University of Exeter Centre for Ecology & Conservation

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University of Exeter Centre for Ecology & Conservation

Sharing the latest news and successes of staff and students from the Centre for Ecology and Conservation, at the University of Exeter's Cornwall Campus.

At the Centre for Ecology and Conservation, we pride ourselves on cutting-edge teaching and research designed to address the factors that influence biodiversity and complexity in the natural world. We offer a broad range of degrees, with undergraduate curricula in Animal Behaviour, Conservation Biology and Ecology, Environmental Science, Evolutionary Biology, Human Sciences, Marine Biology and Zoo

logy. Options for a Study Abroad year are widely available and we are now offering a wide range of four year MSci options. We also offer a number of renowned 1 year MSc degrees: Applied Ecology, Conservation and Biodiversity, Conservation Science and Policy and Evolutionary and Behavioural Ecology which attract students from across the world. We have a vibrant PhD programme with particular strengths in behaviour, conservation biology, and evolutionary genetics and population and community ecology. All our teaching is focused around understanding how basic hypothesis-driven research underpins our understanding of science, developing communication skills, and fostering critical thinking and evaluation of evidence. The Centre resides on the Penryn Campus of the University of Exeter in the heart of Cornwall, surrounded by an area known for its natural beauty. Research in the Centre focuses on local biodiversity, with studies of behaviour, ecology, evolution and conservation in natural, agricultural, marine, or urban systems whilst engaging extensively with key stakeholder groups. Our research is also carried out at sites worldwide, with researchers studying species from Australia to Africa, Europe to North America. Studies range from molecular analyses to field experiments. Our work is funded by UK research councils, the European Union, charities and government organisations from around the world. The hallmark of the Centre is an interactive, dynamic and welcoming group of internationally known researchers as well as our innovative and enthusiastically engaged student body. Our enthusiasm and passion for our areas of study and the respect we have for diverse approaches to understanding our natural world has led to rapid growth and success since the Centre was established in 2003. Although our history is short, we are continuing to develop and grow. Our goal is to contribute to the health and wellbeing of the UK and world through an understanding of how our natural environment has evolved, and will evolve in the future. To this end, the Centre will continue to contribute to Cornwall, the UK, and the world by providing cutting-edge teaching and research in evolutionary biology, fundamental and applied ecology, and conservation. I am proud to serve as Director, and we look forward to welcoming you should you contact or visit our Centre. Brendan Godley

Professor of Conservation Science
Director, Centre for Ecology and Conservation

23/03/2026

Update from our CEC Student Events Team!

We hope you enjoyed last week's Coral Gardeners session. We didn't quite have time for our clay craft, so this week, we'll be continuing with seaweed printing!

In this beginner craft session, we will be using seaweed printing techniques to create unique clay ornaments! In this activity, we’ll gently press seaweed into clay to capture its natural shapes and patterns. Once pressed, it can be painted to create your own beautiful seaweed ornament. Combining art, crafts, and natural materials, this ocean-friendly activity is a great way to make a Cornish keepsake—without the use of plastics!

18/03/2026

Join us for the CEC Coral and Crafts event on Wednesday 18th March, taking place in Exchange Green from 2–3pm.

🪸 Coral Gardeners 🪸
We will be showing a series of short films about the conservation work of the Coral Gardeners - an organisation set up by the local fisherman and freedivers of French Polynesia. By identifying heat tolerant corals, building underwater nurseries, and using reef save underwater adhesives, over 15000 corals have been successfully replanted.
Brought to you through exceptional cinematography, Coral Gardeners is an inspiring account of conservation success, achieved through the collaboration of community and conservation science.

🌊 Seaweed Printing 🌊
In this beginner craft session, we will be using seaweed printing techniques to create unique clay ornaments! In this activity, we’ll gently press seaweed into clay to capture its natural shapes and patterns. Once pressed, it can be painted to create your own beautiful seaweed ornament. Combining art, crafts, and natural materials, this ocean-friendly activity is a great way to make a Cornish keepsake—without the use of plastics.

02/03/2026

Researchers from the University of Exeter have found that moths move 85% less on average under street lighting conditions than in natural nighttime conditions.

In order to investigate the "trapping" behaviour that artificial light appears to have on moths, researchers caught over 800 moths and exposed them to lights of various brightness levels.

The study was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council.

The paper, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, is entitled: Severe and widespread reductions in nighttime activity of nocturnal moths under modern artificial lighting spectra

19/02/2026

Another wonderful occasion organised by our CEC Student Events Team!

"Join the Centre for Ecology and Conservation in our annual Spring Ball! Located at Princess Pavillion in Falmouth, there'll be music, great photo ops, and drinks available at the bar, all from 7 until 11pm on 25th March. Float around the dancefloor in a fabulous ballgown or simply keep it casual - the dress code is up to you! So bring your friends along too, and let's celebrate the end of the teaching year together!"

30/01/2026

📣 New competition from our wonderful team! 📣

"We’re looking for students interested in photography to enter our first official CEC photography competition with the theme “Colours of Cornwall”! No matter where you are on your photography journey, we would love to see your photos that capture the vibrancy of Cornwall’s natural history.

Submissions are limited to three photos per student and open on Friday 30th January 2026. The deadline for entries is Friday 6th March at 12:00pm. After the deadline, submissions will be judged by a panel of CEC staff members and 10 finalists will be selected. All staff and students from the CEC will then be able to vote for their favourite photo from the 10 finalists. All finalists will win a print of their photo to keep and the overall winner will have their photo displayed on campus. If you have any questions, please contact Izzy at: [email protected] The submission form can be accessed via the QR code above – Fill in form. PLEASE NOTE: this form can only be filled in once so make sure you have your photos prepared before you fill it out."

17/09/2025

Day five on our Azores undergraduate field trip!

A morning on the RIB deploying BRUVs (exciting BRUV footage coming soon!) and watching dolphins, sei whales and s***m whales, followed by a beach microplastic activity in the afternoon! Plus a cheeky Madeira wall lizard at camp 🦎

13/09/2025

Photo dump from day three of our Azores undergraduate field trip!

Day three consisted of sunrise sea swims with views of Pico mountain, lectures at the Department of Oceanography and Fish (part of the University of the Azores), lunch at the beach and fish dissections as part of a fisheries monitoring programme!

12/09/2025

Photo dump from the 2nd day of our Azores undergraduate field trip!

A day of cetaceans, visiting the s***m whale museum and watching striped, spotted and bottlenose dolphins as well as sei whales and humpbacks!

(more cetacean footage to come!)

27/08/2025

Are you a current student with us and want a part-time job running our social media platforms?

Our social media manager position is up for grabs!

You will manage the CEC’s social media platforms including Instagram, LinkedIn and BlueSky, creating posts that encompass student life, the department’s research and updates for students/staff.

If you’re interested, contact Chris Laing ([email protected]) for all enquiries and applications!

31/07/2025

Falling vulture numbers in the Americas could have serious implications for public health and ecosystems, new research has found.

A first-of-its-kind study conducted in Costa Rica has revealed that pig carcasses take twice as long to decompose if vultures are not present to provide their rapid recycling services.

Notably, other scavengers do not fill the void left by the absence of the birds, except for flies, whose numbers were seen to double with the reduced competition.

The study was led by scientists in the Centre for Ecology and Conservation, and OSA Conservation in Costa Rica.

“This research underlines the unique and irreplaceable role that vultures play as nature’s ‘clean up crew’,” says Julia Grootaers, co-author and Behavioural Ecologist at the University. “Unloved and unappreciated – even to the point of persecution – the importance of vultures is stark when you remove them from an ecosystem. These apex scavengers have specialised and highly acidic digestive systems that can destroy many of the pathogens found in carrion, thus mitigating the spread of disease from carcasses to other wildlife, livestock and humans.”

Photo credits: Andrew Whitworth

To read the full paper and learn more, visit the link in our bio!

28/07/2025

A new study from Exeter CEC researchers Benjamin Fitkov-Norris and Benno Simmons as well as Matthew Witt from Exeter Marine has found that offshore wind farms function as de facto marine reserves, limiting fishing without formal legal protections.

Benjamin said: “Our research shows that offshore wind farms act as a barrier to fishing. Interestingly, we demonstrate that this is the case not only inside the wind farms, but that the effect extends up to 4.2 km beyond their borders – considerably farther than any legal restrictions. These findings are vital in understanding how the deployment of offshore wind farms will impact existing fishing, and highlights how offshore wind farms could promote marine biodiversity while also providing green energy.”

They argue for an approach that considers offshore wind farms as a possible tool to manage fishing pressure in targeted areas.

To learn more and read the full paper, visit the link in our bio!

17/07/2025

Looking for a job in conservation? Look no further!

Visit the organisation’s website for more information and remember you can contact the careers hub for help with your applications!

Address

Penryn
TR109FE

Website

https://ecologyconservation.exeter.ac.uk/

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