I am a benthic marine ecologist with interests in both rocky shore and soft sediment intertidal systems. My main research focuses on the distribution patterns and interactions of marine organisms and their responses to environmental change (natural and anthropogenic).
 

Marine community ecology

As a marine ecologist, I am interested in the distribution and abundance of marine organisms and how these patterns are underpinned by interactions of species with each other and their environment. I am particularly interested in how these interactions will be altered by shifts in species range in response to global climate change.

Environmental stressors

Intertidal organisms live in a very harsh environment and experience daily fluctuations in environmental conditions. With global climate change, it is expected that fluctuations in environmental conditions will be even greater. I am interested in testing both the individual and synergistic effects of multiple environmental stressors (particularly extreme weather events) on intertidal organisms.
 

Long-term change

I have recently become involved in the ongoing surveys of the MarClim project (www.mba.ac.uk/marclim). Building on historic data from the 1950s onwards, the MarClim project and subsequent contemporary data have provided strong evidence of changes in the abundance, range and population structure of intertidal species in relation to recent rapid climatic warming.

Coastal defences

An increase in sea level rise and storminess is exacerbating coastal flooding and erosion. As a result, coastal defence structures to protect sedimentary coastlines from erosion and flooding are becoming increasingly common.  By building these structures using ecologically sensitive design principles, it is possible to increase habitat-availability and thus enhance biodiversity. Please see the related project links for more information (www.theseusproject.eu, www.urbaneproject.org).