What drives species sensitivity to deforestation? Clue: it’s not what you think.
Cristina Banks-Leite, Associate Professor in Conservation Ecology, Imperial College London
- Start Friday 14 Nov 2025 4:15pm
- Finish Friday 14 Nov 2025 5:30pm
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Intraspecific variability is a fundamental component of biodiversity, playing a crucial role in both adaptation and speciation. Yet it remains largely overlooked in studies examining species’ sensitivity to habitat change. Most research in this area has focused on species-level traits – such as morphology or behaviour – as predictors of vulnerability to deforestation. In this talk, I challenge this prevailing approach by presenting evidence that intraspecific variation in response to habitat change rivals, or even exceeds, interspecific differences. I will also discuss recently published and ongoing work exploring the ecological drivers of this variation, and highlight its implications for biodiversity conservation strategies.
Biography
Cristina Banks-Leite is Professor of Biodiversity Change in the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial College London. Her research focuses on measuring, understanding, and mitigating biodiversity loss across tropical and urban ecosystems. She integrates technologies such as bioacoustics, AI, and molecular tools to monitor biodiversity in novel ways. Cristina leads long-term collaborations with organisations including reforestation companies in Brazil and the City of London Corporation, applying her expertise to real-world conservation challenges. Her work has influenced policy in multiple countries, including legislation in Brazil and infrastructure planning in Costa Rica, and has been cited in over 40 policy documents worldwide.
She has received multiple awards and was named one of 15 influential female researchers in the UK. Cristina has served as trustee for BES and INTECOL, and on editorial boards of three international journals. She is currently the academic lead for gender equality in her department, having coordinated the successful submission of an Athena Swan Silver Award.
The Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery and Biodiversity Network are interested in promoting a wide variety of views and opinions on nature recovery from researchers and practitioners.
The views, opinions and positions expressed within this lecture are those of the author alone, they do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery/Biodiversity Network, or its researchers.
Seminar followed by Q&A and drinks – all welcome – in person or online
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