Professor Simon Creer

Professor of Molecular Ecology

Contact info

I am interested in using contemporary molecular tools to address diverse questions focusing on biodiversity, ecology and evolution. This is a particularly exciting time in the field of molecular ecology, since advances in DNA sequencing throughput have recently offered a paradigm shift in our ability to assess previously intractable functional and taxonomic biodiversity at an unprecedented scale, augmenting existing biodiversity fields and empowering others. Using such technologies, I am testing a range of hypotheses regarding the alpha and beta functional and taxonomic diversity of macro-, meio- and microbial communities (e.g. microbiomes) in space and time, based on genomic, community and environmental DNA (eDNA). Focal habitats have included estuarine, coastal and deep sea environments with an increasing focus now on freshwater, terrestrial, whole organisms and the aerial biosphere in order to understand the drivers of diversity in natural communities and also how diversity is linked with ecological function, trophic relationships, environmental and human health. Current additional activities include phylogenomics, population genetics, life history evolution, polyploidy, pollination genomics.

Any funded Fellowship, postgraduate or postdoctoral positions will be advertised on the group website/social media feeds, but we also welcome enquiries from candidates seeking their own funding mechanisms, to develop future research collaborations.


Email: s.creer@bangor.ac.uk

Phone: +44(0)1248 382302

Address: School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK

URL: http://mefgl.bangor.ac.uk/staff/si.php

Twitter: @SiCreerProf

  1. Published

    Environmental metabarcoding reveals heterogeneous drivers of microbial eukaryote diversity in contrasting estuarine ecosystems

    Lallias, D. S., Lallias, D., Hiddink, J. G., Fonseca, V. G., Gaspar, J. M., Sung, W., Neill, S. P., Barnes, N., Ferrero, T., Hall, N., Lambshead, P. J., Packer, M., Thomas, W. K. & Creer, S., 25 Nov 2014, In: The ISME Journal. 9, p. 1208-1221

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  2. Published

    Predicting the severity of the grass pollen season and the effect of climate change in Northwest Europe

    Kurganskiy, A., Creer, S., De Vere, N., Griffith, G. W., Osborne, N. J., Wheeler, B. W., McInnes, R. N., Clewlow, Y., Barber, A., Brennan, G., Hanlon, H. M., Hegarty, M. J., Potter, C., Rowney, F. M., Adams-Groom, B., Petch, G. M., Pashley, C. H., Satchwell, J., De Weger, L. A., Rasmussen, K., Oliver, G., Sindt, C., Bruffaerts, N., The PollerGEN Consortium & Skjoth, C. A., 26 Mar 2021, In: Science Advances. 7, 13, eabd7658.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  3. Published

    Mineralogy affects prokaryotic community composition in an acidic metal mine

    Kelly, L., Rivett, D. W., Pakostova, E., Creer, S., Cotterell, T. & Johnson, B., 1 Jan 2023, In: Microbiological Research. 266, 127257.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  4. Published

    Shifts in honeybee foraging reveal historical changes in floral resources

    Jones, L., Brennan, G. L., Lowe, A., Creer, S., Ford, C. R. & de Vere, N., 14 Jan 2021, In: Communications Biology. 4, 1, 37.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  5. Published

    Temporal Patterns of Honeybee Foraging in a Diverse Floral Landscape Revealed Using Pollen DNA Metabarcoding of Honey

    Jones, L., Lowe, A., Ford, C. R., Creer, S. & de Vere, N., 1 Aug 2022, In: Integrative and Comparative Biology. 62, 2, p. 199-210

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  6. E-pub ahead of print

    Comparative population genomics of manta rays has global implications for management

    Humble, E., Hosegood, J., Carvalho, G., De Bruyn, M., Creer, S., Stevens, G. M. W., Armstrong, A., Bonfil, R., Deakos, M., Fernando, D., Froman, N., Peel, L. R., Pollett, S., Ponzo, A., Stewart, J. D., Wintner, S. & Ogden, R., 23 Nov 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Molecular Ecology.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  7. Published

    Plastic and Heritable Components of Phenotypic Variation in Nucella lapillus: An Assessment Using Reciprocal Transplant and Common Garden Experiments

    Hughes, R. N., Pascoal, S., Carvalho, G. R., Creer, S., Rock, J., Kawaii, K., Mendo, S. & Hughes, R., 27 Jan 2012, In: PLoS ONE. 7, 1, p. e30289

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  8. Published

    Transcriptomics and in vivo tests reveal novel mechanisms underlying endocrine disruption in an ecological sentinel, Nucella lapillus

    Hughes, R. N., Pascoal, S., Carvalho, G. R., Vasieva, O., Hughes, R., Cossins, A., Fang, Y., Ashelford, K., Olohan, L., Barroso, C., Mendo, S. & Creer, S., 1 Mar 2013, In: Molecular Ecology. 22, 6, p. 1589-1608

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  9. Published

    Phylogenomics and species delimitation for effective conservation of manta and devil rays

    Hosegood, J., Humble, E., Ogden, R., De Bruyn, M., Creer, S., Stevens, G. M. W., Abudaya, M., Bassos-Hull, K., Bonfil, R., Fernando, D., Foote, A., Hipperson, H., Jabado, R. W., Kaden, J., Moazzam, M., Peel, L. R., Pollett, S., Ponzo, A., Poortvliet, M., Salah, J., Senn, H., Stewart, J. D., Wintner, S. & Carvalho, G., Dec 2020, In: Molecular Ecology. 29, 24, p. 4783-4796

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  10. Published

    Managing human-mediated range shifts: understanding spatial, temporal and genetic variation in marine non-native species

    Holman, L. E., Parker-Nance, S., de Bruyn, M., Creer, S., Carvalho, G. & Rius, M., 14 Mar 2022, In: Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 377, 1846, 20210025.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  11. Published

    Animals, protists and bacteria share marine biogeographic patterns

    Holman, L. E., De Bruyn, M., Creer, S., Carvalho, G., Robidart, J. & Rius, M., 1 Jun 2021, In: Nature Ecology and Evolution. 5, 6, p. 738–746

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  12. Published

    Detection of introduced and resident marine species using environmental DNA metabarcoding of sediment and water

    Holman, L. E., de Bruyn, M., Creer, S., Carvalho, G., Robidart, J. & Rius, M., 9 Aug 2019, In: Scientific Reports. 9, 11559.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  13. Published

    Ancient geological dynamics impact neutral biodiversity accumulation and are detectable in phylogenetic reconstructions

    Herrera‐Alsina, L., Algar, A. C., Bocedi, G., Gubry‐Rangin, C., Lancaster, L., Mynard, P., Osborne, O., Papadopulos, A. S. T., Creer, S., Nangoy, M., Fahri, F., Lupiyaningdyah, P., Sudiana, I. M., Juliandi, B. & Travis, J. M. J., Aug 2021, In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. 30, 8, p. 1633-1642 10 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  14. Published

    Accounting for extinction dynamics unifies the geological and biological histories of Indo-Australian Archipelago

    Herrera-Alsina, L., Lancaster, L. T., Algar, A. C., Bocedi, G., Papadopulos, A. S. T., Gubry-Rangin, C., Osborne, O. G., Mynard, P., Creer, S., Villegas-Patraca, R., Made Sudiana, I., Fahri, F., Lupiyaningdyah, P., Nangoy, M., Iskandar, D. T., Juliandi, B., Burslem, D. F. R. P. & Travis, J. M. J., 30 Sept 2024, In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 291, 2031, p. 20240966

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  15. Published

    A common garden design reveals population-specific variability in potential impacts of hybridization between populations of farmed and wild Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.

    Harvey, A., Glover, K. A., Taylor, M., Creer, S. & Carvalho, G., 1 Mar 2016, In: Evolutionary Applications. 9, 3, p. 435-449

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  16. Published

    Plasticity in growth of farmed and wild Atlantic salmon: is the increased growth rate of farmed salmon caused by evolutionary adaptations to the commercial diet?

    Harvey, A., Solberg, M. F., Troianou, E., Carvalho, G., Taylor, M. I., Creer, S., Dyrhovden, L., Matre, I. H. & Glover, K. A., 1 Dec 2016, In: BMC Evolutionary Biology. 2016, 16, 264.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  17. Published

    Plasticity in response to feed availability: Does feeding regime influence the relative growth performance of domesticated, wild and hybrid Atlantic salmon Salmo salar parr?

    Harvey, A., Solberg, M. F., Glover, K. A., Taylor, M. I., Creer, S. & Carvalho, G., 1 Sept 2016, In: Journal of Fish Biology. 89, 3, p. 1754-1768

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  18. Published

    Does density influence relative growth performance of farmed, wild, and F1 hybrid Atlantic salmon in semi-natural and hatchery common garden conditions?

    Harvey, A., Carvalho, G., Taylor, M., Solberg, M. F., Creer, S., Dyrhovden, L., Matre, I. H. & Glover, K. A., 6 Jul 2016, In: Royal Society Open Science. 3, 7, 160152.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  19. Published

    UK DNA working group eDNA week, January 2022

    Handley, L. L., Blackwell, T., Broadhurst, H. A., Clark, K., Davison, P. I., England, J., Mariani, S., McDevitt, A. D., Pillay, G. K., Read, D., Walsh, K., Nisbet, A. & Creer, S., 1 Jan 2023, In: Environmental DNA. 5, 1, p. 18-24 7 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  20. Published

    An evaluation of the systematic value of skull morphology in the Trimeresurus radiation (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae) of Asian pitvipers.

    Guo, P., Malhotra, A., Creer, S. & Pook, C. E., 1 Nov 2009, In: Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 47, 4, p. 378-384

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  21. Published

    New evidence on the phylogenetic position of the poorly known Asian pitviper Protobothrops kaulbacki (Serpentes : Viperidae : Crotalinae) with a redescription of the species and a revision of the genus Protobothrops.

    Guo, P., Malhotra, A., Li, P. P., Pook, C. E. & Creer, S., 1 Oct 2007, In: Herpetological Journal. 17, 4, p. 237-246

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  22. Published

    Systematics of the Protobothrops jerdonii complex (Serpentes, Viperidae, Crotalinae) inferred from morphometric data and molecular phylogeny.

    Guo, P., Malhotra, A., Li, C., Creer, S., Pook, P. E. & Wen, T., 1 Jul 2009, In: Herpetological Journal. 19, 2, p. 85-96

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  23. Published
  24. Published

    A continuous feast of bramble: Rubus fruticosus agg. is a key cross-seasonal dietary resource for a fallow deer population

    Gresham, A., Pillay, K., Healey, J., Eichhorn, M., Ellison, A., Lowe, A., Creer, S., Cordes, L. & Shannon, G., 10 Feb 2025, In: Ecological Solutions and Evidence. 6, 1

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  25. Published

    Tideless estuaries in brackish seas as possible freshwater-marine transition zones for bacteria: the case study of the Vistula river estuary

    Golebiewski, M., Calkiewicz, J., Creer, S. & Piwosz, K., Apr 2017, In: Environmental Microbiology Reports. 9, 2, p. 129-143

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  26. Published

    DNA Metabarcoding Methods for the Study of Marine Benthic Meiofauna

    Gielings, R., Fais, M., Fontaneto, D., Creer, S., Costa, F. O., Renema, W. & Macher, J.-N., 30 Sept 2021, In: Frontiers in Marine Science.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  27. Published

    Environmental DNA reveals ecologically relevant spatial and temporal variation in fish assemblages between estuaries and seasons

    Gibson, T., Baillie, C., Collins, R. A., Wangensteen, O. S., Corrigan, L., Ellison, A., Heddell-Cowie, M., Westoby, H., Byatt, B., Lawson-Handley, L., Soto, A. Z., Creer, S., Genner, M. J. & Mariani, S., 1 Aug 2024, In: Ecological Indicators. 165, 112215.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  28. Published

    Environmental DNA metabarcoding for fish diversity assessment in a macrotidal estuary: A comparison with established fish survey methods

    Gibson, T., Carvalho, G., Ellison, A., Gargiulo, E., Hatton-Ellis, T., Handley, L. L., Mariani, S., Collins, R. A., Sellers, G., Distaso, M., Zampieri, C. & Creer, S., 1 Nov 2023, In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 294, 108522.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  29. Published

    Shifts in Soil Structure, Biological, and Functional Diversity Under Long-Term Carbon Deprivation

    George, P. B. L., Fidler, D. B., Van Nostrand, J. D., Atkinson, J. A., Mooney, S. J., Creer, S., Griffiths, R. I., McDonald, J. E., Robinson, D. A. & Jones, D. L., 14 Sept 2021, In: Frontiers in Microbiology. 12, 735022.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  30. Published

    Decoupled richness of generalist anaerobes and sulphate-reducing bacteria is driven bypHacross land uses in temperate soils

    George, P. B. L., Coelho, K. P., Creer, S., Lebron, I., Robinson, D. A. & Jones, D. L., Nov 2021, In: European Journal of Soil Science. 72, 6, p. 2445-2456 12 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  31. Published

    Divergent national-scale trends of microbial and animal biodiversity revealed across diverse temperate soil ecosystems

    George, P., Lallias, D., Creer, S., Seaton, F., Kenny, J. G., Eccles, R. M., Griffiths, R., Lebron, I., Emmett, B., Robinson, D. & Jones, D. L., 7 Mar 2019, In: Nature Communications. 10, 1, p. 1107 1107.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  32. Published

    Evaluation of mesofauna communities as soil quality indicators in a national-level monitoring programme

    George, P., Keith, A. M., Creer, S., Barrett, G. L., Lebron, I., Emmett, B. A., Robinson, D. & Jones, D., 1 Dec 2017, In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 115, p. 537-546

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  33. Published

    Primer and database choice affect fungal functional but not biological diversity findings in a national soil survey

    George, P., Creer, S., Griffiths, R. I., Emmett, B. A., Robinson, D. A. & Jones, D. L., 1 Nov 2019, In: Frontiers in Environmental Science. 7, 173.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  34. Published

    Microscale pollen release and dispersal patterns in flowering grass populations

    Frisk, C. A., Apangu, G. P., Petch, G. M., Creer, S., Hanson, M., Adams-Groom, B. & Skjoth, C. A., 1 Jul 2023, In: Science of the Total Environment. 880, 163345.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  35. Published

    Molecular ecology of microbiomes in the wild: Common pitfalls, methodological advances and future directions

    Fountain-Jones, N. M., Giraud, T., Zinger, L., Bik, H., Creer, S. & Videvall, E., 12 Jan 2024, In: Molecular Ecology. 33, 2, e1723.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  36. Published

    Metagenetic analysis of patterns of distribution and diversity of marine meiobenthic eukaryotes

    Fonseca, V. G., Carvalho, G. R., Nichols, B., Quince, C., Johnson, H. F., Neill, S. P., Lambshead, J. D., Thomas, W. K., Power, D. M. & Creer, S., 25 Aug 2014, In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. 23, 11, p. 1293–1302

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  37. Published

    Second-generation environmental sequencing unmasks marine metazoan biodiversity.

    Fonseca, V. G., Carvalho, G. R., Sung, W., Johnson, H. F., Power, D. M., Neill, S. P., Packer, M., Blaxter, M. L., Lambshead, J. D., Thomas, W. K. & Creer, S., 19 Oct 2010, In: Nature Communications. 1, 7, p. 98

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  38. Published

    Sample richness and genetic diversity as drivers of chimera formation in nSSU metagenetic analyses

    Fonseca, V. G., Nichols, B., Lallias, D., Quince, C., Carvalho, G. R., Power, D. M. & Creer, S., 25 Jan 2012, In: Nucleic Acids Research. 40, 9, p. e66

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  39. Published

    Revealing higher than expected meiofaunal diversity in Antarctic sediments: a metabarcoding approach

    Fonseca, V. G., Sinninger, F., Gaspar, J. M., Quince, C., Creer, S., Power, D., Peck, L. S. & Clark, M. S., 21 Jul 2017, In: Scientific Reports. 7, 6094.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  40. Published

    Environmental DNA monitoring of oncogenic viral shedding and genomic profiling of sea turtle fibropapillomatosis reveals unusual viral dynamics

    Farrell, J. A., Yetsko, K., Whitmore, L., Whilde, J., Eastman, C. B., Ramia, D. R., Thomas, R., Linser, P., Creer, S., Burkhalter, B., Schnitzler, C. & Duffy, D. J., 12 May 2021, In: Communications Biology. 4, 1, p. 565 1 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  41. Published

    Environmental DNA for Wildlife Biology and Biodiversity Monitoring

    Evans, A. R., Bohmann, K., Evans, A., Gilbert, M. T., Carvalho, G. R., Creer, S., Knapp, M., Yu, D. W. & De Bruyn, M., 10 May 2014, In: Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 29, 6, p. 358-367

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  42. Published

    100 years of anthropogenic impact causes changes in freshwater functional biodiversity

    Eastwood, N., Zhou, J., Derelle, R., Abdallah, M.A.-E., Stubbings, W. A., Jia, Y., Crawford, S. E., Davidson, T. A., Colbourne, J. K., Creer, S., Bik, H., Hollert, H. & Orsini, L., 7 Nov 2023, In: Elife. 12

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  43. Published

    Temporal genetic homogeneity among shore crab (Carcinus maenas) larval events supplied to an estuarine system on the Portuguese northwest coast.

    Domingues, C. P., Creer, S., Taylor, M. I., Queiroga, H. & Carvalho, G. R., 1 May 2011, In: Heredity. 106, 5, p. 832-840

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  44. Published

    Genetic structure of Carcinus maenas within its native range: larval dispersal and oceanographic variability.

    Domingues, C. P., Creer, S., Taylor, M. I., Queiroga, H. & Carvalho, G. R., 14 Jul 2010, In: Marine Ecology Progress Series. 410, p. 111-123

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  45. Published

    Coexisting cryptic species of the Litoditis marina complex (Nematoda) show differential resource use and have distinct microbiomes with high intraspecific variability

    Derycke, S., De Meester, N., Rigaux, A., Creer, S., Bik, H. M., Thomas, W. K. & Moens, T., May 2016, In: Molecular Ecology. 25, 9, p. 2093-2110

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  46. Published

    Environmental DNA metabarcoding: transforming how we survey animal and plant communities

    Deiner, K., Bik, H. M., Machler, E., Seymour, M., Lacoursiere-Roussel, A., Altermatt, F., Creer, S., Bista, I. & Lodge, D. M., Nov 2017, In: Molecular Ecology Resources. 26, 21, p. 5872-5895

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  47. Published

    Using DNA metabarcoding to investigate honey bee foraging reveals limited flower use despite high floral availability

    De Vere, N., Jones, L. E., Gilmore, T., Moscrop, J., Lowe, A., Smith, D., Hegarty, M. J., Creer, S. & Ford, C. R., 2017, In: Scientific Reports. 7, 42838.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  48. Published

    Novel insights into marine fish biodiversity across a pronounced environmental gradient using replicated environmental DNA analyses

    Czachur, M. V., Seymour, M., Creer, S. & von der Heyden, S., 1 Jan 2022, In: Environmental DNA. 4, 1

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  49. Published

    Marine ecology: Genetics from a drop in the ocean

    Creer, S. & Seymour, M., 4 Jan 2017, In: Nature Ecology and Evolution. 1, 0037.

    Research output: Contribution to journalComment/debate

  50. Published

    The utility of AFLPs for supporting mitochondrial DNA phylogeographical analyses in the Taiwanese bamboo viper, Trimeresurus stejnegeri

    Creer, S., Thorpe, R., Malhotra, A., Chou, W. H. & Stenson, A. G., 1 Jan 2004, In: Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 17, 1, p. 100-107

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review