Dr Laura Bonesi

Position: Postdoctoral Researcher

Research Expertise and Interests
My research expertise is primarily in the fields of conservation biology and ecology. I have been working on a diversity of issues and the core of my research has been addressing the problem of invasive species focussing on the American mink. I am also interested in using innovative methods to investigate ecological patterns and processes.

Projects
My recent work focussed on answering the question of why American mink have been declining in England after having increased for several decades. Mink are an invasive species to the UK imported from North America for the fur farming industry and they threaten the survival of some native species, in particular water voles that are small riparian rodents. Understanding the causes of mink decline is very important for the conservation of the water vole because these causes could be promoted as a means to control mink populations in areas where water voles are at risk.

Amongst the measures to reduce the impact of the American mink on native biodiversity, mink control has been identified as an essential tool by the UK National Species Action Plan. Another project that I am working on at the moment is to develop a model of mink control to be used as the foundation for planning a strategy of mink control in the UK. The kind of model that we are using is known as a 'spatially explicit population model', which means that we simulate the population dynamics of mink in a real area. This project is carried out as a collaboration between the University of Newcastle (CLSM directed by Steve Rushton) and WildCRU at Oxford.

I work with elusive species hence, a lot of my data has been gathered through surveys for field signs such as footprints and droppings. For this reason I am particularly interested in the use of field signs as a way to estimate distribution and abundance of mammals. Amongst my current projects is oneaimed at evaluating the ability of non-invasive genetic sampling to monitor otter populations.

I am currently developing a management strategy for the American mink in Italy using an integrated approach that involves modelling the spread of the mink, assessing the economic and biodiversity impacts and assessing the perceptions of the civil society toward the problem. This project is carried out at the University of Trieste in Italy.

In the past, I worked on the ecology and behaviour of Alpine marmots in Italy, on the co-operative behaviour in Eurasian badgers in the UK, and on competition between Black-backed and Side-striped jackals in Zimbabwe.

Recent publications

Bonesi, L., Strachan, R., and Macdonald, D.W. 2006. Why are there fewer signs of mink in England? Considering multiple hypothesis. Biological Conservation 130:268-277.

Bonesi L. and Macdonald D.W. 2004. Differential habitat use reveals sustainable coexistence between the specialist otter and the generalist mink. Oikos 106:509-519.

Bonesi L. and Macdonald D.W. 2004. Impact of released Eurasian otters on a population of American mink: a test using an experimental approach. Oikos 106:9-18.

Bonesi L., Chanin, P., and Macdonald D.W. 2004. Competition between Eurasian otter Lutra lutra and American mink Mustela vison probed by niche shift. Oikos 106:19-26.

Bonesi, L. and Macdonald, D.W. 2003. Evaluation of sign surveys as a way to estimate the relative abundance of American mink (Mustela vison). Journal of Zoology, London. 262:65-72.

Bonesi L., Rusthon S., and Macdonald D.W. 2002. The combined effect of environmental factors and neighbouring populations on the distribution and abundance of Arvicola terrestris. An approach using rule based models. Oikos 99: 220-230.

Bonesi L., Rusthon S., and Macdonald D.W. 2000. A synthesis of factors affecting the distribution of water voles and their latrines In: 'The mink and the water vole: analyses for conservation'. Eds: D.Macdonald and R.Strachan. George Street Press: 87-95.

Bonesi L., Dunstone N., and O'Connell M. 2000. Winter selection of habitats within intertidal foraging areas by mink (Mustela vison). Journal of Zoology, London. 250:419-424.

Stewart P.D., Bonesi L., and Macdonald D.W. 1999. Individual den maintenance effort in a communal dwelling mammal: the Eurasian badger (Meles meles), Animal Behaviour 57(1):153-161.

Vendruscolo M., De Los Rios P., and Bonesi L. 1996. A Model of Correlated Evolution, Physics Review E. 54:6053-6057.

Bonesi L., Lapini L., and Gregori G. 1994. Temporal analysis of activities in Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota L.). In: Report on the Second International Conference on Marmots - Aussois (France) 2-6 October 1994. Eds: Le Berre M. & Ramousse 1994, Ibex - Journal of Mountain Ecology, 2: 30.