Senior Lecturer- Nature-based Solutions
Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA
I’m an ecologist and conservation biologist investigating how nature-based solutions can be used to tackle the ecological crisis. My research is strongly applied, with a focus on finding effective ways to restore biodiversity (and associated ecosystem functions and services) in anthropogenic landscapes.
Brief CV:
• Senior Lecturer in Applied Ecology (University of Stirling, UK 2022-ongoing).
• Senior Research Fellow (Scotland’s Rural College [SRUC], UK 2020-2022) – Research programme: “Maximising the environmental benefits of woodland creation”.
• Research Fellow (University of Stirling, UK 2013-2021) – Research programme: “Woodland Creation & Ecological Networks; WrEN”. Visit WrEN's webpage.
• Postdoctoral Research Assistant Ecology (University of Stirling, UK 2012) – Research project: “Assessing the effects of micro-turbines on wildlife”.
• Postdoctoral Research Assistant Ecology (University of Stirling, UK 2011-2012) – Research project: “Assessing the effectiveness of farm woodland creation schemes for bats”.
• PhD in Ecology (University of Stirling, UK 2007-2011) – Thesis: “The value of agri-environment schemes and farm woodland for bats and nocturnal insects”. Winner of the Vincent Weir Scientific Award 2011 for making a significant contribution to research on the conservation biology of bats.
• MSc in Environmental Biology (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico 2004-2007) – Thesis: “Edge effects caused by roads on populations of endemic rodents of Cozumel island”.
• BSc (Hons) in Biology, major in Ecology (Universidad de las Americas, Mexico 1999-2003) – Thesis: “Biology of Bombus ephippiatus Say (Hymenoptera, Apidae)”.
I am also a Science and Monitoring Advisor for the Bat Conservation Trust, a Trustee of Bats without Borders, and an Associate Editor for the Journal of Applied Ecology.
Research areas:
• Applied ecology (e.g. finding effective ways to restore biodiversity and associated ecosystem functions and services in human-modified landscapes).
• Effects of anthropogenic disturbances (e.g. habitat fragmentation, agricultural intensification) on wildlife.
• Evaluation of conservation actions (e.g. habitat restoration, agri-environment schemes) for biodiversity.
• Landscape ecology (e.g. influence of landscape composition and configuration on biodiversity).
• Animal ecology and conservation (mainly of bats, small non-volant mammals and invertebrates).
• My current research programme focuses on examining the long-term effects of past woodland creation on current biodiversity and ecosystem functioning to inform future reforestation strategies.
Restoring Resilient Ecosystems
PI: Professor Kirsty Park
Funded by: Natural Environment Research Council
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Land sharing vs. land sparing: new insights from ecological-economic modelling
PI: Professor Kirsty Park
Funded by: The Leverhulme Trust
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Assessing the impact of mammalian herbivory on the long-term ecological value of woodland creation sites’
PI: Dr Elisa Fuentes-Montemayor
Funded by: Woodland Trust
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Using camera traps to quantify the effect of deer on woodland restoration
PI: Dr Elisa Fuentes-Montemayor
Funded by: British Deer Society
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Identify the presence of potential insect vectors of Xylella fastidiosa in Scotland
PI: Professor Kirsty Park
Funded by: Plant Health Centre
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Article
Ecological time lags and the journey towards conservation success
Watts K, Whytock RC, Park KJ, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Macgregor NA, Duffield S & McGowan PJK (2020) Ecological time lags and the journey towards conservation success. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 4, pp. 304-311. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-019-1087-8
Article
Whytock RC, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Watts K, Macgregor NA, Call E, Mann JA & Park KJ (2020) Regional land-use and local management create scale-dependent 'landscapes of fear' for a common woodland bird. Landscape Ecology, 35 (3), p. 607–620. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-019-00965-x
Article
Fuentes‐Montemayor E, Ferryman M, Watts K, Macgregor NA, Hambly N, Brennan S, Coxon R, Langridge H & Park KJ (2020) Small mammal responses to long-term large-scale woodland creation: the influence of local and landscape-level attributes. Ecological Applications, 30 (2), Art. No.: e02028. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2028
Article
Woodland restoration on agricultural land: long-term impacts on soil quality
Ashwood F, Watts K, Park K, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Benham S & Vanguelova EI (2019) Woodland restoration on agricultural land: long-term impacts on soil quality. Restoration Ecology, 27 (6), pp. 1381-1392. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13003
Article
Context-dependent colonization of terrestrial habitat 'islands' by a long-distance migrant bird
Whytock RC, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Watts K, Macgregor NA, Williams L & Park KJ (2018) Context-dependent colonization of terrestrial habitat 'islands' by a long-distance migrant bird. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 285 (1885), p. 20181490. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.1490
Article
Local-scale attributes determine the suitability of woodland creation sites for Diptera
Fuller L, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Watts K, Macgregor NA, Bitenc K & Park KJ (2018) Local-scale attributes determine the suitability of woodland creation sites for Diptera. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55 (3), pp. 1173-1184. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13035
Article
Bird-community responses to habitat creation in a long-term, large-scale natural experiment
Whytock R, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Watts K, De Andrade PB, Whytock R, French P, Macgregor N & Park K (2018) Bird-community responses to habitat creation in a long-term, large-scale natural experiment. Conservation Biology, 32 (2), pp. 345-354. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12983
Article
Fuentes-Montemayor E, Watts K, Macgregor N, Lopez Z & Park K (2017) Species mobility and landscape context determine the importance of local and landscape-level attributes. Ecological Applications, 27 (5), pp. 1541-1554. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.1546
Article
Watts K, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Macgregor N, Peredo-Alvarez V, Ferryman M, Bellamy C, Brown N & Park K (2016) Using historical woodland creation to construct a long-term, large-scale natural experiment: The WrEN project. Ecology and Evolution, 6 (9), pp. 312-3025. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2066
Article
Fuentes-Montemayor E, Peredo-Alvarez V, Watts K & Park K (2015) Are woodland creation schemes providing suitable resources for biodiversity? Woodland moths as a case study. Biodiversity and Conservation, 24 (12), pp. 3049-3070. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-0997-2
Article
Lintott P, Bunnefeld N, Minderman J, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Mayhew RJ, Olley L & Park K (2015) Differential responses to woodland character and landscape context by cryptic bats in urban environments. PLoS ONE, 10 (5), Art. No.: e0126850. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0126850
Article
Estimates and correlates of bird and bat mortality at small wind turbine sites
Minderman J, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Pearce-Higgins JW, Pendlebury C & Park K (2015) Estimates and correlates of bird and bat mortality at small wind turbine sites. Biodiversity and Conservation, 24 (3), pp. 467-482. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-014-0826-z
Article
Humphrey J, Watts K, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Macgregor N, Peace AJ & Park K (2015) What can studies of woodland fragmentation and creation tell us about ecological networks? A literature review and synthesis. Landscape Ecology, 30 (1), pp. 21-50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-014-0107-y
Article
City life makes females fussy: sex differences in habitat use of temperate bats in urban areas
Lintott P, Bunnefeld N, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Minderman J, Mayhew RJ, Olley L & Park K (2014) City life makes females fussy: sex differences in habitat use of temperate bats in urban areas. Royal Society Open Science, 1 (3), Art. No.: 140200. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.140200
Article
Lintott P, Bunnefeld N, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Minderman J, Blackmore LM, Goulson D & Park K (2014) Moth species richness, abundance and diversity in fragmented urban woodlands: implications for conservation and management strategies. Biodiversity and Conservation, 23 (11), pp. 2875-2901. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-014-0753-z
Article
Lintott P, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Goulson D & Park K (2013) Testing the effectiveness of surveying techniques in determining bat community composition within woodland. Wildlife Research, 40 (8), pp. 675-684. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR13153
Research Report
Humphrey J, Watts K, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Macgregor N & Park K (2013) The evidence base for ecological networks: lessons from studies of woodland fragmentation and creation. Report from the WrEn Project, Forest Research, Farnham, Surrey. The Research Agency of the Forestry Commission. http://www.stir.ac.uk/media/schools/naturalscience/bes/images/WrEN_FR_report_2013.pdf
Article
Fuentes-Montemayor E, Goulson D, Cavin L, Wallace JM & Park K (2013) Fragmented woodlands in agricultural landscapes: The influence of woodland character and landscape context on bats and their insect prey. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 172, pp. 6-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2013.03.019
Article
Fuentes-Montemayor E, Goulson D & Park K (2012) Factors influencing moth assemblages in woodland fragments on farmland: implications for woodland management and creation schemes. Biological Conservation, 153, pp. 265-275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2012.04.019
Thesis
The value of agri-environment schemes and farm woodland for bats and nocturnal insects
Fuentes-Montemayor E (2011) The value of agri-environment schemes and farm woodland for bats and nocturnal insects. Doctor of Philosophy. University of Stirling. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/3445
Article
Fuentes-Montemayor E, Goulson D & Park K (2011) Pipistrelle bats and their prey do not benefit from four widely applied agri-environment management prescriptions. Biological Conservation, 144 (9), pp. 2233-2246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2011.05.015
Article
Fuentes-Montemayor E, Goulson D & Park K (2011) The effectiveness of agri-environment schemes for the conservation of farmland moths: assessing the importance of a landscape-scale management approach. Journal of Applied Ecology, 48 (3), pp. 532-542. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2010.01927.x
Article
Living on the edge: Roads and edge effects on small mammal populations
Fuentes-Montemayor E, Cuaron AD, Vazquez-Dominguez E, Benitez-Malvido J, Valenzuela-Galvan D & Andresen E (2009) Living on the edge: Roads and edge effects on small mammal populations. Journal of Animal Ecology, 78 (4), pp. 857-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2656.2009.01551.x
I have experience teaching on subjects such as:
• Conservation Biology (impacts of anthropogenic disturbances & conservation actions on biodiversity).
• Applied Ecology (associations between habitat management, habitat structure and species diversity).
• Animal Ecology (role of life-history traits in determining species responses to environmental change).
• Landscape Ecology (influence of landscape composition & configuration on biological communities).
• Biogeography (applications of island biogeography theory for the spatial design of habitat networks).
• Environmental Policy (e.g. agri-environment schemes).
• Biology Field Skills (surveying methods and species identification skills for bats, non-volant mammals, invertebrates and plants, including on residential field courses abroad).
I have also supervised undergraduate, MSc and PhD student projects.
