Professor Martin Stevens
Professor of Sensory and Evolutionary Ecology
Martin.Stevens@exeter.ac.uk
01326 259358
SERSF 1:21
Science and Engineering Research Support Facility (SERSF):, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
Overview
I am currently Director of Business, Engagement, and Innovation for the Centre for Ecology and Conservation.
My work covers sensory ecology and evolution, especially vision and adaptive coloration. Much of our current research focusses on coloration, behaviour, and human impacts in marine invertebrates.
Please visit my lab page for more information.
Recent news: my new book: Life in Colour to accompany the recent David Attenborough BBC 1 TV series is now out (see here).
In 2020 I was awarded the Zoological Society of London's Science Medal.
The research conducted in my group and with our collaborators covers a broad range of areas, including:
- adaptive coloration and behaviour in marine animals, especially intertidal invertebrates, and human impacts on this
- animal vision, in both the natural world and increasingly in an applied context
- methods to analyse and quantify visual information and animal vision, especially from digital images
- animal colour change and camouflage
- anti-predator coloration (camouflage, warning signals, and eyespots)
- benefits of understadning animal vision for improiving animal welfare, safety, and training.
A major current area of research is camouflage in marine species and the mechanisms and function of colour change. We are also investigating how humans are impacting coloration and behaviour through noise and chemical pollution, and invasive species. In addition, I have other applied projects, such as related to horse vision and safety in horse sports.
I work on a wide range of taxonomic groups, currently mostly marine invertebrates, but including birds, reptiles, crabs, insects, primates, and even humans. My work combines empirical and theoretical work in the lab and field, both in the UK and abroad (Africa, mainland Europe, SE Asia), and in particular locally around Cornwall. It is interdisciplinary, incorporating theories and methods from several areas of biology, experimental psychology, and computer science. Please get in touch if you are interested in joining us.
My research group website can be found at www.sensoryecology.com.
I am also a member of the Behaviour research group.
Qualifications
2006 PhD, Bristol
2003 BSc, Bristol (Zoology)
Career
2017 - Professor of Sensory and Evolutionary Ecology
2015 - Associate Professor of Sensory and Evolutionary Ecology
2012-2014 BBSRC David Philips Senior Research Fellow, Exeter
2009-2012 Fellow, Churchill College, Cambridge
2009-2012 BBSRC David Phillips Research Fellow, Cambridge
2006-2009 Research Fellow, Girton College, Cambridge
2006 PhD Bristol
Links
Research group links
Research
Research interests
More up to date information is available on my lab website.
We study a range of subjects in sensory and evolutionary ecology, but most notably adaptive coloration and vision. Most of our research covers anti-predator coloration, behaviour, drivers of diversity, human impacts, and methods to study vision and visual signals. Our work is interdisciplinary, spanning sensory, behavioural, evolutionary biology, and incorporates ideas and methods from experimental psychology and computer vision. We work on various taxonomic groups, including birds, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, and primates. The focus of much of our current work is coloration and behaviour in marine invertebrates, including anthropogenic impacts on this such as pollution.
Currently, two major areas of research in the lab are to study animal colour change for camouflage (both mechanisms and functions), and applied benefits of understanding animal vision.
Some of our main aims are to:
- Understand animal coloration in terms of how the signals are perceived by the relevant receiver(s), and use this to study how visual information guides behaviour.
- Determine how human impacts such as pollution and invasive species are affecting animal coloration, behaviour and ecology, and how knowledge of animal vision can lead to applied benefits and help solve some of these problems.
- Determine how arms races and coevolution can drive both intra- and interspecific diversity in animal coloration and vision.
- Understand how the form and diversity of coloration and visual systems results from varied selection pressures, for example from different habitat structures and for both communication and predator avoidance.
Anti-Predator Coloration
Much of our research aims to understand various forms of anti-predator coloration. A major avenue of research is work on camouflage, whereby we aim to understand how different types of camouflage work (e.g. background matching, disruptive coloration), and the survival value that they bring. Much of our current work focusses on marine invertebrates such as chameleon prawns, sea slugs, anemones, and crabs. This includes studies of colour change, background choice, warning signals, and mimicry.
A major area is to test the mechanisms and adaptive value of colour change in animals. To do so, we study a range of marine species, including crabs, chameleon prawns, and fish. This work also includes testing the influence of climate change and pollution on colour change and camouflage.
We have also had further key projects investigating camouflage in wild animals, such as ground nesting birds, especially in several species of plover in South Africa and nightjar in Zambia.
Vision & Image Analysis Methods to Study Visual Signals
Our work on adaptive coloration is underpinned by trying to understand the visual mechanisms involved. The model receivers we are most interested in are birds, and we use and produce models analysing visual signals from a bird’s visual perspective. In addition, we have also modelled insect and primate vision, and collaborate with James Higham (New York University) on primate visual signals. We are also interested in developing techniques, especially digital image analysis, to quantify complex two dimensional signals, both in terms of pattern and colour with respect to animal vision and producing models of spatial vision.
A more recent major avaneue of work is to explore how undertsanding animal vision can have applied benefits in developing new products and informing about issues related to animal welfare and productivity.
Research Grants
In addition to those below, I have received various grants from industry.
- 01/10/2017 - 30/09/2020: BBSRC Industrial Partnership Award (part funded by QinetiQ. How to optimise imperfect camouflage.
- 01/09/2017 – 01/02/2018: Racing Foundation and British Horseracing Authority. Horse vision, obstacle visibility, and safety.
- 14/11/2016 – 14/05/2017: BBSRC Pathfinder. Imaging Animal Vision.
- 10/08/2016 – 24/08/2016: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo – FAPESP. Visiting research collaboration at University of São Paulo.
- 01/10/2014 - 30/09/2017: BBSRC Standard Grant. Predator learning of camouflage types.
- 01/08/2012 – 30/09/2014: BBSRC Standard Grant. Predator Vision and Avian Egg Camouflage.
- 01/10/2009 - 30/09/2014: BBSRC David Phillips Fellowship. Predator vision and defensive coloration: from mechanism to function.
- 2008: Royal Society Research Grant. Predator perception and the evolutionary design of warning signals.
- A range of smaller grants and various undergraduate summer projects grants from organisations like the Nuffield Foundation, ASAB, BES, and the BBSRC.
Research networks
External Collaborators
- Graeme Ruxton (St Andrews): Anti-predator behaviour, prey movement, and coloration.
- James Higham (New York University): Primate vision and sexual signals.
- Johanna Mappes (University of Jyväskylä): Predator foraging, the evolution of prey polymorphisms, and warning signals.
- Carita Lindstedt: (University of Jyväskylä): Prey polymorphisms, and warning signals.
- Claire Spottiswoode (Cambridge, Zoology): Coevolution and arms races in African parasitic finches and their hosts, and the evolution of egg colour polymorphism and rejection behaviour.
- Chris Jiggins (Cambridge, Zoology): Evolution of mimicry and selection on Heliconius butterflies.
- Keita Tanaka (Rikkyo University): Brood parasitism in cuckoos and begging signals.
- David Tolhurst (Cambridge, Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience): Psychophysics and biology of anti-predator coloration and motion perception.
- Peter Todd (National University of Singapore): Crab camouflage and polymorphism.
- John Skelhorn (Newcastle University): Camouflage and learning.
Links
Publications
Books
Journal articles
Chapters
External Engagement and Impact
Committee/panel activities
Director of Business, Engagement, and Innovation for CEC (2022-)
CEC Senior Management Group (2022-)
CEC Research Committtee
Exeter University, BBSRC Strategy Group (-2020)
Director of Impact, Bioscience Penryn Campus (2015-2018).
Board of Directors for the Zoological Lighting Institute (2016-2018)
BBSRC Pool of Experts (for assessing grant applications; 2014-2020)
BBSRC Schools Regional Champion for the SW (2014/15)
Nuffield Foundation Undergraduate Bursary panel member (2010 & 2011).
Memberships: Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB); Applied Vision Association (AVA); International Primatological Society (IPS); International Society for Behavioral Ecology (ISBE).
Regular reviewer for a wide range of science, biology, sensory, and behaviour journals (more than 35), including Science, Current Biology, PNAS, Evolution, Proceedings B, American Naturalist, and Journal of Experimental Biology.
I was named as a ‘Top Referee’ for 2008, 2011, and 2012 for Proceedings of the Royal Society, B.
Editorial responsibilities
I am an Editor for Current Zoology, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, and BMC Zoology.
Guest Editor Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, Series B: ‘Animal Camouflage: Current Issues and New Perspectives’ (2009, Volume: 364, Issue: 1516), involving contributions from biologists, computer scientists, psychologists, and art historians.
I have edited a book: ‘Animal Camouflage: From Mechanisms to Function’, 2011, Cambridge University Press.
Guest Editor Current Zoology: ‘Sensory Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour’ (2010, volume 56, issue 3), involving contributions from leading sensory ecologists working on a range of subjects and sensory modalities.
Invited lectures
A range of public lectures including at the Royal Institution, Hay Festival, Royal Geographic Society, and more.
UK: University of Sussex (Biology & Environmental Science); University of Exeter (Psychology); Royal Holloway (Psychology); Newcastle University (Neuroscience); University of Oxford (Zoology, EGI); University of Edinburgh (Institute for Evolutionary Biology); University of Bristol (Vision Institute and School of Biological Sciences); University of Bath (Biology & Biochemistry); International Primatological Conference, Edinburgh (2008); European Meeting of PhD Students in Evolutionary Biology (2013), University of Exeter.
Mainland Europe: Stockholm University (Zoology) Sweden; University of Jyväskylä (Biological and Environmental Sciences), Finland; Uppsala University (Ecology & Evolution), Sweden; Bern University (Institute of Ecology & Evolution), Switzerland; European Congress on Behavioural Biology, Dijon, France (2008); European Society for Evolutionary Biology, Lisbon, Portugal (2013); University of Geneva; Wiko, Berlin (2016).
USA: Wake Forest University (Biology); University of Nebraska (Biology); University of Chicago (Ecology and Evolution); Stanford University (Biology); Princeton University (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology); University of California Davis (Biology); University of California Santa Cruz (Biology); University of California LA (Biology); New York University (Anthropology); Hunter College, City University New York (Psychology), Smithsonian/Army and Navy Club, Washington DC, USA.
Asia: National University of Singapore (Biology x 2); International Primatological Conference, Kyoto, Japan (2010); Integrative Behavioral Biology, Xi’an, China (2011, Keynote); International Symposium on Avian Brood Parasitism, Hainan, China (2012). International Ornithological Congress, Tokyo, Japan; Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour, Brisbane (plenary, 2018).
South America: Centre for Marine Biology, University of São Paulo
Media Coverage
My work has been covered in a wide range of media including on various occasions on BBC Earth News, the New York Times, the Times, LA Times, Japan Times, USA Today, the Telegraph, the Daily Mail, the Independent, the Australian, Time Magazine, New Scientist, National Geographic, MSNBC, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Scotland, CBC Radio Canada, NPR Radio USA, German Radio WDR 5, Discovery, Nature, Science, TREE, Proceedings B, Discover, Natural History Magazine, Discovery Canada, Nature News, plus a wide range of national newspapers around the world and internet sites.
TV appearances: BBC 2, Inside the Animal Mind, programme 1 (28 January 2014); BBC1 The One Show (25 February 2014); National Geographic, Jurassic CSI, programme 1 (2011).
I have also been contacted by and appeared in a wide range of other reactive media outlets, including radio programmes of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, CBC Quirks and Quarks, and NPR on topics such as why zebras have stripes and animal camouflage and behaviour. I have also advised a range of organisations including the BBC1 and BBC 2, Channel 4, PBS, and the History Channel on TV programmes, and for other publications such as BBC Gardeners' World, Smithsonian and various natural history magazines. Some of my research methods have been used in interactive museum exhibitions and school teaching in the USA. I have also helped with art exhibitions related to animal coloration.
Teaching
I and module coordinator and deliver the third year Sensory Ecology course (BIO3410). I am also module coordinator for the Global Challenges MSci field course. I have signficantly contributed to the second year Biology of Birds module (BIO2439), and teach on the Cornwall Grand Challenges fieldcourse. I also have various undergraduate tutees, and both undergraduate and MSc project students.I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
I have written a textbook: Stevens, M. Sensory Ecology, Behaviour, and Evolution. 2013. Oxford University Press. This covers key topics in sensory ecology from an evolutionary and behavioural perspective.
I have delivered lecture modules at the University of Cambridge and was Director of Studies for Churchill College Natural Science students. In addition to departmental teaching, I have given guest lectures to students in National University of Singapore, Shaanxi Normal University China, New York University, and City University New York.
Office hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9-10 am. Contact me for a MS Teams link.
Modules
2023/24
Supervision / Group
Postdoctoral researchers
- Anna Hughes
- Yang Niu
Postgraduate researchers
- Emmanuelle Briolat BBSRC funded PhD student working on warning signals in moths
- Emily Carter
- Jim Galloway
- Sam Green PhD student
- Charlotte Jeffers
- Javier Antonio Medel
- Sara Mynott NERC funded PhD student working on climate change and camouflage in marine animals
- Tasha Price
- Jenna Proctor
- Alexandra Török BBSRC funded PhD student working on the functional and mechanistic basis of startle and flash displays in animals as anti-predator defences.
- Maria Watson