Staff profile
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Job title: Principal Lecturer
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Dept: Geographical and Life Sciences
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Tel: 01227 782511
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Campus: Canterbury
BSc PhD (London) FRES FHEA - Principal Lecturer
I am a principal lecturer in the Department of Geographical and Life Sciences at Canterbury Christ Church University where I teach biological sciences on the undergraduate courses. I am Framework Director for the suite of science degrees offered by the Department and also have a small research group which seeks to improve the biological control of insect pests on glasshouse crops.
Teaching Responsibilities
Plant and animal physiology, bioenergetics, bioinformatics, microbiology, plant and animal pathology
Research Interests
Biological control of pests in glasshouses, with particular reference to the Coccinellidae
Other Interests
Member of the International Organisation for the Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants.
Experience
I completed an O.N.D. in Agriculture (livestock option) at Writtle Agricultural College in 1981, having spent a total of 10 years working in commercial agriculture and horticulture. I left the industry to join the Department of Vocational Preparation (now the Department of Continuing Education) at Havering College of Further Education and taught horticulture to (largely) special needs students from 1984 to 1988. Whilst at Havering, I gained an in-service Certificate in Education (F.E.). I left Havering to undertake a BSc in Horticulture at Wye College (graduating in 1991) and went on to complete a PhD in biological control, also at Wye College, in 1995. I joined the staff here in January 1995.
Teaching Specialisms and Responsibilities.
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Level 1: Ecological systems and bioenergetics, cell biology and Microbiology.
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Level 2: Plant and animal physiology.
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Level 3: Plant and animal pathology, pest ecology and control strategies, physiology of animal welfare, animal welfare legislation and global animal welfare issues.
Research Interests
My special interest is in the improvement of biological control of insect pests, particularly in terms of plant/insect, predator/prey relationships (mainly in the context of coccinellids). Former Research grants include a three year DEFRA (MAFF) funded contract (1996) to research the use of guilds of predators in order to improve the control of Tetranychus urticae Koch on various edible glasshouse crops. Dr Anja Rott was the research assistant who carried out this work. I also work on invertebrate vector and plant ecology.
Current PhD Students
Joe Burman is working on the relationship between endosymbiotic bacteria and ladybirds of biocontrol importance.
Recently Completed PhDs
John-Freddy Ruiz-Lopez (2010) Systematics of the Anopheles (Nyssorynchus) Oswaldoi Group in Latin America (with Dr Yvonne-Marie Lynton, Natural History Museum)..
Rena Boothe (2010) Influence of host plant and host population structure on physiological and behavioural characteristics of Chilocorus nigritus and the efficiency of control of the scale insect, Aspidiotus nerii (Bouché).
Renita Danabalan (2009) Mosquitoes of southern England and northern Wales: Identification, Ecology and Host selection (with Dr Yvonne-Marie Lynton, Natural History Museum).
Claire Beverley (2004) The use of the Coccinellid, Stethorus punctillum Weise (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) to control the Glasshouse Red Spider Mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae).
Rosalind Priestley (2003) Improving the biological control of Tetranychus urticae on edible glasshouse crops using the predator Feltiella acarisuga.
Recent Publications
PONSONBY, D.J. (2009) Factors affecting utility of Chilocorus nigritus (F.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) as a biocontrol agent. CAB Reviews: Perspectives in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Nutrition and Natural Resources 4, No. 046, 20 pp. Doi: 10.1079/PAVSNNR20094046 (online only).
BOOTHE, R.A., PONSONBY, DJ, PRESIOSI, R.F., COPLAND, MJW (2008) Tritrophic effects on survival and development of Coccidophagous coccinellid Communications in Agricultural and Applied Biological Sciences. 7, 23 pp 383-93.
PONSONBY, D. J., COPLAND, M. J. W. (2007) Influence of host density and population structure on egg production in the coccidophagous ladybird, Chilocorus nigritus F. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Agricultural and Forest Entomology 9, 287-298.
PONSONBY, D.J. & COPLAND M.J.W. (2007) Aspects of prey relations in the coccidophagous ladybird Chilocorus nigritus relevant to its use as a biological control agent of scale insects in temperate glasshouses. BioControl 52: 629-640.
BOOTHE, R.A. & PONSONBY, D.J. (2006) "Searching behaviour in Chilocorus nigritus (F.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)." Communications in Agricultural and Applied Biological Sciences, 71: 253-261.
PONSONBY, D.J & DUSSART, G.B. (2005) "The Anatomy of the Sea". Chronicle Books, San Francisco. ISBN 0-8118-4633-4
CARLTON, K., NICHOLLS M & PONSONBY, D. (2004) "Using spreadsheets to teach aspects of biology involving mathematical models". Journal of Biological Education 38 (183 – 186).
BEVERLEY, C.V. & PONSONBY, D.J. (2003) "The Anatomy of Insects and Spiders". Chronicle Books, San Francisco. ISBN 0-8118-3983-4 ; Penguin Books, Australia, ISBN 0670042196; AlphaBeta Publishers, Sweden, ISBN: 91 501 0423 3; Lisma, Spain, ISBN tba.
ROTT, A.S. & PONSONBY, D.J. (2000) "Improving the control of Tetranychus urticae on edible glasshouse crops using a specialist coccinellid (Stethorus punctillum Weise) and a generalist mite (Amblyseius californicus McGregor) as biocontrol agents", Biocontrol Science and Technology 10 487 - 498.
ROTT, A.S. & PONSONBY (2000) "The effect of temperature, relative humidity and host plant on the behaviour of Stethorus punctillum Weise (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) as a predator of the two-spotted mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch: Acari: Tetranychidae)", BioControl 45, 155-164.
PONSONBY, D.J. & COPLAND, M.J.W. (2000) "Maximum feeding potential of larvae and adults of the scale insect predator, Chilocorus nigritus (F). with a new method of estimating food intake". BioControl. 45, 295-310.
PONSONBY, D.J. & COPLAND, M.J.W. (2000) "Environmental effects on the development and survival of the scale insect Abgrallaspis cyanophylli (signoret) (Homoptera: Diaspididae) in relation to its use as a host for rearing biological control agents", Biocontrol Science and Technology 10, 583-594.
ROTT, A.S. & PONSONBY (1998) "The effect of temperature, relative humidity and host plant on the behaviour of Amblyseius californicus as a predator of the two-spotted mite (Tetanychus urticae)". Pages 807-812 in Volume 3 of the Proceedings of the British Crop Protection Council International Conference on Pests and Diseases, 16th to 18th November, Brighton, UK.
ROTT A.S. & PONSONBY, D.J. (1998) "Predatory behaviour of Phytoseiulus persimilis and Amblyseius californicus on its prey Tetranychus urticae", Proceedings of 10th International Congress of Acarology, Canberra, Australia (in press).
PONSONBY, D.J. & COPLAND, M.J.W. (1998) "Environmental influences on fecundity, egg viability and egg cannibalism in the Scale Insect Predator, Chilocorus nigritus". Biocontrol 43, 39-52.
PONSONBY, D.J. & COPLAND, M.J.W. (1997) "Coccinellidae and Other Coleoptera", in World Crop Pests Vol. 7b : Soft Scale Insects,Their Biology, Natural Enemies and Control, (Eds. BEN-DOV,Y. and HODGSON C.J.), Elsevier, Netherlands.
PONSONBY, D.J. & COPLAND, M.J.W. (1996) "Effect of Temperature on Development and Immature Survival in the Scale Insect Predator, Chilocorus nigritus (F.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)", Biocontrol Science and Technology 6, 101 - 109.
PONSONBY, D.J. & COPLAND, M.J.W. (1995) "Olfactory responses by the scale insect predator Chilocorus nigritus (F.) (Coleoptera:Coccinellidae)", Biocontrol Science and Technology 5, 83 - 93.