My research can be divided into two main themes: Adaptation of birds to climate-induced environmental change and culture-based conservation. Specific research topics include: 1. Seasonality in the timing of moult among African and migratory bird species. 2. Breeding seasonality in African birds. 3. Socio-economic, cultural and gender roles in the use of animals for traditional medicine. 4. Ecology of migratory species in Africa. 5. Application of time-series models in estimating population size and modeling population dynamics of wildlife species. yahkat.barshep@aplori.org

My research activities at APLORI began with my M.Sc. project in 2009 which assessed the Line transect method as proposed for a Common Bird Monitoring scheme which was to be launched in Nigeria. Subsequent research endeavours in 2010 included an assessment of the current status of the Grey-necked Picathartes – a species of global conservation concern – in Cross River, Nigeria under the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) grant as well as an investigation of aspects of the breeding ecology and the initiation of monitoring of a population of the Abdim’s Stork in Bauchi State, Nigeria. A Ph.D. at the University of St Andrews, UK investigating factors influencing density and distribution of Palearctic migrants in the Nigeria followed and was completed in 2015. Since then, I have been involved in teaching and research at APLORI. Current research endeavours now include studies to improve knowledge about intra-African migration using the Abdim’s Storks and Rosy Bee-eaters as model species. I am also interested in understanding the interactions between Palearctic migrants and their Afrotropical resident counterparts and remain involved in setting up a long term monitoring studies about Palearctic migrant populations in Amurum to better understand migratory arrival and departure dates. As part of my role as Project Manager for the Nigeria Bird Atlas Project (NiBAP), I am also now interested and involved in efforts to develop of Citizen Science in Nigeria and also across West Africa. sam.ivande@aplori.org

Research fellow/Technical Specialist/Lecturer. Area of specialization: Conservation biology/Ornithology/Conservation Genetics/Molecular Ecology An ardent ornithologist/bird watcher and Molecular Ecologist. I employ the use of molecular techniques to answer ecological questions such as movement pattern, gene flow, paternity, population size and growth. As a technical specialist within the Nigerian Bird Atlas Project I organise and carry out field surveys, workshops and trainings as well as deliver seminars on the atlas project around Nigerian universities to encourage citizen science participation in biodiversity conservation. talatu.tende15@gmail.com

My research centers on Population dynamics, Population genetics, Conservation genetics population ecology, Phylogenetics and phylogeography. I have been involved in several bird census projects, including the census of the range restricted rock Firefinch, Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis and other finches. Which led to my interest in the use of genetics to answer questions on population distribution. Presently my area of interest include conservation genetic, phylogeography and phylogenetics. My study is focused on birds but will study any other organisms when the need arises. I am interested in knowing the extent of gene flow between populations, understanding how species with widespread distributions are able to adapt to extreme environmental conditions, phylogenetics of some highly diverse families, phylogeography patchy populations. jacinta.abalaka@aplori.org

My research interests centre on plant community patterns, ecohydrology, plant ecophysiology and watershed management. I am interested in understanding dynamics of plant community patterns with changing climatic conditions in disturbance-prone areas, the interrelationship between plant cover dynamics and hydrological parameters to understand how changes in plant cover drive changes in surface and groundwater recharge. I monitor transpiration responses of gallery forest species, a unique ecosystem in guinea savannah with distinct plant composition and a replica of the rainforest, to understand the impact of plant control factors on surface and groundwater yield. I have funded projects monitoring streamflow, groundwater and plant sapflow responses. I am also managing vegetation monitoring project of the Amurum Forest Reserve, specifically a biannual check of plant mortality, survival and recruitment mechanisms of the savannah vegetation after fire events. Previous projects: • Principal investigator: Plant species diversity, composition and structure of savannah woodland in North-eastern Nigeria. Funded by Rufford Foundation (2015) • Principal Investigator: Effect of habitat degradation on avian species composition in savannah woodland of north east Nigeria. Sponsored by Second Rufford Small Grant (2017) • Principal investigator: Role of Forest cover and species diversity in watershed services in Amurum Forest Reserve. Funded by International Foundation for Science (2017) Ongoing research: Land use -water interactions in protected and multi-use gallery forests, funded by: International Foundation for Science (IFS) Renewal Gran (2018 - 2020). rahila.meriba@aplori.org

Area of Specialization: Information Technology, Networking and Web design email: anthony.umennuihe@aplori.org, library@aplori.org anthony.umennuihe@gmail.com

I was at the A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI) in 2014 as an M.Sc. student. My M.Sc. project was about the African Thrush (Turdus pelios) and how parasitic load affects body condition in this species. I collected ectoparasites, blood, and fecal samples from 77 birds. Two proxies of parasitic loads were used in the study; 1. Infection type (ranging from 0-3) and 2. Parasite abundance. Body condition also has two proxies; 1. Body mass as better predicted by wing length in the Thrushes and 2. Packed Cell Volume (PCV). A total of 59(approximately, 77%) individuals were infected with ectoparasites, haemoparasites, and or intestinal parasites. The human intestinal parasites; Hymenolepis nana and Taenia saginata were found in some of the sampled birds. Parasitic load does not affect the body condition of this species. However, it has a significant relationship with PCV. As birds with haemoparasites recorded a rather lower PCV. This project concludes that the African Thrush might serve as a reservoir for human intestinal parasites due to their proximity to human habitats and their feeding habits. It is also a proxy for environmental sanitation awareness. This work was presented at the 14th Pan-Africa Ornithological Congress (PAOC) in 2016. Internship Project: I was an intern at the University of St. Andrews Scotland under the supervision of Professor Will Cresswell for one month (31st March to 27th April 2018). The internship was sponsored by the Mirian Rothschild Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS) internship programme funded by Arcadia. While there, I worked on a collaborative project with my supervisor. I collect and manage all the data that could be accessed through published articles on the population trends of Palearctic and Nearctic migrant birds. The aim of collecting the data is to look at migratory connectivity concerning the population trends of migrant birds in Europe and North America and how the human population on their wintering grounds in Africa and South America respectively is affecting their trends. The work is now published in Diversity and Distribution Journal of Conservation Biogeography https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13006. I am currently a Project Assistant on the ongoing Nigeria Bird Atlas Project (NiBAP). I am responsible for collecting, managing, and uploading old/historical records into the NiBAP database. Sometimes I joined the atlas team for fieldwork. I also work on the changes in the distribution of some African bird species using the NiBAP database. Presently, I am working on a manuscript on the changes in the distribution of the range-restricted Rock Firefinch (Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis) in Nigeria. This was part of the results I presented in 2018 at both the Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS) at Cambridge, UK, and at the International Ornithological Congress (IOC) in Vancouver, Canada. I am a Ph.D. applicant looking forward to working with the NiBAP datasets to explore more about distribution changes and the factors that drive them. As part of the NiBAP strategy of mapping the distribution of all Nigerian birds, clubs are being formed all over the country. This is also in a bit to create awareness about birds and the environment. In that respect, I volunteer at the Jos Bird Club (JBC) as the club secretary. I helped in selecting sites for birding, organizing the club outings, and writing short update reports about the outings. nanchinwinifred@aplori.org

Research Associate studying the winter ecology of a palearctic migratory species, the pied flycatcher, in its west African wintering grounds. This project aims to understand the non-breeding determinants of population decline within the species. dejibolade@aplor.org

Conservation Biology and Ornithology. Summary research profile: interested in behavioral ecology, biogeography and conservation ecology of birds. matildanobles28@gmail.com

Area of specialisation: Medicinal Plant and taxonomy