Biography
I am a postgraduate researcher (PGR) affiliated with the Energy and Environment Institute (EEI) at the University of Hull. My current project, under the supervision of Dr James Gilbert, focuses on exploring the nutritional needs of solitary bees and assessing their resilience to climate and landscape shifts. Prior to this, I completed my Masters degree in Evolution and Ecology at the University of Lincoln, where my research delved into the impact of heatwaves on butterfly reproduction. My professional journey includes industry roles in ecotoxicology, agriculture, and environmental monitoring. Before all this, I earned a Bachelor of Science degree (hons) in Biochemistry also from the University of Lincoln. In 2017, I participated in a research expedition to the Atacama Desert in Chile, where I conducted fieldwork during a super bloom event, recording samples of flora and fauna along a coastal gradient. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am deeply passionate about ecology and the natural world as well as an enthusiastic James Bond aficionado.
Qualifications
2022 – Current: Postgraduate researcher investigating solitary bee ecology under anthropogenic change
2021 – 2022: Masters in Evolution and Ecology from The University of Lincoln
2015 – 2018: Undergraduate in Biochemistry from The University of Lincoln
Research Interests
Entomology, Climate change, Conservation, Agroecology, Reproduction
Project Title
Nutrigenomics and the resilience of bees in a changing climate
Supervisors Dr James Gilbert, Dr Lori Lawson Handley (Hull), Dr Elizabeth Duncan (Leeds)
Project outline
With approximately 245 species of wild bees in the UK alone, their pollination services surpass those of managed honeybees and bumblebees combined, amounting to billions of pounds annually worldwide. However, wild bee populations are declining due to human-induced changes to the landscape and the climate. While much is known about the nutritional needs of social bees like honeybees and bumblebees, less attention has been given to solitary bees, despite their importance. My research aims to bridge this gap by investigating how changes in nutritional landscapes and climate affect solitary bee populations. I will explore the regulatory mechanisms governing these processes and test how bees adapt to changing conditions. By employing a combination of field ecology and advanced molecular techniques, this interdisciplinary project seeks to provide crucial insights into the impact of human activity on wild bees, with implications for ecological science, conservation biology, agriculture, and crop science.
Links
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/7jamiesmith
Twitter: @Jamiesmithbio
ORCID: 0009-0009-2388-2134
Web of Science ResearcherID: JZE-3807-2024