Dr Thomas Timberlake

Profile

I am a Lecturer in Ecology at the University of Leeds, with a broad interest in the relationships between biodiversity, agriculture and human wellbeing. My research focuses on agroecology, particularly how ecological processes such as pollination underpin food production, nutritional health and the livelihoods of farming communities.

I studied Biology at the University of Oxford before completing a PhD in pollination ecology at the University of Bristol. My subsequent postdoctoral research at the Universities of Bristol and York has explored the links between biodiversity, food systems and human nutrition, combining ecological research with interdisciplinary approaches to understand how environmental change affects people and the ecosystems they depend on. My research has spanned a wide range of environments and agricultural systems, from smallholder farming communities in Nepal and Madagascar to dryland landscapes across southern Europe and North Africa, and agricultural landscapes in the UK.

Research interests

A central aim of my research is to understand how biodiversity and ecological processes influence the functioning, productivity, and resilience of agricultural systems, and their wider implications for human nutrition and wellbeing. My work spans fundamental ecological research through to the study of complex social-ecological systems, combining approaches from ecology, agriculture and the social sciences. Across these areas, I am interested in translating ecological knowledge into practical solutions that support biodiversity conservation, sustainable food production and rural livelihoods. Some of the key themes running through my research are outlined below.

Biodiversity, food production and human nutrition

A central focus of my research is understanding how biodiversity and ecosystem processes support food production and human nutrition. Through the Micro-Poll project in Nepal, we investigated how insect pollinators contribute to the nutritional health and incomes of smallholder farming communities, tracing connections between ecological networks, crop production and the nutrients in people's diets. This work builds on earlier research with the UK Collaborative on Development Research exploring the importance of pollination for human health and international development.

Some key papers:
Timberlake, T.P., Sapkota, S., Saville, N.M., Baral, S., Bhusal, D.R., Cirtwill, A.R., Devkota, K., Giri, S., Harris-Fry, H.A., Joshi, D., Kortsch, S., Myers, S.S., Roslin, T., Smith, M.R., Memmott, J. (2026) Pollinators support the nutrition and income of vulnerable communities. Nature

Devkota, K., dos Santos, C.F., Borges, A. & Timberlake, T.P. (2024). Assessing the economic and nutritional value of pollination services in Nepal. Scientific Reports.

Garibaldi, L.A., Gomez Carella, D, Smith, M., Timberlake, T.P. & Myers, S.S., (2022). Exploring connections between pollinator health and human health. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.

Pollinator ecology and conservation

During my PhD at the University of Bristol, I investigated how seasonal patterns in flowering influence nectar and pollen availability for farmland pollinators, identifying important seasonal resource shortages and demonstrating the role of gardens in helping to alleviate them. I am interested in how an understanding of both the availability and nutritional quality of floral resources can inform practical conservation management, including the design of agricultural landscapes that provide pollinators with sufficient, high-quality food resources throughout the year.

Some key papers:

Timberlake, T.P., Tew, N. & Memmott, J. (2024). Gardens reduce seasonal hunger gaps for farmland pollinators. Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Timberlake, T.P., de Vere, N., Jones, L.E., Vaughan, I.P., Baude, M. & Memmott, J. (2024). Ten-a-day: bumblebee pollen loads reveal high consistency in foraging breadth among species, sites and seasons. Ecological Solutions and Evidence.

Timberlake, T.P., Vaughan, I.P., Baude, M. & Memmott, J., (2021). Bumblebee colony density on farmland is influenced by late‐summer nectar supply and garden cover. Journal of Applied Ecology.

Timberlake T.P, Vaughan I.P. & Memmott J. (2019). Phenology of farmland floral resources reveals seasonal gaps in nectar availability for bumblebees. Journal of Applied Ecology.

Smallholder farming systems and sustainable livelihoods

I have a longstanding interest in the social and ecological dynamics of smallholder farming systems, particularly how biodiversity, agricultural management and environmental change influence rural livelihoods. Much of this work has been based in Nepal, where I have worked closely with farming communities, researchers, NGOs and government partners to co-develop, test and promote more sustainable agricultural practices. Through two UK Darwin Initiative projects, we have helped develop and scale up community-based approaches to sustainable pollination management, and integrate pollinator conservation and management into policy.

Some key papers:

Timberlake, T.P, Cirtwill, A., Sapkota, S., Bhusal, D., Devkota, K., Karki, R., Joshi, D., Saville, N., Kortsch, S., Baral, S., Roslin, T., & Memmott, J. (2024) Agricultural specialisation increases the vulnerability of pollination services for smallholder farmers. Journal of Applied Ecology.

Timberlake, T.P., Cirtwill, A.R., Baral, S., Bhusal, D., Devkota, K., Harris‐Fry, H.A., Kortsch, S., Myers, S.S., Roslin, T., Saville, N.M., Smith, M.R. & Memmott, J. (2022). A network approach for managing ecosystem services and improving food and nutrition security on smallholder farms. People and Nature.

Agroecological innovation and sustainable land management

An important part of my research involves working with farmers and other stakeholders to develop practical solutions to agricultural and environmental challenges. Through the Horizon Europe TERRASAFE project, we used participatory approaches to co-develop and test agroecological innovations with farming communities in a range of countries across southern Europe and North Africa facing desertification. I am also exploring how emerging technologies can support sustainable agriculture, including a York Environmental Sustainability Institute (YESI) fellowship investigating the potential of artificial intelligence to provide context-specific agroecological advice for farmers.

Qualifications

• BSc Biological Sciences, University of Oxford
• PhD, University of Bristol

Professional memberships

• British Ecological Society
• American Geophysical Union