Dr Alvin Helden

Before joining ARU as a senior lecturer in 2018, Alvin spend several years as a postdoctoral researcher at University College Dublin, studying the biodiversity of agricultural grasslands. From 2012 to 2015 he held the position of Course Group Leader for Animal and Environmental Biology, then from 2015 to 2017 was Deputy Head of Department for the Department of Life Sciences. In 2017 he spent six months as acting Head of School of the Department of Biology, and then became a Deputy Head of School in the newly formed School of Life Sciences; a post he held until stepping down in 2024. In 2018, whilst serving in management, he was promoted to Associate Professor.

Alvin’s main research interests are in the areas of biodiversity, ecology and conservation. He specialises in insects within the true bugs (Hemiptera), especially the leafhoppers and planthoppers. He has worked in urban areas, agricultural grasslands, chalk streams, restored gravel pits, fenland and tropical forests, collaborating with a range of research partners including Cambridge City Council, Natural England, the RSPB, Teagasc (The Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority), Hanson, Hobson’s Conduit Trust, Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, Nature’s SAFE, and the Makerere University Biological Field Station (MUBFS) in Uganda.

• Biodiversity, with particular interest in Hemiptera (Auchenorrhyncha and Heteroptera) and Coleoptera
• African leafhoppers and related insects (Auchenorrhyncha), focusing on Kibale National Park, Uganda
• Freshwater ecology of Cambridge chalk streams
• Insect conservation, especially the tansy beetle (Chrysolina graminis) and the British swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon britannicus)
• Species-abundance distributions and species-area relationships
• Ecology of cereal aphids and of woodlice

Alvin is a member of the Ecology, Evolution and Environment Research Centre.

Alvin welcomes enquiries from prospective PhD students and researchers in the areas of his research interests.

• Invertebrate ecology
• Invertebrate communities and biodiversity
• Invertebrate conservation
• Urban ecology
• Insect taxonomy
• Freshwater ecology

Current research assistants

Emma Dominic – Greater Cambridge Chalk Stream Project

Current PhD students

2025 – Cassandra Barrett – ‘The development of cryopreservation techniques for the conservation of the British swallowtail butterfly Papilio machaon britannicus.’ (First supervisor; funded by Faculty of Science & Engineering, ARU)

2025 – Ryan Clarke – ‘Conservation and Restoration of Hobson’s Brook: Evaluating the Efficacy of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) to Improve the Condition of Chalk Streams’ (First supervisor; funded by Hobson’s Conduit Trust)

• BSc (Hons) Biology
• BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour
• BSc (Hons) Ecology and Conservation
• BSc (Hons) Zoology

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), cereal aphid ecology, University of East Anglia
• MSc Applied Entomology, Imperial College, London
• BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences (Zoology), University of Exeter
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), University of Exeter

• Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society
• Fellow of the Linnean Society of London
• Member of the editorial board for the journal, Agricultural and Forest Entomology
• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)

2025-2029 Principal Investigator (Co-PI: Dr Toby Carter). Project title: Water Quality & Biological Monitoring (part of the Greater Cambridge Chalk Stream Project). Funding: Cambridge City Council (£284,000)

2025-2026 Principal Investigator (Co-PI: Dr Joe Bailey). Project title: Forgotten Gems: Tansy Beetles in the Fens. Funding: Natural England (Species Recovery Programme) (£18,990)

2025-2028 First Supervisor (other supervisors: Dr Bas Boots; Dr Jim Littlemore). Funding: Hobson's Conduit Trust (£46,291)

2019 Principal Investigator. Project title: Auchenorrhyncha (leafhoppers and relatives) of Kibale Forest, Uganda. Funding: The Percy Sladen Memorial Fund (£843)

Helden, A.J., Anderson, A. & Purvis, G. (2026) Arthropod niche differentiation linked to grazing‐induced sward islets in intensively managed agricultural pasture. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 19, pp.598–620. https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.70042

Helden, A.J. (2025) Leafhoppers of the genus Batracomorphus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Iassinae) of Kibale National Park, Uganda, with descriptions of seven new species. Zootaxa, 5719, pp.451–473. 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5719.4.1

Helden, A.J. (2022) A new species of the unusual leafhopper genus Phlogis Linnavuori (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Signoretiinae) from Uganda. Zootaxa, 5093, pp.401–413. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5093.4.1

Helden, A.J. (2021) Core and occasional species: A new way forward. Ecology and Evolution, 11, 10547–10565. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7863

Dittrich, A.D.K. & Helden, A.J. (2020) Can monophagous specialists mediate host plant choices in generalist planthoppers (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)? Ecological Entomology, 45, 1509–1512.

Helden, A.J., Chipps, J., McCormack, S. & Pereira, L., 2020 Is grazing always the answer to grassland management for arthropod biodiversity? Lessons from a gravel pit restoration project. Journal of Insect Conservation, 24, pp.655–670.

Helden A.J. (2020): Hawkmoths of Kibale. Pictorial guide to Sphingidae of Kibale Forest, Uganda. figshare. Online resource. doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.12923774.v1

Helden A.J. Manco F.; Mowles S. (2020): ARU Kibale Butterfly ID Guide 2020. figshare. Online resource. doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.12923753.v1

Helden, A.J., Morley, G.J., Davidson, G.L. & Turner, E.C., 2018. What can we do for urban insect biodiversity? Applying lessons from ecological research. Zoosymposia, 12, pp.51–63.

Helden, A., 2018. Management for grassland invertebrates – time for a rethink? Conservation Land Management, 16, pp.30–35.

Dittrich, A.D.K. & Helden, A.J., 2016. The community ecology of Ribautodelphax imitans (RIBAUT, 1953) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), a rare UK planthopper in a distinct grassland habitat. Entomologica Austriaca, 23, pp.87–96.

Helden, A.J. & Dittrich, A.D.K., 2016. Hemiptera community and species responses to grassland sward islets. Entomologica Austriaca, 23, pp.19–28.

Helden, A.J., Anderson, A., Finn, J. & Purvis, G., 2015. The response of sward-dwelling arthropod communities to reduced grassland management intensity in pastures. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research, 54, pp.107–120.

Helden, A.J., Mckenzie, R., Cobbold, G., Grice, P.V., Anderson, G.Q.A. & MacDonald, M.A., 2015. Field-based grassland management for cirl buntings (Emberiza cirlus L.) and its effect on plant - and leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha). Insect Conservation and Diversity, 8, pp.272–281.

Hudson, L.N., ...Helden, A., et al, 2014. The PREDICTS Database: a Global Database of How Local Terrestrial Biodiversity Responds to Human Impacts. Ecology and Evolution, 4, pp.4701-4735. doi: 10.1002/ece3.1303.

Helden A.J., 2014. Grassland Insects After Gravel Extraction Project Report, submitted for the Quarry Life Award 2014. doi: 10.13140/2.1.3645.6003.

Anderson, A., Carnus, T., Helden, A.J., Sheridan, H. and Purvis, G., 2013. The Influence of Conservation Field Margins in Intensively Managed Grazing Land on Communities of Five Arthropod Trophic Groups. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 6, pp.201-211. doi: 10.1111/j.1752-4598.2012.00203.x.

Helden, A., 2013. A Species of Aphid Caricosipha paniculatae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) New for Ireland. Irish Naturalists' Journal, 33, pp.68-69.

Helden, A., 2013. Additional Species Associations of Mermithid Nematode Parasitism of Auchenorrhyncha (Hemiptera). Irish Naturalists' Journal, 33, p.66.

Helden, A., 2013. Macrosteles Variatus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) a Leafhopper Species New for Ireland. Irish Naturalists' Journal, 33, p.69.

Dittrich A.D.K. and Helden A.J., 2012. Experimental Sward Islets: the Effect of Dung and Fertilisation on Hemiptera & Araneae. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 5, pp.460-56. doi: 10.1111/j.1752-4598.2011.00133.x.

Helden A.J., Stamp G.C. and Leather S.R., 2012. Urban Biodiversity: Comparison of Insect Assemblages on Native and Non-Native Trees. Urban Ecosystems, 15, pp.611-624. doi: 10.1007/s11252-012- 0231-x.

Sheridan H., McMahon B.J., Carnus T., Finn J.A., Anderson A., Helden A.J., Kinsella A. and Purvis G., 2011. Pastoral Farmland Habitat Diversity in South-East Ireland. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 144, pp.130-135. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2011.07.011.

Anderson, A., McCormack, S., Helden, A., Sheridan, H., Kinsella, A. and Purvis, G., 2011. The Potential of Parasitoid Hymenoptera as Bioindicators of Arthropod Diversity in Agricultural Grasslands. Journal of Applied Ecology, 48, pp.382-390. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2010.01937.x.

Helden A.J., Dittrich, A. and Mckenzie, R., 2011. The Status and Distribution of Ribautodelphax Imitans (Ribaut) at Coe Fen, Cambridge, with Details of the Wider Auchenorrhyncha Community (research report).

Helden, A.J., Anderson, A., Sheridan, H. and Purvis, G., 2010. The Role of Grassland Sward Islets in the Distribution of Arthropods in Cattle Pastures. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 3, pp.291-301. doi: 10.1111/j.1752-4598.2010.00106.x.

McMahon, B.J., Helden, A., Anderson, A., Sheridan, H., Kinsella, A. and Purvis, G., 2010. Interactions Between Livestock Systems and Biodiversity in South-East Ireland. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 139, pp.232-238. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2010.08.008.

X European Hemiptera Congress, Martonvásár, Hungary (June-July 2026). Presentation: Can niche differentiation explain co-existence of leafhoppers on tropical forest trees?

ATBC 2025, the 61^st Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology & Conservation, Oaxaca, Mexico (June-July 2025). Presentation: Can niche differentiation explain co-existence of leafhoppers on tropical forest trees?

IX European Hemiptera Congress, Kurdějov, Czech Republic (June-July 2023). Presentation: Auchenorrhyncha biodiversity and coexistence on rainforest trees in Kibale National Park, Uganda

Alvin’s research has been featured in a variety of media outlets at both the national and international level.

For example his discovery of new species of insects in Uganda has been covered by the BBC News, The Guardian, numerous websites and several radio interviews including Times Radio,

The Naked Scientist (BBC), and BBC Radio 5 Live. The projects on the Cambridge chalk streams and the cryopreservation of the British swallowtail butterfly have also generated considerable interest, including a BBC World Service interview.