Hazel Reddington
I am a NERC-funded DPhil student in the Department of Biology, supervised by Professor Lindsay Turnbull and Professor Baroness Kathy Willis. My research explores how light pollution affects plants, with a particular focus on flowering and the timing of traits that attract pollinators.
Plants rely on natural light cycles to coordinate processes such as flower opening, scent release, and nectar production - all essential for successful pollination. Artificial light at night can disrupt these rhythms, potentially reducing plant reproductive success and interfering with interactions between plants and pollinators.
To investigate these effects, I combine lab-based experiments and fieldwork, using White Campion (Silene latifolia) as a model species. By understanding how artificial light at night influences floral traits and pollination, I hope to contribute to evidence-based strategies for restoring and protecting pollination services in light-polluted environments.
Before starting my DPhil, I worked as a research technician and research assistant in ecology and botany labs in Oxford and Dublin. I hold an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation from Trinity College Dublin and a BSc in Biological Sciences from Maynooth University.
I believe that the best lessons in science come from careful observation and would always recommend taking a moment to (quite literally!) stop and smell the roses.
Publications
Balzan, M. V., Geneletti, D., Grace, M., De Santis, L., Tomaskinova, J., Reddington, H., Sapundzhieva, A., Dicks, L. V., & Collier, M. (2022). Assessing nature-based solutions uptake in a Mediterranean climate: Insights from the case-study of Malta. Nature-Based Solutions, 2, Article 100029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbsj.2022.100029
Graham, N. A. J., Benkwitt, C. E., Lange, I. D., Perry, C. T., Thomson, E. R., Wedding, L. M., Dunn, R. E., Steibl, S., Stuart, C. E., Jeannot, L.-L., Appoo, J., Rodriguez Fillol, J., Stuhr, M., Palola, P., Carr, P., DeVore, J. L., Ducatez, S., Zora, A., Hastings, A. K., Fabre Barroso, S., Evans, S., Schulze, M., Cotton, E., Reddington, H., & Malhi, Y. (2026). Seabirds and native vegetation drive ecosystem processes that support atoll island resilience. Science Advances, 12(42), Article eaei1145. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aei1145