Justin Irvine

Honorary Associate
Ecological Sciences
T: +44 (0)344 928 5428 (*)

My research has focused on understanding the mechanisms governing the population regulation in free ranging herbivores with an emphasis on the role that disease plays in the dynamics of these ecosystems. Current work focuses on the relative impacts of wild and domestic herbivores on the biodiversity and conservation of upland in the light of climate and land-use change.

I am developing an interdisciplinary approach to link the above work on grazing ecology with social and economic scientists in order to tackle the management of natural resources using hunting as a lens. This has lead to a RELU funded project entitled Collaborative frameworks in land management: A case study on integrated deer management to address conflicts over land-use objectives. Further to this, I coordinate an EU FP7 project looking at the role of hunting for the conservation of biodiversity in Europe and Africa and a Defra funded Darwin grant developing community based natural resource management approaches in the Ethiopian highlands.

Publications

The following Publications have not yet been migrated to the James Hutton Institute's Pure service and relate to the research outputs from the two legacy organisations: The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and The Scottish Crop Research Institute.

Journals

Prior to appointment

  • Irvine, R.J. (2004) Deer welfare – data collection and analysis of seasons. Final analyses and report on all data, 19 March 2004., CEH Project Report No C02360 to Deer Commission for Scotland, 33pp.
  • Mougeot, F.; Irvine, R.J.; Seivwright, L.; Redpath, S.M.; Piertney, S. (2004) Testosterone, immunocompetence, and honest sexual signaling in male red grouse., Behavioral Ecology, 15, 930-937.
  • Irvine, R.J. (2003) Deer welfare – literature review : Calving and independence dates, shot placemnet and orphaning rates, disease levels and body condition., Final Report, CEH Project No C02360, 30 December 2003, 18pp.
  • Gunn, A.; Irvine, R.J. (2003) Subclinical parasitism and ruminant foraging strategies – a review., Wildlife Society Bulletin, 31, 117-126.
  • Milner, J.M.; Stien, A.; Irvine, R.J.; Albon, S.D.; Langvatn, R.; Ropstad, E. (2003) Body condition in Svalbard reindeer and the use of blood parameters as indicators of condition and fitness., Canadian Journal of Zoology, 81, 1566-1578.
  • Stien, A.; Irvine, R.J.; Langvatn, R.; Ropstad, E. (2003) Evaluation of ultrasound scanning as a method for measuring subcutaneous fat in Svalbard reindeer., Rangifer, 23, 71-73.
  • Irvine, R.J.; Dallas, J.F. (2002) Efficient polymerase chain reaction detection of the second internal transcribed spacer of mucosa-derived larvae is dependent on the larval extraction method., Journal of Parasitology, 88, 807-809.
  • Stien, A.; Irvine, R.J.; Ropstad, E.; Halvorsen, O.; Langvatn, R.; Albon, S.D. (2002) The impact of gastrointestinal nematodes on wild reindeer: experimental and cross – sectional studies., Journal of Animal Ecology, 71, 937-945.
  • Stien, A.; Irvine, R.J.; Halvorsen, O.; Langvatn, R.; Albon, S.D. (2002) The population dynamics of Ostertagia gruehneri in reindeer: a model for the seasonal and intensity dependent variation in nematode fecundity., International Journal of Parasitology, 32, 991-996.
  • Cote, S.D.; Dallas, J.F.; Marshall, F.; Irvine, R.J.; Langvatn, R.; Albon, S.D. (2002) Microsatellite DNA evidence for genetic drift and philopatry in Svalbard reindeer., Molecular Ecology, 11, 1923-1930.
  • Albon, S.D.; Stien, A.; Irvine, R.J.; Langvatn, R.; Ropstad, E.; Halvorsen, O. (2002) The role of parasites in the regulation of a reindeer population., Proceedings of the Royal Society, B, 269, 1625-1632.
  • Dallas, J.F.; Irvine, R.J.; Halvorsen, O. (2001) DNA evidence that Marshallagia marshalli Ransom, 1907 and M-occidentalis Ransom, 1907 (Nematoda : Ostertagiinae) from Svalbard reindeer are conspecific., Systematic Parasitology, 50, 101-103.
  • Irvine, R.J.; Stien, A.; Dallas, J.F.; Halvorsen, O.; Langvatn, R.; Albon, S.D. (2001) Contrasting regulation of fecundity in two abomasal nematodes of Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus)., Parasitology, 122, 673-681.
  • Dallas, J.F.; Irvine, R.J.; Albon, S.D.; Halvorsen, O. (2000) Identification of females and larvae of Marshallagia marshalli and Ostertagia gruehneri (Nematoda: Ostertaginae) from reindeer on Svalbard by multiplex PCR., International Journal for Parasitology, 30, 863-866.
  • Dallas, J.F.; Irvine, R.J.; Halvorsen, O. (2000) DNA evidence that Ostertagia gruehneri and Ostertagia arctica (Nematoda : Ostertagiinae) in reindeer from Norway and Svalbard are conspecific., International Journal for Parasitology, 30, 655-658.
  • Irvine, R.J. (2000) Use of moxidectin treatment in the investigation of abomasal nematodiasis in wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus)., Veterinary Record, 147, 570-573.
  • van der Wal, R.; Irvine, R.J.; Stien, A.; Shepherd, N.; Albon, S.D. (2000) Faecal avoidance and the risk of infection by nematodes in a natural population of reindeer., Oecologia, 124, 19-25.
  • Irvine, R.J.; Stien, A.; Halvorsen, O.; Langvatn, R.; Albon, S.D. (2000) Life-history strategies and population dynamics of abomasal nematodes in Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus)., Parasitology, 120, 297-311.
  • Dallas, J.F.; Irvine, R.J.; Halvorsen, O.; Albon, S.D. (2000) Identification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of Marshallagia marshalli and Ostertagia gruehneri from Svalbard reindeer., International Journal of Parasitology, 30, 863-866.
  • Ropstad, E.; Johansen, O.; King, C.; Dahl, E.; Albon, S.D.; Langvatn, R.; Irvine, R.J.; Halvorsen, O.; Sasser, G. (1999) Comparison of plasma progesterone, transrectal ultrasound and pregnancy specific proteins (PSPB) used for pregnancy diagnosis in reindeer., Acta Veterinaria Scandinavia, 40, 151-162.
  • Langvatn, R.; Albon, S.D.; Irvine, R.J.; Halvorsen, O.; Ropstad, E. (1999) Parasitter, kondisjon og reproduksjon hos Svalbardrein in Terrestrisk okologisk forskningsprogram p? Svalbard, Svalbardtundraens Okologi., Parasitter, kondisjon og reproduksjon hos Svalbardrein in Terrestrisk okologisk forskningsprogram p? Svalbard, Svalbardtundraens Okologi (ed. S.A.Bengtson, F. Mehlum and T Severinsen (Redaktorer).
    Chapter 14, pp139-148.
  • Halvorsen, O.; Stien, A.; Irvine, R.J.; Langvatn, R.; Albon, S.D. (1999) Evidence for continued transmission of parasitic nematodes in reindeer during the Arctic winter., International Journal for Parasitology, 29, 567-579.

Technical / contract reports

  • Irvine, J. (2011) Developing a new vision for deer management: From species management to ecosystem approach, policy implications of current thinking., Report for FP7 HUNT project (212160).
  • Davies, A.; Irvine, R.J. (2011) Mapping tools for collaborative deer management., Report to Cairngorms Speyside Deer Management Group.
  • Davies, A.; Irvine, R.J. (2011) Cumbria report – An integrated approach to deer management., Report to Deer Initiative.
  • Irvine, R.J.; Fischer, A.; Skogen, K.; Sandstrom, C.; Hanley, N.D.; Arroyo, B.; Milner-Gulland, E.J.; Linnell, J.; Redpath, S.M. (2011) Hunting for sustainability., 2nd Periodic Report to European Commission.
  • Irvine, R.J.; Laurenson, K.; Wakijra, D. (2011) Building natural resource monitoring capacity in Ethiopia’s key Afro-montane ecosystems (CAMP- Community Afromontane Monitoring Project)., 2nd Annual Report to Darwin.
  • Brassey, R.; Armstrong, H.; Goddard, P.; Perez-Barberia, J.; Irvine, R.J. (2010) Developing methods to monitor performance and health of deer RP64 final report 2008 – 2010., Final report on Project RO 64 to Deer Commission Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage.
  • Irvine, R.J.; Fiorini, S.; Yearley, S.; McLeod, J.E.; Turner, A.; Armstrong, H.; van der Wal, R.; Macmillan, D.C.; Mayle, B.; O’Brien, L..; White, R.M.; Dandy, N.; Philip, S.; White, P.C.L. (2010) Collaborative frameworks in land management: a case study on integrated deer management., End of Award Report for the Rural Economy and Land Use Programme. Reference Number 224-25-0014. Submitted to Economic and Social Research Council, Swindon.
  • Fielding, D.A.; Irvine, R.J.; van der Wal, R. (2009) The role of ungulate carcasses for biodiversity., Contract Report for The John Muir Trust.
  • Albon, S.D.; Armstrong, H.; Ballantyne, S.; Elston, D.; Hooper, R.; Irvine, R.J.; Perez-Barberia, J.; Potts J. (2009) A methodology to describe regional and national deer populations and trends in Scotland., Deer Commission for Scotland RP73.
  • Irvine, R.J.; Pearce, I.; van der Wal, R.; Fiorini, S. (2008) Developing methodologies for assessing diffuse deer impacts in the wider countryside., SEERAD FF Nick Halfide/Mike Daniels. Final Report to RERAD, including activities in the extension period January – March 2008.
  • Thirgood, S.J.; Sibbald, A.M.; Irvine, R.J. (2007) Methodologies to monitor deer movements at the landscape scale., SEERAD FF.
  • Irvine, R.J. (2006) Progress report: Developing methodologies for assessing diffuse deer impacts in the wider countryside., SEERAD FF. (Mike Daniels).

Conference papers

  • Irvine, R.J. (2009) Managing wild deer in Scotland: Linking science and practice to resolve grazing conflicts., Sino-German Tibetan Rangeland Ecosystem Research Symposium Langzhou University, China, 20-26 July 2009

Conference posters / abstracts

  • Black, H.I.J.; Brooker, R.W.; McVittie, A.; Irvine, R.J.; Coull, M.C. (2011) Ecosystem Services in the Scottish Government’s Environmental Change Research Programme, British Ecological Society Annual Meeting 2011, University of Sheffield, 12-14 September 2011.
  • Irvine, R.J.; Albon, S.D. (2009) Retreat from the hills: consequences for biodiversity., Forestry Commission and Scottish Natural Heritage, Silvan House Corstorphine, Edinburgh. Drop in poster session.

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