Rate My Professor David Bilton

Professor David Bilton is Professor of Aquatic Biology in the School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, at the University of Plymouth. He holds an MA from the University of Oxford and a PhD from the University of London. Bilton's research addresses a variety of ecological and evolutionary issues, primarily using aquatic insects, especially water beetles, as model organisms. His work encompasses biogeography, conservation, macroecology, speciation, biological species concepts, and arthropod zoology. Recent efforts have focused on the diverse freshwater fauna of the Republic of South Africa, including the description of new species such as Anacaena from the Cederberg Range (Bilton et al., 2025, Zootaxa) and Protozantaena from Namaqualand (Bilton et al., 2024, Zootaxa). He has authored over 200 scientific papers, four books, and numerous invited reviews and book chapters. Notable publications include 'Dispersal in freshwater invertebrates' (2001, Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics), 'Thermal tolerance, acclimatory capacity and vulnerability to global climate change' (2008, Biology Letters), 'What determines a species’ geographical range? Thermal biology and latitudinal range size relationships in European diving beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)' (2010, Journal of Animal Ecology), and 'Oxygen supply in aquatic ectotherms: partial pressure and solubility together explain biodiversity and size patterns' (2011, Ecology).

In his career at the University of Plymouth, Bilton serves as Deputy Director of the NERC ARIES Doctoral Training Partnership, Faculty of Science and Engineering Postgraduate Research lead, and Deputy Director of the Doctoral College. He is also Visiting Professor in the Department of Zoology at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Bilton has supervised over ten PhD theses on topics such as dispersal in stream invertebrates, temporary pond ecology, marine nematode biodiversity, mammalian phylogenetic diversity in Mexico, iguana population genetics, barnacle genetics, storm petrel biology, tardigrades, diving beetle rarity, Indian rocky plateau biogeography, and tardigrade ecology. He received the Marsh Award for Marine and Freshwater Conservation in 2013. Bilton holds editorial roles as Subject Editor for Zootaxa and Biodiversity Data Journal, Associate Editor for Journal of Insect Conservation, and Editorial Board member for Psyche: A Journal of Entomology. He is Secretary of the Aquatic Coleoptera Conservation Trust, member of the Ponds Advisory Council, and committee member of the Balfour-Browne Club. In teaching, he contributes to modules across undergraduate years, including Biodiversity, Introduction to Marine Biology, Ecology, Coastal Biodiversity field course in South Africa, Speciation and Diversity (module leader), and Global Change Biology, and supervises 6-10 BSc, MSc, and MRes projects annually.