Manus Giovanni Leidi

Reconstructing the trophic ecology of Caribbean mammals: new baselines to understand island evolution, extinction and conservation

Caribbean islands have experienced some of the highest rates of vertebrate extinction recorded anywhere in the world, yet the ecological roles of many extinct species remain poorly understood. Manus' PhD research focuses on reconstructing the trophic ecology of extinct and threatened Caribbean mammals to establish ecological baselines from before major human-driven environmental change. By understanding how these species interacted with their environments, his research aims to improve our understanding of island evolution, extinction processes and biodiversity loss, whilst generating evidence that can support future conservation management and species recovery efforts.

To address these questions, Manus uses a combination of ancient DNA, stable isotope analysis, radiocarbon dating and zooarchaeological evidence. This interdisciplinary approach allows him to investigate past diets, ecological niches and species interactions, providing insight into how Caribbean ecosystems functioned before widespread species declines and extinctions. The project is a collaboration between ZSL's Institute of Zoology, the University of Reading, the Natural History Museum and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

Prior to joining ZSL, Manus completed a First Class MBiol in Biological Sciences at Cardiff University, including a professional training year at Amgueddfa Cymru (National Museum Wales). Under the supervision of Dr Frank Hailer, his master's research investigated the conservation and evolutionary genomics of the historical British white-tailed eagle population. He subsequently worked as a genomics researcher and senior technician within the same research group. During this time, he contributed to projects on wildlife population genomics and non-invasive genetic monitoring, combining molecular laboratory techniques with bioinformatic analyses. His broader research interests focus on applying genomic and interdisciplinary approaches to understand biodiversity change and support evidence-based conservation.