Professor Katharine Abernethy

Professor

Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Professor Katharine Abernethy

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About me

I received my PhD from the University of Edinburgh in 1994 on the introduction of Sika deer to Scotland. I went to Gabon in 1993 as a postdoctoral researcher and became Director of the Station d’Etudes des Gorilles et Chimpanzés (SEGC) in Lopé National Park, in 2000, a post I held until 2007. I spent several years studying ape ecology before pioneering research into the ecology of mandrills and supervising several PhDs on large mammal ecology and conservation. I then went on to establish many of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s activities in Lopé including the CEDAMM training centre, a community outreach project, an Eco-museum and a mandrill tourism project. I have influenced environmental policy through several high-profile projects, including The National Strategy for Bushmeat Management in Gabon. I am also a successful botanical artist and my work is widely published. I am now a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Stirling, a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission and an Associate Researcher for the National Centre for Research in Science and Technology in Gabon (CENAREST). My article, 'Extent and ecological consequences of hunting in Central African rainforests in the twenty-first century' has been selected by F1000Prime as being of special significance in its field:

Research (6)

Projects

GCRF TRADE, Development and the Environment (TRADE) Hub
PI: Professor Katharine Abernethy
Funded by: Economic and Social Research Council

Long term trends in Central African Forest phenology
PI: Professor Katharine Abernethy
Funded by: Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux

Census of the Gorilla and Chimpanzee Populations
PI: Professor Katharine Abernethy
Funded by: CIRMF

Evaluation of WWF African Bushmeat Initiative, West Central and East Africa
PI: Professor Katharine Abernethy
Funded by: WWF International

Development of a National Strategy for Management of Bushmeat use in Gabon
PI: Professor Katharine Abernethy
Funded by: Wildlife Conservation Society

Darwin Initiative
PI: Professor Katharine Abernethy
Funded by: Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs

Outputs (116)

Outputs

Showing 99 of 116 — See all 116 outputs

Article

Sullivan MK, Vleminckx J, Bissiemou PAM, Niangadouma R, Mayoungou MI, Temba JL, Bénédet F, Abernethy K, Queenborough SA & Comita LS (2024) Low-intensity logging alters species and functional composition, but does not negatively impact key ecosystem services in a Central African tropical forest. Global Ecology and Conservation, 53, Art. No.: e02996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2024.e02996


Article

Keany JM, Burns P, Abraham AJ, Jantz P, Makaga L, Saatchi S, Maisels F, Abernethy K & Doughty CE (2024) Using multiscale lidar to determine variation in canopy structure from African forest elephant trails. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, Early View, pp. 1-14. https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/rse2.395; https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.395


Article

Tsetagho G, Bradfer-Lawrence T, Taku AI, Abernethy KA, Abwe EE, Angwafo ET, Atuo F, Fichtler M, Fotso R, Shirley MH, Morgan BJ, Languy M, Maisels F, Oslisly R & Whytock RC (2023) Modeling the potential distribution of the threatened Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas across its entire range. Bird Conservation International, 33, Art. No.: e65. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0959270923000175


Article

Tinsman JC, Gruppi C, Bossu CM, Prigge T, Harrigan RJ, Zaunbrecher V, Koepfli K, LeBreton M, Njabo K, Wenda C, Xing S, Abernethy K, Ades G, Akeredolu E, Andrew IB, Barrett TA, Bernáthová I, Černá Bolfíková B, Diffo JL, Difouo Fopa G, Ebong LE, Godwill I, Koumba Pambo AF, Labuschagne K, Nwobegahay Mbekem J, Momboua BR, Mousset Moumbolou CL, Ntie S, Rose-Jeffreys E, Simo FT, Sundar K, Swiacká M, Takuo JM, Talla VNK, Tamoufe U, Dingle C, Ruegg K, Bonebrake TC & Smith TB (2023) Genomic analyses reveal poaching hotspots and illegal trade in pangolins from Africa to Asia. Science, 382 (6676), pp. 1282-1286. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adi5066


Article

Wilfried G, Ella E, Takenoshita Y, Brice L, Koumba M, Loïque F, Nguelet M, Iwata Y, Ando C, Mavoungou J & Abernethy K (2023) Diet Composition and Feeding Ecology of Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) in a Lowland Tropical Forest in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, Gabon. African Study Monographs, 43. https://doi.org/10.34548/asm.43.42


Article

Whytock RC, Suijten T, van Deursen T, Świeżewski J, Mermiaghe H, Madamba N, Mouckoumou N, Zwerts JA, Pambo AFK, Bahaa‐el‐din L, Brittain S, Lehmann D, Orbell C, White LJT & Abernethy KA (2023) Real‐time alerts from AI‐enabled camera traps using the Iridium satellite network: A case‐study in Gabon, Central Africa. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 14 (3), pp. 867-874. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210x.14036


Article

Aguirre‐Gutiérrez J, Berenguer E, Oliveras Menor I, Bauman D, Corral-Rivas JJ, Nava-Miranda MG, Both S, Ndong JE, Ondo FE, Bengone NN, Mihinhou V, Dalling JW, Abernethy K, Jeffery KJ & White LJT (2022) Functional susceptibility of tropical forests to climate change. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 6, pp. 878-889. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01747-6


Article

Guibinga Mickala A, Weber A, Ntie S, Gahlot P, Lehmann D, Mickala P, Abernethy K & Anthony N (2022) Estimation of the census (Nc) and effective (Ne) population size of a wild mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) horde in the Lopé National Park, Gabon using a non-invasive genetic approach. Conservation Genetics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-022-01458-2


Article

Hacket-Pain A, Foest JJ, Pearse IS, LaMontagne JM, Koenig WD, Vacchiano G, Bogdziewicz M, Caignard T, Celebias P, van Dormolen J, Fernández-Martínez M, Moris JV, Abernethy K, Jeffery K & White LJT (2022) MASTREE+: time-series of plant reproductive effort from six continents. Global Change Biology, 28 (9), pp. 3066-3082. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16130


Article

Duncanson L, Kellner JR, Armston J, Dubayah R, Minor DM, Hancock S, Healey SP, Patterson PL, Saarela S, Marselis S, Silva CE, Bruening J, Abernethy K, Jeffery KJ & White LJT (2022) Aboveground biomass density models for NASA's Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) lidar mission. Remote Sensing of Environment, 270, Art. No.: 112845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2021.112845


Book Chapter

Mikissa JB, Pambo AFK, Ngoyi EB, Jeffery KJ, White L & Abernethy K (2021) Status, Trends, and Scenarios of Invasive Alien Species in Gabon. In: Invasive Alien Species: Observations and Issues from Around the World, Volume 1: Issues and Invasions in Africa. Oxford: Wiley, pp. 139-144. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119607045.ch4


Article

Ingram DJ, Coad L, Milner-Gulland EJ, Parry L, Wilkie D, Bakarr MI, Benítez-López A, Bennett EL, Bodmer R, Cowlishaw G, El Bizri HR, Eves HE, Fa JE, Golden CD & Abernethy K (2021) Wild Meat Is Still on the Menu: Progress in Wild Meat Research, Policy, and Practice from 2002 to 2020. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 46, pp. 221-254. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-041020-063132


Article

Huaraca Huasco W, Riutta T, Girardin CAJ, Hancco Pacha F, Puma Vilca BL, Moore S, Rifai SW, Del Aguila Pasquel J, Araujo Murakami A, Freitag R, Morel AC, Demissie S, Jeffery KL, White LJT & Abernethy KA (2021) Fine root dynamics across pantropical rainforest ecosystems. Global Change Biology, 27 (15), pp. 3657-3680. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15677


Article

Whytock RC, Świeżewski J, Zwerts JA, Bara‐Słupski T, Koumba Pambo AF, Rogala M, Bahaa‐el‐din L, Boekee K, Brittain S, Cardoso AW, Henschel P, Lehmann D, Momboua B, Orbell C & Abernethy KA (2021) Robust ecological analysis of camera trap data labelled by a machine learning model. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 12 (6), pp. 1080-1092. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210x.13576


Website Content

Maisels F & Abernethy K (2020) Cercopithecus cephus ssp. cephus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [IUCN website] 2020. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T136882A17985034.en


Website Content

Maisels F & Abernethy K (2020) Cercopithecus cephus ssp. cephodes. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [IUCN website] 2020. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T136915A17985059.en


Article

Bush ER, Whytock RC, Bahaa-el-din L, Bourgeois S, Bunnefeld N, Cardoso AW, Dikangadissi JT, Dimbonda P, Dimoto E, Edzang Ndong J, Jeffery KJ, Lehmann D, Makaga L, Momboua B, Momont LRW, Tutin CEG, White LJT, Whittaker A & Abernethy K (2020) Long-term collapse in fruit availability threatens Central African forest megafauna. Science, 370 (6521), pp. 1219-1222. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abc7791


Website Content

Abernethy K & Maisels F (2019) Mandrillus sphinx. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [IUCN website] 2019. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T12754A17952325.en


Letter

Marselis SM, Tang H, Armston J, Abernethy KA, Alonso A, Barbier N, Bissiengou P, Jeffery KJ, Kenfack D, Labrière N, Lee SK, Lewis SL, Memiaghe H, Poulsen JR, White L & Dubayah R (2019) Exploring the relation between remotely sensed vertical canopy structure and tree species diversity in Gabon. Environmental Research Letters, 14 (9), Art. No.: 094013. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab2dcd


Website Content

Abernethy K, Maisels F & Coad L (2019) Allochrocebus solatus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019 (e.T4230A92346555) [Blog post] 31.03.2019. https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2019-1.rlts.t4230a92346555.en


Article

Rifai SW, Girardin CAJ, Berenguer E, del Aguila-Pasquel J, Dahlsjö CAL, Doughty CE, Jeffery KJ, Moore S, Oliveras I, Riutta T, Rowland LM, Murakami AA, Addo-Danso SD, Abernethy KA & White LJT (2018) ENSO Drives interannual variation of forest woody growth across the tropics. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 373 (1760), Art. No.: 20170410. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0410


Technical Report

Coad L, Fa JE, Abernethy K, Van Vliet N, Santamaria C, Wilkie D, El Bizri HR, Ingram DJ, Cawthorn D & Nasi R (2018) Towards a Sustainable, Participatory and Inclusive Wild Meat Sector. Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat. Montreal, Canada. https://www.cbd.int/doc/c/8ca9/8f95/d06a6f4d99339baebd13648a/cop-14-inf-07-en.pdf


Article

Silva CA, Saatchi SS, Garcia M, Labriere N, Klauberg C, Ferraz A, Meyer V, Jeffery KJ, Abernethy K, White L, Zhao K, Lewis S & Hudak AT (2018) Comparison of Small- and Large-Footprint Lidar Characterization of Tropical Forest Aboveground Structure and Biomass: A Case Study From Central Gabon. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 11 (10), pp. 3512-3526. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2018.2816962


Article

Labriere N, Tao S, Chave J, Scipal K, Toan TL, Abernethy K, Alonso A, Barbier N, Bissiengou P, Casal T, Davies SJ, Ferraz A, Hérault B, Jeffery KJ & White LJT (2018) In Situ Reference Datasets From the TropiSAR and AfriSAR Campaigns in Support of Upcoming Spaceborne Biomass Missions. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 11 (10), pp. 3617-3627. https://doi.org/10.1109/jstars.2018.2851606


Conference Proceeding

Jeffery KJ, White L, Bush E, Moore S, Malhi Y, Lewis S, Dimoto E, Dikangadissi J, Evouna Ondo F, Edzang Ndong J, Ditoughou C, Lehmann D & Abernethy K (2016) Future perspectives from historical data; addressing the data-gap in Central Africa. In: Sist P, Carriere S, Parolin P & Forget P (eds.) 53rd Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation. 53rd Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Montpellier, France, 19.06.2016-23.06.2016. Paris, France: Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, p. 144. http://tropicalbiology.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Proceedings-ATBC2016.pdf


Article

Abernethy K, Maisels F & White L (2016) Environmental issues in Central Africa. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 41 (1), pp. 1-33. http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/eprint/ThBqVdjzNh7Hz8Emx3ud/full/10.1146/annurev-environ-110615-085415; https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-110615-085415


Book Chapter

Abernethy K & White L (2013) Mandrillus Sphinx Mandrill [Mandrills]. In: Butynski T, Kingdon J & Kalina J (eds.) Mammals of Africa, Volume II: Primates. London: Bloomsbury, pp. 192-196. http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/mammals-of-africa-9781408122570/


Article

Bahaa-el-din L, Henschel P, Aba'a R, Abernethy K, Bohm T, Bout N, Coad LM, Head J, Inoue E, Lahm SA, Lee M, Maisels F, Rabanal L, Starkey M, Taylor G, Vanthomme H, Nakashima Y & Hunter LTB (2013) Notes on the distribution and status of small carnivores in Gabon. Small Carnivore Conservation, 48, pp. 19-29. http://www.smallcarnivoreconservation.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SCC-48-2-Bahaa-el-din-et-al.pdf


Lecture

Abernethy K, Coad LM, Starkey M, Wilkie DS, Hymas O, White L, Ndong Obiang AM, Ndong K, Nsame Effa E, Noungou A, Mbazonga M, Van Vliet N, Milner-Gulland EJ, Kuempel N & Maisels F (2012) Bushmeat hunting: Extent and consequences (Presentation) Climate change, deforestation and the future of African forests, Oxford, UK, 04.01.2012-06.01.2012. http://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/events/africa/downloads/session63.pdf


Book Chapter

Van Vliet N, Nasi R, Abernethy K, Fargeot C, Kuempel N, Ndong Obiang AM & Ringuet S (2012) Le rôle de la faune dans le cadre de la sécurité alimentaire en Afrique centrale: Une menace pour la Biodiversité? [The role of wildlife for food security in Central Africa: a threat to biodiversity?]. In: de Wasseige C, de Marcken P, Bayol N, Hiol F, Mayaux P, Desclée B B, Nasi R, Billand A, Defourny P P & Eba’a R (eds.) L’Etat des Forêts 2010. Luxembourg: Office des publications de l’Union Européenne, pp. 123-135. http://www.observatoire-comifac.net/docs/edf2010/FR/Etat-des-forets_2010.pdf


Article

Mitchard ETA, Saatchi SS, White L, Abernethy K, Jeffery KJ, Lewis SL, Collins M, Lefsky MA, Leal ME, Woodhouse IH & Meir P (2012) Mapping tropical forest biomass with radar and spaceborne LiDAR in Lope National Park, Gabon: overcoming problems of high biomass and persistent cloud. Biogeosciences, 9 (1), pp. 179-191. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-9-179-2012


Article

Anthony NM, Mickala P, Abernethy K, Atteke C, Bissiengou P, Bruford MW, Dallmeier F, Decaens T, Dudu A, Freedman A, Gonder MK, Hardy OJ, Hart J, Jeffery KJ & Johnson M (2012) Biodiversity and conservation genetics research in Central Africa: new approaches and avenues for international collaboration. Conservation Genetics Resources, 4 (2), pp. 523-525. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-011-9554-9


Technical Report

Abernethy K & Ndong Obiang AM (2010) Bushmeat in Gabon. Ministry of Water and Forests, Government of Gabon.


Article

Senn HV, Barton NH, Goodman SJ, Swanson G, Abernethy K & Pemberton JM (2010) Investigating temporal changes in hybridization and introgression in a predominantly bimodal hybridizing population of invasive sika (Cervus nippon) and native red deer (C-elaphus) on the Kintyre Peninsula, Scotland. Molecular Ecology, 19 (5), pp. 910-924. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2009.04497.x


Book Chapter

Clifford SL, Abernethy K, White L, Tutin CEG, Bruford MW & Wickings EJ (2008) Genetic studies of western gorillas. In: Taylor A & Goldsmith M (eds.) Gorilla Biology. A multidisciplinary perspective. Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 269-293. http://www.cambridge.org/ve/academic/subjects/life-sciences/biological-anthropology-and-primatology/gorilla-biology-multidisciplinary-perspective


Article

Anthony NM, Clifford SL, Johnson-Bawe M, Abernethy K, Bruford MW & Wickings EJ (2007) Distinguishing gorilla mitochondrial sequences from nuclear integrations and PCR recombinants: Guidelines for their diagnosis in complex sequence databases. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 43 (2), pp. 553-566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2006.09.013


Article

Wickings EJ, Clifford SL, Anthony NM, Johnson-Bawe M, Abernethy K & Bruford MW (2004) Gorilla mtDNA - Sequences Unravelled and Secrets Revealed. Gorilla Journal: Journal of Berggorilla and Regenwald Direkthilfe, (29), pp. 21-26. http://www.berggorilla.de/fileadmin/gorilla-journal/gorilla-journal-29-english.pdf


Article

Makuwa M, Souquiere S, Clifford SL, Telfer PT, Salle B, Bourry O, Onanga R, Mouinga-Ondeme A, Wickings EJ, Abernethy K, Rouquet P, Simon F & Roques P (2004) Two distinct STLV-1 subtypes infecting Mandrillus sphinx follow the geographic distribution of their hosts. AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, 20 (10), pp. 1137-1143. https://doi.org/10.1089/aid.2004.20.1137


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