Dr Becky Thomas

Teaching and Research Fellow

I have always had a deep fascination for wildlife, and it was this that resulted in me joining the University in 2006, for the highly regarded MSc in Wildlife Management and Conservation. I followed this with a PhD, studying the role of cats as urban predators. The considerable media attention around this helped me develop my interests in outreach and teaching, which has grown in my current role as a Teaching and Research Fellow within the School of Biological Sciences.

My research interests continue to focus on the conservation biology and ecology of birds and mammals. These species permeate my teaching, where I emphasise field biology, both locally and to locations ranging from Indonesia to Iceland. I work hard to link students with the local community through my leadership roles in county mammal and ornithology societies. I organised the University's first BioBlitz, which brought many local groups onto the Whiteknights Campus to survey its exceptional biodiversity. I have developed interests in understanding the benefits of using mobile technology in teaching, conducting pedagogical research investigating how mobile apps may help or hinder the development of fundamental natural history skills. I am also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and in 2014 I won the RUSU Personal Tutor Excellence Award.

Publications

2020

Fellowes, M. and Thomas, B. (2020) 30-second ecology. Ivy Press, UK, pp160. ISBN 9781782409809

Thomas, B. and Fellowes, M., eds. (2020) People and wildlife. Frontiers for Young Minds. Frontiers Media SA, Lausanne, Switzerland, pp57. ISBN 9782889639373 doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/978-2-88963-937-3

2018

Ngah, N., Thomas, R. L., Shaw, M. W. and Fellowes, M. D. E. (2018) Asymptomatic host plant infection by the widespread pathogen Botrytis cinerea alters the life histories, behaviors, and interactions of an aphid and its natural enemies. Insects, 9 (3). 80. ISSN 2075-4450 doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/insects9030080

2017

Hanmer, H. J., Thomas, R. L. and Fellowes, M. D. E. (2017) Urbanisation influences range size of the domestic cat (Felis catus): consequences for conservation. Journal of Urban Ecology, 3 (1). jux014. ISSN 2058-5543 doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/jue/jux014

Hanmer, H. J., Thomas, R. L. and Fellowes, M. D. E. (2017) Provision of supplementary food for wild birds may increase the risk of local nest predation. Ibis, 159 (1). pp. 158-167. ISSN 0019-1019 doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.12432

Thomas, R. L. and Fellowes, M. D. E. (2017) Effectiveness of mobile apps in teaching field-based identification skills. Journal of Biological Education, 51 (2). pp. 136-143. ISSN 0021-9266 doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2016.1177573

2016

Pirie, T. J., Thomas, R. L. and Fellowes, M. D. E. (2016) Erythristic leopards Panthera pardus in South Africa. Bothalia - African Biodiversity and Conservation, 46 (1). ISSN 0006-8241 doi: https://doi.org/10.4102/abc.v46i1.2034

Pirie, T. J., Thomas, R. L. and Fellowes, M. D. E. (2016) Limitations to recording larger mammalian predators in savannah using camera traps and spoor. Wildlife Biology, 22 (1). pp. 13-21. ISSN 0909-6396 doi: https://doi.org/10.2981/wlb.00129

2015

Bright, S., Patrick, J., Thomas, B., Janda, K., Bailey, E., Dixon, T. and Wilkinson, S. (2015) The evolution of “greener” leasing practices in Australia and England. In: RICS COBRA AUBEA 2015, 9-10 July 2015, Sydney.

Orros, M. E., Thomas, R. L., Holloway, G. J. and Fellowes, M. D. E. (2015) Supplementary feeding of wild birds indirectly affects ground beetle populations in suburban gardens. Urban Ecosystems, 18 (2). pp. 465-475. ISSN 1083-8155 doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-014-0404-x

2014

Thomas, R. L., Baker, P. J. and Fellowes, M. D. E. (2014) Ranging characteristics of the domestic cat (Felis catus) in an urban environment. Urban Ecosystems, 17 (4). pp. 911-921. ISSN 1083-8155 doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-014-0360-5

Pirie, T. J., Thomas, R. L., Reilly, B. K. and Fellowes, M. D. E. (2014) Interactions between a male leopard (Panthera pardus) and two generations of his offspring. African Journal of Ecology, 52 (4). pp. 574-576. ISSN 1365-2028 doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.12154

2012

Thomas, R. L., Fellowes, M. D. E. and Baker, P. J. (2012) Spatio-temporal variation in predation by urban domestic cats (Felis catus) and the acceptability of possible management actions in the UK. PLoS ONE, 7 (11). e49369. ISSN 1932-6203 doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0049369

2010

Baker, P. J., Thomas, R.L., Newson, S. E., Thompson, V. and Paling, N. R. D. (2010) Habitat associations and breeding bird community composition within the city of Bristol, UK. Bird Study, 57 (2). pp. 183-196. ISSN 0006-3657 doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/00063650903490270

2009

Merckx, T., Feber, R. E., Dulieu, R.L., Townsend, M. C., Parsons, M. S., Bourn, N. A. D., Riordan, P. and MacDonald, D. W. (2009) Effect of field margins on moths depends on species mobility: Field-based evidence for landscape-scale conservation. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 129 (1-3). pp. 302-309. ISSN 0167-8809 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2008.10.004