Biography
After reading Zoology in Somerville College, Oxford I went to the University of Wales, Cardiff to do a PhD on "Insect Colour Patterns and Avian Learning" with Prof Paul Brakefield and Dr. Richard Cowie. On completion of the thesis I went to work in the University of Leiden on a Royal Society Post-Doctoral Fellowship, studying the genetic basis for bird foraging decisions. My second post doctoral position was in the University of Sussex, funded by the AFRC investigating "Factors affecting acquisition and recall of information about food palatability in birds." This work was completed in 1996 whereupon I came to TCD as a temporary lecturer in Zoology and secured a permanent position in 2001. I was made a Fellow if the college in 2006 and a Senior lecturer in 2007.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Byrne, Andrew; Allen, Adrian; Ciuti, Simone; Gormley, Eamonn; Kelly, David; Marks, Nikki; Marples, Nicola M.; Menzies, Fraser; Montgomery, Ian; Newman, Chris; O'Hagan, Maria; Reid, Neil; Scantlebury, Mike; Stuart, Peter; Tsai, Ming-shan, Badger Ecology, Bovine Tuberculosis, and Population Management: Lessons from the Island of Ireland, Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 2024, (Article ID 8875146), 2024
Fionn Ó Marcaigh, David J Kelly, Darren P O'Connell, Kangkuso Analuddin, Adi Karya, Jennifer McCloughan, Ellen Tolan, Naomi Lawless, Nicola M Marples, Small islands and large biogeographic barriers have driven contrasting speciation patterns in Indo-Pacific sunbirds (Aves: Nectariniidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2023
Keith McMahon, Nicola M Marples, Lewis G Spurgin, Hannah M Rowland, Ben S Sheldon, Josh A Firth, Social network centrality predicts dietary decisions in a wild bird population , BioRxiv, 2023, p2023.08. 25.554636
Mohammad Irham, Dewi M. Prawiradilaga, Jochen K. Menner, Darren P. O'Connell, David J. Kelly, Kangkuso Analuddin, Adi Karya, Martin Meads, Nicola M. Marples, Frank E. Rheindt, A distinct new species of Zosterops white-eye from the Sulawesi region, Indonesia, Ibis, 2023
Darren P O'Connell, David J Kelly, Panji G Akbar, Joseph Monkhouse, Seán BA Kelly, Wilf Simcox, Arini Wijayanti, Stephanie K Courtney Jones, Fionn Ó Marcaigh, Adi Karya, Niall T Keogh, Yeni Mulyani, Josh Nightingale, Kangkuso Analuddin, Nicola M Marples, Thomas E Martin , Breeding records of the birds of south-east Sulawesi, Indonesia: a collation of observations encompassing nearly 20 years of research in Wallacea , Bulletin of the British Ornithologists" Club , 142, (3), 2022, p278 - 301
Fionn Ó Marcaigh, Darren P. O'Connell, Kangkuso Analuddin, Adi Karya, Naomi Lawless, Caroline M. McKeon, Niamh Doyle, Nicola M. Marples, David J. Kelly, Tramps in transition: genetic differentiation between populations of an iconic "supertramp" taxon in the Central Indo-Pacific, Frontiers of Biogeography, 14, (2), 2022, pe54512
Joseph A Tobias, Catherine Sheard, Alex L Pigot, Adam JM Devenish, Jingyi Yang, Ferran Sayol, Montague HC Neate-Clegg, Nico Alioravainen, Thomas L Weeks, Robert A Barber, Patrick A Walkden, Hannah EA MacGregor, Samuel EI Jones, Claire Vincent, Anna G Phillips, Nicola M Marples, Flavia A Montaño-Centellas, Victor Leandro-Silva, Santiago Claramunt, Bianca Darski, Benjamin G Freeman, Tom P Bregman, Christopher R Cooney, Emma C Hughes, Elliot JR Capp, Zoë K Varley, Nicholas R Friedman, Heiko Korntheuer, Andrea Corrales-Vargas, Christopher H Trisos, Brian C Weeks, Dagmar M Hanz, Till Töpfer, Gustavo A Bravo, Vladimír Remeš, Larissa Nowak, Lincoln S Carneiro, Beata Matysioková, Daniel T Baldassarre, Alejandra Martínez-Salinas, Jared D Wolfe, Philip M Chapman, Benjamin G Daly, Marjorie C Sorensen, Alexander Neu, Michael A Ford, Rebekah J Mayhew, Luis Fabio Silveira, David J Kelly, et al., AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds, Ecology Letters, 25, (3), 2022, p581 - 597
David Kelly, Nicola Marples, Rachel Byrne, Ursula Fogarty, Kevin Kenny, Henrietta Cameron, Denise Griffin and Celia V. Holland, An investigation of Mycobacterium bovis and helminth coinfection in the European badger Meles meles, International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife, 19, 2022, p311 - 316
Aoibheann Gaughran, Enda Mullen, Teresa MacWhite, Peter Maher, David J Kelly, Ruth Kelly, Margaret Good, Nicola M Marples, Badger territoriality maintained despite disturbance of major road construction, PLoS ONE, 16, (9), 2021, pe0242586
O'Connell D.P., Martin T.E, Kelly D.J., Marples N.M., Analuddin K., Karya A. , Threats to an undescribed songbird species in Indonesia, Oryx, (55), 2021, p9 - 11
Fionn Ó Marcaigh; David J. Kelly; Kangkuso Analuddin; Adi Karya; Naomi Lawless; Nicola M. Marples, Cryptic sexual dimorphism reveals differing selection pressures on continental islands., Biotropica, (53), 2021, p121 - 129
Ó Marcaigh, F., Kelly, D.J., O'Connell, D.P., Dunleavy, D., Clark, A., Lawless, N., Karya, A., Analuddin, K., Marples, N.M. , Evolution in the understorey: the Sulawesi babbler Pellorneum celebense (Passeriformes: Pellorneidae) has diverged rapidly on land-bridge islands in the Wallacean biodiversity hotspot., Zoologischer Anzeiger , 293, 2021, p314 - 325
Kelly D.J., Gaughran A., Mullen E., MacWhite T., Maher P., Good M., Marples N.M. , Extra Territorial Excursions by European badgers are not limited by age, sex or season. , Scientific Reports , 10, 2020, p1 - 12
O'Connell DP, Kelly DJ, Analuddin K, Karya A, Marples NM, Martin TE, Adapt taxonomy to conservation goals., Science, (369(6508)), 2020, p1172 - 1172
O'Connell DP, Kelly DJ, Kelly SBA, Analuddin K, Karya A, Marples NM, Rheindt FE & Martin TE , An assessment of the avifauna of the Wakatobi Islands, South-east Sulawesi, Indonesia: species recorded and taxonomic considerations. , Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 68, 2020, p574 - 587
O'Connell DP, Kelly DJ, Lawless N, Karya A, Analuddin K & Marples NM , Diversification of a 'great speciator' in the Wallacea region: differing responses by closely related resident and migratory kingfisher species (Aves: Alcedinidae: Todiramphus), Ibis, 2019
O'Connell D, Kelly DJ, Kelly SBA, Sealy S, Karya A, Analuddin K and Marples NM., Increased sexual dimorphism in dense populations of Olive-backed Sunbirds on small islands: morphological niche contraction in females but not males., Emu - Austral Ornithology, 2019
A Gaughran, T MacWhite, E Mullen, P Maher, DJ Kelly, M Good, NM Marples , Dispersal patterns in a medium‐density Irish badger population: Implications for understanding the dynamics of tuberculosis transmission., Ecology and Evolution, 9, (23), 2019, p13142 - 13152
O'Connell, D. & Ó Marcaigh, F. & O'Neill, A. & Karya, A. & Analuddin, K. & Kelly, D & Marples, N.M. , The avifauna of Muna and Wawonii Islands, with additional records from mainland South-east Sulawesi, Indonesia., Forktail, 35, 2019, p50 - 56
Darren P O"Connell, David J Kelly, Naomi Lawless, Katie O"Brien, Fionn Ó Marcaigh, Adi Karya, Kangkuso Analuddin, Nicola M Marples, A sympatric pair of undescribed white-eye species (Aves: Zosteropidae: Zosterops) with different origins, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 186, (3), 2019, p701 - 724
Byrne RL, Fogarty U, Mooney A, Harris E, Good M, Marples NM, Holland CV , The helminth parasite community of European badgers (Meles meles) in Ireland. , Journal of Helminthology, 94, 2019, pe37-
Rachel L. Byrne, Ursula Fogarty, Andrew Mooney, Nicola M. Marples and Celia V Holland, A comparison of helminth infections as assessed through coprological analysis and adult worm burdens in a wild host, International Journal of Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife, 7, 2018, p439 - 444
Martin T.E., O'Connell DP, Kelly DJ, Karya A, Analuddin K, & Marples NM, A new record of Dwarf Sparrowhawk Accipiter nanus in south-east Sulawesi, Indonesia: is it only restricted to upland forests? , BirdingASIA , (29), 2018, p103 - 104
Monkhouse J.R., O'Connell D.P., Kelly D.J., Analuddin K., Karya A., Marples N.M. & Martin T.E. ., The avifauna of Menui Island, south-east Sulawesi, Indonesia, Forktail , 34, 2018, p42 - 47
Gaughran A, Kelly DJ, MacWhite T, Mullen E, Maher P, Good M, Marples, NM, Super-ranging. A new ranging strategy in European badgers., PLoS ONE , 13, (2), 2018
O'Connell, D. P., Sealy, S., Ó Marcaigh, F., Karya , A., Bahrun, A., Analuddin, K., Kelly, D. J. & Marples, N. M. , The avifauna of Kabaena Island, South-east Sulawesi, Indonesia, Forktail, 33, 2018
Marples NM, Speed M, Thomas RJ , An individual-based profitability spectrum for understanding interactions between predators and their prey. , Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 125, 2018, p1 - 13
McMahon K. and Marples N.M, Reduced dietary conservatism in a wild bird in the presence of intraspecific competition., Journal of Avian Biology, 48, (3), 2017, p448 - 454
Keane C.K. and Marples N.M., The effects of zoo visitors on a group of Western Lowland Gorillas Gorilla gorilla gorilla before and after the birth of an infant in Dublin Zoo, International Zoo Yearbook , 2016, (50), 2016
O'Reilly C, Marples N.M, Kelly D.J, Harte N, YIN-bird: Improved pitch tracking for bird vocalisations, Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the International Speech Communication Association, INTERSPEECH, 2016, 08-12-September-2016, 2016, pp2641 - 2645
Corner, L. A. L., Stuart, L. J., Kelly, D. J. and Marples, N. M. , Reproductive biology including evidence for superfetation in the European badger Meles meles (Carnivora: Mustelidae). , PLoS ONE , 10, (10), 2015, pe0138093-
Mullen, E. M., MacWhite, T., Maher, P. K., Kelly, D. J., Marples, N. M. and Good, M. , The avoidance of farmyards by European badgers Meles meles in a medium density population., Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 171, 2015, p170-176
Keane C.K. and Marples N.M. , Zoo Playgrounds: A Source of Enrichment or Stress for a Group of Nearby Cockatoos? A case study. , Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science., 18, 2015
C. O'Reilly, D. J. Kelly, N. M. Marples and N. Harte , Quantifying difference in vocalizations of bird populations, Proceedings of Interspeech 2015, 2015, 2015, p3417 - 3421
Keith McMahon, K., Conboy, A., O'Byrne-White, E., Thomas, R.J., & Marples N.M., Dietary wariness influences the response of foraging birds to competitors, Animal Behaviour , 89, 2014, p63 - 69
Richards E.L., Alexander L.G., Snellgrove D., Thomas R.J., Marples N.M. & Cable J., Variation in the expression of dietary conservatism within and between fish species, Animal Behaviour , 88, 2014, p49 - 56
Kelly SBA, Kelly DJ, Cooper N, Bahrun A, Analuddin K, Marples NM, Molecular and Phenotypic Data Support the Recognition of the Wakatobi Flowerpecker (Dicaeum kuehni) from the Unique and Understudied Sulawesi Region, PLoS ONE, 9, (6), 2014, e98694-
Harte, Naomi, Murphy, Sadhbh, Kelly, David J. and Marples, Nicola M., Identifying new bird species from differences in birdsong. , INTERSPEECH, Lyon France., 2013, pp2900-2904
Mullen EM, MacWhite T, Maher PK, Kelly DJ, Marples NM, Good M, Foraging Eurasian badgers Meles meles and the presence of cattle in pastures. Do badgers avoid cattle? , Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 143, 2013, p130-137
MacWhite, T., Mullen, E.M., Maher, P., Kelly, D.J., Good, M., Marples, N.M., Satellite tracking study of badgers Meles meles to establish normal ranging behaviour prior to a road realignment., Irish Naturalists Journal , 32, 2013, p99 - 105
Kelly, D. J., Robertson, A., Murphy, D., Fitzsimons, T., Costello, E., Gormley, E., Corner, L. A. L., Marples, N. M. , Trophic enrichment factors for blood serum in the European badger (Meles meles), PLoS ONE, 7, (12), 2012, pe53071
David J. Kelly, Nicola M. Marples, Annual survival rate and mean life-span of Lemon-bellied White-eyes Zosterops chloris flavissimus on Kaledupa island, Wakatobi, south-east Sulawesi, Indonesia, Forktail, 28, 2012, p148 - 149
Siddall E.C. and Marples N.M. , Hear no evil: The effect of auditory warning signals on avian innate avoidance, learned avoidance and memory. , Current Zoology, 57, 2011, p197 - 207
Cleary G.P., Corner L.A.L., O'Keeffe J.& Marples N.M., Diet of the European badger (Meles meles) in the Republic of Ireland: a comparison of results from an analysis of stomach contents and rectal faeces., Mammalian Biology , 2011
Kelly, D. J., Corner, L. A. L., Gormley, E., Murphy, D., Costello, E., Aldwell, F. E. & Marples, N. M. , Evaluation of attractant flavours for use in oral vaccine baits for badgers (Meles meles), European Journal of Wildlife Research, 57, (4), 2011, p767 - 774
Siddall E.C. and Marples N.M. , The effect of pyrazine odor on avoidance learning and memory in wild robins Erithacus rubecula. , Current Zoology, 57, 2011, p208 - 214
Kelly D.J. and Marples N.M, Olive-backed sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis) in south eastern Sulawesi, BirdingASIA, 15, 2011, p15 - 16
Whilde J. and Marples N.M., The effect of a birth on the behavior of a family group of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at Dublin Zoo. , Zoo Biology , 2011
Marples N.M. and Mappes J. , Can the dietary conservatism of predators compensate for positive frequency dependent selection against rare, conspicuous prey? , Evolutionary Ecology, 25, 2011, p737 - 749
Richards E.L., Thomas R.J., Marples N.M., Snellgrove D.L., Cable J., The expression of dietary conservatism in solitary and shoaling 3-spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus., Behavioral Ecology, 2011
Thomas R.J., King T.A., Forshaw H.E., Marples N.M., Speed M.P., & Cable J. , The response of fish to novel prey: evidence that dietary conservatism is not restricted to birds , Behavioural Ecology, 21, (4), 2010, p669 - 675
Kelly, D.J., Marples, N.M. & Singer, H. A. , A population of Lemon-bellied White-eye Zosterops chloris from the south-eastern peninsula of Sulawesi., Forktail, 26, 2010, p138 - 139
Lee T, Speed, M. and Marples NM., Can dietary conservatism explain the primary evolution of aposematism? , Animal Behaviour , 79, (1), 2010, p63 - 74
Bird Populations of the Wakatobi in, editor(s)Clifton, J., Unsworth R. and Smith, D.J. , Marine conservation and research in the Coral Triangle: the Wakatobi Marine National Park, New York, Nova Science Publishers, 2010, pp149 - 170, [Kelly, D. J. & Marples, N. M.]
Whilde J. and Marples N.M. , The behaviour of a zoo-housed infant orangutan following the death of its mother., Zoo Biology, 29, 2010, p1 - 7
Cleary, G.P., Corner, L.A.L., O'Keeffe, J., Marples, N.M. , The diet of the badger Meles meles in the Republic of Ireland. , Mammalian Biology , (74), 2009, p438 - 445
Siddall, E.C. & Marples, N.M. , Better to be bimodal: the interaction of color and odor on learning and memory., Behavioural Ecology , 19, 2008, p425 - 432
Marples, N.M., Quinlan, M., Thomas, R.J. and Kelly, D.J., Deactivation of dietary wariness through experience of novel food., Behavioral Ecology , 18, 2007, p803 - 810
Marples, N.M., Kelly, D.J. & Thomas, R.J. , Perspective: The evolution of warning coloration is not paradoxical, Evolution , 59, 2005, p933 - 940
Mappes, J., Marples, N.M & Endler, J. A., The Complex business of survival by aposematism., Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 20, 2005, p598 - 603
Multivariate Tests in, editor(s)A. B. Plowman , Zoo Research Guidelines: Statistics for typical zoo datasets, London, BIAZA, 2005, pp17 - 23, [Mellfi, V. A., Marples, N. M. & Ruxton G. D.]
Marples, N. M., Kelly, D. J. & Thomas, R. J., Perspective: The evolution of warning coloration is not paradoxical, Evolution, 59, 2005, p933 - 940
Analysing activity budgets with G-tests in, editor(s)A. B. Plowman , Zoo Research Guidelines: Statistics for typical zoo datasets, London, BIAZA, 2005, pp24 - 26, [Marples, N. M, Ruxton, G. D., & Colgrave]
The chemical defences of an aposematic complex: A case study of two-spot and seven-spot ladybirds in, editor(s)H.van Emden and M. Rothschild , Insect and Bird Interactions, Hampshire, Intercept, 2004, pp193 - 203, [Marples, N. M.]
Thomas, R.J., Bartlett, L., Marples, N.M., Kelly, D.J. and Cuthill, I.C. , Prey selection by wild birds can allow novel and conspicuous colour morphs to spread in prey populations, Oikos , 106, (2), 2004, p285 - 294
Kelly, D. J., & Marples, N. M. , The effects of novel odour and colour cues on food acceptance by the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), Animal Behaviour, 68, 2004, p1049 - 1054
Thomas, R. J., Bartlett, L., Marples, N. M., Kelly, D. J. & Cuthill, I. C., Prey selection by wild birds can allow novel and conspicuous colour morphs to spread in prey populations., Oikos, 106, 2004, p285 - 294
Warning colours and warning smells: how birds learn to avoid aposematic insects in, editor(s)H.van Emden and M. Rothschild , Insect and Bird Interactions , Hampshire , Intercept, 2004, pp185 - 192, [Marples, N. M. & Roper, T. J.]
Keane, C. & Marples, N. M., A Study on the behaviour of a Gorilla Group in Dublin Zoo, Based on the Effects of Visitors., Oral presentation given at The Primate Society of Great Britain conference, Paignton, 29th-30th March 2004, 2004
Keane, C. & Marples, N., The effect of visitors on gorilla behaviour before and after the birth of a baby., Proceedings of the 5th Annual Symposium on Zoo Research, 2003, 2003
Armstrong, S. & Marples, N., Nutrition, foraging behaviour and space use by plains zebra (Equus burchelli) housed in mixed species exhibits., Proceedings of the 5th Annual Symposium on Zoo Research, 2003, 2003
Thomas, R.J., Drewitt, E.A., Marples, N.M., Kelly, D.J. and Semple, S. , Nocturnal playbacks reveal hidden population differences in singing behaviour, Bird Study, 50, (1), 2003, p84 - 87
Armstrong, S. & Marples, N, Foraging behaviour and space use by mixed species exhibits with special emphasis on zebra., Proceedings of the British Veterinary Zoological Society Spring Meeting, 2003, 55, 2003
Thomas, R.J., Marples, N. M., Cuthill, I. C., Takahashi, M. & Gibson, E. A., Dietary conservatism may facilitate the initial evolution of aposematism, Oikos, 101, 2003, p458 - 466
Robinson-Dean, J.C., Willmott, K.R., Catterall, M.J., Kelly, D.J., Whittington, A., Phalan, B., Marples, N.M. and Boeadi, D.R.S. , A new subspecies of Red-backed Thrush Zoothera erythronota kabaena subsp. nov. (Muscicapidae: Turdidae) from Kabaena island, Indonesia, Forktail , 18, 2002, p1 - 10
Melfi V.A. & Marples N.M., Multiple-regression: a method to establish the affects of captivity on behaviour, Proceedings of the 3rd Zoo Federation Research Symposium, Chester Zoo, UK, 2001, 2001
Elson H.L.G. & Marples N.M., The effects of environmental enrichment on parrots and cockatoos in captivity, Proceedings of the 5th International Conferences on Environmental Enrichment, Taronga Zoo, Australia, 2001, 2001
Melfi V.A. & Marples N.M., How does captive housing and husbandry affect, Proceedings of the XVIIIth Congress of the International Primatological Society, Adelaide, Australia, 2001, 2001
Elson H.L.G. & Marples N.M. , How captive parrots react to foraging enrichments, Proceedings of the 3rd Annual Symposium on Zoo Research, North of England Zoological Society, Chester, UK, 2001, 2001
Barwig, J. & Marples, N. , Parental care in a newly formed wolf pack (Canis lupus occidentalis) in captivity, Proceedings of the 3rd Annual Symposium on Zoo Research, 2001, 2001, pp131 - 136
Marples N.M. & Kelly D.J. , Neophobia and dietary conservatism: two distinct processes?, Evolutionary Ecology, 13, 2001, p641 - 653
Healy E. & Marples N.M, The Effect of Enclosure Complexity on Activity Levels and Stereotypic Behaviour for Three Species of the Genus Panthera at Dublin Zoo, Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Symposium on Zoo Research, 2000, 2000, pp35 - 42
Melfi V.A. & Marples N.M, How different captive environments affect Sulawesi macaque behaviour., Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Symposium on Zoo Research, Paignton, UK. , 2000, 2000
Barwig, J. & Marples, N., Pup rearing as social enrichment in Timber wolves (Canis lupus occidentalis) in captivity, Proceedings of the 17th Ethologentreffen, Utrecht, Netherlands., 2000, 2000, pp67-
Farrell M., Barry, E. & Marples N.M., The breeding behaviour of the Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopteris chilensis) in a captive colony, Zoo Biology, 19, 2000, p227 - 237
Melfi V.A. & Marples N.M. , Behaviour and enclosure use by captive Sulawesi Macaques (Macaca nigra) at Marwell Zoo, Marwell Zoo Research, 2000, p38 - 45
Kinahan A. & Marples N.M., Behavioural studies on captive tapirs Taprius terrestrius and giraffes Giraffa camelopardis, with particular attention to feeding, Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Symposium on Zoo Research, 2000, pp127 - 136
Melfi V.A. & Marples N.M. , Behaviour and enclosure use by captive Sulawesi Macaques (Macaca nigra) at Marwell Zoo, Marwell Zoo Research, 2000, p38 - 45
Melfi V.A. & Marples N.M, How different captive environmental affect Sulawesi, Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Symposium on Zoo Research, Paignton, UK. , 2000
Melfi, V. A. & Marples N. M., Seasonality in captive Sulawesi crested black macaques (Macaca nigra)., 1st Symposium on Zoo Research, Paignton, 10th June 1999., 1999
Barry, L. & Marples, N. M., The study of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) at Dublin Zoo: the effect of environmental change and enrichment on behaviour., 1st Symposium on Zoo Research, Paignton, 10th June 1999., 1999
Marples, N. M., Ryan, S., McGeough, O. & McDaid, D., Enrichment, behaviour and visitor attention at Dublin Zoo, 1st Symposium on Zoo Research, Paignton, 10th June 1999, 1999
Seale, E., & Marples, N. M., The effective management of captive Chilen Flamingos at Dublin Zoo, 1st Symposium on Zoo Research, Paignton, 10th June 1999, 1999
Marples N.M. & Kelly D.J., Neophobia and dietary conservatism: two distinct processes? , Evolutionary Ecology , 13, (7-8), 1999, p641 - 653
Marples N.M., Roper T.J. & Harper D.G.C. , Responses of wild birds to novel prey: evidence of dietary conservatism, Oikos, 83, 1998, p161 - 165
Marples, N. M, McDevitt, S., Kelly, C., & Sloane, A., Big Cats in Captivity: a quantitative analysis of enrichment, The 2nd International Symposium on Physiology and Ethology of Wild and Zoo Animals , Berlin, 7-10th October 1998, 1998
Barry, E. & Marples N. M., Polar bears at Dublin Zoo: the effect of enclosure modification and environmental enrichment on behaviour, The 2nd International Symposium on Physiology and Ethology of Wild and Zoo Animals , Berlin, 7-10th October 1998, 1998
Farrell, M. A., Barry E. & Marples, N. M, Observations on the breeding behaviour of a captive flock of Chilean flamingos at Dublin Zoological Gardens, The 2nd International Symposium on Physiology and Ethology of Wild and Zoo Animals, Berlin, 7-10th October 1998, 1998
Roper T.J. & Marples N.M. , Odour and colour as cues for taste-avoidance learning in domestic chicks, Animal Behaviour, 53, 1997, p1241 - 1250
Marples N.M. & Roper T.J. , Response of domestic chicks to methyl anthranilate odour, Animal Behaviour, 53, 1997, p1263 - 1270
Roper T.J. & Marples N.M. , 1997 Colour preferences in domestic chicks in relation to food and water presentation, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 54, 1997, p207 - 213
Marples N.M. & Roper T.J. , Effects of novel colour and smell on the response of naive chicks towards food and water. , Animal Behaviour, 51, 1996, p1417 - 1424
Marples N.M. & Brakefield P.M. , Genetic variation for the rate of recruitment of novel insect prey into the diet of a bird, Bio. J. Linn. Soc, 55, 1995, p17 - 27
Marples N.M., van Veelen W. & Brakefield P.M., A comparison of aposematic cues: Which protects an insect; colour, taste or smell, Animal Behaviour , 48, 1994, p967 - 997
Marples, N. M. de Jong P. W., Ottenheim M., Verhoog, M. D. & Brakefield, P. M., The inheritance of a wingless character in the 2 spot ladybird (Adakua bipunctata), Ent. Exp. Appl., 69, 1993, p69 - 73
Marples, N. M., Toxicity assays of lady birds using natural predators, Chemoecology, 4, 1993, p33 - 38
Marples, N. M., Is the alkaloid in two-spot lady birds (Adalia bipunctata) a defence against ant predation?, Chemoecology, 4, 1993, p29 - 32
Marples, N. M., Do wild birds use size to distinguish palatable and unpalatable prey types., Animal Behaviour, 46, 1993, p347 - 354
Marples, N. M, The Influences of Predation on Ladybird Colour Patterns, University of Wales, Cardiff, 1990
Marples, N.M., Brakefield, P.M. & Cowie, R.J. , Differences between the 7-spot and 2-spot ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae) in their toxic effects on a bird predator, Ecol. Entomol, 14, 1989, p79 - 84
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
David J. Kelly, Aoibheann Gaughran, Enda Mullen, Teresa MacWhite, Peter Maher, Margaret Good and Nicola M. Marples, ETE frequencies dataset, pre-publication upload, the authors, 2019
David J. Kelly, Aoibheann Gaughran, Enda Mullen, Teresa MacWhite, Peter Maher, Margaret Good and Nicola M. Marples, ETE distances dataset, pre-publication upload, the authors, 2019
Wride M.A., Jones M., Marples M.M., Mitchell F, The light of life: can you believe your eyes?, Lightwave: ready to be illuminated?, Science Gallery, TCD, Feb 5, 2008, Science Gallery, TCD
Marples, N. M., Kelly, D. J. & Thomas, R. J., The paradox of aposematism., ASAB Summer Conference, Lancaster, 19th-21st July 2005., 2005
Thomas, R. J., Marples, N. M. & Kelly, D. J, Can dietary conservatism aid the evolution of aposematism?, 10th Congress of the European Society for Evolutionary Biology, Krakow, Poland., 15th-20th Aug. 2005., 2005
Research Expertise
Description
My research interests are divided into four main themes each with a number of aspects currently under active research: 1)Avian Predatory Behaviour: Understanding of predator-prey systems particularly as they relate to avian predation on insects. ·Responses of birds to novel colour and odour cues in their prey. ·The effects of prey aggregation on learning and memory in birds. ·The stages involved in the recruitment of new prey into a birds' diet. ·Mimicry systems and their effects on predation pressures. ·The evolution of aposematic colour patterns. 2)Zoo Research: Behavioural studies leading to the effective management of captive animals in zoos. Current topics include: ·Effects of environmental enrichment on the behaviour of birds. ·Identification and alleviation of detrimental effects which visitors have on zoo animals 3) Feeding ecology and reproductive biology of badgers in Ireland. 4)I have a great interest and increasing opportunity to study bird populations in relation to biogeography and conservation in the tropical rainforests and islands of Sulawesi.Projects
- Title
- Avian foraging and evolution of insects
- Summary
- To understand the evolutionary effects of avian foraging decisions on the defense systems of their prey. The work in the immediate future is on the plasticity of foraging strategies employed by birds, when encountering novel prey types. Individuals have a genetic propensity either to attack or to avoid new prey types, and understanding how these two strategies are expressed in differing habitats is important for understanding foraging behaviour. This work has strong implications for conservation of birds as their ranges and the ranges of their prey expand or move in response to climate change.
- Funding Agency
- IRCSET
- Date From
- 2010
- Date To
- 2013
- Title
- Ecology and behaviour of badgers
- Summary
- To gain a fuller understanding of ecology and behaviour of Irish badgers, with a view to facilitating their vaccination against TB. This branch of research at TCD began in 2005 and currently supports a post doctorate researcher and a post graduate.
- Funding Agency
- Dept of Agriculture and Fisheries
- Date From
- 2008
- Title
- Enrichment of zoo animal behaviour
- Summary
- To improve welfare and reintroduction success of zoo animals by a better understanding of their behaviour in captivity. The collaboration between Dublin zoo and TCD has been highly productive over more than 10 years, producing a steady stream of postgraduate research projects on the behavioural effects of enclosure design, and the effects of visitors on the welfare and behaviour of zoo held animals.
- Funding Agency
- Dublin Zoo, Enterprise Ireland
- Date From
- 1997
- Title
- Avian biogeography in Indonesia
- Summary
- Assessment of the evolutionary changes occurring in the birds of the islands of South East Sulawesi. This research takes place in the summer in collaboration with Operation Wallacea, an organization facilitating research and conservation programs all over the world. In Summer 2007 we will complete a long-term study, begun in 1999, of the birds on a group of islands off South East Sulawesi.
- Funding Agency
- Operation Wallacea
- Date From
- 1999
Recognition
Representations
Chairman of the Education Sub-Committee of ASAB
Member of the Zoo Research Committee of the Zoo Federation of UK and Ireland.
Member of the Research and Conservation Committee of Dublin, Fota and Belfast Zoos
Invited Research Supervisor to Operation Wallacea
Scientific advisor to Operation Wallacea, (conservation in Sulawesi)
Referee for international journals including Animal Behaviour; Behavioural Ecology, Science, Behaviour, Evolution, and Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
External referee for PhD Thesis in Bristol, Leeds, and Anglia Ruskin Universities, and MSc thesis in Southampton.
Advisor to 2001 winner of Young Scientist of the Year, senior section.
Member at large of the Fellows Standing Committee
Awards and Honours
TCD Provost's Teaching Award
Fellow of Trinity College Dublin
Memberships
Operation Wallacea
Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
British Trust for Ornithology
Earthwatch
British and Irish Association for Zoos and Aquaria