Dr Rob Patchett

Research Fellow

Researcher profile

Email
rbp3@st-andrews.ac.uk

 

Research areas

Dr Rob Patchett works on range of topics in ecology and conservation, spanning human-wildlife coexistence, biodiversity monitoring, and the impacts of land use policy on wildlife. His recent work has focused on understanding how human activity and landscape modification influence animal movement and space use, and as part of the COVID-19 Bio-Logging Initiative, he has been investigating how pandemic lockdowns impacted wildlife.

Rob is a core team member of the National Geographic Society’s Living Pathways program, which combines the powers of community building, technology, local empowerment, education and storytelling to promote human–wildlife coexistence in the world’s unprotected landscapes, complementing the 30x30 Initiative.

Alongside his research, he sits on the British Ecological Society's Scottish Policy Group committee and has completed a British Ecological Society Policy Fellowship partnering with the Scottish Government to assess biodiversity impacts of the Agricultural Reform Programme.

Selected publications

  • Open access

    Interacting effects of human presence and landscape modification on birds and mammals

    Oliver, R. Y., Yanco, S. W., Ellis-Soto, D., Jesmer, B. R., Cohen, J., Gao, S., Patchett, R., Avgar, T., Bildstein, K., Bakner, N. W., Barber, D., Barker, K., Barnes, J. G., Bastille-Rousseau, G., Belan, J. L., Benson, J. F., Bêty, J., Beyer, D. E., Bird, D. & Bowersock, N. & 72 others, Boyce, A. J., Carlson, B. S., Casazza, M. L., Chamberlain, M. J., Cherry, M. J., Collier, B. A., Courtemanch, A., Davidson, S. C., DeBloois, D., DeNicola, V., DeSorbo, C. R., Dowler, R. C., Dupont, D., Elbroch, L. M., Elliott, J., Evans, B. A., Ford, W. M., Hancock, D., Hardesty-Moore, M., Hawley, J. E., Jeffress, M. R., Jennings, S., Kauffman, M. J., Kays, R., Kelly, M. J., Kluever, B. M., Lamont, M., LaPoint, S., LaSharr, T. N., Lefebvre, J., Legagneux, P., Loretto, M.-C., Lumpkin, D., Martinez, L. A., Marzluff, J. M., McCauley, D., McDuie, F., Mong, T. W., Monteith, K. L., Mueller, T., Newediuk, L., Ortega, A. C., Ossi, F., Overton, C., Perkins, J. C., Petroelje, T. R., Prugh, L., Sager-Fradkin, K. A., Seer, M., Shawler, A., Skalos, S., Smiley, R. A., Sommefeld, J., Stahler, D. R., Stephenson, J., Stevens, R. D., Svoboda, N. J., Therrien, J.-F., Thomas, P., VanAcker, M., Vander Wal, E., Varland, D., Verzuh, T. L., Wagler, B. L., Warnock, N., Webb, S. L., Williams, C. K., Wilmers, C. C., Wolfson, D. W., Young, J. K., Rutz, C. & Jetz, W., 21 May 2026, In: Science. 392, 100, p. 879-884 6 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    Migratory and breeding behaviour of Water Rails Rallus aquaticus in east-central Scotland revealed by geolocators

    Patchett, R. & Robertson, D., May 2026, In: Bird Study. 73, 2, p. 89-96 8 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    A mosaic of modular variation at a single gene underpins convergent plumage coloration

    Lutgen, D., Peona, V., Chase, M., Kakhki, N. A., Lammers, F., de Souza, S. G., Ducrest, A.-L., Burri, M., Andriopoulos, P., Lukhele, S. M., Moysi, M., Yohannes, E., Abbasov, A., Albayrak, T., Albayrak, M., Auchli, N., Bontzorlos, V., Christoforou, I., Copete, J. L. & Fulco, E. & 27 others, Garcia, J. T., Javakhishvili, Z., Kazazou, A., Lei, F., Liu, Y., Paposhvili, N., Patchett, R., Péter, Á., Ritter, R., Sándor, A. D., Schneider, F., Shurulinkov, P., Sklyarenko, S., Stumberger, B., Tagiyev, A., Uboldi, A., Vogiatzis, N., Taborsak-Lines, F., Gruselius, J., Yao, L., Peichel, C. L., Suh, A., Gagnaire, P.-A., Kirschel, A. N. G., Schweizer, M., Schielzeth, H. & Burri, R., 16 Oct 2025, In: Science. 390, 6770, p. 1-19 19 p., eado8005.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    Comparing migration of Whinchats Saxicola rubetra from the non-breeding grounds in Liberia and Nigeria: differences due to geography but otherwise very similar

    Cresswell, W., Patchett, R., Blackburn, E. & Burgess, M., 2 Jun 2025, In: PLoS ONE. 20, p. 1-25 25 p., e0324086.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    Habitat selection of three gull species in response to sudden changes in human mobility

    Patchett, R., Smith, B. J., Thaxter, C. B., Burton, N. H. K., Franke, B. H., Yanco, S. W., Oliver, R. Y., Ellis-Soto, D., Tucker, M. A., Loveridge, A., Sommerfeld, J., Ossi, F., Clewley, G. D., Camphuysen, K. C. J., Desmet, P., Ramos, R., González-Solís, J., Green, R. M. W., Humphreys, E. M. & Johnston, D. T. & 9 others, Lens, L., Müller, W., O'Hanlon, N. J., Robin, F., Sallent, Á., Shamoun-Baranes, J., Stienen, E. W. M., Verbruggen, F. & Rutz, C., Dec 2025, In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 292, 2061, p. 1-10 10 p., 20252482 .

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Policy and recommendations

    Dodsworth, J., Powell, K., Robinson, J. & Patchett, R., 3 Apr 2025, Regenerative agriculture in the UK: an ecological perspective. London: British Ecological Society, p. 119-139 21 p.

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

  • Open access

    Access to human-mobility data is essential for building a sustainable future

    Oliver, R., Chapman, M., Ellis-Soto, D., Brum-Bastos, V., Cagnacci, F., Long, J., Loretto, M.-C., Patchett, R. B. & Rutz, C., 26 Apr 2024, In: Cell Reports Sustainability. 1, 4, 4 p., 100077.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    Assessing impacts of the Agricultural Reform Programme measures on biodiversity

    Patchett, R. B., 17 Aug 2024, 28 p. Applied Ecology Resources.

    Research output: Other contribution

  • Open access

    Comparing migratory connectivity across species: the importance of considering the pattern of sampling and the processes that lead to connectivity

    Cresswell, W. & Patchett, R. B., Apr 2024, In: Ibis. 166, 2, p. 666-681 16 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    Context-dependent changes in maritime traffic activity during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

    Loveridge, A., Elvidge, C. D., Kroodsma, D. A., White, T. D., Evans, K., Kato, A., Ropert-Coudert, Y., Sommerfeld, J., Takahashi, A., Patchett, R., Robira, B., Rutz, C. & Sims, D. W., 1 Jan 2024, In: Global Environmental Change. 84, 14 p., 102773.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

 

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