Search
People

Dr Barbara Cheney

Dr Barbara Cheney
Dr Barbara Cheney
Dr Barbara Cheney

Advanced Research Fellow

About
Email Address
b.cheney@abdn.ac.uk
Office Address

The Lighthouse Field Station

University of Aberdeen

George Street

Cromarty

Ross-shire IV11 8YL

School/Department
School of Biological Sciences
Pure
Facebook
Linkedin
Twitter
ORCiD

Biography

I am a research fellow in the School of Biological Sciences, based at the University's Lighthouse Field Station, where I manage our long-term bottlenose dolphin individual based study.

My current research interest centres on the use and development of techniques, including photo-ID, photogrammetry and acoustics, to study aspects of individual marine mammals to inform ecology and conservation.

Spy in the sky

Long-term individual-based studies provide a unique opportunity to apply unoccupied aerial system (UAS) photogrammetry to non-invasively measure body morphometrics of individuals with known life history information. Our latest study demonstrates that UAS measurements of body width can accurately assign pregnancy status in bottlenose dolphins.

Click here to read more

Qualifications

  • PhD Ecology 
    2017 - University of Aberdeen 

    Temporal variation in the demographics and dynamics of a bottlenose dolphin population.

  • BSc Marine Biology 
    2004 - University of Aberdeen 
  • BA Business Studies 
    1992 - Glasgow Caledonian University 

Latest Publications

  • Reduced adult survival estimated in areas of decline of harbour seal populations in Scotland

    Arso Civil, M., Tapp, S., Dickens, J., Langley, I., Hiley, H., Terrapon, M., Hague, E., Hewitt, R., Cordes, L. S., Graham, I., Cheney, B., Thompson, P., Hall, A. J., Sparling, C. E.
    Ecology and Evolution, vol. 15, no. 10, e72349
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Density-dependent network structuring within and across wild animal systems

    Albery, G., Becker, D. J., Firth, J. A., De Moor, D., Ravindran, S., Silk, M., Sweeny, A. R., Vander Wal, E., Webber, Q., Allen, B., Babayan, S. A., Barve, S., Begon, M. M., Birtles, R. J., Block, T. A., Block, B., Bradley, J. E., Budischak, S., Buesching, C. D., Burthe, S. J., Carlisle, A. B., Caselle, J. E., Cattuto, C., Chaine, A. S., Chapple, T. K., Cheney, B. J., Clutton-Brock, T., Collier, M., Curnick, D. J., Delahay, R. J., Farine, D. R., Fenton, A., Ferretti, F., Feyrer, L., Fielding, H., Foroughirad, V., Frere, C., Gardner, M. G., Geffen, E., Godfrey, S. S., Graham, A. L., Hammond, P. S., Henrich, M., Heurich, M., Hopwood, P., Ilany, A., Jackson, J. A., Jackson, N., Jacoby, D. M., Jacoby, A., Ježek, M., Kirkpatrick, L., Klamm, A., Klarevas-Irby, J. A., Knowles, S., Koren, L., Krzyszczyk, E., Kusch, J. M., Lambin, X., Lane, J. E., Leirs, H., Leu, S. T., Lyon, B. E., Macdonald, D. W., Madsen, A. E., Mann, J., Manser, M., Mariën, J., Massawe, A., McDonald, R. A., Morelle, K., Mourier, J., Newman, C., Nussear, K., Nyaguthii, B., Ogino, M., Ozella, L., Packer, C., Papastamatiou, Y. P., Paterson, S., Pinter-Wollman, N., Payne, E., Pederson, A. B., Pemberton, J. M., Planes, S., Raulo, A., Rodríguez-Muñoz, R., Rudd, L., Sabuni, C., Sah, P., Schallert, R. J., Sheldon, B. C., Shizuka, D., Sih, A., Sinn, D. L., Sluydts, V., Spiegel, O., Telfer, S., Thomason, C. A., Tickler, D. M., Tregenza, T., VanderWaal, K., Walmsley, S., Walters, E. L., Wanelik, K. M., Whitehead, H., Wielgus, E., Wilson-Aggarwal, J., Wohlfeil, C., Bansal, S.
    Nature Ecology & Evolution
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Optimizing automated photo identification for population assessments

    Patton, P. T., Pacifici, K., Baird, R. W., Oleson, E. M., Allen, J. B., Ashe, E., Athayde, A., Basran, C. J., Cabrera, E., Calambokidis, J., Cardoso, J., Carroll, E. L., Cesario, A., Cheney, B. J., Cheeseman, T., Corsi, E., Currie, J. J., Durban, J. W., Falcone, E. A., Fearnbach, H., Flynn, K., Franklin, T., Franklin, W., Vernazzani, B. G., Genova, T., Hill, M., Johnston, D. R., Keene, E. L., Lacey, C., Mahaffy, S. D., McGuire, T. L., McPherson, L., Meyer, C., Michaud, R., Miliou, A., Olson, G. L., Orbach, D. N., Pearson, H. C., Rasmussen, M. H., Rayment, W. J., Rinaldi, C., Rinaldi, R., Siciliano, S., Stack, S. H., Tintore, B., Torres, L. G., Towers, J. R., Moore, R. B., Weir, C. R., Wellard, R., Wells, R. S., Yano, K. M., Zaeschmar, J. R., Bejder, L.
    Conservation Biology, vol. 39, no. 4, e14436
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Site Condition Monitoring of bottlenose dolphins within the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation 2017-2022: NatureScot Research Report 1360

    Cheney, B., Arso Civil, M., Hammond, P. S., Thompson, P.
    NatureScot: Scotland's Nature Agency. 39 pages
    Books and Reports: Commissioned Reports

  • Dolphin social phenotypes vary in response to food availability but not the North Atlantic Oscillation index

    Fisher, D., Cheney, B.
    Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 290, no. 2008, 20231187
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

View My Publications

Research

Research Overview

The Lighthouse Field Station research aims to study how natural and anthropogenic variation affects the behaviour, life history and vital rates of marine top predators. I manage our long-term individual based study of bottlenose dolphins on the east coast of Scotland. My current research focuses on the application of individual based studies in marine mammal conservation and I am specifically interested in the use and development of techniques to study the ecology of individual marine mammals.

Research Areas

Biological and Environmental Sciences

View Research Area

Research Specialisms

  • Ecology
  • Marine Biology
  • Population Biology
  • Population Ecology

Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is HESA open data, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.

Investigating fecundity and calf survival

Accurately estimating variation in reproduction and survival is critical for supporting conservation. Data from our long-term individual based bottlenose dolphin study was applied in a novel method, allowing for uncertainty in breeding status, to investigate changes in fecundity and calf survival in this protected population.

 

Click here to find out more
Teaching

Courses

Publications

Page 1 of 1 Results 1 to 39 of 39

  • Reduced adult survival estimated in areas of decline of harbour seal populations in Scotland

    Arso Civil, M., Tapp, S., Dickens, J., Langley, I., Hiley, H., Terrapon, M., Hague, E., Hewitt, R., Cordes, L. S., Graham, I., Cheney, B., Thompson, P., Hall, A. J., Sparling, C. E.
    Ecology and Evolution, vol. 15, no. 10, e72349
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Density-dependent network structuring within and across wild animal systems

    Albery, G., Becker, D. J., Firth, J. A., De Moor, D., Ravindran, S., Silk, M., Sweeny, A. R., Vander Wal, E., Webber, Q., Allen, B., Babayan, S. A., Barve, S., Begon, M. M., Birtles, R. J., Block, T. A., Block, B., Bradley, J. E., Budischak, S., Buesching, C. D., Burthe, S. J., Carlisle, A. B., Caselle, J. E., Cattuto, C., Chaine, A. S., Chapple, T. K., Cheney, B. J., Clutton-Brock, T., Collier, M., Curnick, D. J., Delahay, R. J., Farine, D. R., Fenton, A., Ferretti, F., Feyrer, L., Fielding, H., Foroughirad, V., Frere, C., Gardner, M. G., Geffen, E., Godfrey, S. S., Graham, A. L., Hammond, P. S., Henrich, M., Heurich, M., Hopwood, P., Ilany, A., Jackson, J. A., Jackson, N., Jacoby, D. M., Jacoby, A., Ježek, M., Kirkpatrick, L., Klamm, A., Klarevas-Irby, J. A., Knowles, S., Koren, L., Krzyszczyk, E., Kusch, J. M., Lambin, X., Lane, J. E., Leirs, H., Leu, S. T., Lyon, B. E., Macdonald, D. W., Madsen, A. E., Mann, J., Manser, M., Mariën, J., Massawe, A., McDonald, R. A., Morelle, K., Mourier, J., Newman, C., Nussear, K., Nyaguthii, B., Ogino, M., Ozella, L., Packer, C., Papastamatiou, Y. P., Paterson, S., Pinter-Wollman, N., Payne, E., Pederson, A. B., Pemberton, J. M., Planes, S., Raulo, A., Rodríguez-Muñoz, R., Rudd, L., Sabuni, C., Sah, P., Schallert, R. J., Sheldon, B. C., Shizuka, D., Sih, A., Sinn, D. L., Sluydts, V., Spiegel, O., Telfer, S., Thomason, C. A., Tickler, D. M., Tregenza, T., VanderWaal, K., Walmsley, S., Walters, E. L., Wanelik, K. M., Whitehead, H., Wielgus, E., Wilson-Aggarwal, J., Wohlfeil, C., Bansal, S.
    Nature Ecology & Evolution
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Optimizing automated photo identification for population assessments

    Patton, P. T., Pacifici, K., Baird, R. W., Oleson, E. M., Allen, J. B., Ashe, E., Athayde, A., Basran, C. J., Cabrera, E., Calambokidis, J., Cardoso, J., Carroll, E. L., Cesario, A., Cheney, B. J., Cheeseman, T., Corsi, E., Currie, J. J., Durban, J. W., Falcone, E. A., Fearnbach, H., Flynn, K., Franklin, T., Franklin, W., Vernazzani, B. G., Genova, T., Hill, M., Johnston, D. R., Keene, E. L., Lacey, C., Mahaffy, S. D., McGuire, T. L., McPherson, L., Meyer, C., Michaud, R., Miliou, A., Olson, G. L., Orbach, D. N., Pearson, H. C., Rasmussen, M. H., Rayment, W. J., Rinaldi, C., Rinaldi, R., Siciliano, S., Stack, S. H., Tintore, B., Torres, L. G., Towers, J. R., Moore, R. B., Weir, C. R., Wellard, R., Wells, R. S., Yano, K. M., Zaeschmar, J. R., Bejder, L.
    Conservation Biology, vol. 39, no. 4, e14436
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Site Condition Monitoring of bottlenose dolphins within the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation 2017-2022: NatureScot Research Report 1360

    Cheney, B., Arso Civil, M., Hammond, P. S., Thompson, P.
    NatureScot: Scotland's Nature Agency. 39 pages
    Books and Reports: Commissioned Reports

  • Dolphin social phenotypes vary in response to food availability but not the North Atlantic Oscillation index

    Fisher, D., Cheney, B.
    Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 290, no. 2008, 20231187
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • A deep learning approach to photo–identification demonstrates high performance on two dozen cetacean species

    Patton, P. T., Cheeseman, T., Abe, K., Yamaguchi, T., Reade, W., Southerland, K., Howard, A., Oleson, E. M., Allen, J. B., Ashe, E., Athayde, A., Baird, R. W., Basran, C., Cabrera, E., Calambokidis, J., Cardoso, J., Carroll, E. L., Cesario, A., Cheney, B. J., Corsi, E., Currie, J., Durban, J. W., Falcone, E. A., Fearnbach, H., Flynn, K., Franklin, T., Franklin, W., Galletti Vernazzani, B., Genov, T., Hill, M., Johnston, D. R., Keene, E. L., Mahaffy, S. D., McGuire, T. L., McPherson, L., Meyer, C., Michaud, R., Miliou, A., Orbach, D. N., Pearson, H. C., Rasmussen, M. H., Rayment, W. J., Rinaldi, C., Rinaldi, R., Siciliano, S., Stack, S., Tintore, B., Torres, L. G., Towers, J. R., Trotter, C., Tyson Moore, R., Weir, C. R., Wellard, R., Wells, R., Yano, K. M., Zaeschmar, J. R., Bejder, L.
    Methods in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 14, no. 10, pp. 2611-2625
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Variation in foraging activity influences area-restricted search behaviour by bottlenose dolphins

    Fernandez Betelu, O., Iorio-Merlo, V., Graham, I., Cheney, B., Prentice, S., Cheng, X., Thompson, P.
    Royal Society Open Science, vol. 10, no. 6, 221613
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Towards Automatic Cetacean Photo-Identification: A Framework for Fine-Grain, Few-Shot Learning in Marine Ecology

    Trotter, C., Wright, N., McGough, A. S., Sharpe, M., Cheney, B., Civil, M. A., Moore, R. T., Allen, J., Berggren, P.
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Conference Proceedings

  • Spy in the sky: a method to identify pregnant small cetaceans

    Cheney, B. J., Dale, J., Thompson, P. M., Quick, N.
    Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 492-505
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Far-field effects of impulsive noise on coastal bottlenose dolphins

    Fernandez Betelu, O., Graham, I., Brookes, K., Cheney, B., Barton, T. R., Thompson, P.
    Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 8, 664230
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Bottlenose dolphins in the Netherlands come from two sides: across the North Sea and through the English Channel

    Hoekendijk, J. P. A., Leopold, M. F., Cheney, B. J.
    Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, vol. 101, no. 5, pp. 853-859
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Balancing risks of injury and disturbance to marine mammals when pile driving at offshore wind farms

    Thompson, P., Graham, I. M., Cheney, B., Barton, T. R., Farcas, A., Merchant, N. D.
    Ecological Solutions and Evidence, vol. 1, no. 2, e12034
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Changing distribution of the east coast of Scotland bottlenose dolphin population and the challenges of area‐based management

    Arso Civil, M., Quick, N. J., Cheney, B., Pirotta, E., Thompson, P. M., Hammond, P. S.
    Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, vol. 29, no. S1, pp. 178-196
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Harbour porpoise responses to pile-driving diminish over time

    Graham, I. M., Merchant, N. D., Farcas, A., Candido Barton, T. R., Cheney, B., Bono, S., Thompson, P. M.
    Royal Society Open Science, vol. 6, no. 6, 190335
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Increasing trends in fecundity and calf survival of bottlenose dolphins in a marine protected area

    Cheney, B. J., Thompson, P. M., Cordes, L. S.
    Scientific Reports, vol. 9, 1767
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Variations in age- and sex-specific survival rates help explain population trend in a discrete marine mammal population

    Arso Civil, M., Cheney, B., Quick, N. J., Islas-Villanueva, V., Graves, J. A., Janik, V. M., Thompson, P. M., Hammond, P. S.
    Ecology and Evolution, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 533-544
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Laser photogrammetry reveals variation in growth and early survival in free-ranging bottlenose dolphins

    Cheney, B., Wells, R. S., Barton, T. R., Thompson, P. M.
    Animal Conservation, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 252-261
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Responses of bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoises to impact and vibration piling noise during harbour construction

    Graham, I. M., Pirotta, E., Merchant, N. D., Farcas, A., Barton, T. R., Cheney, B., Hastie, G. D., Thompson, P. M.
    Ecosphere, vol. 8, no. 5, pp. 1-16
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • A new approach to estimate fecundity rate from inter-birth intervals

    Arso Civil, M., Cheney, B., Quick, N. J., Thompson, P. M., Hammond, P. S.
    Ecosphere, vol. 8, no. 4, e01796
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Can the Camera Lie? A Nonpermanent Nick in a Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)

    Quick, N. J., Cheney, B. J., Thompson, P. M., Hammond, P. S.
    Aquatic Mammals, vol. 43, no. 2, pp. 156-161
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Investigating individual growth rates in wild bottlenose dolphins using remote laser photogrammetry

    Cheney, B., Wells, R. S., Thompson, P. M.
    21st Biennial Society for Marine Mammalogy Conference
    Contributions to Conferences: Posters

  • Predicting the effects of human developments on individual dolphins to understand potential long-term population consequences

    Pirotta, E., Harwood, J., Thompson, P. M., New, L., Cheney, B., Arso, M., Hammond, P. S., Donovan, C., Lusseau, D.
    Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. B, Biological Sciences, vol. 282, no. 1818, 20152109
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Estimating spatial, temporal and individual variability in dolphin cumulative exposure to boat traffic using spatially explicit capture-recapture methods

    Pirotta, E. E., Thompson, P. M. P., Cheney, B. B., Donovan, C. R. C., Lusseau, D. M. D.
    Animal Conservation, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 20-31
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Long-term trends in the use of a protected area by small cetaceans in relation to changes in population status.

    Cheney, B., Corkrey, R., Durban, J. W., Grellier, K., Hammond, P. S., Islas-Villanueva, V., Janik, V. M., Lusseau, S. M., Parsons, K. M., Quick, N. J., Wilson, B., Thompson, P. M.
    Global Ecology and Conservation, vol. 2, pp. 118-128
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Scale-dependent foraging ecology of a marine top predator modelled using passive acoustic data

    Pirotta, E., Thompson, P. M., Miller, P. I., Brookes, K. L., Cheney, B., Barton, T. R., Graham, I. M., Lusseau, D.
    Functional Ecology, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 206-217
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Site Condition Monitoring of bottlenose dolphins within the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation: 2011-2013

    Cheney, B. J.
    Commissioned by SCOTTISH NATURAL HERITAGE. Inverness: Scottish Natural Heritage. 36 pages
    Books and Reports: Commissioned Reports

  • Using Tooth Rakes to Monitor Population and Sex Differences in Aggressive Behaviour in Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

    Marley, S. A., Cheney, B., Thompson, P. M.
    Aquatic Mammals, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 107-115
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Modelling the biological significance of behavioural change in coastal bottlenose dolphins in response to disturbance

    New, L. F., Harwood, J., Thomas, L., Donovan, C., Clark, J. S., Hastie, G., Thompson, P. M., Cheney, B., Scott-Hayward, L., Lusseau, D.
    Functional Ecology, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 314-322
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Analyzing temporally correlated dolphin sightings data using generalized estimating equations

    Bailey, H. R., Corkrey, R., Cheney, B. J., Thompson, P. M.
    Marine Mammal Science, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 123-141
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Integrating multiple data sources to assess the distribution and abundance of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in Scottish waters

    Cheney, B. J., Thompson, P. M., Ingram, S. N., Hammond, P. S., Stevick, P. T., Durban, J. W., Culloch, R. M., Elwen, S. H., Mandleberg, L., Janik, V. M., Quick, N. J., Islas-Villanueva, V., Robinson, K. P., Costa, M., Eisfeld, S. M., Walters, A., Phillips, C., Weir, C. R., Evans, P. G. H., Anderwald, P., Reid, R. J., Reid, J. B., Wilson, B.
    Mammal Review, vol. 43, no. 1, pp. 71-88
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Discrete or not so discrete: Long distance movements by coastal bottlenose dolphins in UK and Irish waters

    Robinson, K. P., O'Brien, J. M., Berrow, S., Cheney, B. J., Costa, M., Eisfeld, S. M., Haberlin, D., Mandleberg, L., O'Donovan, M., Oudejans, M. G., Ryan, C., Stevick, P. T., Thompson, P. M., Whooley, P.
    Journal of Cetacean Research and Management, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 365-371
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • NatureScot Commissioned Report 468: The development of a framework to understand and predict the population consequences of disturbances for the Moray Firth bottlenose dolphin population

    Lusseau, D., New, L., Donovan, C., Cheney, B., Hastie, G., Harwood, J.
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Reports

  • Site Condition Monitoring of bottlenose dolphins within the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation: 2008-2010

    Cheney, B. J., Corkrey, R., Quick, N. J., Janik, V. M., Islas-Villanueva, V., Hammond, P. S., Thompson, P. M.
    Scottish Natural Heritage. 34 pages
    Books and Reports: Commissioned Reports

  • Distribution, abundance and population structure of bottlenose dolphins in Scottish waters: Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage funded report.

    Thompson, P. M., Cheney, B. J., Ingram, S., Stevick, P., Wilson, B., Hammond, P.
    Scottish Natural Heritage
    Books and Reports: Commissioned Reports

  • Inflation factors influence the estimation of trends in cetacean abundance

    Cheney, B. J., Lusseau, D., Hammond, P. S., Thompson, P. M.
    19th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals
    Contributions to Conferences: Posters

  • Effects of extrinsic and intrinsic factors on breeding success in a long lived seabird

    Lewis, S., Elston, D. A., Daunt, F., Cheney, B., Thompson, P. M.
    Oikos, vol. 118, no. 4, pp. 521-528
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Coast to coast: First evidence for translocational movements by Scottish bottlenose dolphins (UK)

    Robinson, K. P., Cheney, B. J., Mandleberg, L., Eisfeld, S. M., Costa, M., Johnston, P., Stevick, P. T.
    23rd Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society
    Contributions to Conferences: Posters

  • Flexible incubation rhythm in northern fulmars: a comparison between oceanographic zones

    Mallory, M., Gaston, A., Forbes, M., Gilchrist, H., Cheney, B. J., Lewis, S., Thompson, P. M.
    Marine Biology, vol. 154, no. 6, pp. 1031-1040
    Contributions to Journals: Articles

  • Using laser metrics to measure wild bottlenose dolphins

    Cheney, B. J., Barton, T. R., Thompson, P. M.
    22nd Annual European Cetacean Society Conference
    Contributions to Conferences: Posters

Refine

Books and Reports

Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings

Contributions to Conferences

Contributions to Journals

Contributions to Specialist Publications

Update