91TV

/ Events

Forecasting ecological dynamics in a changing world, a critical discussion

02 - 03 November 2026 09:00 - 17:00 91TV Free Watch online
“Split-level photograph of a wading bird standing on mangrove roots above clear tropical water, with submerged mangrove branches and coral visible below the surface.”

Discussion meeting organised by Dr Emily G Simmonds, Dr Marlène Gamelon, Professor Tim Coulson and Professor Bernt‑Erik Sæther

Ecosystems are complicated, containing thousands of interacting species, each also impacted by external forces like the climate. Ecologists’ record of predicting their dynamics is poor, yet many argue that effective management and conservation of biodiversity require accurate prediction. Should we call time on the aim of accurately forecasting living systems, or can novel approaches, including machine learning, save the day?

Programme

The programme, including speaker biographies and abstracts, will be available soon. Please note that the programme may be subject to change.

Poster session

There will be a poster session on Monday 2 November 2026. If you would like to present a poster, , abstract (up to 200 words), author list, and the name of the proposed presenter and institution no later than Friday 2 October 2026. Acceptances may be made on a rolling basis so we recommend submitting as soon as possible in case the session becomes full. Submissions made within one month of the meeting may not be included in the programme booklet.

Attending the event

This event is intended for researchers in relevant fields.

  • Free to attend
  • Both virtual and in-person attendance is available. Advance registration is essential
  • Lunch is available on both days of the meeting for an optional £25 per day. There are plenty of places to eat nearby if you would prefer to purchase food offsite. Participants are welcome to bring their own lunch to the meeting

Please note that scientific meetings hosted by the Royal Society do not necessarily represent a Royal Society position or signify an endorsement of the speakers or content presented.

Enquiries: contact the Scientific Programmes team

Image credit: © iStock.com / Wan Yong Chong

Organisers

  • Dr Emily G Simmonds

    Dr Emily G Simmonds

    Emily is a quantitative ecologist with an interest in understanding how biological systems are influenced by their environment. Her work looks at forecasting how individuals and populations respond to weather and climatic changes. She completed her PhD at the University of Oxford looking at the causes and consequences of phenological change. Followed by a post doc with a particular interest in improving how we quantify and communicate uncertainty. Currently, she is exploring patterns and drivers of ecological predictability as a Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. She is committed to developing the Ecological Forecasting community and is a Steering Committee member for the European Chapter of the Ecological Forecasting Initiative.
  • blank avatar

    Professor Bernt-Erik Sæther

  • Professor Tim Coulson

    Professor Tim Coulson

    Tim Coulson is a biologist working at the interface of ecology and evolution. He develops theory to explore how ecological change influences evolution, and vice versa. He tests this theory using dynamic models parameterised with data from both experimental and observational systems. The resulting insights are used to explain how, why, and when nature responds to anthropogenic impacts. Field sites include Yellowstone, Queensland’s Heron Island, and the streams of Northern Trinidad.

    He has served as Head of both the Department of Zoology and the Department of Biology at the University of Oxford where he is Professor of Zoology. He also enjoys popularising science, publishing his first book “A Little History of Everything” with Penguin in 2025.
  • Dr Marlène Gamelon

    Dr Marlène Gamelon

    Dr Marlène Gamelon is a population ecologist, working at the interface between biodemography and evolutionary biology. Her research primarily relies on individual long-term monitoring of natural populations of birds and mammals, with implications in conservation and management. She is interested in understanding how biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic (eg harvesting) factors influence natural populations. She uses modelling approaches to study how these factors shape phenotypic traits, demographic rates and population growth rate. She also investigates how different life-history strategies may respond to contrasting environmental pressures in the wild using comparative analyses.