Reader, University of East Anglia (2009-present)
Lecturer, University of East Anglia (2007-)
NERC Research Fellow, University of East Anglia. (2004-2007)
Marie Curie Research Fellowship, University of Lund. (2001-2003)
Research Associate, University of Sheffield (1997-2001)
Ph.D. University of Leicester. (1997)
B.Sc Applied Biology, Manchester Metropolitan University (1991)

Key Research Interests

I am a molecular ecologist with primary interests in the use of neutral molecular markers and functional genes to address questions in evolutionary and behavioural ecology. I use model avian systems, including species such as the Seychelles warbler, Berthelot’s pipit and red jungle fowl, to investigate the adaptive significance of reproductive and life history strategies and to study host-parasite co-evolution. The study and conservation of endangered island bird species (e.g. the Seychelles warbler and white-eye) is also an important part of my work. 

Current Research Projects

The evolution of cooperative breeding
The benefits of mate choice
The role of the Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in sexual selection and parasite resistance
Differential selection patterns across bird populations on island archipelagos
Population genetics and conservation of endemic bird species
Telomeres as bioindicators of the costs of life history components
Mating systems in marine turtles
Work on the Seychelles warbler is undertaken in collaboration with Nature Seychelles (http://www.natureseychelles.org)
 

Life in our research group

We use a powerful combination of fieldwork and molecular techniques to investigate a range of questions in evolutionary and behavioural ecology. Fieldwork focuses mainly on birds in exotic island locations which provide excellent self-contained natural laboratories in which to work. Lab work is undertaken in the extensive, well equipped molecular ecology labs at UEA. We are a dynamic, international group of students and postdocs that share interests, enthusiasm and social life! We have our own lab meetings and journal clubs to keep up with our research areas, but also engage with the seminars in BIO and beyond. Recent academic highlights have included the Annual ‘Rebellion’ student conference organised by the Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation here at UEA (of which we are part), and a trip to Turin for the European Society for Evolutionary Biology congress.

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 possibilities for postdoctoral work and collaborations. Possible funding routes include applying for fellowships, e.g. EU Marie Curie fellowships, with me acting as sponsor, or grant applications with you as a named postdoc.

Research Group

Dr Kirsty Worley NERC Postdoctoral research associate (2006-2009) Sexual selection and the MHC in fowl. In collaboration with Dr Tom Pizzari, University of Oxford

Dr Hannah Dugdale NERC Postdoctoral research associate (2008-2010) Components of fitness in the Seychelles warbler. In collaboration with Prof. Terry Burke, University of Sheffield

Dr Emma Barret NERC Postdoctoral research associate (2009-2012) Telomeres as biomarkers of costs and quality in a wild population.

Kim Hutchings UEA / University of Groningen Ph.D. (2005-2009) Parasites, MHC genes and fitness in the Seychelles Warbler. Joint supervised with Prof. Jan Komdeur

Lewis Spurgin NERC PhD (2008-2012). The role of pathogens in promoting genetic variation and differentiation in wild animals; a case study on Berthelot's pipit populations across the Macaronesian islands. In collaboration with. Juan Carlos Illera, Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC), La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain

Karl Phillips UEA funded PhD (2009-2013). Mating patterns and genetic diversity in Hawksbill turtles. In collaboration with Cousine Island Seychelles http://www.cousineisland.com/

Martijn Hammers NWO Ph.D. (2008-2012). Individual model based analysis of the causes of senescence in a wild living cooperative breeding vertebrate species. Based at the University of Groningen. Joint supervised with Prof. Jan Komdeur. Supported by Nature Seychelles (http://www.natureseychelles.org)

Jildou Van de Woude NWO Ph.D. (2008-2012). Physiological consequences of different life-history strategies in the Seychelles Warbler. Based at the University of Groningen. Joint supervised with Prof. Jan Komdeur. Supported by Nature Seychelles (http://www.natureseychelles.org)

David P. Padilla Visiting Researcher (2009). The populations structure of southern great grey shrikes across the Canaries (from the Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group IPNA, CSIC, Tenerife, Spain). http://www.ipna.csic.es/departamentos/agro/eei/index.php/es/

External & Professional Activities

NERC review college and moderating panel member
BBSRC and Leverhulme Trust grant reviewer
Advisor to the Republic of Seychelles Government (Dept. Environment)
Consultancy for Nature Seychelles and the Island Conservation Society
Awarded NERC Fellowship 2004-2007
Invited Speaker - The use of vertebrate model systems to study social evolution. Symposium –Bern University. 2009
Invited Speaker – Molecular tools and the conservation of island endemics. Nature Seychelles. Seychelles. Coconuts and Conservation. 10 years of Conservation. 2008
Invited Speaker – Genetic factors and avian translocations. Zoological Society of London: Avian Translocations Symposium. 2008
Invited Speaker – The role of the MHC in mate choice and parasite resistance; insights from avian systems. IPNA-CSIC. Tenerife. 2008
Invited Speaker – Altruism, infidelity and grandparent helpers. Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Edinburgh University 2008.

Internal Administration & Teaching Activities

Biological Sciences Information officer
Admission and Information Committee
UEA Ringing Group Founding member
I teach on the following modules: Evolutionary Biology (BIO 2B10; module organiser), Behavioural Ecology (BIO 2B18), Host-parasite interaction (BIO 3C47), Skills for Biologists (BIO 1A4Y).

Recent Publications (2001-present)

Eikenaar, C., Richardson, D.S., Brouwer, L., Bristol, R. & Komdeur, J., 2009,  Experimental evaluation of sex differences in territory acquisition in a cooperatively breeding bird,Behavioral Ecology, 20, 207-214,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Brouwer, L., Groothuis, T.G.G., Vedder, O., Eikenaar, C., Richardson, D.S. & Komdeur, J., 2009,  Do primary males physiologically suppress subordinate males? An experiment in a cooperatively breeding passerine,Ethology, 115, 576-587,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Brouwer, L., Richardson, D.S., Eikenaar, C. & Komdeur, J., 2009,  Experimental evidence for density dependent reproduction in a cooperatively breeding passerine,Ecology, 90, 729-741,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Gillingham, M.A.F., Richardson, D.S., Lovlie, H., Moyniham, A., Worley, K. & Pizzari, T., 2009,  Cryptic preference for MHC-dissimilar females in male red junglefowl, Gallus gallus,Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 276, 1083-1092,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Illera, J.C., Emerson, B.C. & Richardson, D.S., 2008,  Genetic characterization, distribution and prevalence of avian pox and avian malaria in the Berthelot's pipit (Anthus berthelotii) in Macaronesia,Parasitology Research, 103, 1435-1443,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Worley, K., Gillingham, M., Jensen, P., Kennedy, L.J., Pizzari, T., Kaufman, J. & Richardson, D.S., 2008,  Single locus typing of MHC class I and class II B loci in a population of red jungle fowl,Immunogenetics, 60, 233-247,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Illera, J.C., Richardson, D.S. & Emerson, B.C., 2008,  Phylogenetic relationships, biogeography and speciation in the avian genus Saxicola,Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 48, 1145-1154,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Eikenaar, C., Komdeur, J., Brouwer, L. & Richardson, D.S., 2008,  Investigating inbreeding avoidance and dispersal in a contained population of the Seychelles warbler,Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 21, 1106-1116,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Eikenaar, C., Richardson, D.S., Brouwer, L. & Komdeur, J., 2008,  Causes of sex biased natal dispersal in a closed saturated population of the Seychelles warbler,Journal of Avian Biology, 39, 73-80,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Richardson, D.S., Burke, T. & Komdeur, J., 2007,  Grandparent helpers: the adaptive significance of older, post-dominant helpers in the Seychelles warbler,Evolution, 61, 2790-2800,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Komdeur, J. & Richardson, D.S., 2007,  Molecular ecology reveals the hidden complexities of the Seychelles warbler,Advances in the Study of Behaviour, 37, 147-187,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Illera, J..C., Emerson, B.C. & Richardson, D.S., 2007,  Population history of Berthelot's pipit: colonisation, gene flow and morphological divergence in Macaronesia,Molecular Ecology, 16, 4599-4612,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Brouwer, L., Komdeur, J. & Richardson, D.S., 2007,  Investigating heterozygosity-fitness correlations in a bottlenecked island species; a case study on the Seychelles warbler,Molecular Ecology, 16, 3134-3144,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Komdeur, J., Burke, T. & Richardson, D.S., 2007,  Explicit experimental evidence for the effectiveness of proximity as mate guarding behaviour in reducing extra-pair fertilization in the Seychelles warbler,Molecular Ecology, 16, 3679-3688,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Eikenaar, C., Richardson, D.S., Brouwer, L. & Komdeur, J., 2007,  Parent presence, delayed dispersal and territory acquisition in the Seychelles warbler,Behavioral Ecology, 18, 874-879,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Vega, L., Holloway, G., Millet, J. & Richardson, D.S., 2007,  Extreme gender-based post-fledging brood division in the toc-toc,Behavioral Ecology, 18, 730-735,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Jorgensen, T., Richardson, D.S. & Andersson, S., 2006,  Comparative analyses of population structure in two subspecies of Nigella degenii: evidence for diversifying selection on pollen-colour dimorphisms.,Evolution, 60, 518-528,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Richardson, D.S., Bristol, R. & Shah, N.J., 2006,  Translocation of Seychelles warbler Acrocephalus sechellensis to establish a new population on Denis Island, Seychelles.,ConservationEvidence.com, 3, 54-57,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Hadfield, J., Richardson, D.S. & Burke, T., 2006,  Towards unbiased parentage assignment: combining genetic, behavioural and spatial data in a Bayesian framework.,Molecular Ecology, 15, 3715-3730,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Brouwer, L., Richardson, D.S., Eikenaar, C.& Komdeur, J., 2006,  The role of group size and environmental factors on survival in a cooperatively breeding tropical passerine.,Journal of Animal Ecology, 75, 1321-1329,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Komdeur, J., Richardson, D.S. & Burke, T., 2006,  Fitness consequences of cooperative breeding in the Seychelles warbler.,Acta Zoologica Sinica, 52, 257-261,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Ridley, J., Komdeur, J., Richardson, D.S. & Sutherland, W.J., 2006,  Population predictions for Seychelles warblers in novel environments.,Acta Zoologica Sinica, 52, 465-469,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Richardson, D.S., Burke, T., Komdeur, J. & von Schantz, T., 2005,  MHC-based patterns of social and extra-pair mate choice in the Seychelles warbler.,Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 272, 759-767,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Hansson, B. & Richardson, D.S., 2005,  Genetic variation in two endangered Acrocephalus species compared to a widespread congener: estimates based on coding and non-coding loci.,Animal Conservation, 8, 83-90,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Richardson, D.S., Komdeur, J. & Burke, T., 2004,  Inbreeding in Seychelles warbler: Environment-dependent maternal effects,Evolution, 58, 2037-2048,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Komdeur, J., Richardson, D.S. & Burke, T., 2004,  Experimental evidence that kin discrimination in the Seychelles warbler is based on association and not on genetic relatedness.,Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 271, 963-969,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Komdeur, J., Richardson, D.S., Piersma, T., Kraaijeveld, K. & Kraaijeveld-Smit, 2004,  Why Seychelles warblers fail to recolonise nearby islands: were they selected for reduced flight performance?,Ibis, 146, 298-302,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

van de Crommenacker, J., Richardson, D.S., Groothuis, T.G.G., Eising, C.M., Dekker, A.L. & Komdeur, J., 2004,  Testosterone, cuckoldry risk and extra-pair opportunities in the Seychelles warbler.,Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 271, 1023-1031,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Ridley, J., Komdeur, J., Richardson, D.S. & Sutherland, W.J., 2004,  Population predictions for Seychelles warblers in novel environments.,Acta Ornithologica, , ,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Richardson, D.S., Komdeur, J. & Burke, T., 2003,  Sex-specific associative learning cues and inclusive fitness benefits in the Seychelles warbler,Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 16, ,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Richardson, D.S. & Westerdahl, H., 2003,  MHC diversity in two Acrocephalus species: the outbred great reed warbler and the inbred Seychelles warbler.,Molecular Ecology, 12, 3523-3529,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Richardson, D.S., Komdeur, J. & Burke, T., 2003,  Subordinate Seychelles warblers accurately maximise indirect benefits using a simple rule-of-thumb.,Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 16, 854-861,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Richardson, D.S., Komdeur, J. & Burke, T., 2003,  Altruism and infidelity among warblers.,Nature, 422, 580,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Rocamora, G. & Richardson, D.S., 2003,  Genetic and morphological differentiation between the two remnant populations of Seychelles White-eye Zosterops modestus: implications for conservation and future management.,Ibis, 145, E34-E44,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Richardson, D.S., Komdeur, J. & Burke, T., 2002,  Direct benefits and the evolution of female-biased cooperative breeding in Seychelles warblers.,Evolution, 56, 2313-2321,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Stanback, M., Richardson, D.S., Boix, C. & Mendelsohn, J., 2002,  Female dependence and expensive male parental care result in genetic monogamy in Monteiro's hornbill, Tockus monteiri.,Animal Behaviour, 63, 787-793,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Richardson, D.S., Jury, F.L., Blaakmeer, K., Komdeur, J. & Burke, T., 2001,  Parentage assignment and extra-group paternity in a cooperative breeder: the Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis).,Molecular Ecology, 10, 2263-2273,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Richardson, D.S. & Burke, T., 2001,  Extra-pair paternity and variance in reproductive success related to breeding density in Bullock's orioles.,Animal Behaviour, 62, 519-525,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Eising, C., Komdeur, J., Buys, J., Reemer, M. & Richardson, D.S., 2001,  Islands in a desert: breeding ecology of the African Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus in Namibia.,Ibis, 143, 482-493,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Dowling, D.K., Richardson, D.S. & Komdeur, J., 2001,  No effects of a feather mite on life-history components and grooming behaviour in the Seychelles warbler, Acrocephalus sechellensis.,Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 50, 257-262,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Dowling, D.K., Richardson, D.S. & Komdeur, J., 2001,  Biotic and abiotic factors affect parasite loads: feather mite load influenced by salt exposure, age and reproductive stage in the Seychelles warbler, Acrocephalus sechellensis.,Journal of Avian Biology, 32, 364-369,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication

Richardson, D.S., 2001,  Species conservation assessment and action plant: The Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis).,, , 1-7,  Full Text (subscription) Request Publication