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. 2023
  2. Complementary uses of stable isotope and dietary metabarcoding analyses for trophic web determination in freshwater and estuarine tropical fishes

    Author: Pillay, K., 29 Sept 2023

    Supervisor: Creer, S. (Supervisor), Fenner, N. (Supervisor), Milner, N. (Supervisor), Urakawa, H. (External person) (Supervisor) & Parsons, M. (External person) (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  3. Exploring novel techniques to quantify habitat use, diet, and ecological effects of deer, with a focus on fallow deer (Dama dama) in the Elwy Valley, North Wales

    Author: Gresham, A., 11 Aug 2023

    Supervisor: Shannon, G. (Supervisor), Healey, J. (Supervisor), Eichhorn, M. (External person) (Supervisor) & Creer, S. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  4. Assessing the Utility of Aqueous eDNA for Invertebrate Biodiversity Assessment in Reens and Ditches.

    Author: Harris, S., 19 Jul 2023

    Supervisor: Creer, S. (Supervisor), Ellison, A. (Supervisor) & Perry, W. (External person) (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Masters by Research

  5. 2022
  6. Detection of an invasive, semi-aquatic mammal: development of an environmental DNA assay and comparison to a conventional method

    Author: Pugh, B., 24 Oct 2022

    Supervisor: Creer, S. (Supervisor) & Shannon, G. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Masters by Research

  7. The Development of eDNA Metabarcoding for the Monitoring of Fishes in Estuaries

    Author: Gibson, T., 24 Oct 2022

    Supervisor: Creer, S. (Supervisor), Ellison, A. (Supervisor) & Carvalho, G. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  8. Investigating floral resource use by pollinators using pollen DNA metabarcoding

    Author: Lowe, A., 13 Jun 2022

    Supervisor: Creer, S. (Supervisor) & de Vere, N. (External person) (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  9. Utilising Chronobiology For Sustainable Aquaculture Nutrition & Fish Health

    Author: Gregory, C., 28 Feb 2022

    Supervisor: Creer, S. (Supervisor) & Ellison, A. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Masters by Research

  10. 2020
  11. From morphology to microbiome: common garden studies in wild, farmed and hybrid Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

    Author: Perry, W., 12 Aug 2020

    Supervisor: Carvalho, G. (Supervisor), Creer, S. (Supervisor), Glover, K. A. (External person) (Supervisor), Solberg, M. F. (External person) (Supervisor), Llewellyn, M. (Supervisor) & Taylor, M. I. (External person) (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  12. Monitoring and analysis of the structure, function and biodiversity of soils

    Author: Seaton, F., 8 Jun 2020

    Supervisor: Jones, D. (Supervisor), Robinson, D. (External person) (Supervisor) & Creer, S. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  13. Investigating the foraging preferences of the honeybee, Apis mellifera L., using DNA metabarcoding

    Author: Jones, L., 22 Apr 2020

    Supervisor: Creer, S. (Supervisor) & De Vere, N. (External person) (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  14. Genomic Tools for Conservation and Management of Manta and Devil Rays (Mobula Spp.)

    Author: Hosegood, J., 25 Feb 2020

    Supervisor: Carvalho, G. (Supervisor), Creer, S. (Supervisor), Ogden, R. (External person) (Supervisor) & De Bruyn, M. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  15. Responses of soil biological and functional diversity to anthropogenic change from plot- to national-scales

    Author: George, P., 10 Feb 2020

    Supervisor: Jones, D. (Supervisor), Robinson, D. A. (External person) (Supervisor) & Creer, S. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  16. 2019
  17. Exploring the biodiversity of the lakes of the Malay Archipelago using environmental DNA metabarcoding

    Author: Evans, A., 4 Jun 2019

    Supervisor: De Bruyn, M. (Supervisor), Creer, S. (Supervisor) & Carvalho, G. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  18. 2017
  19. Oviposition site selection by Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (Diptera: Culicidae) at coastal sites in Kenya

    Author: Roberts, S., Jan 2017

    Supervisor: Steele, K. (Supervisor) & Creer, S. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  20. A Novel Assessment of the Temporal and Abiotic Factors Influencing Environmental DNA Derived from Freshwater Biofilms

    Author: Wilgar, G., 2017

    Supervisor: Creer, S. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Masters by Research

  21. 2016
  22. Defining a High Throughput Sequencing identification framework for freshwater ecosystem biomonitoring

    Author: Bista, I., Jan 2016

    Supervisor: Creer, S. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  23. Investigating fitness consequences of hybridisation between farmed and wild Atlantic salmon

    Author: Harvey, A., Jan 2016

    Supervisor: Carvalho, G. (Supervisor), Creer, S. (Supervisor), Glover, K. (External person) (Supervisor) & Taylor, M. I. (External person) (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  24. Using high-throughput sequencing to investigate microbial mechanisms underlying drought-driven carbon release from peatlands

    Author: Potter, C., Jan 2016

    Supervisor: Creer, S. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  25. 2013
  26. Advancing mitogenomics : a case study in the Araneae

    Author: Briscoe, A., 22 Aug 2013

    Supervisor: Creer, S. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  27. 2011
  28. Defining marine meiofaunal genetic diversity using 454 sequencing

    Author: Garcia da Fonseca Batista, V., Jan 2011

    Supervisor: Creer, S. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy

  29. 2000
  30. Molecular Phylogeography and Venom Evolution of Trimeresurus stejnegeri in Taiwan.

    Author: Creer, S., Nov 2000

    Supervisor: Malhotra, A. (Supervisor) & Thorpe, R. (Supervisor)

    Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy