conservation Land Management, 7, 5-9,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gill, J.A., Langston, R.H.W., Alves, J.A., Atkinson, P.W., Bocher, P., Vieira, N.C., Crockford, N.J., Gelinaud, G., Groen, N., Gunnarsson, T.G., Hayhow, B., Hooijmeijer, J., Kentie, R., Kleijn, D., Lourenco, P.M., Masero, J.A., Meunier, F., Potts, P.M., Roodbergen, M., Schekkerman, H., Schroder, J., Wymenga, E. & Piersma, T., 2008,  Contrasting trends in two Black-tailed Godwit populations: a review of causes and recommendations,Wader Study Group Bulletin, 114, 43-50,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Verkuil, Y.I., Jukema, J., Gill, J.A., Karlionova, N., Koopman, K., Melter, J., Hooijmeijer, J.C.E.W. & Piersma, T., 2008,  Nonbreeding faeders Ruffs Philomachus pugnax associate according to sex, not morphology,Bird Study, 55, 241-246,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Ratikainen, I.I., Gill, J.A., Gunnarsson, T.G., Sutherland, W.J. & Kokko, H., 2008,  When density-dependence is not instantaneous: theoretical developments and management implications,Ecology Letters, 11, 184-198,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Eglington, S.M., Gill, J.A., Bolton, M., Smart, M.A., Sutherland, W.J. & Watkinson, A.R., 2008,  Restoration of wet features for breeding waders on lowland grassland,Journal of Applied Ecology, 45, 305-324,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gill, J.A., 2007,  Approaches to measuring the effects of human disturbance on birds,Ibis, 149 (Suppl 1), 9-14,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Senapathi, D., Vogiatzakis, I.N., Jeganathan, P., Gill, J.A., Green, R.E., Bowden, C.G.R., Rahmani, A.R., Pain, D. & Norris, K., 2007,  Use of remote sensing to measure habitat change for Jerdon's Courser, a critically endangered Indian bird,Ibis, 149, 328-337,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Jude, S.R., Jones, A.P., Brown, I., Watkinson, A.R. & Gill, J.A., 2007,  The development of a visualisation system for integrated coastal management,Coastal Management, 35, 525-544,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Mustin, K., Sutherland, W.J. & Gill, J.A., 2007,  The complexity of predicting climate-induced ecological impacts,Climate Research, 35, 165-175,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gunnarsson, T.G., Gill, J.A., Appleton, G.F., Gislason, H., Gardarsson, A., Watkinson, A.R. & Sutherland, W.J., 2006,  Large-scale habitat associations of birds in lowland Iceland: Implications for conservation.,Biological Conservation, 128, 265-275,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Smart, J., Gill, J.A., Sutherland, W.J. & Watkinson, A.R., 2006,  Grassland-breeding waders: identifying key habitat requirements for management.,Journal of Applied Ecology, 43, 454-463,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Soutullo, A., Liminana, R., Urios, V., Surroca, M. & Gill, J.A., 2006,  Density-dependent regulation of population size in colonial breeders: Allee and buffer effects in the migratory Montagu's harrier.,Oecologia, 149, 543-552,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gunnarsson, T.G., Gill, J.A., Atkinson, P.W., Gelinaud, G., Potts, P.M., Croger, R.E., Gudmundsson, G.A., Appleton, G.F. & Sutherland, W.J., 2006,  Population-scale drivers of individual arrival times in migratory birds.,Journal of Animal Ecology, 75, 1119-1127,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Kokko, H., Gunnarsson, T.G., Morrell, L.J. & Gill, J.A., 2006,  Why do female migratory birds arrive later than males?,Journal of Animal Ecology, 75, 1293-1303,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gunnarsson, T.G., Gill, J.A., Goodacre, S.L., Gelinaud, G., Atkinson, P.W., Hewitt, G.M., Potts, P.M. & Sutherland, W.J., 2006,  Sexing of Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa islandica: a comparison of behavioural, molecular, biometric and field-based techniques.,Bird Study, 53, 193-198,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gill, J.A., Watkinson, A.R., McWiliams, J.P. & Cote, I.M., 2006,  Opposing forces of aerosol cooling and El Nino drive coral bleaching on Caribbean reefs.,Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 103, 18870-18873,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gill, J.A., 2006,  Climate change and coastal migrant birds,Principles of Conservation Biology 3rd Ed, , ,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Cote, I.M., Gardner, T.A., Gill, J.A., Hutchinson, D.J. & Watkinson, A.R., 2006,  New approaches to estimating recent ecological changes on coral reefs,In: Coral Reef Conservation, , ,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Fish, M.R., Cote, I.M., Gill, J.A., Jones, A.P., Renshoff, S. & Watkinson, A.R., 2005,  Predicting the impact of sea level rise on Caribbean sea turtle nesting habitat.,Conservation Biology, 19, 482-491,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gardner, T.B., Cote, I.M., Gill, J.A., Grant, A. & Watkinson, A.R., 2005,  Hurricanes and Caribbean coral reefs: Impacts, recovery patterns, and role in long-term decline.,Ecology, 86, 174-184,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gunnarsson, T.G., Gill, J.A., Potts, P.M., Atkinson, P.W., Croger, R.E., Gelinaud, G., Gardarsson, A. & Sutherland, W.J., 2005,  Estimating population size in Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa islandica by colour-marking.,Bird Study, 52, 153-158,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Freckleton, R.P., Gill, J.A., Noble, D. & Watkinson, A.R., 2005,  Large-scale population dynamics, abundance-occupancy relationships and the scaling from local to regional population size.,Journal of Animal Ecology, 74, 353-364,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Cote, I.M., Gill, J.A., Gardner, T.A. & Watkinson, A.R., 2005,  Measuring coral reef decline through meta-analyses.,Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B, 360, 385-395,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gunnarsson, T.G., Gill, J.A., Petersen, A., Appleton, G.F. & Sutherland, W.J., 2005,  A double buffer effect in a migratory population.,Journal of Animal Ecology, 74, 965-971,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

McWilliams, J., Cote, I.M., Gill, J.A., Sutherland, W.J. & Watkinson, A.R., 2005,  Accelerating impacts of thermal stress in coral reefs.,Ecology, 86, 2055-2060,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Uyarra, M.C., Cote, I.M., Gill, J.A., Tinch, R., Viner, D. & Watkinson, A.R., 2005,  Island-specific preferences of tourism for environmental features: implications of climate change for tourism dependent states.,Environmental Conservation, 32, 11-19,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gunnarsson, T.G., Gill, J.A., Newton, J., Potts, P.M. & Sutherland, W.J., 2005,  Seasonal matching of habitat quality and fitness in migratory birds.,Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 272, 2319-2323,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Watkinson, A.R., Gill, J.A. & Hulme, M., 2004,  Flying in the face of climate change: a review of climate change, past present and future.,Ibis, 146 (Suppl 1), 4-10,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Sutherland, W.J., Gill, J.A. & Norris, K., 2004,  Density dependent dispersal: concepts, evidence, mechanisms and consequences.,Dispersal, , 134-151,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Watkinson, A.R. & Gill, J.A., 2004,  Climate change and dispersal.,Dispersal, , 410-428,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Norris, K., Atkinson, P.W. & Gill, J.A., 2004,  Climate change and coastal waterbird populations - past declines and future impacts.,Ibis, 146 (Suppl 1), 82-89,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gunnarsson, T.G., Gill, J.A., Sigurbjornsson, P. & Sutherland, W.J., 2004,  Pair bonds - Arrival synchrony in migratory birds.,Nature, 431, 646,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Smart, J., Sutherland, W.J., Watkinson, A.R. & Gill, J.A., 2004,  A new means of presenting the results of logistic regression.,Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America - Technological Tools, 85, 100-102,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Smart, J. & Gill, J.A., 2003,  Non-intertidal habitat use by shorebirds: a reflection of inadequate intertidal resources?,Biological Conservation, 111, 359-369,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gardner, T.A., Cote, I.M., Gill, J.A., Grant, A. & Watkinson, A.R., 2003,  Long-term region-wide declines in Caribbean corals.,Science, 301, 958-960,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Watkinson, A.R., Gill, J.A. & Freckleton, R.P., 2003,  Macroecology and microecology: linking large-scale patterns of abundance to population processes.,Macroecology, , 256-273,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gill, J.A., Hatton, L. & Potts, P.M., 2002,  Black-tailed Godwit.,The Migration Atlas: Movements of the Birds of Britain and Ireland, , 323-325,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Smart, J., Gill, J.A., Clark, J.A. & Clark, N.A., 2002,  Ruff.,The Migration Atlas: Movements of the Birds of Britain and Ireland, , 311-313,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Sutherland, W.J. & Gill, J.A., 2001,  The role of behaviour in studying sustainable exploitation.,Conservation of Exploited Species, , 259-280,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gill, J.A., Norris, K. & Sutherland, W.J., 2001,  Why behavioural responses may not reflect the population consequences of human disturbance,Biological Conservation, 97, 265-268,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gill, J.A., Norris, K. & Sutherland, W.J., 2001,  The effects of disturbance on habitat use by black-tailed godwits Limosa limosa,Journal of Applied Ecology, 38, 846-856,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gill, J.A., Sutherland, W.J. & Norris, K., 2001,  Depletion models can predict shorebird distribution at different spatial scales.,Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 268, 369-376,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gill, J.A., Norris, K., Potts, P.M., Gunnarson, F.G., Atkinson, P.W. & Sutherland, W.J., 2001,  The buffer effect and large-scale population regulation in migratory birds.,Nature, 412, 436-438,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication