Anne Elizabeth Magurran (born 1955) is a British Professor of ecology at

University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, f ...

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. She is the author of several books on measuring

biological diversity Biodiversity is the variability of life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distributed evenly on Eart ...

, and the importance for quantifying biodiversity for conservation. She has won numerous awards and honors, is regularly consulted for global assessments and analyses of biodiversity and conservation and her research is often highlighted by journalists. Magurran has worked with Robert May and other leading biologists, including

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, whom she advised. Her research projects often focus on tropical freshwater fish communities - specifically the Trinidadian guppy- in the Neotropics and India.

Research and career

Magurran completed her PhD at the University of Ulster on the biological diversity of native woodlands in Ireland. She then went on to complete postdoctoral work at

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and the

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. Throughout her career she has used fish communities to study biodiversity, the evolution of

biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...

, and on the role of predation in the evolution of social behaviour. She is now a professor at the

, where she is the university's most cited female scientist. Globally, she is the second most cited female ecologist and evolutionary biologist. She is an international counselor and advisor on issues of conservation related to biodiversity and engaged in the UN

Convention on Biological Diversity The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), known informally as the Biodiversity Convention, is a multilateral treaty. The Convention has three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity); the sustainable use of its ...

and in the

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in 2018. Magurran was appointed

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(CBE) in the

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for services to biodiversity.

Selected awards and honours

* 2022 - Distinguished Service Award from the Europe Section of the

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(SCB) * 2022 - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (

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) * 2021 - Member of the

Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the natural sciences, arts, literature, and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier List of Irish learned societies, learned society and one of its le ...

. * 2017 - Plenary Talk, Argentinian International Ecology Meeting * 2014 - Honorary Doctor of Science Degree,

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* 2012 -

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

Wolfson Research Merit Award * 2006 - Honorary Life Membership, Fisheries Society of the British Isles * 2004 - Fellow of the

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* 1994 - Scientific Medal, Zoological Society of London *

Selected publications

* * Magurran, A. E. 2004. ''Measuring biological diversity''. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. * * Magurran, A. E. & R. M. May (eds.). 1999. ''Evolution of Biological Diversity''. Oxford University Press. .

External links

*
Google Scholar

References

British biologists British women scientists 1955 births Living people Academics of the University of St Andrews Alumni of Ulster University Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Members of the Royal Irish Academy Commanders of the Order of the British Empire {{UK-biologist-stub