Contact
Biography
2021 - present: Assistant Professor in Environmental Sciences (Ecology and Conservation), School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham
2016 - 2021: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge
2016 - 2017 (50% time alongside Cambridge role): Postdoctoral Research Associate, DICE University of Kent
2012 - 2016: PhD, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge
2010 - 2012: Research Assistant, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge
2009 - 2010: MSc Applied Ecology and Conservation, University of East Anglia (UEA)
2006 - 2009: BA (Hons.) Natural Sciences (Zoology), University of Cambridge
Expertise Summary
- Community ecology and biodiversity conservation
- Agroecology and sustainable agriculture
- Land-use change impacts
- Habitat restoration
- Terrestrial-aquatic linkages, including value of riparian buffers
- Insect ecology
- Oil palm ecosystems
Teaching Summary
Sarah is course convenor for:
-- Tropical Ecology and Conservation (BIOS 3101)
Sarah currently teaches on the following courses:
-- Sustainability in Agricultural Systems (BIOS 1012)
-- Ecosystem Processes (BIOS 2019)
-- Research Project in Environmental Science (BIOS 3034)
-- Tropical Ecology and Conservation (BIOS 3101)
Sarah also supervises undergraduate and masters student dissertations, focusing on ecology and conservation topics.
Research Summary
Sarah is interested in the effects of habitat change on biodiversity and ecosystem functions, and development of possible strategies for conservation. Her work is largely focused on management and… read more
Selected Publications
MARTINA F. HARIANJA, EDGAR C. TURNER, HOLLY BARCLAY, VUN K. CHEY, DAVID C. ALDRIDGE, WILLIAM A. FOSTER and SARAH H. LUKE, 2024. The effects of land-use change on semi-aquatic bugs (Gerromorpha, Hemiptera) in rainforest streams in Sabah, Malaysia Freshwater Biology. 00, 1-17 SARAH H. LUKE, HELEN E. ROY, CHRIS D. THOMAS, LUKE A.N. TILLEY, SIMON WARD, ALLAN WATT, MANUELA CARNAGHI, COLINE C. JAWORSKI, MAXIMILIAN P.T.G. TERCEL, CHARLIE WOODROW, SUSMITA AOWN, JENNIFER A. BANFIELD-ZANIN, SARAH L. BARNSLEY, IRIS BERGER, MARK J.F. BROWN, JAMES C. BULL, HEATHER CAMPBELL, RUTH A.B. CARTER, MAGDA CHARALAMBOUS, LORNA J. COLE, MARTIN J. EBEJER, RACHEL A. FARROW, RAJENDRA S. FARTYAL, MIRIAM GRACE, FIONA HIGHET, JANE K. HILL, AMELIA S.C. HOOD, ELEANOR S. KENT, FRANK-THORSTEN KRELL, SIMON R. LEATHER, DANIEL J. LEYBOURNE, NICK A. LITTLEWOOD, ASHLEY LYONS, GRAHAM MATTHEWS, LOUISE MC NAMARA, ROSA MENÉNDEZ, PETER MERRETT, SAJIDHA MOHAMMED, ARCHIE K. MURCHIE, MICHAEL NOBLE, MARIA-ROSA PAIVA, MICHAEL J. PANNELL, CHOOI-KHIM PHON, GORDON PORT, CHARLOTTE POWELL, STEWART ROSELL, FRANCISCA SCONCE, CHRIS R. SHORTALL, ELEANOR M. SLADE, JAMIE P. SUTHERLAND, JAMIE C. WEIR, CHRISTOPHER D. WILLIAMS, NATALIA B. ZIELONKA and LYNN V. DICKS, 2023. Grand challenges in entomology: Priorities for action in the coming decades Insect Conservation and Diversity. MICHAEL D. PASHKEVICH, FRANCISCO D'ALBERTAS, ANAK A.K. ARYAWAN, DAMAYANTI BUCHORI, JEAN-PIERRE CALIMAN, ADRIAN D. GONZÁLEZ CHAVES, PURNAMA HIDAYAT, HOLGER KREFT, MOHAMMAD NAIM, APPOLINAIRE RAZAFIMAHATRATRA, EDGAR C. TURNER, DELPHINE CLARA ZEMP and SARAH H. LUKE, 2022. Nine actions to successfully restore tropical agroecosystems Trends in Ecology and Evolution. MEGAN POPKIN, VALENTINE J. REISS-WOOLEVER, EDGAR C. TURNER and SARAH H. LUKE, 2022. A systematic map of within-plantation oil palm management practices reveals a rapidly growing but patchy evidence base PLOS Sustainability and Transformation. 1(7), e0000023
Opportunities for study/research within the research group
Sarah has availability to supervise Masters, PhD, and fellowship applicants.
If there are any opportunities for specific funded projects they will be listed here. If nothing is listed, then unfortunately there are currently no funded projects available.
However, it might be possible to develop your own research project idea and funding applications to carry out a project within the group. This will depend on your experience, the 'fit' of your research idea to current research within the group, and your eligibility for making funding applications.
If you are interested in developing your own research project please contact Sarah in good time (several months) before funding deadlines and include the following details:
- your research idea
- the funding source that you hope to apply for
- your CV
For reference, here are some useful links about fees and potential funding options -
- https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/fees/tuitionfees/202324/index.aspx
- https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pgstudy/funding/postgraduate-funding.aspx
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Current graduate students
- Jamal Kabir - PhD, "More sustainable management of oil palm plantations: assessing the effects of different management and restoration strategies on biodiversity". Co-supervised by Helen West (Biosciences), and Ed Turner (University of Cambridge).
- Adam Martin - PhD, "Promoting a nature-positive future: how to measure biodiversity to assess habitat restoration success". Co-supervised by Richard Field (Geography), Tom Reader (Life Sciences), Jack Lacey (British Geological Survey), Dan Exton (Operation Wallacea).
- Jake Dimon - PhD, "Restoring oil palm rivers: assessing the effects of riparian re-vegetation and in-channel modifications on biodiversity and functionality". Lead supervisor Xandi Zieritz (Geography), and also co-supervised by Matt Johnson (Geography), Simon Creer (Bangor University), Mohammad Naim (Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Research Institute, SMARTRI, Indonesia)
- Dean Joyce - BBSRC DTP PhD Rotation Student, "Delivering win-wins for conservation and production in oil palm plantations: Determining links between habitat restoration, biodiversity, and yield". Co-supervised by Paul Wilson (Biosciences) and Ed Turner (University of Cambridge)
- Megan Popkin - PhD (based at the University of Cambridge), "Palm oil's sustainable future: The influence of within-plantation management practices on pollinator diversity and yield in oil palm". Lead supervisor Ed Turner (University of Cambridge).
- Valentine Reiss-Woolever - PhD (based at the University of Cambridge), "The social and management factors that contribute to the ecological sustainability of oil palm plantations". Lead supervisor Ed Turner (University of Cambridge).
Past graduate students
- Martina Harianja - PhD (based at the University of Cambridge), 2019-2023, "Understanding the impacts of land-use change and management decisions within oil palm on insect assemblages in Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo". Lead supervisor Ed Turner (University of Cambridge).
- Stanley Quek - MRes (based at the University of Cambridge), 2019-2020,"Assessing the effectiveness of the Nature Way network in Singapore". Lead supervisor Ed Turner (University of Cambridge).
- Michael Pashkevich - PhD (based at the University of Cambridge), 2017-2021, "The effects of replanting and restoration of riparian buffers on arthropods in oil palm systems". Lead supervisor Ed Turner (University of Cambridge).
Current Research
Sarah is interested in the effects of habitat change on biodiversity and ecosystem functions, and development of possible strategies for conservation. Her work is largely focused on management and restoration of agricultural systems, and currently includes projects in oil palm systems in Southeast Asia, and habitat restoration and rewilding projects in the UK. She studies both terrestrial and freshwater habitats, and much of her work focuses on insects. Ongoing projects include:
- Assessing the impacts of selective logging and conversion of forest to oil palm plantations on terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates (with the SAFE Project)
- Testing strategies for striking a balance between production and conservation in oil palm-dominated landscapes, including:
---> Varying management of understory vegetation, and restoring riparian buffers (with the BEFTA Programme)
---> Maintaining riparian buffers of different widths (with the SAFE Project and LOMBOK Project)
---> Adjusting management practices within smallholder oil palm systems, including effects of polyculture practices
- Developing tools to help improve sustainability of tropical agriculture (with the Cool Farm Biodiversity Tool)
- Determining the current 'Grand Challenges' in entomology (with the Royal Entomological Society)
- Testing sampling techniques within UK rewilding and habitat restoration projects for use in developing 'Biodiversity Credit' systems