Current members
Dr Fredric Windsor (PI)
PI for the Freshwater Networks Laboratory.
I lead the lab group and work across lots of different systems and research questions. I was originally trained as a freshwater entomologist, but now I am a real generalist. I do, however, mainly work with invertebrates and other spineless organisms, but it doesn’t take much to convince me to work outside of this group!
Joe D’Souza
PhD student.
I am a third year PhD Student at Cardiff University and part of the ECORISC Centre for Doctoral Training programme. Through a combination of experimental work and field observations, my works aims to better understand how neuroactive pharmaceuticals present in rivers worldwide could be impacting freshwater ecosystems. In particular, I am investigating how these contaminants could be impacting the behaviour of aquatic invertebrates, and explore the potential wider implications of such impacts on crucial ecological processes within freshwater ecosystems.
Guy Herrmann
PhD student.
I am an interdisciplinary PhD researcher with a background in Electronic Engineering (BEng) and Conservation (MSc), interested in applying technological solutions to ecological problems. My research focuses on applying automated computer vision methods to detect ecological interactions, advancing ecological monitoring, and generating high resolution interaction datasets at scale. My current research centres on plant–pollinator systems, developing methods to automatically detect and quantify flower visitations from video data. I also explore how data generated by these methods can be used to uncover ecological patterns and insights. Outside of research, I enjoy long hikes, camping, and playing guitar.
Sian Davies
PhD student.
I am a PhD student at Cardiff University, using multidisciplinary approaches to investigate how freshwater invertebrates are affected by multiple environmental stressors. My research focuses on the impacts of thermal and heavy metal stress on invertebrate communities in the River Taff and River Ely, South Wales. I previously completed a BSc in Zoology at the University of Reading, where my projects explored oak gall wasp and hoverfly diversity. Following this, I graduated from Cardiff University with an MSc in Global Ecology and Conservation, where I investigated factors affecting the abundance and concentrations of microplastics in freshwater macroinvertebrates. I have also worked as an ecologist, gaining valuable experience in fieldwork and spatial modelling. I am passionate about conservation and tackling biodiversity loss, and I look forward to combining laboratory, field, and modelling approaches. Based at the Traits Lab in Cardiff University.
Vitória Lima
PhD student.
I am interested in freshwater ecosystems, especially fish and their antagonistic interactions, such as parasitism and predation. I currently work on a project characterising the abiotic and biotic impacts of a large-scale inter-basin water transfer scheme on semi-arid freshwater systems in Brazil, using ecological networks. Based at UFPB in Brazil.
Kyle Smith
PhD student.
I’m Kyle, and I’m a third year PhD student. My research involves using a mix of molecular applications, ranging from eDNA metabarcoding to landscape genomics, to inform conservation action for Pickersgill’s Reed Frog (Hyperolius pickersgilli), an Endangered species of frog endemic to the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. By building a better idea of site suitability through genetic structure studies, community network studies, and by understanding environmental constraints that limit the species’ distribution, our aim is to suggest future sites for translocations and identify populations in the most urgent need of conservation intervention. Outside of my PhD I am a keen gamer, wildlife photographer, and general nature lover.
Fin Ryder
MPhil student.
My research explores freshwater food webs, which are often considered simpler than those of terrestrial systems. I’m interested in whether this perceived simplicity reflects reality, or instead our limited understanding of these systems’ complexity. My MPhil research combines foraging theory with network ecology, looking to build food webs that better capture how freshwater organisms forage and interact. Aside from my research, I’m a singer, guitarist, and enjoy spending time in nature. I always enjoy talking about my work, so feel free to get in touch by ryderf@cardiff.ac.uk!
Rhys Lloyd
PhD student.
I am currently undertaking a PhD on the behavioural ecology of cord-forming fungi, investigating how these fungi respond to their environment, forage for resources, and exhibit competitive behaviours. Despite lacking a centralised nervous system, cord-forming fungi demonstrate complex, adaptive behaviours that can be explored through the lens of decentralised systems or ‘liquid brains’. My research involves a combination of fieldwork, laboratory experiments, and mathematical modelling. I have also been developing custom software for automated network extraction and analysis from images, which I use to study the structure and behaviour of fungal networks. Based in the Fungal Ecology Lab at Cardiff University.
Vlad Chiriac
PhD student.
My name is Vlad and I am currently a PhD student in the second OneZoo CDT cohort! I hold a BSc in Biological Sciences and MSc in Big Data Biology from Cardiff University. My project is centered around microsporidians, which are unicellular fungal parasites of animals. I will be using ‘omics techniques and data to investigate and characterise host-range and pathogenicity of microsporidian parasites in marine gammarids, with the ultimate goal of investigating orthologs in human-infecting species. Based in the Kille Lab at Cardiff University.
Rosy Christopher
PhD student.
I am particularly interested in the intersection of network ecology and molecular biology and how this can be used to further our understanding of invertebrate interactions. I’m investigating predator-plant commensalisms as indirect drivers of ecosystem services in my PhD in collaboration with FWNL. My model species are Candy Stripe spiders (Enoplognatha Ovata) and Flower Crab Spiders (Misumena vatia) of which I have an ongoing community science project: Spider Spies. Based at Newcastle University.
Manuella Feitosa Leal
PhD student.
My research examines the interactions between limnic molluscs and riverine macrophytes in the Parnaíba River Basin, Brazil. This focuses on the effects of climate change and the ecological factors that influence these relationships. Based at UFPB in Brazil.
Past members
Sophie Edwards (BSc, 2023-24)
Freshwater Networks Laboratory 