Entomology staff directory

Research interests

• The use of Chironomidae (Diptera) as indicators of environmental change with particular focus on (a) the quantitative reconstruction of late-glacial and Holocene climate change in Northern Europe and southern South America, and (b) post-industrial pollution of freshwater ecosystems
  
• The systematics and ecology of Neuroptera with a focus on green lacewings (Chrysopidae) and cryptic acoustic species in the genus Chrysoperla
  
• Systematics, ecology and conservation of Odonata (especially in Europe and Central America).
  
• Finding new ways to encourage public engagement in recording and monitoring British invertebrates.
  

Current activities

• Norwegian palaeoenvironments and climates (NORPEC) as reconstructed from lake sediments (with Prof. H.J.B. Birks, University of Bergen)
  
• Mineral resources of the Urals: origin, development and environmental impacts (MinUrals) (with Department of Mineralogy, NHM; University of Miass)
  
• Climate dynamics in Scotland during the Younger Dryas: inferring changes in summer temperature and annual precipitation. (with Prof. C. Ballantyne, University of St Andrews)
  
• Rapid climate change during the last Interstadial in the Swiss Alps (with Prof. B. Ammann, University of Bern)
  
• Hidden taxonomic diversity in European Chrysoperla green lacewings (with Prof. C.S. Henry, University of Connecticut)
  
• Co-ordination of the survey and monitoring of Biodiversity Action Plan invertebrates in the UK (with Dr J. Vogel, NHM; English Nature)
  
• Development of quantitative biomonitoring methodologies for surface waters in areas of base metal mining and minerals processing in Sweden (with Depts Mineralogy & Zoology, NHM, and Prof. I. Renberg, University Umeå, Sweden) www.georange.nu
  
• Quantification of terrestrial climate records - combination of biological and chemical proxies (with Dr J.D. Marshall, University of Liverpool)
  

Publications

Midges and Palaeoecology

BROOKS, S.J. 1996. Three thousand years of environmental history in a Cairngorms lochan revealed by analysis of non-biting midges (Insecta: Diptera: Chironomidae). Botanical Journal of Scotland 48 (1): 89-98.

BROOKS, S.J. 1997. The response of Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) assemblages to late-glacial climatic change in Kråkenes Lake, western Norway. Quaternary Proceedings 5: 49-58.

BROOKS, S.J., Mayle, F.E. & Lowe, J.J. 1997. Chironomid-based Lateglacial climatic reconstruction for southeast Scotland. (Rapid Communication) Journal of Quaternary Science 12 (2): 161-167.

BROOKS, S.J., Lowe, J.J. & Mayle, F.E. 1997. The Late Devensian Lateglacial palaeoenvironmental record from Whitrig Bog, S.E. Scotland. 2. Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera). Boreas 26: 297-308.

Lowe, J.J., Birks, H.H., BROOKS, S.J., Coope, G.R., Harkness, D.D., Mayle, F.E., Sheldrick, C., Turney, C.S.M. & Walker, M.J.C. 1999. The chronology of palaeoenvironmental changes during the last glacial-Holocene Transition: towards an event stratigraphy for the British Isles. Journal of the Geological Society of London 156: 397-410.

Mayle, F.E., Bell, M., Birks, H.H., BROOKS, S.J., Coope, G.R., Lowe, J.J., Sheldrick, C., Li Shijie, Turney, C.S.M. & Walker, M.J.C. 1999. Climate variations in Britain during the last glacial-Holocene transition (15.0-11.5 cal ka BP): comparison with the GRIP ice-core record. Journal of the Geological Society of London 156: 411-423.

Barber, K.E., Battarbee, R.W., Lowe, J.J., Birks, H.H., BROOKS, S.J., Coope, G.R., Harkness, D.D., Mayle, F.E., Sheldrick, C., Turney, C.S.M. & Walker, M.J.C. 1999. The chronology of palaeoenvironmental changes during the last glacial-Holocene Transition: towards an event stratigraphy for the British Isles. Journal of the Geological Society of London 156: 397-410.

BROOKS, S.J. & Birks, H.J.B. 2000. Chironomid-inferred Lateglacial - early Holocene mean July air temperatures for Kråkenes Lake, western Norway. Journal of Palaeolimnology 23 (1): 77-89.

Birks, H.H., Battarbee, R.W., Birks, H.J.B., Bradshaw, E.G., BROOKS, S.J., Duigan, C.A., Jones, V.V., Lemdahl, G., Peglar, S.M., Solem, J.O., Solhøy, I.W., Solhøy, T. & Stalsberg, M.K. 2000. The development of the aquatic ecosystem at Kråkenes Lake, western Norway, during the late-glacial and early Holocene - a synthesis. Journal of Paleolimnology 23 (1): 91-114.

BROOKS, S.J. 2000. Lateglacial fossil midge (Insecta: Diptera: Chironomidae) stratigraphies from the Swiss Alps. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 159: 261-279

Ammann, B., Birks, H.J.B., BROOKS, S.J., Eicher, U., von Grafenstein, U., Hofmann, W., Lemdahl, G., Schwander, J., Tobolski, K & Wick, L. 2000. Quantification of biotic responses to rapid climatic changes around the Younger Dryas - a synthesis Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 159: 313-347.

BROOKS, S.J. & Birks, H.J.B. 2000. Chironomid-inferred late-glacial air temperatures at Whitrig Bog, south-east Scotland. Journal of Quaternary Science 15: 759-764.

Rieradevall, M. & BROOKS, S.J. 2001. An identification guide to subfossil Tanypodinae larvae (Insecta: Diptera: Chironomidae) based on cephalic setation. Journal of Paleolimnology 25 (1): 81-99

BROOKS, S.J., Bennion, H. & Birks, H.J.B. 2001. Tracing lake trophic history with a chironomid-total phosphorus inference model. Freshwater Biology 46: 511-532.

Battarbee, R.W., Cameron, N.G., Golding, P., BROOKS, S.J., Switsur, R., Harkness, D., Appleby, P., Oldfield, F., Thompson, R & Montieth, D.T. 2001. Evidence for Holocene climate variability from the sediments of a Scottish remote mountain lake. Journal of Quaternary Science 16: 339-346.

BROOKS, S.J. & Birks, H.J.B. 2001. Chironomid-inferred air temperatures from late-glacial and Holocene sites in north-west Europe: progress and problems. Quaternary Science Reviews 20: 1723-1741.

Massaferro, J. & BROOKS, S.J. 2002. The response of chironomids to Late Quaternary climate change in the Taitao Peninsular, southern Chile. Journal of Quaternary Science 17: 101-111.

Massaferro, J., BROOKS, S.J. & Jackson, K.A. 2002. Estudio preliminar de la distribución y composición de las comunidades de quironómidos (Diptera: Chironomidae) en el Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael (46°S), Chile. Boletín del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Chile 51: 123-134.

Brancelj, A., Sisko, M., Muri, G., Kamenik, C., Appleby, P., Lami, A., Shilland, E., BROOKS, S.J.& Dearing, J.A. 2002. Lake Jezero v Ledvicah (N.W. Slovenia) - impacts of earthquakes and climate change to the lake ecosystem. Journal of Paleolimnology 28: 47-58.

Udachin, V., Williamson, B.J., Purvis, O.W., Spiro, B., Dubbin, W., BROOKS, S.J., Coste, B., Herrington, R.J. & Mikhailova, I. 2003. Assessment of environmental impacts of active smelter operations and abandoned mines in Karabash, Ural Mountains of Russia. Sustainable Development 11: 133-142.

Heiri, O., Birks, H.J.B., BROOKS, S.J., Velle, G. & Willassen, E. 2003. Effects of within-lake variability of fossil assemblages on quantitative chironomid-inferred temperature reconstruction. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 199: 95-106.

BROOKS, S.J. 2003. Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera). pp. 328-341. In: MacKay, A. Battarbee, R.W. and Birks, H.J.B. [eds] Global change in the Holocene Arnold, London.

Lang, B., Bedford, A.P., Richardson, N. & BROOKS, S.J. 2003. The use of ultra-sound in the preparation of carbonate and clay sediments for chironomid analysis. Journal of Paleolimnology 30: 451-460.

BROOKS, S.J.& H.J.B. Birks. 2004. The dynamics of Chironomidae assemblages in response to environmental change during the past 300 years in Spitsbergen. Journal of Paleolimnology 31: 483-498.

Bedford, A., Jones, R.T., Lang, B & BROOKS, S.J. 2004. A Late-glacial chironomid record from Hawes Water, N.W. England. Journal of Quaternary Science 19: 281-290.

Nazarova L.B. & BROOKS S.J. 2004. Chironomids (Diptera, Chironomidae) in palaeoclimatic investigations. Euroasiatic Entomologica Journal 3: 300-306.

Nyman, M., BROOKS, S.J. & Korhola, A. 2005. The distribution and diversity of Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) in western Finnish Lapland with special emphasis on shallow lakes. Global Ecology and Biogeography 14: 137-153.

  Smol, J.P., Wolfe, A.P., Birks, H.J.B., Douglas, M.S.V., Jones, V.J., Korhola, A., Pienitz., R., Rühland, K., Sorvari, S., Antoniades, D., Brooks, S.J., Fallu, M.A., Hughes, M., Keatly, B.E., Laing, T.E., Michelutti, N., Nazarova, L., Nyman, M, Paterson, A., Perren, B., Quinlan, R., Rautio, M., Saulnier-Talbot, E., Siitonen, S.I., Solovieva, N., & Weckström,J.   2005. Climate-driven regime shifts in the biological communities of arctic lakes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 102: 4397-4402.

BROOKS, S.J., Udachin, V. and Williamson, B.J. 2005. Using chironomids to detect the impact of copper smelting on lakes in the southern Ural Mountains, Russia. Journal of Paleolimnology 33:229-241.

Solovieva. N., Jones, V.J., Nazarova, L.B., BROOKS, S.J., Birks, H.J.B, Grytnes, J.A., Appleby, P.G., Kauppila, T., Kondratenok, B., Renberg, I. and Ponoarev, V. 2005. Palaeolimnological evidence for recent climatic change in lakes from the northern Urals, arctic Russia. Journal of Paleolimnology 33: 463-482.

Velle, G., BROOKS, S.J., Birks, H.J.B, & Willassen, E. 2005. Chironomids as a tool for inferring Holocene climate: an assessment based on six sites in southern Scandinavia. Quaternary Science Reviews 24: 1429-1462.

Dragonflies (Odonata)

BROOKS, S.J. 1989. The dragonflies (Odonata) of London: the current status. The London Naturalist 68: 109-131.

BROOKS, S.J. 1989. New dragonflies (Odonata) from Costa Rica. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 132: 163-176.

BROOKS, S.J. 1989. Odonata collected from Guanacaste National Park, Costa Rica, July 1988. Notulae Odonatologicae 3: 49-52.

BROOKS, S.J. 1993. Review of a method to monitor adult dragonfly populations. Journal of the British Dragonfly Society 9 (1): 1-4.

BROOKS, S.J. 1993. Joint Committee for the Conservation of British Invertebrates: Guidelines for invertebrate site surveys. British Wildlife 4 (5): 283-286.

BROOKS, S.J. 1996. Monitoring and surveying dragonflies (Odonata) for use as indicators of wetland site quality, pp. 29-32.. In: Eyre, M. [ed.] Environmental monitoring, surveillance and conservation using invertebrates. EMS Publications, Newcastle upon Tyne.

BROOKS, S.J. 1996. Peatland dragonflies (Odonata) in Britain: a review of their distribution, status and ecology, pp. 112-116.. In: Parkyn, L., Stoneman, R.E. & Ingram, H.A.P. Conserving peatlands. CAB International, Wallingford.

BROOKS, S.J., McGeeney, A. & Cham, S.A. 1997. 'Time-sharing' in the male downy emerald, Cordulia aenea (L.) (Corduliidae). Journal of the British Dragonfly Society 13: 10-15.

BROOKS, S.J. & Lewington, R. 1997. Field guide to the dragonflies and damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland. British Wildlife Publishing, Hook. 160 pp.

BROOKS, S.J. 2000. Pond management for dragonflies. pp. 81-88. In: Biggs J. Proceedings of the Ponds Conference, 1998. The Ponds Conservation Trust, Oxford.

BROOKS, S.J. & Jackson, K.A. 2001. The Odonata of Bioko, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, with the description of fan-shaped setae on early instar Libellulidae larvae. Odonatologica 30: 29-38.

BROOKS, S.J. 2001. Dragonflies and damselflies. pp. 340-354. In: Hawksworth, D.L. [ed.]. The changing wildlife of Great Britain and Ireland. Systematics Association. Taylor and Francis, London.

BROOKS, S.J. 2003. Dragonflies and damselflies. The Natural History Museum, London. pp.96

Neuroptera

BROOKS, S.J. 1987. Stridulatory structures in three green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology 16: 237-244.

BROOKS, S.J.& Barnard, P.C. 1990. The green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) of the world: a generic review. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 59: 117-286.

BROOKS, S.J. 1994. A taxonomic review of the common green lacewing genus Chrysoperla (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Entomology) 63 (2): 137-210.

Henry, C.S., BROOKS, S.J., Duelli, P. & Johnson, J.B. 1996. Chrysoperla lucasina (Lacroix): a distinct species of green lacewing, confirmed by acoustical analysis (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Systematic Entomology 21: 205-218.

BROOKS, S.J. 1997. An overview of the current status of Chrysopidae (Neuroptera) systematics. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 4 (2): 267-275.

Henry, C.S., BROOKS, S.J., Duelli, P. & Johnson, J.B. 1999. Revising the concept of Chrysoperla mediterranea (Hölzel), a green lacewing associated with conifers: courtship songs across 2800 kilometers of Europe (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Systematic Entomology 24: 335-350.

Henry, C.S., BROOKS, S.J., Thierry, D & Duelli, P. & Johnson, J.B. 2001. The common green lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea s. lat.) and the sibling species problem. pp. 29-42. In: McEwen, P. & New, T.R. Lacewings in the crop environment. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Henry, C.S., BROOKS, S.J., Duelli, P. & Johnson, J.B. 2002. Discovering the real identity of Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Insecta: Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) using song analysis, morphology, and ecology. Annals of the American Entomological Society 95: 172-19l.

Winterton, S.L. & BROOKS, S.J. 2002. Phylogeny of the subfamily Apochrysinae (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), with a new species of Oligochrysa Esben-Petersen. Annals of the American Entomological Society 95: 16-28.

Henry, C.S., BROOKS, S.J., Duelli, P., & Johnson, J.B. 2003. A lacewing with the wanderlust: the European song species 'Maltese' (Chrysoperla agilis sp. n.) of the carnea-group of Chrysoperla (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Systematic Entomology 28: 131-148