Professional summary

James is a globally-leading expert on the spatial dynamics and management of biodiversity. He has >280 peer-reviewed publications (Web of Science h =70, Google Scholar h=90, i10=239) and has  been in the top 1% of of his field by citation every year since 2019 (Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher). James has developed new knowledge on restoration and rewilding that includes two of the seven most-cited papers on restoration in the last 15 years, the most cited paper on rewilding in the last five years. He has edited two books on dispersal and used mathematical and statistical models to further understanding of ecological dynamics over large scales.

James has also pushed forward ecosystem service science, with numerous projects on their measurement and modelling. His expertise in these areas comes together in research on sustainable farming, future environmental scenarios and conservation planning – all with the aim to find solutions to the biodiversity crisis. His forte is in working across research areas and he has recently developed a new complexity paradigm for restoration, led a project linking climate change, socio-economics, pollution and biodiversity loss, and developed National Capability research linking net zero with agro-ecology.

James leada large projects with multidisciplinary teams within UKCEH, across UK HEIs, and involving partners in Europe, the USA and Africa, funded by the European Commission, NERC, ESRC and Defra. He undertakes applied research for government departments, UK and EU agencies and the private sector. He has led several stakeholder events involving NGOs, industry, farmers and government.

Selected publications

Pettorelli Nathalie et al. , (2023), Restore or rewild? Implementing complementary approaches to bend the curve on biodiversity loss. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 4, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12244

Willcock Simon et al. , (2023), Model ensembles of ecosystem services fill global certainty and capacity gaps. Science Advances, 9, http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adf5492

Isbell Forest et al. , (2023), Expert perspectives on global biodiversity loss and its drivers and impacts on people. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 21, 94-103, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/fee.2536

Ridding Lucy E. et al. , (2023), Historical data reveal contrasting habitat amount relationships with plant biodiversity. Ecography, 2023, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ecog.06301

Neyret Margot et al. , (2023), Landscape management strategies for multifunctionality and social equity. Nature Sustainability, 6, 391-403, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-01045-w

Spake Rebecca et al. , (2022), Improving quantitative synthesis to achieve generality in ecology. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 6, 1818-1828, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01891-z

Bullock James M. et al. , (2021), Future restoration should enhance ecological complexity and emergent properties at multiple scales. Ecography, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ecog.05780

Bardgett Richard D. et al. , (2021), Combatting global grassland degradation. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 2, 720-735, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43017-021-00207-2

Newton Adrian C. et al. , (2021), Ecological restoration of agricultural land can improve its contribution to economic development. PLoS ONE, 16, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0247850

Pedde Simona et al. , (2021), Enriching the shared socioeconomic pathways to co-create consistent multi-sector scenarios for the UK. Science of the Total Environment, 756, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143172