Introduction

Mark is a community ecologist focussing on the effects of biodiversity change on ecosystem functioning and stability. His work cuts across marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems, where he uses a mixture of empirical and theoretical approaches to test fundamental mechanisms underpinning patterns and processes in ecology. LInking the study across these different systems Mark has focussed on the study of multitrophic level biodiversity organised into food webs. He has a particular interest in predator-prey interactions and the traits that underlie the strength of these interactions in nature. How species traits influence the strength of these interactions and how ultimately this gives rise to patterns of species coexistence and patterns of distribution and abundance.

Brief Biography: Mark studied a BSc in Marine and Freshwater Biology at Queen Mary University of London, then went onto the University of Aberdeen where he studied an MSc in Marine and Fisheries Science and then a PhD in Zoology. After postdocing at the University of York, Mark moved to University College Cork in 2003 to take up a lectureship in the School of Biology, Earth and Environmental Sciences. Whilst at Cork he led the Biodiversity theme within the Environmental Research Institute. He moved to his current position as Professor of Biodiversity at Queen's University in Belfast in 2011. He has been Director of Research for the Ecosystem Biology and Sustainability research cluster in the School of Biological Sciences at Queen's since 2015.