Dr Gavin Thomas

School of Biosciences

Senior Lecturer

gavin.thomas@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 0136

Full contact details

Dr Gavin Thomas
School of Biosciences
B2 207
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
91直播
S10 2TN
Profile
  • Senior Research Fellow & Royal Society Research Fellow, School of Biosciences, University of 91直播, UK (2015-present)
  • Royal Society University Research Fellow, School of Biosciences, University of 91直播, UK (2013-present)
  • NERC Postdoctoral Fellow, Animal and Plant Sciences, University of 91直播, UK (2012-2013)
  • NERC Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Bristol, UK (2010-2012)
  • Postdoctoral Associate, Centre for Population Biology, Imperial College London, UK (2006-2010)
  • Postdoctoral Research Assistant, University of Birmingham, UK (2005-2006)
  • PhD, University of Bath, UK (2001-2005)
  • MSc Palaeobiology, University of Bristol, UK (2001)
  • BSc (Hons) Ecology, Cardiff University, Wales (1998)
Research interests

Phylogeny, diversification and trait evolution

My research focuses on modelling the diversification of species and traits at a macroevolutionary scale. I am particularly interested in how we can use information on the phylogenetic relationships among species to infer how present day biodiversity has arisen over time and ask:

  • How and why do lineages and traits diversify?
  • What are the consequences of varying tempo and mode of lineage and trait evolution for temporal and spatial patterns of diversity?

My research group works closely with the Natural History Museum and we have collected extensive data bill shapes and plumage colours from all extant bird species (~10,000 species) using museum study skins (mainly the NHM at Tring and also the University of Manchester Museum).

You can get involved with this ERC-funded project with our Bird bill citizen science project at markmybird.org and with plumage evolution at projectplumage.org.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

  • Cooney CR, Varley ZK, Nouri LO, Moody CJA, Jardine MD & Thomas GH (2019) . Nature Communications, 10. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Chira AM, Cooney CR, Bright JA, Capp EJR, Hughes EC, Moody CJA, Nouri LO, Varley ZK & Thomas GH (2018) . Ecology Letters, 21(10), 1505-1514. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cooney CR, Bright JA, Capp E, Chira A, Hughes EC, Moody C, Nouri , Varley & Thomas GH (2017) . Nature, 542, 344-347. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Jetz W, Thomas GH, Joy JB, Redding DW, Hartmann K & Mooers AO (2014) . Curr Biol, 24(9), 919-930. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Puttick MN, Thomas GH & Benton MJ (2014) . Evolution, 68(5), 1497-1510. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH, Hartmann K, Jetz W, Joy JB, Mimoto A & Mooers AO (2013) . METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 4(11), 1011-1017. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Jetz W, Thomas GH, Joy JB, Hartmann K & Mooers AO (2012) . Nature. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH, Meiri S & Phillimore AB (2009) . Evolution, 63(8), 2017-2030. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH (2008) . Proc Biol Sci, 275(1647), 2077-2083. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH, Orme CDL, Davies RG, Olson VA, Bennett PM, Gaston KJ, Owens IPF & Blackburn TM (2008) . GLOBAL ECOL BIOGEOGR, 17(3), 340-351. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH, Freckleton RP & Sz茅kely T (2006) . Proc Biol Sci, 273(1594), 1619-1624. RIS download Bibtex download

All publications

Books

  • Thomas GH, Sz茅kely T & Reynolds JD (2007) . Elsevier. RIS download Bibtex download

Journal articles

  • Guillerme T, Bright JA, Cooney CR, Hughes EC, Varley ZK, Cooper N, Beckerman AP & Thomas GH (2023) . Science Advances, 9(43). RIS download Bibtex download
  • He Y, Cooney CR, Maddock S & Thomas GH (2023) . PLoS Computational Biology, 19(2). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Hughes EC, Edwards DP & Thomas GH (2022) . Current Biology. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Hughes EC, Edwards DP, Bright JA, Capp EJR, Cooney CR, Varley ZK & Thomas GH (2022) . Ecology Letters, 25(3), 598-610. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Gonzalez鈥怴oyer A, Thomas GH, Liker A, Kr眉ger O, Komdeur J & Sz茅kely T (2022) . Ecology Letters, 25(3), 647-660. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Tobias JA, Sheard C, Pigot AL, Devenish AJM, Yang J, Sayol F, Neate鈥怌legg MHC, Alioravainen N, Weeks TL, Barber RA , Walkden PA et al (2022) . Ecology Letters, 25(3), 581-597. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Rombaut LMK, Capp EJR, Hughes EC, Varley ZK, Beckerman AP, Cooper N & Thomas GH (2022) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 289(1967). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Rombaut LMK, Capp EJR, Cooney CR, Hughes EC, Varley ZK & Thomas GH (2021) . Evolution Letters. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Jardine EC, Thomas GH & Osborne CP (2021) . Ecology and Evolution. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Chira AM, Cooney CR, Bright JA, Capp EJR, Hughes EC, Moody CJA, Nouri LO, Varley ZK & Thomas GH (2020) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 287(1938). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Chira AM, Cooney CR, Bright JA, Capp EJR, Hughes EC, Moody CJA, Nouri LO, Varley ZK & Thomas GH (2020) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 287(1938). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cooney CR & Thomas GH (2020) . Nature Ecology & Evolution. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Guillerme T, Cooper N, Brusatte SL, Davis KE, Jackson AL, Gerber S, Goswami A, Healy K, Hopkins MJ, Jones MEH , Lloyd GT et al (2020) . Biology Letters, 16(7). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cooney CR, Sheard C, Clark AD, Healy SD, Liker A, Street S, Troisi CA, Szekely T, Thomas GH, Hemmings N & Wright A (2020) . Nature Communications, 11. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Jardine EC, Thomas GH, Forrestel EJ, Lehmann CER & Osborne CP (2020) . Journal of Biogeography. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Puttick MN, Ingram T, Clarke M & Thomas GH (2020) . Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 11(3), 464-471. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cooney CR, Varley ZK, Nouri LO, Moody CJA, Jardine MD & Thomas GH (2019) . Nature Communications, 10. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Pigot AL, Dyer EE, Redding DW, Cassey P, Thomas GH & Blackburn TM (2018) . Global Ecology and Biogeography, 27(9), 1080-1092. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Chira AM, Cooney CR, Bright JA, Capp EJR, Hughes EC, Moody CJA, Nouri LO, Varley ZK & Thomas GH (2018) . Ecology Letters, 21(10), 1505-1514. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cooney CR, Bright JA, Capp EJR, Chira AM, Hughes EC, Moody CJA, Nouri LO, Varley ZK & Thomas GH (2017) . Nature, 552(7685), 430-430. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Puttick MN, Kriwet J, Wen W, Hu S, Thomas GH & Benton MJ (2017) . Palaeontology, 60(5), 727-741. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cooney CR, Bright JA, Capp E, Chira A, Hughes EC, Moody C, Nouri , Varley & Thomas GH (2017) . Nature, 542, 344-347. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Clarke M, Thomas GH & Freckleton RP (2016) . The American Naturalist, 189(2), 121-137. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Chira AM & Thomas GH (2016) . Journal of Evolutionary Biology. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cooper N, Thomas GH, Venditti C, Meade A & Freckleton RP (2016) . Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 118(1), 64-77. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Puttick MN, Thomas GH & Benton MJ (2016) . Evolution, 70(4), 873-886. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Puttick MN & Thomas GH (2015) . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 282(1821). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Simpson KJ, Ripley BS, Christin P-A, Belcher CM, Lehmann CER, Thomas GH & Osborne CP (2015) . Journal of Ecology, 104(1), 138-148. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH (2015) . Nature, 526(7574), 516-517. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Edwards DP, Gilroy JJ, Thomas GH, Uribe CAM & Haugaasen T (2015) . Current Biology, 25(18), 2384-2391. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Portugal SJ, Maurer G, Thomas GH, Hauber ME, Grim T & Cassey P (2014) . Journal of Experimental Biology, 217(18), 3326-3332. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Jetz W, Thomas GH, Joy JB, Redding DW, Hartmann K & Mooers AO (2014) . Curr Biol, 24(9), 919-930. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Puttick MN, Thomas GH & Benton MJ (2014) . Evolution, 68(5), 1497-1510. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH, Hartmann K, Jetz W, Joy JB, Mimoto A & Mooers AO (2013) . METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 4(11), 1011-1017. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Ezard THG, Thomas GH & Purvis A (2013) . METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 4(8), 745-753. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Jetz W, Thomas GH, Joy JB, Hartmann K & Mooers AO (2012) . Nature. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Davies TJ, Cooper N, Felizola Diniz-Filho JA, Thomas GH & Meiri S (2012) . ECOLOGY, 93(8), S44-S51. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cassey P, Thomas GH, Portugal SJ, Maurer G, Hauber ME, Grim T, Lovell PG & Miksik I (2012) . BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, 106(3), 657-672. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Jenkins T, Thomas GH, Hellgren O & Owens IPF (2012) . Evolution, 66(3), 740-751. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH & Freckleton RP (2012) . METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 3(1), 145-151. RIS download Bibtex download
  • McInnes L, Baker WJ, Barraclough TG, Dasmahapatra KK, Goswami A, Harmon LJ, Morlon H, Purvis A, Rosindell J, Thomas GH , Turvey ST et al (2011) . Biol Lett, 7(5), 644-646. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Kuhn TS, Mooers AO & Thomas GH (2011) . METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 2(5), 427-436. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH, Meiri S & Phillimore AB (2009) . Evolution, 63(8), 2017-2030. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Grenyer R, Orme CDL, Jackson SF, Thomas GH, Davies RG, Davies TJ, Jones KE, Olson VA, Ridgely RS, Rasmussen PC , Ding T-S et al (2009) . Nature, 458(7235), 238-238. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH (2009) . Mol Ecol, 18(6), 1027-1029. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Olson VA, Davies RG, Orme CDL, Thomas GH, Meiri S, Blackburn TM, Gaston KJ, Owens IPF & Bennett PM (2009) . ECOL LETT, 12(3), 249-259. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Garcia-Pena GE, Thomas GH, Reynolds JD & Szekely T (2009) . BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY, 20(5), 1026-1033. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH (2008) . Proc Biol Sci, 275(1647), 2077-2083. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH, Orme CDL, Davies RG, Olson VA, Bennett PM, Gaston KJ, Owens IPF & Blackburn TM (2008) . GLOBAL ECOL BIOGEOGR, 17(3), 340-351. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Phillimore AB, Orme CDL, Thomas GH, Blackburn TM, Bennett PM, Gaston KJ & Owens IPF (2008) . AM NAT, 171(5), 646-657. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cooper N, Bielby J, Thomas GH & Purvis A (2008) . Global Ecology and Biogeography, 17(2), 211-221. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Grenyer R, Orme CDL, Davies TJ, Jackson SF, Davies RG, Olson VA, Jones KE, Gaston KJ, Blackburn TM, Thomas GH , Bennett PM et al (2007) . Nature, 450(7171). RIS download Bibtex download
  • Szekely T, Kosztolanyi A, Kupper C & Thomas GH (2007) . JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY, 148, S211-S217. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Meiri S & Thomas GH (2007) . Global Ecology and Biogeography, 16(6), 689-693. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Gaston KJ, Davies RG, Orme CDL, Olson VA, Thomas GH, Ding T-S, Rasmussen PC, Lennon JJ, Bennett PM, Owens IPF & Blackburn TM (2007) . Proc Biol Sci, 274(1618), 1567-1574. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Davies RG, Orme CDL, Storch D, Olson VA, Thomas GH, Ross SG, Ding T-S, Rasmussen PC, Bennett PM, Owens IPF , Blackburn TM et al (2007) . Proc Biol Sci, 274(1614), 1189-1197. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Storch D, Davies RG, Zajicek S, Orme CDL, Olson V, Thomas GH, Ding TS, Rasmussen PC, Ridgely RS, Bennett PM , Blackburn TM et al (2006) . ECOL LETT, 9(12), 1308-1320. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Grenyer R, Orme CDL, Jackson SF, Thomas GH, Davies RG, Davies TJ, Jones KE, Olson VA, Ridgely RS, Rasmussen PC , Ding TS et al (2006) . NATURE, 444(7115), 93-96. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Szekely T, Thomas GH & Cuthill IC (2006) . BIOSCIENCE, 56(10), 801-808. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Davies RG, Orme CDL, Olson V, Thomas GH, Ross SG, Ding T-S, Rasmussen PC, Stattersfield AJ, Bennett PM, Blackburn TM , Owens IPF et al (2006) . Proc Biol Sci, 273(1598), 2127-2133. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH, Lanctot RB & Szekely T (2006) . ANIMAL CONSERVATION, 9(3), 252-258. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH, Freckleton RP & Sz茅kely T (2006) . Proc Biol Sci, 273(1594), 1619-1624. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Orme CDL, Davies RG, Olson VA, Thomas GH, Ding TS, Rasmussen PC, Ridgely RS, Stattersfield AJ, Bennett PM, Owens IPF , Blackburn TM et al (2006) . PLOS BIOL, 4(7), 1276-1283. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Lislevand T & Thomas GH (2006) . Biology Letters, 2(2), 206-208. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH & Sz茅kely T (2005) Evolutionary pathways in shorebird breeding systems: sexual conflict, parental care, and chick development.. Evolution, 59(10), 2222-2230. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH & Sz茅kely T (2005) . Evolution, 59(10), 2222-2222. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH, Wills MA & Sz茅kely T (2004) . BMC Evol Biol, 4, 28. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH, Wills MA & Sz茅kely T (2004) . Mol Phylogenet Evol, 30(3), 516-526. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cowell D & Thomas G (1999) A key to the guard hairs of British canids and mustelids. British Wildlife, 11(2), 118-119. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Johnson TF, Beckerman AP, Childs DZ, Webb TJ, Evans KL, Griffiths CA, Capdevila P, Clements CF, Besson M, Gregory RD , Thomas GH et al () . Nature. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Babarovi膰 F, Cooney CR, Varley ZK, Nouri LO, Nadeau NJ & Thomas GH () . Behavioral Ecology. RIS download Bibtex download
  • He Y, Varley Z, Moody C, Nouri L, Jardine M, Maddock S, Thomas G & Cooney C () Deep learning image segmentation reveals patterns of UV reflectance evolution in passerine birds. Nature Communications. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cooney CR, He Y, Varley ZK, Nouri LO, Moody CJA, Jardine MD, Liker A, Sz茅kely T & Thomas GH () . Nature Ecology & Evolution. RIS download Bibtex download
  • S谩nchez-Baracaldo P & Thomas GH () . PLoS ONE, 9(10), e110618-e110618. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Hughes EC, Edwards DP, Sayer CA, Martin PA & Thomas GH () . Journal of Applied Ecology. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Simpson KJ, Jardine EC, Archibald S, Forrestel EJ, Lehmann CER, Thomas GH & Osborne CP () . New Phytologist. RIS download Bibtex download

Chapters

  • Thomas GH () , Living Dinosaurs (pp. 379-403). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd RIS download Bibtex download

Conference proceedings papers

  • Cooper N, Thomas GH & FitzJohn RG (2016) . Methods in Ecology and Evolution, Vol. 7 (pp 693-699) RIS download Bibtex download

Preprints

  • Babarovic F, Cooney CR, Zinn T, Drobniak SM, Janas K, Kennedy JD, Nadeau NJ, Parnell AJ, Thomas GH & Burg S (2023) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Babarovic F, Cooney CR, Guillerme T, Nadeau NJ & Thomas GH (2023) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Johnson TF, Beckerman AP, Childs DZ, Griffiths CA, Capdevila P, Clements CF, Besson M, Gregory RD, Delmas E, Thomas G , Evans K et al (2022) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Clarke M, Thomas GH & Freckleton RP (2015) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Guillerme T, Cooper N, Beckerman AP & Thomas GH () , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • He Y, Cooney CR, Varley ZK, Nouri LO, Moody CJA, Jardine MD, Maddock S & Thomas GH () , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Cooney CR, Sheard C, Clark AD, Healy SD, Liker A, Street SE, Troisi CA, Thomas GH, Sz茅kely T, Hemmings N & Wright AE () , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Thomas GH, Cooper N, Venditti C, Meade A & Freckleton RP () , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. RIS download Bibtex download
Research group

Research group

  • Dr Chris Cooney (Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellow)
  • Dr Jon Kennedy (Marie Sk艂odowska-Curie Fellow)
  • Dr Alex Slavenko (Royal Society postdoc, starting Jan 2020)

PhD students

  • Louie Rombaut (ACCE PhD - starting October 2019)
  • Frane Babarovic (Royal Society PhD - started 2018)
  • Emma Hughes (ACCE PhD - started 2016)
  • Yichen He (Leverhulme CABM/self PhD - started 2016)

Lab alumni

  • Dr Angela-Marie Chira (PhD completed 2018, now postdoc at University of Washington, St Louis)
  • Dr Emma Jardine (PhD completed 2017, now postdoc at German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research - iDiv, Jena)
  • Dr Kim Simpson (PhD completed 2018, now postdoc with Prof Colin Osborne in APS)
  • Dr Magnus Clarke (PhD completed 2018)
  • Dr Jen Bright (ERC postdoc, now Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida, USA)
  • Dr Thanh-Lan Gluckman (ERC postdoc, moved to The College de France)
  • Mark Puttick (completed PhD at University of Bristol, UK, in 2016, now Royal Commission 1851 Fellow at the University of Bath)
  • Chris Moody (Research Assistant, now CAD technician for GTC)
  • Zo毛 Varley (Research Assistant, now curator at the NHM)
  • Lara Nouri (Research Assistant, biological technician at Royal Holloway)
  • Elliot Capp (Research Assistant, now primary school teacher)
  • Michael Jardine (Research Assistant, now PhD student at UCL)
Teaching activities

My research interests are reflected in my teaching. I currently lecture on biogeography and macroecology in APS123 (Population and Community Ecology), phylogenies and diversification in APS220 (Evolutionary Biology) and APS342 (Evolutionary Ecology). At level 4, I supervise Research Projects (APS406) that typically address core themes of the lab: how and why do species and their traits diversify? Recent projects have asked how occupancy of isolated islands influences divergence in bill morphology in finches, what factors predict the diversity of colour among bird species, and whether egg laying (oviparity) versus live-bearing (viviparity) determines the rate of speciation in snakes.

I lead a masters-level module on Biodiversity in Space and Time as part of our Biodiversity and Conservation MSc.

Professional activities and memberships
  • Scientific Associate at the Natural History Museum