A5052637412- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Marine and fisheries research
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Marine Sponges and Natural Products
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies
- Echinoderm biology and ecology
- Coastal and Marine Management
- Ocean Acidification Effects and Responses
- Cephalopods and Marine Biology
- Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Marine animal studies overview
- Research Data Management Practices
- Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
- Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
- Marine and environmental studies
- Research, Science, and Academia
- Indigenous Studies and Ecology
- International Maritime Law Issues
- Arctic and Russian Policy Studies
University of Edinburgh
2018-2024
University of Aberdeen
2015-2024
Joint Nature Conservation Committee
2022
Institute for New Economic Thinking
2021
National Oceanography Centre
2013
University of Southampton
2013
Circulation patterns in the North Atlantic Ocean have changed and re-organized multiple times over millions of years, influencing biodiversity, distribution connectivity deep-sea species ecosystems. In this study, we review effects water mass properties (temperature, salinity, food supply, carbonate chemistry oxygen) on benthic megafauna (from to community level) discussed future scenarios climate change. We focus key oceanic controls biodiversity biogeography patterns. place particular...
Ferromanganese crusts occurring on seamounts are a potential resource for rare earth elements that critical low-carbon technologies. Seamounts, however, host vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), which means spatial management is needed to address conflicts between mineral extraction and the conservation of deep-sea biodiversity. Exploration Tropic Seamount, located in an Area Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) subtropical North Atlantic, revealed large amounts elements, as well numerous...
The extent of marine litter and microplastic occurrence across ocean biomes species remains poorly characterised, particularly in remote deep-water ecosystems. present study the East Mingulay Special Area Conservation (a Marine Protected Sea Hebrides, western Scotland) used historic surveys benthic samples to obtain baseline levels anthropogenic debris microparticle ingestion. Most identified MPA was fisheries related. A total 11% macrofauna from Reef 1 Banana had ingested microplastics,...
The Atlanto-Mediterranean holothurian Holothuria tubulosa is among the conspicuous benthic invertebrates in shallow sublittoral zone. It an edible species, harvested at Aegean Sea and utilized as fishing bait. Considering lack of information for populations, a one-year survey, based on monthly or semimonthly samples, was carried out focusing population structure, allometric relationships reproductive status H. stocks Pagasitikos Gulf. Population density varied around 9.93 individuals/100 m 2...
The reproductive cycle of the traditionally exploited sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa was investigated in Pagasitikos Gulf (39°18'457\"N, 23°05'869\"E) from June 2007 to July 2008. study examined microscopic characteristics gonads and based on maturity index (MI) oocytes' size-frequency distribution. found be synchronous between sexes, following an annual pattern. minimum MI values were recorded December January, marking onset cycle. During spring, increased due gamete development...
The deep sea is the largest biome on Earth but least explored. Our knowledge of it comes from scattered sources spanning different spatial and temporal scales. Implementation marine policies like European Union's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) support for Blue Growth in are therefore hindered by lack data. Integrated assessments environmental status require tools to work with disaggregated datasets (e.g. density deep-sea habitat-forming species, body-size distribution commercial...
Cold-water coral reefs (CWRs) in the northeast Atlantic harbor diverse sponge communities. Knowledge of deep-sea ecology is limited and this leaves us with a fragmented understanding ecological roles that sponges play CWR ecosystems. We present first study faunal biodiversity associated massive demosponge Spongosorites coralliophaga (Stephens, 1915) typically colonizes debris fields CWRs. Our focused on sessile fauna inhabiting mixed rubble at two contrasting settings Atlantic: shallow...
Discovery and understanding of fragile deep-sea habitats like sponge aggregations, are being outpaced by anthropogenic resource exploitation. Sustainable ocean development in the Faroe-Shetland Channel Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area (FSC NCMPA; northeast Atlantic), which harbours now requires adaptive management face encroachment multisectorial activities this area (e.g. fishing, oil gas, shipping) climate change. We examined morphotype composition, richness, diversity, density...
Biogenic habitats often form hot spots of biodiversity. However, the role epibiosis and ‘habitat cascades’ phenomenon in enhancing structural heterogeneity biodiversity biogenic remote difficult-to-access areas is little known. In this work, we provide first insight by exploring across that support high levels biodiversity, i.e., cold-water coral reefs marine caves. The present study acts as a stepping-stone for further exploration where scientific knowledge about limited.
Abstract This study presents a novel approach resulting in the first cold-water coral reef biomass maps, used to assess associated ecosystem functions, such as carbon (C) stock and turnover. We focussed on two dominant engineers at Mingulay Reef Complex, Lophelia pertusa (rubble, live dead framework) sponge Spongosorites coralliophaga . Firstly, from combining biological (high-definition video, collected specimens), environmental (extracted multibeam bathymetry) function (oxygen consumption...
Many of the marine policy frameworks developed to protect biodiversity in deep-sea areas, including areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), include indicators assess objectives. These often have specific guidance on how should be applied and interpreted. Selection is an important process those with strong scientific underpinnings are more likely produce expected outcomes. We reviewed three assessment which ABNJ regions or were specifically for ABNJ: (1) Oslo Paris Convention Protection...
We examined the isotopic signatures (δ13C, δ15N) of fauna living in association with sponge Spongosorites coralliophaga colonizing coral rubble on cold-water reefs northeast Atlantic – shallow inshore (122–131 m collection depth) Mingulay 01 area and deep offshore (683–800 m) Logachev 02 mound. The δ15N suspended particulate organic matter three primary consumers, i.e. coralliophaga, Reteporella beaniana Parazoanthus anguicomus were used as trophic baselines resulting structure was compared....
Abstract Aim We assessed the effects of regional oceanographic shifts on macrofaunal biodiversity and biogeography cold‐water coral reefs (CWCRs). CWCRs are often hotspots ecosystem services in frontline exposure to multiple human pressures climate change. Almost nothing is known about how large‐scale atmospheric variability affects structure CWCRs’ communities over ecological timescales, this hinders their efficient conservation. This knowledge gap especially evident for species‐rich...
Abstract Vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) are particularly susceptible to bottom-fishing activity as they easily disturbed and slow recover. A data-driven approach was developed provide management options for the protection of VMEs under European Union “deep-sea access regulations.” total two within scenarios were developed. The first scenario defined VME closure areas without consideration fishing activity. Option 1 proposed closures habitats likely habitat, while 2 also included where...
Abstract Studies in terrestrial and shallow-water ecosystems have unravelled the key role of interspecific interactions enhancing biodiversity, but important knowledge gaps persist for deep sea. Cold-water coral reefs are hotspots “habitat cascades” (i.e. positive effects on focal organisms mediated by biogenic habitat formation) shaping their biodiversity is unknown. Associations between macrofaunal hosts epifauna were examined 47 stations at Mingulay Reef Complex (northeast Atlantic). In...
DATA REPORT article Front. Mar. Sci., 23 March 2021Sec. Deep-Sea Environments and Ecology https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.637078
Cold seeps support fragile deep-sea communities of high biodiversity and are often found in areas with commercial interest. Protecting them from encroaching human impacts (bottom trawling, oil gas exploitation, climate change) requires an advanced understanding the drivers shaping their spatial distribution biodiversity. Based on analysis 2,075 high-quality images six remotely operated vehicle dives, we examined cold seep megabenthic community composition, richness, density, at a relatively...
Carbonate removal using acids is a common practice in ecological studies. The effects, however, of acid pre-treatment on the elemental and isotopic composition marine invertebrates as well how these effects vary according to species' carbonate content little known. We examined (%C, %N, C:N ratio (%C:%N)) (δ13C, δ15N) 28 lightly- heavily-calcified species from Cnidaria, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Bryozoa, Echinodermata Chordata. present study showed that modified invertebrates. shifts were clearly...
Abstract Determining the scale of anthropogenic impacts is critical in order to understand ecosystem effects human activities, within context changes caused by natural environmental variability. We applied spatial eigenfunction analysis disentangle drivers from factors on species assembly Faroe-Shetland Channel (FSC), northeast Atlantic. found that considered here was structured at both small and large scales. Specifically, substrate types, distance oil wells pipelines, presence objects...
Long-term studies in the abyssal north-east Atlantic (1989–2005) have revealed large-scale changes benthic ecosystem and especially some megafaunal invertebrate taxa over period 1996–2002, termed ‘Amperima Event’ . Holothurians dominated samples. Temporal patterns abundance of holothurians showed a wide spectrum responses, possibly related to feeding reproductive characteristics various species. One holothurians, synallactid Paroriza prouhoi , is simultaneous hermaphrodite, providing...