Contact

Name

Elizabeth Masden
Position

Research Fellow
E-Mail Address

elizabeth.masden@uhi.ac.uk
Phone Number

+44 (0)1847 889672

Qualifications

2010 PhD – Assessing cumulative impacts of wind farms on birds. Supervisors: Prof. Dan Haydon and Prof. Bob Furness (University of Glasgow), Prof Tony Fox (NERI, Denmark)

 

2006 M.Res. Ecology and Environmental Management, University of York

 

2004 B.Sc.(Hons) Marine and Environmental Biology, University of St Andrews

 

2003 University of California International Exchange Student, University of California, Santa Cruz

 

Publications

Largey, N., Cook, A.S.C.P., Thaxter, C.B., McCluskie, A., Stokke, B.G., Wilson, B. & Masden, E.A. (2021) Methods to quantify avian airspace use in relation to wind energy development. Ibis.

 

Isaksson, N., Cleasby, I.R., Owen, E., Williamson, B.J., Houghton, J.D.R., Wilson, J. & Masden, E.A. (2021) The Use of Animal-Borne Biologging and Telemetry Data to Quantify Spatial Overlap of Wildlife with Marine Renewables. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 9, 1–32.

 

Benjamins, S., Masden, E. & Collu, M. (2020) Integrating wind turbines and fish farms: An evaluation of potential risks to marine and coastal bird species. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 8.

 

Isaksson, N., Masden, E.A., Williamson, B.J., Costagliola-Ray, M.M., Slingsby, J., Houghton, J.D.R. & Wilson, J. (2020) Assessing the effects of tidal stream marine renewable energy on seabirds: A conceptual framework. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 157.

 

O’Hanlon, N. J., Bond, A. L., Lavers, J. L., Masden, E. A., & James, N. A. (2019). Monitoring nest incorporation of anthropogenic debris by Northern Gannets across their range. Environmental Pollution, 255, 113152.

 

Thaxter, C. B., Conway, G. J., Burton, N. H. K., Ross, V. H., Willem, S., Masden, E. A., …  (2019). Avian vulnerability to wind farm collision through the year : Insights from lesser black ‐ backed gulls (Larus fuscus) tracked from multiple breeding colonies. Journal of Applied Ecology, (November 2018), 1–13.

 

Johnston, D.T., Furness, R.W., Robbins, A.M.C., Tyler, G.A. & Masden, E.A. (2019) Camera traps reveal predators of breeding Black Guillemots Cepphus grylle. Seabird, 32, 72–83.

 

May, R., Masden, E. A., Bennet, F., & Perron, M. (2019). Considerations for upscaling individual effects of wind energy development towards population-level impacts on wildlife. Journal of Environmental Management, 230(January 2018), 84–93.

 

Johnston, D. T., Furness, R. W., Robbins, A. M. C., Taggart, M. A., Tyler, G., & Masden, E. A. (2019). Variations in Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle natal dispersal and philopatry across Britain and Ireland. Bird Study, 3657, 1–6.

 

Johnston, D. T., Furness, R. W., Robbins, A. M. C., Tyler, G., Taggart, M. A., & Masden, E. A. (2018). Black guillemot ecology in relation to tidal stream energy generation: An evaluation of current knowledge and information gaps. Marine Environmental Research, 134, 121–129.

 

Cook, A. S. C. P., Humphreys, E. M., Bennet, F., Masden, E. A., & Burton, N. H. K. (2018). Quantifying avian avoidance of offshore wind turbines: Current evidence and key knowledge gaps. Marine Environmental Research.

 

Thaxter, C. B., Ross-Smith, V. H., Bouten, W., Masden, E. A., Clark, N. A., Conway, G. J., … Burton, N. H. K. (2018). Dodging the blades: New insights into three-dimensional space use of offshore wind farms by lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 587, 247–253.

 

O’Hanlon, N.J., James, N.A., Masden, E.A. & Bond, A.L. (2017) Seabirds and marine plastic debris in the northeastern Atlantic: A synthesis and recommendations for monitoring and research. Environmental Pollution, 2025.

 

Fox, C.J., Benjamins, S., Masden, E.A. & Miller, R. (2017) Challenges and opportunities in monitoring the impacts of tidal-stream energy devices on marine vertebrates. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 1–12.

 

Waggitt, J.J., Robbins, A.M.C., Wade, H.M., Masden, E.A., Furness, R.W., Jackson, A.C. & Scott, B.E. (2017) Comparative studies reveal variability in the use of tidal stream environments by seabirds. Marine Policy, 81, 143–152.

 

Ross-Smith, V.H., Thaxter, C.B., Masden, E.A., Shamoun-Baranes, J., Burton, N.H.K., Wright, L.J., Rehfisch, M.M. & Johnston, A. (2016) Modelling flight heights of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Great Skuas from GPS: a Bayesian approach. Journal of Applied Ecology, 59–61.

 

Wade, H.M., Masden, E.A., Jackson, A.C. & Furness, R.W. (2016) Incorporating data uncertainty when estimating potential vulnerability of Scottish seabirds to marine renewable energy developments. Marine Policy, 70, 108–113.

 

Lees, K.J., Guerin, A.J. & Masden, E. A. (2016) Using kernel density estimation to explore habitat use by seabirds at a marine renewable wave energy test facility. Marine Policy, 63, 35–44.

 

Ross-Smith, V.H., Thaxter, C.B., Masden, E.A., Shamoun-Baranes, J., Burton, N.H.K., Wright, L.J., Rehfisch, M.M. & Johnston, A. (2016) Modelling flight heights of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Great Skuas from GPS: a Bayesian approach. Journal of Applied Ecology, 59–61.

 

Masden, E. A., & Cook, A. S. C. P. (2016). Avian collision risk models for wind energy impact assessments. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 56: 43–49.

 

Thaxter, C. B., Ross-Smith, V. H., Clark, J. A., Clark, N. A., Conway, G. J., Masden, E. A., Wade, H.M., Leat, E. H.K., Gear, S.C., Marsh, M., Booth, C., Furness, R.W., Votier, S.C., Burton, N. H. K. (2015). Contrasting effects of GPS device and harness attachment on adult survival of Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus and Great Skuas Stercorarius skua. Ibis.

 

Masden, E. A., McCluskie, A., Owen, E., & Langston, R. H. W. (2015). Renewable energy developments in an uncertain world: The case of offshore wind and birds in the UK. Marine Policy, 51: 169–172.

 

Wade, H. M., Masden, E. A., Jackson, A. C., Thaxter, C. B., Burton, N. H. K., Bouten, W., & Furness, R. W. (2014). Great skua (Stercorarius skua) movements at sea in relation to marine renewable energy developments. Marine Environmental Research. 101: 69-80

 

Masden, E., Foster, S., Jackson, A., (2013) Diving behaviour of Black Guillemots Cepphus grylle in the Pentland Firth, UK: potential for interactions with tidal stream energy developments. Bird Study 60: 547–549.

 

Thaxter, C.B., Ross-Smith, V.H., Clark, N.A., G.J., C., Wade, H.M., Masden, E.A., Rehfisch, M.M., Bouten, W., Burton, N.H.K. (2013) Measuring the interaction between marine features of Special Protection Areas with offshore wind farm development zones through telemetry: third year report. BTO Research Report No. 639. Thetford, Norfolk.

 

Furness, R.W., Wade, H.M., Masden, E. A. (2013) Assessing vulnerability of marine bird populations to offshore wind farms. Journal of Environmental Management 119: 56–66

 

Furness, R. W., Wade, H.M., Robbins, A.M.C. and Masden, E.A. (2012) Assessing the sensitivity of seabird populations to adverse effects from tidal stream turbines and wave energy devices. ICES Journal of Marine Science 69: 1466-1479

 

Trathan, P.N., Ratcliffe, N., Masden, E. A. (2012) Ecological drivers of change at South Georgia: the krill surplus, or climate variability. Ecography 35:983-993

 

Masden, E.A., Reeve, R., Desholm, M., Fox, A. D., Furness, R.W., Haydon, D.T. (2012) Assessing the impact of marine wind farms on birds through movement modelling. Journal of The Royal Society Interface 9: 2120-2130

 

Masden, E.A., Haydon, D.T., Fox, A.D., and Furness, R.W (2010) Barriers to movement: modelling energetic costs of avoiding marine wind farms amongst breeding seabirds. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 60: 1085-91

 

Masden, E.A., Fox, A.D., Furness, R.W., Bullman, R., & Haydon, D.T. (2010) Cumulative impact assessments and bird/wind farm interactions: developing a conceptual framework. Environmental Impact Assessment Review. 30: 1-7

 

Masden, E.A., Haydon, D.T., Fox, A.D, Furness, R.W., Bullman, R. & Desholm, M. (2009) Barriers to Movement: Impacts of wind farms on migrating birds. ICES Journal of Marine Science. 66: 746-753

Profile

My current research focuses on the potential impacts of human activities such as marine renewable energy developments and marine plastic litter on the environment, and particularly seabirds. I also have an interest in cumulative impacts related to renewable energy. More generally I am interested in population dynamics and spatial ecology including animal movement as well as ecological modelling.

 

I am involved in the NPA-funded project Blue Circular Economy https://bluecirculareconomy.eu/ and the ROBINSON project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme https://www.robinson-h2020.eu/

 

Current PhD students

Natalie Isaksson: “The use of tidal flow areas by seabirds and the potential interactions with tidal stream renewable energy”

Samuel Langlois Lopez: “Foraging ecology of great black-backed gulls and their impact on Atlantic puffin populations”

Melissa Costagliola-Ray: “Quantification of seabird use of tidal environments: Novel methods to address potential biases in vantage point survey data”

 

PhD students completed

Helen Wade, completed 2015: “Investigating the potential effects of marine renewable energy developments on seabirds” (currently employed by Scottish Natural Heritage)

Daniel Johnston, completed 2019 :  “Ecology of black guillemots in relation to marine protected areas and marine renewable energy developments” (currently employed by the British Trust for Ornithology)

Joe Onoufriou, completed 2020: “Effects of tidal turbines on the movements of marine predators in tidally energetic areas” – based at University of St Andrews

Nicola Largey, completed 2021: “Investigating bird flight characteristics and habitat use to improve understanding of ornithological impacts of wind farms”