- Room 619, Davy Building, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA
- +44 1752 584617
- P.Cotton@plymouth.ac.uk
Profiles
Dr Peter Cotton
Associate Professor in Ecology
School of Biological and Marine Sciences (Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Biography
Biography
Qualifications
- BSc, University of Dundee (1987)
- DPhil, University of Oxford (1993)
- PGC LTHE, University of Plymouth (2001)
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2016)
- AFRC Research Assistant, University of Oxford (1991-1993)
- NERC Postdoctoral Research Assistant, University of Oxford (1994-1996)
- College Lecturer in Zoology, Pembroke College, University of Oxford (1997)
- Research Biologist, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (1998-2000)
- Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, Unviversity of Plymouth (2000-present)
Professional membership
- Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Key publications
(2017) 'Global patterns of interaction specialization in bird-flower networks' Journal of Biogeography , DOI Open access
(2016) 'The integration of alien plants in mutualistic plant-hummingbird networks across the Americas: the importance of species traits and insularity' Diversity and Distributions 22, (6) 672-681 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'High proportion of smaller ranged hummingbird species coincides with ecological specialization across the Americas' Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 283, (1824) 20152512-20152512 , DOI Open access
(2015) 'The macroecology of phylogenetically structured hummingbird-plant networks' Global Ecology & Biogeography 24, (11) 1212-1224 Open access
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching interests
In the first year I teach on MBIO120 Introduction to Marine Biology and on the MBIO123 Marine Biology Field Course to Brittany. I also teach about vertebrates (MBIO162 Biodiversity) and animal behaviour (MBIO161 Evolution and Behaviour).
My second year teaching is largely field-based. I run the Marine Biology and Coastal Ecology field course (MBIO213) which is usually goes to South Africa in September. Around Easter, I'm involved a non-residential field course based at the marine station. This course covers experimental design, sampling from boats and statistical analysis of the data we collect (MBIO224).
In the third year, I teach behavioural ecology (MBIO317) and supervise research projects (MBIO313).
I was the programme leader for BSc Marine Biology & Coastal Ecology for seven years and now act as a personal tutor for students on the programme.
Staff serving as external examiners
Previously external examiner for the University of St Andrews and the University of Malta.
Research
Research
Research interests
I am a behavioural ecologist and of late I have primarily worked on predator-prey interactions and contest behaviour. I'm also interested in community ecology and anthropogenic impacts on ecological assemblages and phenology.
Pete Cotton's page on Google Scholar.
Other research
Current PhD student:
Caitlin McAndry Adapting to climate change: transgenerational acclimation as a mechanism of rapid evolution. Jointly supervised with Dr Manuela Truebano, Professor Melody Clark, British Antarctic Survey, Dr Helen Findlay, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, and Dr Enrico Rezende, Universidad Católica de Chile. Funding: ARIES DTP.
Research degrees awarded to supervised students
Lisa Sztukowski. PhD. Individual foraging specialization and seabird fishery interactions: implications for albatross conservation. Jointly supervised with Dr Steve Votier, University of Exeter, and Dr Henri Weimerskirch, CNRS, France. Funding: MARES. Completed 2016.
Julian Evans. PhD. habitat characterisation of infralittoral pebble beds in the Maltese islands. Jointly supervised with Prof Martin Attrill & Prof Patrick Schembri, University of Malta. Funding: STEPS, Malta. Completed 2014.
Ahmed Al-Mazrouai, PhD. Phenotypic plasticity in marine intertidal gastropods. Jointly supervised with Dr Simon Rundle. Funding: Sultanate of Oman. Completed 2009.
Sophie Mowles, PhD. Contest behaviour in hermit crabs. Jointly supervised with Dr Mark Briffa. Funding: University of Plymouth Research Studentship. Completed 2009.
Sarah Dalesman, PhD. Anti-predator behaviour in the freshwater gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis. Jointly supervised with Dr Simon Rundle. Funding: University of Plymouth Studentship. Completed 2007.
Lissa Goodwin, PhD. The ecology and conservation of the harbour porpoise (Phocena phocena) along the west coast of the UK. Jointly supervised with Dr Martin Attrill & Dr Nick Tregenza. Funding: private. Completed 2007.
Sarah Carless, PhD. The effect of human disturbance on oystercatcher prey selection and foraging behaviour on rocky shores. Jointly supervised with Dr Ross Coleman, University of Sydney & Dr Richard Stillman, CEH. Funding: HEFCE COLLr. Completed 2006.
Gillian Groeger, PhD. The visual performance of the cuttlefish eye. Jointly supervised with Prof. Roddy Williamson. Funding: HEFCE COLLr. Completed 2003.
Publications
Publications
Key publications
(2017) 'Global patterns of interaction specialization in bird-flower networks' Journal of Biogeography , DOI Open access
(2016) 'The integration of alien plants in mutualistic plant-hummingbird networks across the Americas: the importance of species traits and insularity' Diversity and Distributions 22, (6) 672-681 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'High proportion of smaller ranged hummingbird species coincides with ecological specialization across the Americas' Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 283, (1824) 20152512-20152512 , DOI Open access
(2015) 'The macroecology of phylogenetically structured hummingbird-plant networks' Global Ecology & Biogeography 24, (11) 1212-1224 Open access
Key publications are highlighted
Journals
Articles
(2023) 'Chatting and cheating: Ensuring academic integrity in the era of ChatGPT' Innovations in Education and Teaching International 1-12 , DOI
(2021) 'The influence of biogeographical and evolutionary histories on morphological trait‐matching and resource specialization in mutualistic hummingbird–plant networks' Functional Ecology , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Ecological mechanisms explaining interactions within plant–hummingbird networks: morphological matching increases towards lower latitudes' Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 287, (1922) 20192873-20192873 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Abundance drives broad patterns of generalisation in plant–hummingbird pollination networks' Oikos , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Functional diversity mediates macroecological variation in plant–hummingbird interaction networks' Global Ecology and Biogeography 27, (10) 1186-1199 , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Sex differences in individual foraging site fidelity of Campbell albatross' Marine Ecology Progress Series 601, , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Hidden in plain sight: species richness and habitat characterisation of sublittoral pebble beds' Marine Biology 165, (2) , DOI Open access
(2017) 'Global patterns of interaction specialization in bird-flower networks' Journal of Biogeography , DOI Open access
(2017) 'Tracking reveals limited interactions between Campbell Albatross and fisheries during the breeding season' Journal of Ornithology 158, (3) 725-735 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'The integration of alien plants in mutualistic plant-hummingbird networks across the Americas: the importance of species traits and insularity' Diversity and Distributions 22, (6) 672-681 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'High proportion of smaller ranged hummingbird species coincides with ecological specialization across the Americas' Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 283, (1824) 20152512-20152512 , DOI Open access
(2015) 'The macroecology of phylogenetically structured hummingbird-plant networks' Global Ecology & Biogeography 24, (11) 1212-1224 Open access
(2015) 'Understanding the gender and ethnicity attainment gap in UK higher education' Innovations in Education and Teaching International , DOI Open access
(2014) 'The effects of a competitor on the foraging behaviour of the shore crab Carcinus maenas' PLoS One 9, (4) , DOI Open access
(2012) 'Consistent crustaceans: the identification of stable behavioural syndromes in hermit crabs' BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY 66, (7) 1087-1094 , DOI
(2011) 'Specialization in Plant-Hummingbird Networks Is Associated with Species Richness, Contemporary Precipitation and Quaternary Climate-Change Velocity' PLOS ONE 6, (10) , DOI Open access
(2011) 'Susceptibility to predation affects trait-mediated indirect interactions by reversing interspecific competition' PLoS One 6, (8) , DOI
(2011) 'Flexing the abdominals: do bigger muscles make better fighters?' Biol Lett 7, (3) 358-360 , DOI
(2010) 'Whole-organism performance capacity predicts resource-holding potential in the hermit crab Pagurus bernhardus' ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR 80, (2) 277-282 , DOI
(2010) 'Using Observational Methods to Research the Student Experience' JOURNAL OF GEOGRAPHY IN HIGHER EDUCATION 34, (3) 463-473 , DOI
(2009) 'Crawl-out behaviour in response to predation cues in an aquatic gastropod: insights from artificial selection' EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY 23, (6) 907-918 , DOI
(2009) 'Developmental plasticity compensates for selected low levels of behavioural avoidance in a freshwater snail' ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR 78, (4) 987-991 , DOI
(2009) 'Aerobic capacity influences giving-up decisions in fighting hermit crabs: does stamina constrain contests?' ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR 78, (3) 735-740 , DOI
(2009) 'Field biology experiences of undergraduate students: the impact of novelty space' JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL EDUCATION 43, (4) 169-174 , DOI
(2008) 'The role of circulating metal ions during shell fights in the hermit crab Pagurus bernhardus' ETHOLOGY 114, (10) 1014-1022 , DOI
(2008) 'The role of Greater Yellow-headed Vultures Cathartes melambrotus as scavengers in neotropical forest' Ibis 136, (2) 193-196 , DOI
(2007) 'Phylogenetic relatedness and ecological interactions determine antipredator behavior' Ecology 88, (10) 2462-2467
(2007) 'Predator regime influences innate anti-predator behaviour in the freshwater gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis' Freshwater Biology 52, (11) 2134-2140
(2007) 'Seasonal resource tracking by Amazonian hummingbirds' Ibis 149, (1) 135-142
(2006) 'Cue association and antipredator behaviour in a pulmonate snail, Lymnaea stagnalis' Animal Behaviour 71, 789-797
(2006) 'Effects of habitat complexity on the diversity and abundance of macrofauna colonising artificial kelp holdfasts' Marine Ecology-Progress Series 325, 93-100
(2005) 'Ontogenetic changes in the visual acuity of Sepia officinalis measured using the optomotor response' Canadian Journal of Zoology-Revue Canadienne de Zoologie 83, (2) 274-279
(2005) 'The effects of climate variability on zooplankton and basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) relative abundance off southwest Britain' Fisheries Oceanography 14, (2) 151-155
(2004) 'Erratum: Avian migration phenology and global climate change (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (October 14, 2003) 100, 21 (12219-12222))' Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 101, (15)
(2004) 'Habitat selection by song thrushes in stable and declining farmland populations' Journal of Applied Ecology 41 (2), 275-293 , DOI
(2004) 'Ontogenetic changes in metabolism may determine diet shifts for a sit-and-wait predator' Journal of Animal Ecology 73, (3) 536-545
(2004) 'The effects of boat traffic on the behaviour of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus' Aquat. Mamm 30:, 279-283
(2004) 'Trait compensation in marine gastropods: Shell shape, avoidance behavior, and susceptibility to predation' Ecology 85, (6) 1581-1584
(2003) 'Avian migration phenology and global climate change' Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 100, (21) 12219-12222
(2002) 'Book Review :Howell, SNG (ed). Hummingbirds of North America: The Photographic Guide' Ibis 144,
(2002) 'Habitat utilisation by song thrushes Turdus philomelos on lowland farmland during summer and winter' Birds and Agriculture Aspects of Applied Biology 67, 11-20
(2001) 'The Behavior and interactions of birds visiting Erythrina fusca flowers in the Colombian Amazon' Biotropica 33, (4) 662-669
(1999) 'Patterns of winter field use by Starlings<i>Sturnus vulgaris</i>: how important is prey depletion?' Bird Study 46, (3) 289-298 , DOI
(1999) 'Chick begging strategies in relation to brood hierarchies and hatching asynchrony' AMERICAN NATURALIST 153, (4) 412-420 , DOI
(1998) 'Temporal partitioning of a floral resource by territorial hummingbirds' IBIS 140, (4) 647-653 , DOI
(1998) 'Quality vs. quantity: energetic and nutritional trade-offs in parental provisioning strategies' JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY 67, (4) 620-634
(1998) 'Instability of signaling resolution models of parent-offspring conflict' PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 95, (8) 4453-4457 , DOI
(1997) 'Nestling sex ratio in the European Starling Sturnus vulgaris' JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY 28, (3) 255-258 , DOI
(1996) 'The evolution of begging: Signaling and sibling competition' PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 93, (25) 14637-14641 , DOI
(1996) 'Measuring the impact of parental foraging by starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) on soil invertebrate prey availability: An exclosure experiment' OIKOS 76, (3) 511-521 , DOI
(1996) 'Body size and ecology of hummingbirds' Symposia of the Zoological Society of London 69, 239-258
(1995) 'WINTER FIELD USE BY THE EUROPEAN STARLING STURNUS-VULGARIS - HABITAT PREFERENCES AND THE AVAILABILITY OF PREY' JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY 26, (3) 193-202 , DOI
(1995) 'FOOD ALLOCATION AMONG NESTLING STARLINGS - SIBLING COMPETITION AND THE SCOPE OF PARENTAL CHOICE' PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 259, (1356) 259-263 , DOI
(1994) 'SONG VERSUS FOOD - TRADE-OFF DECISIONS IN A BREEDING COLONY OF EUROPEAN STARLINGS STURNUS-VULGARIS' BIRD STUDY 41, 95-101 , DOI
(1994) 'EXPERIMENTALLY-INDUCED SEX-DIFFERENCES IN PARENTAL CARE - AN EFFECT OF CERTAINTY OF PATERNITY' ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR 47, (6) 1311-1322 , DOI
(1989) 'Frequency-dependent selection on aposematic prey: some experiments' Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 36, (1-2) 213-226 , DOI
Conference Papers
(1996) 'Body size and the ecology of hummingbirds' 239-258