Dr Maureen Berg

Lecturer

contact:
Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
Moulsecoomb
Brighton
BN2 4GJ

Telephone: +44 (0)1273 642111

Email: mb95@brighton.ac.uk

Research interests

• Restoration and management of grassland habitats
• Disturbance and natural regeneration of plant community
• Biodiversity assessment, monitoring and evaluation for management
• Plant community ecology
• Conservation biology

My principal areas of research involve plant communities and their responses to changes in environmental conditions, habitat and land use practices. I am also interested in their natural regeneration potential, looking at spontaneous regeneration from seed bank and the application of mechanical disturbance to restore abandoned communities. 
Teaching:
Module leader for:

• Ecological field skills
• Ecological techniques

Module teaching in:

• Animal and plant interactions
• Applied ecology
• Biogeography
• Ecological processes 1&2
• Evolutionary biology
• Forensic biology
• Physiology
• Reproductive biology

Recent research projects:
2010-ongoing: HARVEST project: This project aims to increase the amount of local food produced locally and eaten within the city. I’m involved in the GIS mapping and spatial provision of growing areas in order to develop an Urban Growing Plan.
2009-2010 Water related recreation in the North West, South east & London and the Midlands. This project was commissioned by the Environmental Agency to develop strategies for water related recreation in a further four regions in England (namely the North West, Southern and Thames and the Midlands regions). My duties involve collecting data, creating a data base of water related activities in these four regions and map the current provision using GIS. Further spatial analysis was also carried out to highlight areas of good provision, or opportunities, as part for of the EA new Corporate Strategy (2010-2015) to provide a good quality environment, to support a sustainable economy and engage with local communities.
2008-2009: Biodiversity action Plan of the University of Brighton sites. This project was a phase 1 survey of the different sites belonging to the University of Brighton to assess the ecological value of the grounds.
2004-2009: PhD Abandonment and reinstating management on wet coastal grassland, in Estonia. This project investigated plant community changes in abandoned wet coastal grasslands and under cutting management, as well as grassland regeneration following disturbance.
2008: Student accommodation: Project about the decision making process of student when seeking accommodation and the micro-geographies within Brighton and Hove.
2004: Study of the winter feeding regime of Teal (Anas crecca) in view to identify habitat preferences and suitability in the Landes, France. Develop management plans and habitat maps for all the Nature reserves of the Fédération Départementale des chasseurs de Landes.
 2002: Impact of tourist boat on inter-island insect dispersal in the Galapagos 
Other:

• 2010-ongoing Secretary of the RGS-BRG group
• 2005-2007 Earthwatch Team leader

Research Publications