University of St Andrews

Spatial Population Ecology

We develop biologically realistic statistical models to understand the spatial processes driving ecological dynamics — applying them to individuals, populations, and communities to solve real conservation and management problems.

Focus
Space use, dispersal and demography across density, environment and landscape gradients
Approach
Eco-statistical modelling grounded in biological realism and spatial ecological theory
Goal
Quantitative tools that translate theory into conservation action
Apr 2026 Milestone Travis King successfully defended his PhD on camera trapping for multi-species corridor assessment in Honduras.
Apr 2026 Paper Chimpanzee density estimators in Southern Congo. American Journal of Primatology.
Mar 2026 Paper Species responses to cryptic anthropogenic disturbances for biodiversity monitoring. Conservation Biology.
Feb 2026 Paper Forest cover and land management explain variation in pine marten densities. Wildlife Biology.
Feb 2026 Paper Integrating AI into ecological inference workflows. Methods in Ecology and Evolution.