The 'laboratory with leaves'
Fifty years of biodiversity research at Wytham Woods in Oxford
Wytham Woods, just outside Oxford, is one of the most intensively studied field research sites in the world.
Research at this ‘lab with leaves’ has been running continuously at the University of Oxford since the 1940s and many concepts that are now central to our understanding of ecology have been developed there.
Research has included studies into animal behaviour, nutrient availability, and population tracking. Together, these help to build an evolving picture of a temperate woodland ecosystem. Natural research ‘laboratories’ like Wytham allow us to understand how species interact, and measure how wildlife is affected by environmental and climate change.
The secret world of badgers
The research on badger populations at Wytham Woods is one of the most comprehensive and long-term carnivore studies ever conducted.
Research on Wytham's badgers stretches back to the 1970s, but it began in earnest in 1987 when Oxford University's WildCRU began a thorough and continuous population study. The project aims to tag and identify as many badgers as possible, following each of them from 'womb-to-tomb'.
Magnetic field-generating collars allow badgers to be tracked in their setts and burrows with little disruption to their activity.
Dr Tanesha Allen is an expert in badger communication.
Her research at Wytham focuses on badgers' use of scent markings, including urine and subcaudal gland secretions... otherwise known as badger butter!
With Dr Tanesha Allen
Other wildlife studies at Wytham Woods
Visit the Laboratory with leaves display
Opened between 2022 and 2024, our new displays on biodiversity showcase the variety of life on Earth and consider important questions about preserving this diversity for future generations.
The Laboratory with leaves display explores the research taking place at Oxford's Wytham Woods using specimens from the Museum's collections.
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