Dr Elisa Fuentes-Montemayor

Senior Lecturer- Nature-based Solutions

Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Dr Elisa Fuentes-Montemayor

Contact details

About me

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. For example, during my PhD I investigated the effectiveness of agri-environment schemes for bats and nocturnal invertebrates. For the past ten years, my research has primarily focused on assessing the long-term ecological consequences of woodland creation (see e.g. the WrEN project which I co-lead: www.wren-project.com/). Over time my research has become increasingly transdisciplinary, and I currently lead a research project investigating stakeholder perceptions and socio-ecological consequences of woodland expansion through a range of approaches, including planting and allowing trees to colonise new areas naturally (the TreE_PlaNat project: www.uktreescapes.org/projects/tree_planat/).

Brief CV:

•Senior Lecturer in Applied Ecology (University of Stirling, UK 2022-ongoing).
•Science and Monitoring Advisor (Bat Conservation Trust, UK 2021-2022). •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 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.

Research projects (6)

 Restoring Ecosystems to Stop the Threat Of (Re-)Emerging Infectious Diseases
PI: Dr Brad Duthie
Funded by: Innovate UK
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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
–

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
–

Identify the presence of potential insect vectors of Xylella fastidiosa in Scotland
PI: Professor Kirsty Park
Funded by: Plant Health Centre
–

Outputs (38)

Article

Creating woodland through natural processes: Current understanding and knowledge gaps in Great Britain

Fleiss S, Burton V, Ambrose‐Oji B, Barley L, Beavan K, Braunholtz L, Broughton RK, Dear E, Gilbert H, Gullett PR, Grayson W, Greenhouse S, Park KJ, Fuentes‐Montemayor E & Watts K (2025) Creating woodland through natural processes: Current understanding and knowledge gaps in Great Britain. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 6 (4), Art. No.: e70127. https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.70127

Article

Acoustic parameters of bat echolocation calls in Zambia: a collaborative effort to develop a call library for non-invasive research and monitoring

Taylor-Boyd H, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Monadjem A, Cooper-Bohannon R, Montauban C, Mata VA, Rebelo H, Kangwa B, Mateke C & Park K (2025) Acoustic parameters of bat echolocation calls in Zambia: a collaborative effort to develop a call library for non-invasive research and monitoring. Acta Chiropterologica. https://doi.org/10.3161/15081109ACC2025.27.1.010

Project Report

Improving knowledge Of Xylella fastidiosa vector ecology: modelling vector occurrence and abundance in the wider landscape in Scotland.

Chapman D, A'Hara S, Broadmeadow S, Cairns R, Cottrell J, Fuentes-Montemayor E, Lester K, Occhibove F, Rogerson S, White SM & Park K (2022) Improving knowledge Of Xylella fastidiosa vector ecology: modelling vector occurrence and abundance in the wider landscape in Scotland.. Plant Health Centre. Dundee. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6523478

Research Report

The evidence base for ecological networks: lessons from studies of woodland fragmentation and creation. Report from the WrEn Project, Forest Research, Farnham, Surrey

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

Teaching

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.

Research programmes

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