Undergraduate Research
Undergraduate research has consistently served as a focal point of teaching efforts in the lab for more than a decade. Roughly, undergraduate research can be classified as Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) or traditional one-to-one Undergraduate Research Experiences (UREs). The lab has advanced both of these.
CUREs have considerable potential to open up research experiences to a broad scope of students. With collaborators and co-teachers, Louise Ashton and Even Leung, we designed a CURE for Urban Ecology at HKU in 2025. We developed guidelines for the CUREs as well assessments for reports and poster presentations, including rubrics for both (reports and posters). Material for this CURE has been submitted to CUREnet and a manuscript detailing our experience and student outcomes is under preparation.
UREs are a key engine for innovation. In the lab we’ve hosted a wide diversity of Final Year Projects in Ecology & Biodiversity, Environmental Science, and Biological Sciences. The projects are always student-led and have covered a diverse range of topics that have at times led to unique research contributions on their own. Several of these projects have also led to publications. Students also regularly conduct research in the lab prior to their final year and are welcome to contact Tim if interested in available opportunities.
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Guo Y, Bonebrake TC (2026) Meta-analysis of urbanization effects on spider diversity reveals guild-specific negative and positive impacts. Urban Ecosystems, 29, 274
Guo Y, Siu Y, Allcock JA, Dingle C, Ashton LA, Bonebrake TC (2025) Herbivory rate is elevated but orb-weaver spider growth unaffected by artificial light at night in subtropical forest. The Science of Nature, 112, 76
Fung J, Ledger MJ, McMillan S, Wu J, Lee CKF, Bonebrake TC (2024) Satellite remote sensing shows maintenance of fish pond area improves persistence of Eurasian otters in Hong Kong. Wetlands, 44, 34
Zhang Z, Andersson AA, Xing S, Dingle C, Bonebrake TC (2022) Low pangolin consumption in Hong Kong pre- and post- the COVID-19 outbreak: Conservation and health concerns both contribute to people's attitudes. Global Ecology and Conservation, 35, e02107
Leung TKC, Bonebrake TC (2021) Abundance, distribution and substrate association of Hong Kong stag beetles (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) in secondary forests. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 14, 609-619
Au TF, Bonebrake TC (2019) Increased suitability of poleward climate for a tropical butterfly (Euripus nyctelius) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) accompanies its successful range expansion. Journal of Insect Science, 19, 1-8
Shin CP, Hoffman A, Lee W, Kendrick RC, Baker DM, Bonebrake TC (2018) Stable isotopes of Lithosiini and lichens in Hong Kong show the biodindicator potential of lichenivorous moths. Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology, 21, 1110-1115
Yuen SW, Bonebrake TC (2017) Artificial night light alters nocturnal prey interception outcomes for morphologically variable spiders. PeerJ, 5, e4070
Guo F, Bonebrake TC, Dingle C (2016) Low frequency dove coos vary across noise gradients in an urbanized environment. Behavioural Processes, 129, 86-93
Nicole Yu FYP
Tsun Fung Au FYP
Suet Wai Yuen FYP
Tsz Kin Calvin Leung FYP
Ling Kak Lee FYP
Portia YH Wong FYP