Mairi Knight

Research interests
Overview
I am interested in the evolutionary and ecological processes that give rise to and maintain extant biodiversity, employing molecular techniques alongside lab and field-based experimental approaches. My research spans a broad range of specific questions, from reproductive isolation and gene flow between populations, to ecological issues such as dispersal and foraging ranges through to species delineation and phylogeny reconstruction. I am increasingly interested in how these processes operate in populations that are declining and thus of conservation concern, and how molecular techniques can inform conservation science both in an applied and theoretical context.

Current and recent projects
Neutral versus functional genetic diversity: a new conservation genetic agenda
Funded by the Leverhulme Trust.
Researchers: Jonathan Ellis (PDRA) 

The role of mass flowering crops in maintaining arable floral diversity
Funded by the Seale-Hayne Educational Trust, with Mick Hanley.
Reerachers: This is an ongoing project where data are, and have been, collected by a number of Masters and Undergradute students.

Community Ecology of Rain Forest Termites 
Funded by NERC, with Paul Eggleton (Natural History Museum), Sarah Donovan and Rod Blackshaw Researchers: Olivia Scholtz (PhD student)

Sustainable long-term management of wireworms on potato  
Funded by DEFRA Link, with Rod Blackshaw (PI)
Researchers: Carly Benefer (PhD student); (Jonathan Ellis [PDRA] now completed)

Population genetic differentiation of grazing marsh invertebrates 
Funded by The Esme Fairburn Foundation, with David Bilton [PI] ).
Researchers: Michelle Kiernan (RA); Carrie Gunn (RA).

Population structuring and dispersal patterns of a highly pelagic seabird: implications for Leach’s Storm-petrel conservation  
NERC, with Steve Votier [PI], Dave Bilton and Jim Reid [JNCC]).
Researchers: Tony Bicknell (PhD student).

Patterns of polyandry in Lake Malawi cichlids  
The Nuffield Foundation; The Swiss National Science Foundation; The German Cichlid Association).
Researchers:  Marcel Haesler (PDRA), now completed.

Current Research Group
Dr Jonathan Ellis (PDRA)
Olivia Scholz (PhD student)
Tony Bicknell (PhD student)
Carly Benefer (PhD student)
Carrrie Gunn (Research Assistant)

Previous research group members
Dr Marcel Haesler (now at EAWAG: The Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology  Marcel's homepage ) 

Publications
Publications 

Genner MJ, Knight ME, Haesler MP, Turner GF (2010) Molecular evidence for establishment and expansion of Lake Malawi rock fish populations following a dramatic Late Pleistocene lake level rise. Molecular Ecology 19(1), 170–182.
Knight ME, Osborne JL, Sanderson RA, Hale RJ, Martin AP, Goulson D (2009) Bumblebee nest density and the scale of available forage in arable landscapes.  Insect Conservation and Diversity 2, 116-124.
Ellis JS, Blackshaw R, Parker R, Hicks H, Knight ME (2009) Genetic identification of morphologically cryptic agricultural pests. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 11, 115–121.
Pierotti MER, Knight ME, Immler S, Barson NJ, Turner GF, Seehausen O (2008) Individual variation in male mating preferences for female colouration in a colour polymorphic cichlid fish. Behavioral Ecology 19(3) 483-488.
Osborne JL, Martin AP, Shortall C, Todd A, Goulson D, Knight ME, Hale RJ, Sanderson RA (2008) Quantifying and comparing bumblebee nest densities in gardens and countryside habitats. Journal of Applied Ecology 45, 784-792.
Osborne JL, Martin AP, Carreck N, Swain J, Knight ME, Goulson D, Hale RJ, Sanderson RA (2008) Bumblebee flight distances in relation to the forage landscape. Journal of Animal Ecology 77, 406-415.
Barson NJ, Knight ME, Turner GF (2007) The genetic architecture of male colour differences between a sympatric Lake Malawi cichlid species pair. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 20(1), 45-53.
Ellis JS, Knight ME, Darvill B, Goulson D (2006) Extremely low effective population sizes, genetic structuring and reduced genetic diversity in a threatened bumblebee species, Bombus sylvarum (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Molecular Ecology 15, 4375-4386.
Martin AP, Carreck NL, Swain JL, Goulson D, Knight ME, Hale RJ, Sanderson RA, Osborne JL (2006) Modular nest entrances for trapping and mass-marking bumblebees: applications for studying food choice and foraging range. Apidologie 37(3) 341-350.
Ellis JS, Knight ME, Carvell C, Goulson D (2006) Cryptic species identification: a simple diagnostic tool for discriminating between two problematic bumblebee species. Molecular Ecology Notes 6, 540-542.
Ellis JS, Knight ME, Goulson D (2005) Delimiting species for conservation using molecular markers: the taxonomic status of Bombus ruderatus (Fabricus) and Bombus hortorum (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Journal of Insect Conservation 9, 75-83.
Knight ME, Martin AP, Bishop S, Osborne JL, Hale RJ, Sanderson RA, Goulson D (2005) An interspecific comparison of foraging range and nest density of four bumblebee (Bombus) species. Molecular Ecology 14, 1811-1820.
Goulson D, Hanley ME, Darvill B, Ellis JS, Knight ME (2005) Causes of rarity in bumblebees. Biological Conservation 122, 1-8.
Goulson D, Darvill B, Ellis JS, Knight ME, Hanley ME (2004) Interspecific differences in response to novel landmarks in bumblebees. Apidologie 35, 619-622.
Amorim C, Knight ME, Stratoudakis Y, Turner GF (2004) Differences in sounds made by courting males of three closely related Lake Malawi cichlid species. 4Journal of Fish Biology 65, 1358-1371.
Darvill B, Knight ME, Goulson D (2004) Use of genetic markers to quantify bumble bee foraging range and nest density. Oikos 107, 471-478.
Genner MJ, Taylor MI, Cleary DFR, Hawkins SJ, Knight ME, Turner GF (2004) Environmental determinism of Lake Malawi cichlid fish assemblage structure. Ecography 27, 601-610.
Knight ME, Turner GF (2004) Laboratory mating trials indicate incipient speciation by sexual selection among populations of the cichlid fish Pseudotropheus zebra from Lake Malawi. Proceedings of the Royal Society (Series B) 271, 675-680. (reviewed in Kraaijeveld K, Pomiankowski A (2004) Evolution: love thy neighbour. Current Biology 14 (11): R419-R421)Allender C, Seehausen O, Knight ME, Turner GF, Maclean N (2003) Divergent selection during speciation of Lake Malawi cichlid fishes inferred from parallel radiations in nuptial coloration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) 100(24), 14074-14079.
Genner M J, Cleary DFR, Knight ME, Michel E, Seehausen O, Turner GF (2003) How does species status of allopatric populations influence the richness of African cichlid fish assemblages? Journal of Biogeography 31, 93-102.
Rico C, Bouteillon P, van Oppen MJH, Knight ME, Hewitt GM, Turner GF (2003) No evidence for parallel sympatric speciation in cichlid species of the genus Pseudotropheus from north-western Lake Malawi. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 16, 37-46.
Seehausen O, Koetsier E, Schneider MV, Chapman LJ, Chapman CA, Knight ME, Turner GF, van Alphen JJM, Bills R (2003) Nuclear markers reveal unexpected genetic variation and a Congolese/Nilotic origin of the Lake Victorian cichlid species flock. Proceedings of the Royal Society (Series B) 270, 129-137.
Turner GF, Seehausen O, Knight ME, Allender CJ, Robinson RL (2001) How many species of cichlid fish are there in African Lakes? Molecular Ecology 10, 793-806.
Knight ME, Smith HL, van Oppen MJH, Rico C, Hewitt GM, Turner GF (1999) Microsatellite evidence for male-biased dispersal in Lake Malawi cichlids. Molecular Ecology 8, 1521-7.
Knight ME, Turner GF (1999) Reproductive isolation among closely related Lake Malawi cichlids: can males recognise conspecific females by visual cues? Animal Behaviour 58, 761-8.
Knight ME, Turner GF, Rico C, van Oppen MJH, Hewitt GM (1998) Microsatellite paternity analysis on captive Lake Malawi cichlids supports reproductive isolation by direct mate choice. Molecular Ecology 7, 1605-10.