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School of Life Sciences
 

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Tom Reader

Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences

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Biography

2018 - present. Associate Professor, 糖心原创.

2009 - 2018. Lecturer, 糖心原创.

2004 - 2009. University Teacher, 糖心原创.

2002 - 2003. Royal Society Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Sydney.

1997 - 2001. PhD, Zoology Dept, Cambridge University.

1994 - 1997. BSc (hons) Biological Sciences, Lancaster University.

Teaching Summary

Leadership & management

I am Deputy Director of Education & the Student Experience, and I lead the Curriculum Transformation Programme for the School of Life Sciences. In the latter role, our aim is to re-write all of our undergraduate programmes. Starting with a blank piece of paper, we've taken an evidence-based approach, engaging with employers, alumni and current students to identify the attributes our graduates will need in the future workplace. We've then used programme-level design principles to build a suite of more than 60 brand new modules across 11 degree subjects. These courses will be taken by more than 500 students per year, starting in Autumn 2026.

My teaching

I believe that teaching and research are critically dependent on one another, and I get immense satisfaction from both parts of my job. I hold two Dearing Awards for excellence in teaching. My current teaching duties lie in two main areas:

1) I teach population and behavioural ecology, the fundamentals of adaptation by natural selection, and the conservation biology of invasive species. I also co-convene the Behavioural Ecology Field Course in Portugal.

2) I teach statistics and experimental design to students in all years of their undergraduate degree, and act as statistical advisor to many postgraduates.

Pedagogy

My colleagues and I are always keen to take an evidence-based approach to our teaching. A particular interest of mine is the teaching of statistics. Stats are vital for biologists, but students often lack confidence or interest in the subject. In 2019-2020, I ran a project (Transform Statistics) with at the University of Birmingham to bring together teachers from subjects across the arts and sciences to discuss the challenges of teaching stats. Our aim is to identify and develop resources which students can exploit alongside conventional lectures to overcome the challenges they face.

Research Summary

I am an evolutionary, behavioural and conservation ecologist, with three main research interests...

First, I am fascinated by the evolution of animal signals, both visual and acoustic, and in particular by Batesian mimicry and aposematism. My research focuses on trying to explain the evolutionary forces shaping signal variation, both within and among species. I do this using a combination of behavioural experiments, mathematical models and even the odd bit of 3D printing.

Second, I am interested in how we can build an evidence-based approach to conservation, and in particular in "rewilding". Especially in the light of the success of the iconic rewilding project at , conservation biologists and the public are hugely excited by the potential of this approach to transform land which has previously been used for intensive farming and other human activities for the benefit of biodiversity. But we urgently need an evidence base to evaluate the effectiveness of rewilding. My PhD students and I are working with partners such as Nattergal (who run Knepp, and several other sites including Boothby Wildland) to develop this evidence base.

foxgloves

Third, I have always been fascinated by the ecology and conservation of reedbeds. Reedbeds, both natural and those "constructed" for wastewater treatment, are home to tremendous animal and plant diversity, with many specialist and rare species. One species of special interest to me is the harvest mouse (Micromys minutus), which seems to be more of a wetland specialist than it is a creature of arable farmland. We don't really understand the conservation status of this iconic species, or how it has been impacted by recent changes in land-use and agriculture.

In addition to field biology and theoretical ecology, I teach statistics at all levels in the School of Life Sciences, and have led a cross-disciplinary research project aimed at improving teaching and learning of statistics at University.

You can find out more about my research and opportunities for students on my personal website:

Selected Publications

  • TAYLOR, CHRISTOPHER H., WATSON, DAVID J. G., GILBERT, FRANCIS, PRITCHARD, DAVID J., SKELHORN, JOHN and READER, TOM, 2026. ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR. 233,
  • TAYLOR, CHRISTOPHER H., WATSON, DAVID JAMES GEORGE, SKELHORN, JOHN, BELL, DANNY, BURDETT, SIMON, CODYRE, AOIFE, COOLEY, KATHRYN, DAVIES, JAMES R., DAWSON, JOSHUA JOSEPH, D'CRUZ, TAHIRE, GANDHI, SAMIR RAJ, JACKSON, HANNAH J., LOWE, REBECCA, OGILVIE, ELIZABETH, POND, ALEXANDRA LEI, REES, HALLIE, RICHARDSON, JOSEPH, SAINS, JOSHUA, SHORT, FRANCIS, BRIGNELL, CHRISTOPHER, DAVIDSON, GABRIELLE L., ROWLAND, HANNAH M., EAST, MARK, GOODRIDGE, RUTH, GILBERT, FRANCIS and READER, TOM, 2025. NATURE. 644(8077),
  • BAKER, LUCY, TAYLOR, CHRIS, GILBERT, FRANCIS and READER, TOM, 2024. BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY. 35(5),
  • NOLAN, VICTORIA, GILBERT, FRANCIS, REED, TOM and READER, TOM, 2022. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS. 32(8),
  • TAYLOR, CHRISTOPHER H., WATSON, DAVID J. G., GILBERT, FRANCIS, PRITCHARD, DAVID J., SKELHORN, JOHN and READER, TOM, 2026. ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR. 233,
  • TAYLOR, CHRISTOPHER H., WATSON, DAVID JAMES GEORGE, SKELHORN, JOHN, BELL, DANNY, BURDETT, SIMON, CODYRE, AOIFE, COOLEY, KATHRYN, DAVIES, JAMES R., DAWSON, JOSHUA JOSEPH, D'CRUZ, TAHIRE, GANDHI, SAMIR RAJ, JACKSON, HANNAH J., LOWE, REBECCA, OGILVIE, ELIZABETH, POND, ALEXANDRA LEI, REES, HALLIE, RICHARDSON, JOSEPH, SAINS, JOSHUA, SHORT, FRANCIS, BRIGNELL, CHRISTOPHER, DAVIDSON, GABRIELLE L., ROWLAND, HANNAH M., EAST, MARK, GOODRIDGE, RUTH, GILBERT, FRANCIS and READER, TOM, 2025. NATURE. 644(8077),
  • BAKER, LUCY, TAYLOR, CHRIS, GILBERT, FRANCIS and READER, TOM, 2024. BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY. 35(5),
  • KIKUCHI, DAVID W., ALLEN, WILLIAM L., ARBUCKLE, KEVIN, AUBIER, THOMAS G., BRIOLAT, EMMANUELLE S., BURDFIELD-STEEL, EMILY R., CHENEY, KAREN L., DANKOVA, KLARA, ELIAS, MARIANNE, HAEMAELAEINEN, LIISA, HERBERSTEIN, MARIE E., HOSSIE, THOMAS J., JORON, MATHIEU, KUNTE, KRUSHNAMEGH, LEAVELL, BRIAN C., LINDSTEDT, CARITA, LORIOUX-CHEVALIER, UGO, MCCLURE, MELANIE, MCLELLAN, CALLUM F., MEDINA, ILIANA, NAWGE, VIRAJ, PAEZ, ERIKA, PAL, ARKA, PEKAR, STANO, PENACCHIO, OLIVIER, RASKA, JAN, READER, TOM, ROJAS, BIBIANA, ROENKAE, KATJA H., ROESSLER, DANIELA C., ROWE, CANDY, ROWLAND, HANNAH R., ROY, ARLETY, SCHAAL, KAITLIN A., SHERRATT, THOMAS N., SKELHORN, JOHN, SMART, HANNAH R., STANKOWICH, TED, STEFAN, AMANDA M., SUMMERS, KYLE, TAYLOR, CHRISTOPHER H., THOROGOOD, ROSE, UMBERS, KATE, WINTERS, ANNE E., YEAGER, JUSTIN and EXNEROVA, ALICE, 2023. JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY. 36(7, SI), 975-991
  • NOLAN, VICTORIA, GILBERT, FRANCIS, REED, TOM and READER, TOM, 2022. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS. 32(8),
  • CROWTHER, I, LUCY, READER, TOM and GILBERT, FRANCIS, 2022. ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY. 47(5), 911-914
  • BROMAGE, ADRIAN, PIERCE, SARAH, READER, TOM and COMPTON, LINDSEY, 2022. JOURNAL OF FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION. 46(1), 46-61
  • NOLAN, VICTORIA, GILBERT, FRANCIS and READER, TOM, 2022. JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY. 49(1), 215-232
  • D'AGOSTINO, DANIELE, BURT, JOHN A., SANTINELLI, VERONICA, VAUGHAN, GRACE O., FOWLER, ASHLEY M., READER, TOM, TAYLOR, BRETT M., HOEY, ANDREW S., CAVALCANTE, GEORGENES H., BAUMAN, ANDREW G. and FEARY, DAVID A., 2021. CORAL REEFS. 40(2), 433-446
  • NOLAN, VICTORIA, READER, TOM, GILBERT, FRANCIS and ATKINSON, NICK, 2021. JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY. 58(11), 2661-2672
  • LEAVEY, ALICE, TAYLOR, CHRISTOPHER H., SYMONDS, MATTHEW R. E., GILBERT, FRANCIS and READER, TOM, 2021. EVOLUTION. 75(11), 2802-2815
  • OCCHIUTO, FRANCESCA, MOHALLAL, EMAN, GILFILLAN, GEOFFREY D., LOWE, ANDREW and READER, TOM, 2021. MAMMALIA. 85(4), 325-335
  • VITALE, JESSICA D., JORDAN, NEIL R., GILFILLAN, GEOFFREY D., MCNUTT, J. W. and READER, TOM, 2020. BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY. 74(10),
  • NOLAN, VICTORIA, READER, TOM, GILBERT, FRANCIS and ATKINSON, NICK, 2020. BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION. 29(11-12), 3103-3129
  • ALATAWI, ABDULAZIZ S., GILBERT, FRANCIS and READER, TOM, 2020. JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS. 178,
  • D'AGOSTINO, DANIELE, BURT, JOHN A., READER, TOM, VAUGHAN, GRACE O., CHAPMAN, BEN B., SANTINELLI, VERONICA, CAVALCANTE, GEORGENES H. and FEARY, DAVID A., 2020. CORAL REEFS. 39(3, SI), 733-744
  • D'AGOSTINO, DANIELE, JIMENEZ, CARLOS, READER, TOM, HADJIOANNOU, LOUIS, HEYWORTH, STEPHANIE, APLIKIOTI, MARILENA, ARGYROU, MARINA and FEARY, DAVID A., 2020. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES. 638, 123-135
  • SCHAUS, JESSICA, UZAL, ANTONIO, GENTLE, LOUISE K., BAKER, PHILIP J., BEARMAN-BROWN, LUCY, BULLION, SIMONE, GAZZARD, ABIGAIL, LOCKWOOD, HANNAH, NORTH, ALEXANDRA, READER, TOM, SCOTT, DAWN M., SUTHERLAND, CHRISTOPHER S. and YARNELL, RICHARD W., 2020. REMOTE SENSING IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION. 6(4, SI), 514-528
  • BACHMAN, STEVEN P., FIELD, RICHARD, READER, TOM, RAIMONDO, DOMITILLA, DONALDSON, JOHN, SCHATZ, GEORGE E. and LUGHADHA, EIMEAR NIC, 2019. BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION. 234, 45-55
  • DAVISON, ANGUS, JACKSON, HANNAH J, MURPHY, ELLIS W and READER, TOM, 2019. Heredity.
  • IBARRA, HELENA AJURIA, KINAHAN, MICHAEL, MARCETTEAU, JULIEN, MEHIGAN, ANDREW J. R., ZIEGELMEIER, ROSS O. and READER, TOM, 2019. BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY. 30(1), 240-248
  • BACHMAN, STEVEN P., WILKIN, PAUL, READER, TOM, FIELD, RICHARD, WEBER, ODILE, NORDAL, INGER and DEMISSEW, SEBSEBE, 2019. BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION.
  • TAYLOR C, READER T and GILBERT F, 2017. Behavioral Ecology. 28(2), 460-470
  • MORRIS, R. L. and READER, T., 2016. Behavioral Ecology. 27(3), 920鈥�931
  • KETTLE, E. F., PERROW, M. R. and READER, T., 2016. European Journal of Wildlife Research.
  • DE POMERAI, D., IQBAL, N., LAFAYETTE, I., MOGHADAM, M. K., FINEBERG, A., READER, T., GREEDY, S. and SMARTT, C., 2016. Bioelectromagnetics. 37, 116-129
  • TAYLOR C, READER T and GILBERT F, 2016. Evolutionary Ecology. 30(3), 567-581
  • PADILLA DE LA TORRE, BRIEFER, E. F., OCHOCKI, B. M., MCELLIGOTT, A. G. and READER, T., 2016. Animal Behaviour. 114, 147-154
  • TAYLOR, CHRISTOPHER H., READER, TOM and GILBERT, FRANCIS, 2016. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES. 283(1842),
  • DE LA TORRE, MONICA PADILLA, BRIEFER, ELODIE F., READER, TOM and MCELLIGOTT, ALAN G., 2015. APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE. 163, 58-68
  • NOOR, D. A. M., READER, T. and SCOTTING, P. J., 2015. npj Genomic Medicine. 1, 15009
  • IBARRA, HELENA AJURIA and READER, TOM, 2014. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 113(2), 368-383
  • EDMUNDS, MALCOLM and READER, TOM, 2014. Evolution. 68(3), 827-839
  • HOLLAND SL, READER T, DYER PS and AVERY SV, 2014. Environmental microbiology. 16(6), 1729-40
  • AJURIA IBARRA, HELENA and READER, TOM, 2014. Reflectance spectra of S. globosum colour morphs Dryad.
  • AJURIA IBARRA, H. and READER, T., 2013. Journal of Zoology. 290(2), 81-95
  • TAYLOR, C.H., GILBERT, F. and READER, T., 2013. Methods in Ecology and Evolution. 4(8), 771-781
  • CURNO, O., READER, T., MCELLIGOTT, A.G., BEHNKE, J.M. and BARNARD, C.J., 2011. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 366(1583), 3364-3374
  • NORFOLK, O. MELOTTE, A, GILBERT, F and ZALAT, S. AND READER, T., 2010. A comparative study of two agamid lizards, Laudakia stellio and Pseudotrapelus sinaitus, in southern Sinai. Egyptian Journal of Biology. 12, 27-43 (In Press.)
  • NEWBOLD, T., READER, T., EL-GABBAS, A., BERG, W., SHOHDI, W.M., ZALAT, S., EL DIN, S.B. and GILBERT, F., 2010. Oikos. 119(8), 1326-1334
  • READER, T. and DUCE, I.R., 2009. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 98(1), 171鈥�180
  • NEWBOLD, T., GILBERT, F., ZALAT, S., EL-GABBAS, A. and READER, T., 2009. Journal of Biogeography. 36(11), 2085-2095
  • NEWBOLD T, READER T, ZALAT S, EL-GABBAS A & GILBERT F, 2009. Biodiversity & Conservation. 18, 3629鈥�3641
  • DAWE, A.S., BODHICHARLA, R.K., GRAHAM, N.S., MAY, S.T., READER, T., LOADER, B., GREGORY, A., SWICORD, M., BIT-BABIK, G. and DE POMERAI, D.I., 2009. Bioelectromagnetics. 30(8), 602-612
  • CURNO, O., BEHNKE, J.M., MCELLIGOTT, A.G., READER, T. and BARNARD, C.J., 2009. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences. 276(1659), 1047-1054
  • HIGGINSON, A.D. and READER, T., 2009. Proceedings of the Royal Society. Series B, Biological Sciences. 276(1659), 1153-1159
  • DAWE, A.S., NYLUND, R., LESZCZYNSKI, D., KUSTER, N., READER, T. and DE POMERAI, D.I., 2008. Bioelectromagnetics. 29(2), 92-99
  • PHILIPS, T., BARNARD, C., FERGUSON, E. and READER, T., 2008. British Journal of Psychology. 99(4), 555-572
  • ZALAT, S, GILBERT, F, READER, T and NEWBOLD, T, 2008. Egypt's green spots Planet Earth. 12-13
  • HOLLAND, S, LODWIG, E, SIDERI, T, READER, T, CLARKE, I, GKARGKAS, K, HOYLE, DC, DELNERI, D, OLIVER, SG and AVERY, SV, 2007. Genome Biology. 8(12), -
  • HIGGINSON, AD, GILBERT, FS, READER, T and BARNARD, CJ, 2007. Reduction Of Visitation Rates By Honeybees (Apis Mellifera) To Individual Inflorescences Of Lavender (Lavandula Stoechas) Upon Removal Of Coloured Accessory Bracts (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Entomologia Generalis. 29(2-4), 165-178
  • READER, T., HIGGINSON, A.D., BARNARD, C.J., GILBERT, F.S. and THE BEHAVIOURAL ECOLOGY FIELD COURSE, 2006. Behavioral Ecology. 17(6), 933-937
  • READER, T., CORNELL, S.J. and ROHANI, P., 2006. Oikos. 115(2), 321-333
  • READER, T., MACLEOD, I., ELLIOTT, P.T., ROBINSON, O.J. and MANICA, A., 2005. Journal of Insect Behavior. 18(1), 51-57
  • READER, T., 2003. Oikos. 103(1), 101-112
  • READER, T. and HOCHULI, D.F., 2003. Ecological Entomology. 28(6), 729-737

School of Life Sciences

糖心原创
Medical School
Queen's Medical Centre
Nottingham NG7 2UH

e: life-sciences@nottingham.ac.uk
t: +44 (0)115 823 0141
f: +44 (0)115 823 0142