Dr JUSTIN TRAVIS

Dr JUSTIN TRAVIS The University of Aberdeen School of Biological Sciences Dr JUSTIN TRAVIS Senior Lecturer work +44 (0)1224 274483 pref Room 407 Zoology Building

Senior Lecturer

Dr JUSTIN TRAVIS

Personal Details

Telephone: +44 (0)1224 274483
Email: justin.travis@abdn.ac.uk
Address: Room 407 Zoology Building
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Biography

2006 –     Lecturer (and from 2008, Senior lecturer) in Environmental Change, University of Aberdeen.

2004 – 2006   Senior Scientific Officer, NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Banchory, UK

2001- 2004    University of St Andrews, UK. Research Fellow in the Centre for Conservation Science.

1999 -2001    University of Lund, Sweden, Research fellow within the Climate Impacts Group

Degrees: PhD 1999 Imperial College London.    MSc 1996 University of York.     BSc(hons)1994 University of York

 


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Research Interests

Much of my research uses models to study the population and evolutionary dynamics of spatially structured populations. Key interests include (1) the evolutionary ecology and population genetics of range expansions, (2) incorporating greater realism into the dispersal process within spatial population models, (3) evolvability (including the causes and consequences of mutation rate) and  (4) the evolutionary ecology of longevity.  While most of my group's work focusses on using stochastic individual-based models, I am increasingly interested in how these can be combined both with modern statistical methods (including Bayesian approaches) and analytical approximations to gain greater insights and predictive capabilities.


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Research Grants

2008 E185,000 Biodiversa EU –funding for TenLamas project

2008 £300000 CoI NERC grant (with Lambin PI) 

2007 £39,961 (CoI) Carnegie grant with Kirsty Park (PI) 'Development of a landscape model for the

control of Rhododendron ponticum'

2006 £140,000 UKPopNet 'From plots to catchments to landscapes'.

2005 £51,000 A NERC New Investigator's award 'Integrating ecological dynamics, population genetics and landscape structure in a theoretical study of range shifting'.

2004 E65,000 An EU network (part of ALTERNET) to develop 'Mechanistic models of species responses to climate change'

2003 £23,550 A British Ecological Society Early Career Development Grant for a project titled 'How does the invasion of Rhododendron Ponticum impact on soil biodiversity and ecosystem function'.

2003 £10,000 An SNH contract:  'The use of modeling techniques to predict the response of the introduced hedgehog population in the Western Isles to a range of potential control options.'

2002 £1,450 A British Ecological Society Small Grant towards a project titled: 'Measuring the dispersal kernel of the invasive alien Rhododendron ponticum


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Teaching Responsibilities

Most of my teaching is at Masters level. In particular, I co-ordinate two modules, one on Population Ecology and one on Advanced Ecological Modelling. At undergraduate level, I contribute to several courses at both 3rd and 4th year, most substantially to 3rd year Population Ecology where I introduce ecological modelling.

Teaching Philosophy: I enjoy the challenge of making quantitative topics and programming accessible to as many students as possible, and this is the focus of most of my teaching. I believe that almost all students are capable of learning to program, and that many obtain considerable satisfaction from the realisation that they can master it. I am interested in employing active learning methods within quantitative courses that have traditionally relied heavily on often dry lectures. In my Masters teaching I have been using 'learning through teaching' methods where individuals are each guided in putting together material to teach their peers about a particular aspect of modeling. This is proving a very successful way of improving understanding and creates considerable enthusiasm.


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External Responsibilities

Full member of NERC Peer Review College ( 2011 - ).

Subject Editor for Oikos ( 2010 - ).

Associate Editor for BMC Ecology ( 2011 - ).


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Admin Responsibilities

Advisor of Studies ( 2009 - ).


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Publications

Working Papers and Discussion Papers

Working Papers

  • Dirnbock, T., Bezak, P., Dullinger, S., Haberl, H., Lotze-Campen, H., Mirtl, M., Peterseil, J., Redpath, S., Singh, SJ., Travis, JMJ. & Wijdeven, SM. (2008). 'Scaling issues in long-term socio-ecological biodiversity research : a review of European cases'. Social Ecology Working Paper 100, Vienna.

Contributions to Journals

Articles

  • Muenkemueller, T., Travis, JMJ., Burton, OJ., Schiffers, K. & Johst, K. (2011). 'Density-regulated population dynamics and conditional dispersal alter the fate of mutations occurring at the front of an expanding population'. Heredity, vol 106, no. 4, pp. 678-689.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2010.107
  • Palmer, SCF., Coulon, A. & Travis, JMJ. (2011). 'Introducing a 'stochastic movement simulator' for estimating habitat connectivity'. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, vol 2, no. 3, pp. 258-268.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1111/j.2041-210X.2010.00073.x
  • Travis, JMJ., Smith, HS. & Ranwala, SMW. (2010). 'Towards a mechanistic understanding of dispersal evolution in plants: conservation implications'. Diversity and Distributions, vol 16, no. 4, pp. 690-702.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2010.00674.x
  • Travis, JMJ. (2010). 'Corrigendum: Towards a mechanistic understanding of dispersal evolution in plants: conservation implications (vol 16, pg 690, 2010)'. Diversity and Distributions, vol 16, no. 5, pp. 877.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2010.00687.x
  • Atkins, KE. & Travis, JMJ. (2010). 'Local adaptation and the evolution of species' ranges under climate change'. Journal of Theoretical Biology, vol 266, no. 3, pp. 449-457.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2010.07.014
  • Burton, OJ., Phillips, BL. & Travis, JMJ. (2010). 'Trade-offs and the evolution of life-histories during range expansion'. Ecology Letters, vol 13, no. 10, pp. 1210-1220.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01505.x
  • Komissarova, A., Travis, JMJ. & Redpath, SM. (2010). 'Dispersal costs and kin selection have a strong effect on the evolution of migratory strategy'. Integrative and Comparative Biology, vol 50, no. Suppl. 1, pp. E92.
  • Travis, JMJ., Muenkemueller, T. & Burton, OJ. (2010). 'Mutation surfing and the evolution of dispersal during range expansions'. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, vol 23, no. 12, pp. 2656-2667.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2010.02123.x
  • Watts, EJ., Palmer, SCF., Bowman, AS., Irvine, J., Smith, A. & Travis, JMJ. (2009). 'The effect of host movement on viral transmission dynamics in a vector-borne disease system'. Parasitology, vol 136, no. 10, pp. 1221-1234.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1017/S0031182009990424
  • Anderson, BJ., Arroyo, BE., Collingham, YC., Etheridge, B., Fernandez-De-Simon, J., Gillings, S., Gregory, RD., Leckie, FM., Sim, IMW., Thomas, CD., Travis, JMJ. & Redpath, SM. (2009). 'Using distribution models to test alternative hypotheses about a species' environmental limits and recovery prospects'. Biological Conservation, vol 142, no. 3, pp. 488-499.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2008.10.036
  • White, RM., Fischer, A., Marshall, K., Travis, JMJ., Webb, TJ., di Falco, S., Redpath, SM. & van der Wal, R. (2009). 'Developing an integrated conceptual framework to understand biodiversity conflicts'. Land Use Policy, vol 26, no. 2, pp. 242-253.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2008.03.005
  • Muenkemueller, T., Reineking, B., Travis, JMJ., Bugmann, H. & Johst, K. (2009). 'Disappearing refuges in time and space: how environmental change threatens species coexistence'. Theoretical Ecology, vol 2, no. 4, pp. 217-227.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1007/s12080-009-0043-7
  • Harris, CM., Park, KJ., Atkinson, R., Edwards, C. & Travis, JMJ. (2009). 'Invasive species control: Incorporating demographic data and seed dispersal into a management model for Rhododendron ponticum'. Ecological Informatics, vol 4, no. 4, pp. 226-233.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2009.07.005
  • Barton, KA., Phillips, BL., Morales, JM. & Travis, JM.J (2009). 'The evolution of an 'intelligent' dispersal strategy: biased, correlated random walks in patchy landscapes'. Oikos, vol 118, no. 2, pp. 309-319.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2008.16936.x
  • Mustin, K., Benton, TG., Dytham, C. & Travis, JMJ. (2009). 'The dynamics of climate-induced range shifting; perspectives from simulation modelling'. Oikos, vol 118, no. 1, pp. 131-137.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2008.17025.x
  • Travis, JMJ., Mustin, K., Benton, TG. & Dytham, C. (2009). 'Accelerating invasion rates result from the evolution of density-dependent dispersal'. Journal of Theoretical Biology, vol 259, no. 1, pp. 151-158.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2009.03.008
  • McInerny, GJ., Turner, JRG., Wong, HY., Travis, JMJ. & Benton, TG. (2009). 'How range shifts induced by climate change affect neutral evolution'. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. B, Biological Sciences, vol 276, no. 1661, pp. 1527-1534.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1567
  • Harris, CM., Travis, JMJ. & Harwood, J. (2008). 'Evaluating the influence of epidemiological parameters and host ecology on the spread of Phocine Distemper virus through populations of harbour seals'. PLoS one, vol 3, no. 7, pp. e2710-e2717.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002710
  • Burton, OJ. & Travis, JMJ. (2008). 'The frequency of fitness peak shifts is increased at expanding range margins due to mutation surfing'. Genetics, vol 179, no. 2, pp. 941-950.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1534/genetics.108.087890
  • Burton, OJ. & Travis, JMJ. (2008). 'Landscape structure and boundary effects determine the fate of mutations occurring during range expansions'. Heredity, vol 101, no. 4, pp. 329-340.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2008.56
  • Bonte, D., Travis, JMJ., De Clercq, N., Zwertvaegher, I. & Lens, L. (2008). 'Thermal conditions during juvenile development affect adult dispersal in a spider'. PNAS, vol 105, no. 44, pp. 17000-17005.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0806830105
  • Best, AS., Johst, K., Muenkemueller, T. & Travis, JMJ. (2007). 'Which species will succesfully track climate change? The influence of intraspecific competition and density dependent dispersal on range shifting dynamics'. Oikos, vol 116, no. 9, pp. 1531-1539.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1111/j.0030-1299.2007.16047.x
  • Stephenson, CM., Kohn, DD., Park, KJ., Atkinson, R., Edwards, C. & Travis, JM. (2007). 'Testing mechanistic models of seed dispersal for the invasive Rhododendron ponticum (L.)'. Perspectives in plant ecology, evolution and systematics, vol 9, no. 1, pp. 15-28.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.ppees.2007.07.004
  • Travis, JMJ. & Ezard, THG. (2006). 'Habitat geometry, population viscosity and the rate of genetic drift'. Ecological Informatics, vol 1, no. 2, pp. 153-161.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2006.03.003
  • Hammershoj, M., Travis, JMJ. & Stephenson, CM. (2006). 'Incorporating evolutionary processes into a spatially-explicit model: exploring the consequences of mink-farm closures in Denmark'. Ecography, vol 29, no. 4, pp. 465-476.
  • Travis, JMJ., Brooker, RW., Clark, EJ. & Dytham, C. (2006). 'The distribution of positive and negative species interactions across environmental gradients on a dual-lattice model'. Journal of Theoretical Biology, vol 241, no. 4, pp. 896-902.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2006.01.025
  • Ezard, THG. & Travis, JMJ. (2006). 'The impact of habitat loss and fragmentation on genetic drift and fixation time'. Oikos, vol 114, no. 2, pp. 367-375.
  • Dytham, C. & Travis, JMJ. (2006). 'Evolving dispersal and age at death'. Oikos, vol 113, no. 3, pp. 530-538.
  • Stephenson, CM., MacKenzie, ML., Edwards, C. & Travis, JMJ. (2006). 'Modelling establishment probabilities of an exotic plant, Rhododendron ponticum, invading a heterogeneous, woodland landscape using logistic regression with spatial autocorrelation'. Ecological Modelling, vol 193, no. 3-4, pp. 747-758.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2005.09.007
  • Travis, JMJ., Brooker, RW. & Dytham, C. (2005). 'The interplay of positive and negative species interactions across an environmental gradient: insights from an individual-based simulation model'. Biology Letters, vol 1, no. 1, pp. 58.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2004.0236
  • Travis, JMJ. & Palmer, SCF. (2005). 'Spatial processes can determine the relationship between prey encounter rate and prey density'. Biology Letters, vol 1, no. 2, pp. 136-138.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2004.0293
  • Travis, JMJ., Hammershoj, M. & Stephenson, C. (2005). 'Adaptation and propagule pressure determine invasion dynamics: insights from a spatially explicit model for sexually reproducing species'. Evolutionary Ecology Research, vol 7, no. 1, pp. 37-51.
  • Travis, ER. & Travis, JMJ. (2004). 'Mutators in space: The dynamics of high-mutability in a two-patch model'. Genetics, vol 167, no. 1, pp. 513-522.
  • Travis, JMJ. & Park, KJ. (2004). 'Spatial structure and the control of invasive alien species'. Animal Conservation, vol 7, pp. 321-330.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1017/S1367943004001507
  • Travis, JMJ. & Dytham, C. (2004). 'A method for simulating patterns of habitat availability at static and dynamic range margins'. Oikos, vol 104, no. 2, pp. 410-416.
  • Travis, JMJ. (2003). 'Neighbourhood size, dispersal distance and the complex dynamics of the spatial Ricker model'. Population Ecology, vol 45, no. 3, pp. 227-237.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1007/s10144-003-0161-9
  • Travis, JMJ. & Dytham, C. (2002). 'Dispersal evolution during invasions'. Evolutionary Ecology Research, vol 4, no. 8, pp. 1119-1129.
  • Hopkinson, P., Travis, JMJ., Evans, J., Gregory, RD., Telfer, MG. & Williams, PH. (2001). 'Flexibility and the use of indicator taxa in the selection of sites for nature reserves'. Biodiversity and Conservation, vol 10, no. 2, pp. 271-285.
  • Travis, JMJ. (2001). 'The color of noise and the evolution of dispersal'. Ecological Research, vol 16, no. 1, pp. 157-163.
  • French, DR. & Travis, JMJ. (2001). 'Density-dependent dispersal in host-parasitoid assemblages'. Oikos, vol 95, no. 1, pp. 125-135.
  • Travis, JMJ. & French, DR. (2000). 'Dispersal functions and spatial models: expanding our dispersal toolbox'. Ecology Letters, vol 3, no. 3, pp. 163-165.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1046/j.1461-0248.2000.00141.x
  • Fellowes, MDE. & Travis, JMJ. (2000). 'Linking the coevolutionary and population dynamics of host-parasitoid interactions'. Population Ecology, vol 42, no. 2, pp. 195-203.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1007/PL00011998
  • Hopkinson, P., Travis, JMJ., Prendergast, JR., Evans, J., Gregory, RD., Telfer, MG. & Williams, PH. (2000). 'A preliminary assessment of the contribution of nature reserves to biodiversity conservation in Great Britain'. Animal Conservation, vol 3, pp. 311-320.
  • Travis, JMJ. & Dytham, C. (1999). 'Habitat persistence, habitat availability and the evolution of dispersal'. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. B, Biological Sciences, vol 266, no. 1420, pp. 723-728.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1098/rspb.1999.0696
  • Travis, JMJ., Murrell, DJ. & Dytham, C. (1999). 'The evolution of density-dependent dispersal'. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. B, Biological Sciences, vol 266, no. 1431, pp. 1837-1842.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1098/rspb.1999.0854
  • Travis, JMJ. & Dytham, C. (1998). 'The evolution of dispersal in a metapopulation: a spatially explicit, individual-based model'. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. B, Biological Sciences, vol 265, no. 1390, pp. 17-23.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1098/rspb.1998.0258

Editorials

  • Pakeman, RJ., Pugnaire, FI., Michalet, R., Lortie, CJ., Schiffers, K., Maestre, FT. & Travis, JMJ. (2009). 'Is the cask of facilitation ready for bottling? A symposium on the connectivity and future directions of positive plant interactions'. Biology Letters, vol 5, no. 5, pp. 577-579.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2009.0384

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