Professional summary

Marc has been an entomological ecologist at UKCEH since 2007 working on the effects of environmental change (climate and habitat management) on insect populations (phenology, voltinism, abundance, diversity) specialising in Lepidopteran ecology and more generally pollinating insects. He is heavily involved with the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and other projects involving standardised field monitoring of butterflies, moths and other pollinating insects.

His current areas of research interest include: the effects of agri-environment schemes on invertebrate populations across the UK; creating biodiversity tool-kits for urban areas; long-term trends in butterfly populations and phenology; trait based analyses of invertebrate responses to environmental change; and, impacts of anthropogenic activities such as light pollution on invertebrate populations.

Marc is involved in a lot of public outreach working with local wildlife groups and organisations to help with events such as moth nights, survey training and site surveys to monitor invertebrate populations and is involved in projects to improve biodiversity around the Wallingford site as well as other local areas.
 

Selected publications

Blumgart Dan et al. , (2023), Floral enhancement of arable field margins increases moth abundance and diversity. Journal of Insect Conservation, 27, 455-465, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10841-023-00469-9

Redhead John W. et al. , (2022), The effects of a decade of agri‐environment intervention in a lowland farm landscape on population trends of birds and butterflies. Journal of Applied Ecology, 59, 2486-2496, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14246

Blumgart Dan et al. , (2022), Moth declines are most severe in broadleaf woodlands despite a net gain in habitat availability. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 15, 496-509, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/icad.12578

Cook Patrick M. et al. , (2022), Traits data for the butterflies and macro‐moths of Great Britain and Ireland. Ecology, 103, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3670

Gilburn Andre S. et al. , (2015), Are neonicotinoid insecticides driving declines of widespread butterflies?. 3, http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1402

Botham M.S. et al. , (2015), Lepidoptera communities across an agricultural gradient: how important are habitat area and habitat diversity in supporting high diversity?. 19, 403-420, http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10841-015-9760-y

Thackeray Stephen J. et al. , (2016), Phenological sensitivity to climate across taxa and trophic levels. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature18608

Staley Joanna T. et al. , (2016), Little and late: how reduced hedgerow cutting can benefit Lepidoptera. 224, 22-28, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.03.018

Botham, M.S. et al. , (2011), The effects of habitat fragmentation on niche requirements of the marsh fritillary, Euphydryas aurinia, (Rottemburg, 1775) on . Journal of Insect Conservation, 15, 269-277, http://www.springerlink.com/content/q076mu5583p254u2/

Botham, M.S. et al. , (2009), Do urban areas act as foci for the spread of alien plant species? An assessment of temporal trends in the UK. Diversity and Distributions, 15, 338-345, http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121494712/abstract