Senior Research Ecologist
Daniel is a Research Ecologist and part of the Wetland & Marine Research Team. His work primarily involves fieldwork and data analysis contributing to seabird tracking and monitoring projects.
Interests and responsibilities
Daniel has a broad interest in marine ecology with particular focus on the response of seabird species to changes in the marine environment. Within BTO, Daniel has worked on tracking projects assessing seabird behaviour and distributions in relation to environmental covariates and marine renewable energy devices. He has a particular interest in the impacts of novel marine renewable devices, including tidal stream turbines, on the marine environment and diving seabirds. He has a keen interest in improving the management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) targeted for seabirds, through improved knowledge of seabird foraging behaviour. He also has a background in using camera traps and visual observations to investigate seabird diet, kleptoparasitism, and nest predation.
Qualifications
PhD, “Investigating the foraging ecology of black guillemots Cepphus grylle in relation to tidal stream turbines and marine protected areas”, University of the Highlands and Islands (2015 - 2019)
MRes, Marine and Fisheries Ecology, University of Aberdeen (2011 - 2012)
BSc (Hons), Marine and Freshwater Biology, University of Glasgow (2007 - 2011)
Recent BTO publications
- Johnston, D.T., Atkinson, P.W., Leech, E.I., Burton, N.H.K., Humphreys, E.M., Robinson, R.A., Blackburn, J.R., Blackburn, A.C., Brides, K., Boland, H., Burke, B., Daunt, F., Davies, J.C., Edwards, P.J., Furness, R.W., Holman, D., Redfern, C.P.F., Swann, R.L., Roper, P., Stansfield, S.D., Walsh, A.J. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W 2025. Using ring (band) recovery data to examine the impact of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) on wild bird populations. Bird Study 72: 39-50 doi:10.1080/00063657.2025.2491797
- Johnston, D.T., Masden, E.A. Booth Jones, K.A. & Humphreys, E.M. 2025. Combining temperature-depth recorder and GPS data improves identification of foraging habitat in diving seabirds. Marine Biology 172: doi:10.1007/s00227-025-04742-0
- Rhoades, J., Johnston, D.T., Humphreys, E.M. & Boersch-Supan, P.H. 2025. Review of methods used to calculate scale of artificial nesting structures proposed as a compensation measure for Kittiwake mortality at offshore wind farms. BTO Research Report 788:
- O'Hanlon, N.J., Clewley, G.D., Johnston, D.T., Thaxter, C.B., Langlois Lopez, S., Quinn, L.R., Boersch-Supan, P.H., Masden, E.A., Daunt, F., Wilson, J., Burton, N.H.K. & Humphreys, E.M. 2025. Partial niche partitioning in three sympatric gull species through foraging areas and habitat selection. Ecology and Evolution 15: doi:10.1002/ece3.71577
- Johnston, D.T., Humphreys, E.M., Davies, J.G., Evans, T., Howells, R.J. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. 2025. Current understanding of how climate change affects seabirds varies between regions and species in the North-East Atlantic. Marine Ecology Progress Series 755: 163-177 doi:10.3354/meps14785
- Frederiksen, M., Layton-Matthews, K., Bennett, S., Funder Castenschiold, J.H., Cruz-Flores, M., Edney, A.J., Fauchald, P., Franklin, K.A., Guímaro, H.R., Hereward, H.F.R., Johnston, D.T., Merkel, B., Molværsmyr, S., Sauser, C., Snell, K.R.S. & Humphreys, E.M. 2025. Opportunities and challenges for new technologies in seabird population monitoring. ICES Journal of Marine Science 82: doi:doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsaf115
- Johnston, D., Langlois Lopez, S., Humphreys, E. & O’Hanlon, N. 2025. A review of the Biological Defined Minimum Population Scale (BDMPS) approach and methodology to apportioning non-breeding season impacts on seabirds arising from offshore wind farms. BTO Research Report 791:
- Feather, A.P., Burton, N.H.K., Johnston, D.T. & Boersch-Supan, P.H. 2025. A review of existing methods to collect data on seabird flight height distributions and their use in offshore wind farm impact assessments. BTO Research Report 780:
- Thaxter, C.B., Quinn, L., Atkinson, P., Booth Jones, K.A., Clark, N.A., Clewley, G.D., Green, R.M.W., O'Hanlon, N.J., Johnston, D.T., Masden, E.A., Ross-Smith, V.H., Sage, E., Scragg, E., Taylor, R., Burton, N.K.H. & Humpreys, E.H. 2025. Breeding and foraging habitat are important in determining foraging ranges of sympatric generalist species. Ibis doi:10.1111/ibi.13446
- O’Hanlon, N.J., Clewley, G.D., Davies, J.G., Johnston, D.T., Booth Jones, K.A., Green, R.M.W., Weston, E., Humphreys, E.M. & Cook, A.S.C.P. 2024. Trial of the use of silicone cord leg-loop harnesses on Black-legged Kittiwake during the 2023 breeding season. BTO Research Report 772:
Other publications
Johnston, D.T., Furness, R.W., Robbins, A.M.C., Taggart, M.A., Tyler, G., Masden, E.A., 2019. Variations in Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle natal dispersal and philopatry across Britain and Ireland. Bird Study 65, 564–569.
Johnston, D.T., Furness, R.W., Robbins, A.M.C., Tyler, G., Taggart, M.A., Masden, E.A., 2018. Black guillemot ecology in relation to tidal stream energy generation: An evaluation of current knowledge and information gaps. Marine Environmental Research 134, 121–129.
Black, C., Collen, B., Johnston, D., Hart, T., 2016. Why huddle? Ecological drivers of chick aggregations in gentoo penguins, Pygoscelis papua, across latitudes. PLoS ONE 11, e0145676.
Johnston, D. T., Furness, R. W., Robbins, A. M., Tyler, G. A., McIlvenny, J., & Masden, E. A., 2021. Tidal stream use by black guillemots Cepphus grylle in relation to a marine renewable energy development. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 669, 201-212.