Project highlights

  • Engage with, and become an integral part of, an exciting multi-institutional conservation project 
  • Carry out academic research in partnership with CASE partner Twycross Zoo 
  • Perform important public outreach to highlight the importance of insect conservation 

Overview

This is a fantastic opportunity to engage in important conservation research and become an integral part of an exciting, established collaboration between Twycross Zoo, Butterfly Conservation, Natural England, Forestry England, Natural History Museum and the University of Leicester. This project aims to protect existing populations of the Kentish glory moth (KGM, Endromis versicolora) and to reintroduce it into England, initially the Wyre Forest.  

KGM is a phylogenetically important species being the only member of its subfamily of Lepidoptera (butterflies & moths), and the only member of its family which ranges into western Asia and Europe. Sadly, the species is extinct in England and Wales, with only small fragmented populations remaining in Scotland. In continental Europe, as well as the UK, populations are increasingly fragmented and, given the species’ limited dispersal, small population fragments potentially suffer the detrimental effects of localised inbreeding.   

This PhD will investigate the population and conservation genomics of KGM at a landscape scale with the explicit aim of informing the hands-on management of this species. It will also make general suggestions for the genetic management of insect species. Questions of particular interest are: 

  1. How does genomic differentiation relate to habitat availability and isolation? 
  1. Is there evidence of a decline in genetic variation over the past 120 years? 
  1. Are there populations with low genetic variation requiring genetic rescue to increase adaptability in the face of habitat / climate change? 
  1. Which populations are potential sources for conservation breeding and reintroduction into England? 
  1. Are there two species of Kentish glory moth in Europe?  

The strong partnership between TZ, BC, NE, FE, NHM and UoL ensures these questions are answerable. Pilot work has revealed interesting of patterns genetic variation in extant populations (Figure 1, C) and shown that DNA sequences can be obtained from museum specimens over 100 years old. An important remit of the student will be to maximise the impact of the project to the general public. This will be achieved by producing outreach material: zoo interpretation, press releases, popular science articles and engaging with other forms of dissemination (e.g. podcasts, radio). 

3-part figure: A: photo of pinned moth; B: map with location of moth occurrences; C: diagram showing a network of haplotypes

Figure 1: A: A Kentish glory moth in the NHM collection from the Wyre Forest collected in 1929; B: Occurrences of Kentish glory moth in Scotland 2014-2024 (data from: gbif.org); C: A minimum spanning network of haplotypes for a 9 Kb region of the mitochondrial DNA showing extant Scottish samples (purple & red) are distinct from continental European and Chinese samples (yellow & green). Bracketed numbers show nucleotide differences. 

CENTA Flagship

This is a CENTA Flagship Project

Case funding

This project is suitable for CASE funding

Host

University of Leicester

Theme

  • Climate and Environmental Sustainability
  • Organisms and Ecosystems

Supervisors

Project investigator

Co-investigators

How to apply

Methodology

You will use a whole genome approach to investigate contemporary and historical population genetics of this species.  You will extract DNA from contemporary and historical samples (NHM and other museums).  You will engage in obtaining samples by liaising with collaborators (the partnership is setting up a network of samplers across Europe) and taking part in field collection trips using light traps. DNA will be sampled non-destructively from small wing clips using already established protocols that we have shown give high quality DNA. Sequencing reads will be mapped to a reference genome (KGM is to be sequenced by the Darwin Tree of Life (https://www.darwintreeoflife.org/) and genetic differences scored bioinformatically. The population genomics and past population histories will be inferred from these data using established statistical approaches. Using available occurrence data (https://www.gbif.org/), you will model available habitats and quantify fragmentation to assess its impact on population genetic differentiation. 

Training and skills

DRs will be awarded CENTA Training Credits (CTCs) for participation in CENTA-provided and ‘free choice’ external training. One CTC can be earned per 3 hours training, and DRs must accrue 100 CTCs across the three and a half years of their PhD.  

You will receive training in conservation genetics and genomics from the supervisory team. This will include wet-lab molecular genetics and bioinformatics (R, working in Linux in a HPC environment) with students potentially attending relevant courses on UoL MScs in Molecular Genetics and in Bioinformatics. Training will also be given in scientific writing, manuscript preparation and conference presentation. As a CASE project, you will spend a minimum of three months working at Twycross Zoo (might be more, depending on the student). At TZ you will receive training in insect rearing and the genetic management of reintroduction stocks, as well as in conveying science to the public. The student will gain important skills in project management and networking by the experience of working in a multi-organisation collaboration where you will be expected to provide progress updates to project partners and attend quarterly meetings. 

Partners and collaboration

Partners provide excellent support for this PhD: conservation genomics (UoL), animal rearing, public outreach and project management (TZ), butterfly/moth conservation (BC), DNA sequencing of museum samples/taxonomy (NHM), habitat mapping/management (NE, FE). Through their 2023-2030 Conservation Strategy, CASE partner TZ have a commitment to native species conservation, including the recovery of the KGM as a flagship species. As well as the formal agreement involving TZ, NE, NHM and UoL (all CENTA partners), this project informally works with a wider network including the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and various Butterfly Conservation partners across Europe, offering further networking opportunities.  

Further details

For any enquiries related to this project please contact Dr Robert Hammond, University of Leicester ([email protected]) or Dr Stuart Young, Twycross Zoo ([email protected]).    

To apply to this project:  

  • You must include a CV with the names of at least two referees (preferably three) who can comment on your academic abilities.  
  • Please submit your application and complete the host institution application process via: CENTA PhD Studentships | Postgraduate research | University of Leicester.  Please scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the “Apply Now” button.  The “How to apply” tab at the bottom of the page gives instructions on how to submit your completed CENTA Studentship Application Form 2025, your CV and your other supporting documents to your University of Leicester application. Please quote CENTA 2025-L5  when completing the application form.  

Applications must be submitted by 23:59 GMT on Wednesday 8th January 2025.  

Possible timeline

Year 1

Sample collection & database, DNA extraction & sequencing, write review of insect reintroductions.

Year 2

CASE training at TZ, Data QC and analysis, national conference presentation, public outreach.

Year 3

Analysis of data, thesis / paper writing, international conference presentation, public outreach.

Further reading

Deng, M., Zwick, A., Chen, Q., Liao, C.-Q., Wang, W., Wang, X., Huang, G.-H., 2023. Phylogeny and classification of Endromidae (Lepidoptera: Bombycoidea) based on mitochondrial genomes. Arthropod Syst. Phylogeny 81, 395–408. https://doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e90721 

Hohenlohe, P.A., Funk, W.C., Rajora, O.P., 2021. Population genomics for wildlife conservation and management. Mol. Ecol. 30, 62–82. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.15720 

Kardos, M., Armstrong, E.E., Fitzpatrick, S.W., Hauser, S., Hedrick, P.W., Miller, J.M., Tallmon, D.A., Funk, W.C., 2021. The crucial role of genome-wide genetic variation in conservation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 118, e2104642118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2104642118 

Ralls, K., Sunnucks, P., Lacy, R.C., Frankham, R., 2020. Genetic rescue: A critique of the evidence supports maximizing genetic diversity rather than minimizing the introduction of putatively harmful genetic variation. Biol. Conserv. 251, 108784. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108784 

Sánchez-Bayo, F., Wyckhuys, K.A.G., 2019. Worldwide decline of the entomofauna: A review of its drivers. Biol. Conserv. 232, 8–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.01.020 

Schultz, C.B., Russell, C., Wynn, L., 2008. Restoration, reintroduction, and captive propagation for at-risk butterflies: A review of British and American conservation efforts. Isr. J. Ecol. Evol. 54, 41–61. https://doi.org/10.1560/IJEE.54.1.41 

Storer, C., Daniels, J., Xiao, L., Rossetti, K., 2019. Using noninvasive genetic sampling to survey rare butterfly populations. Insects 10, 311. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects10100311