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Natural Sciences

Antony Knights

Post Doctoral Research Fellowship B.Sc., Ph.D

Contact Details

Post Doctoral Research Fellowship
Ryan Institute
Nui Galway

E: ANTONY.KNIGHTS@nuigalway.ie
IRC Postdoctoral Fellow
Ryan Institute
Marine Environment Laboratory
Ryan Institute
NUI Galway, Galway
Ireland

T: +353 (0) 91 49 5883
M:
E: antony.knights@nuigalway.ie
 
researcher

Biography

My research interests centre on supply-side ecology and population models of benthic marine invertebrates. I use a combination of field-based experimental approaches and theoretical models to assess how populations become established and develop and use those models to understand how key anthropogenic and environmental pressures may affect population persistence.

In particular, my work focuses on: quantifying the role of density-dependent processes in population development and growth; assessing the role of abiotic and biotic factors such as selective extraction, habitat availability, flow dynamics, competition and predation in population growth models; and the development of larval-phase based models to predict (changes in) species range distributions.

I recently finished working on a large EU Framework 7 Project, Options for Delivering Ecosystem-Based Marine Management (ODEMM; www.liv.ac.uk/ODEMM) at the University of Liverpool. The aim of the project was to develop an Integrated Ecosystem Assessment programme to facilitate the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). My primary role was to develop (1) framework models linking a complex network of marine industry activities to suites of ecosystem characteristics, (2) pressure-based ecosystem evaluation tools, and (3) a risk assessment framework to evaluate threats to marine ecosystems from human activities using qualitative assessments. Other work assessed the combined effect of human activities and developed tools to simply ecosystem-based marine management.

Most recently, I joined the Ryan Institute at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) as an Irish Research Council (IRC) Postdoctoral Fellow. Based in the Marine Environment Laboratory, my research focuses on the dispersal and establishment of invasive species, and especially, the invasive oyster Crassostrea gigas.

Research Interests

 

My research interests centre on supply-side ecology and population models of benthic marine invertebrates. I use a combination of field-based experimental approaches and theoretical models to assess how populations become established and develop and use those models to understand how key anthropogenic and environmental pressures may affect population persistence.

In particular, my work focuses on: quantifying the role of density-dependent processes in population development and growth; assessing the role of abiotic and biotic factors such as selective extraction, habitat availability, flow dynamics, competition and predation in population growth models; and the development of larval-phase based models to predict (changes in) species range distributions.

I recently finished working on a large EU Framework 7 Project, Options for Delivering Ecosystem-Based Marine Management (ODEMM; www.liv.ac.uk/ODEMM) at the University of Liverpool. The aim of the project was to develop an Integrated Ecosystem Assessment programme to facilitate the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). My primary role was to develop (1) framework models linking a complex network of marine industry activities to suites of ecosystem characteristics, (2) pressure-based ecosystem evaluation tools, and (3) a risk assessment framework to evaluate threats to marine ecosystems from human activities using qualitative assessments. Other work assessed the combined effect of human activities and developed tools to simply ecosystem-based marine management.

Most recently, I joined the Ryan Institute at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) as an Irish Research Council (IRC) Postdoctoral Fellow. Based in the Marine Environment Laboratory, my research focuses on the dispersal and establishment of invasive species, and especially, the invasive oyster Crassostrea gigas.

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2013) 'The importance of water-retaining features for biodiversity on artificial intertidal coastal defence structures'
Firth, LB; Thompson, RC; White, FJ; Schofield, M; Skov, MW; Hoggart, SPG; Jackson, J; Knights, AM; Hawkins, SJ (2013) 'The importance of water-retaining features for biodiversity on artificial intertidal coastal defence structures'. Diversity and Distributions, :1-9 [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'Identifying common pressure pathways from a complex network of human activities to support ecosystem-based management'
Knights, A.M., Koss, R.S. and L.A. Robinson (2013) 'Identifying common pressure pathways from a complex network of human activities to support ecosystem-based management'. Ecological Applications, 23 (4):755-765 [Details]
(2012) 'Spatial variation in body size and reproductive condition of subtidal mussels: Considerations for sustainable management'
A.M. Knights (2012) 'Spatial variation in body size and reproductive condition of subtidal mussels: Considerations for sustainable management'. Fisheries Research, 113 (1):45-54 [DOI] [Details]
(2012) 'An environmental assessment of risk in achieving good environmental status to support regional prioritisation of management in Europe'
Breen P., Robinson L.A, Rogers S.I., Knights A.M., Piet G., Churilova T., Margonski P., Papadopoulou K.N., Akoglu E., Eriksson A., Finenko Z., Fleming-Lehtinen V., Galil B., Goodsir F., Goren M., Kremena F., Krivenko O., Leppanen J., Markantonatou V., Moncheva S., Oguz T., Paltriguera L., Timofte F., and F. Thomsen (2012) 'An environmental assessment of risk in achieving good environmental status to support regional prioritisation of management in Europe'. Marine Policy, 36 (5):1033-1043 [DOI] [Details]
(2012) 'Interactions between Multiple Recruitment Drivers: Post-Settlement Predation Mortality and Flow-Mediated Recruitment'
Knights, AM,Firth, LB,Walters, K (2012) 'Interactions between Multiple Recruitment Drivers: Post-Settlement Predation Mortality and Flow-Mediated Recruitment'. Plos One, 7 [DOI] [Details]
(2011) 'Air temperature and winter mortality: implications for the persistence of the invasive mussel, Perna viridis in the intertidal zone of the south-eastern United States'
Firth, L.B., Knights, A.M., and Bell, S.S. (2011) 'Air temperature and winter mortality: implications for the persistence of the invasive mussel, Perna viridis in the intertidal zone of the south-eastern United States'. Journal Of Experimental Marine Biology And Ecology, 400 :250-256 [Details]
(2010) 'Recruit-recruit interactions, density-dependent processes and population persistence in the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica'
Knights, A.M. and K. Walters (2010) 'Recruit-recruit interactions, density-dependent processes and population persistence in the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica'. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 404 :79-90 [Details]
(2010) 'Climate change and the green energy paradox: the consequences for twaite shad Alosa fallax from the River Severn, U.K'
Aprahamian M.W., Aprahamian C.D., and A.M. Knights (2010) 'Climate change and the green energy paradox: the consequences for twaite shad Alosa fallax from the River Severn, U.K'. Journal Of Fish Biology, 77 (8):1912-1930 [DOI] [Details]
(2006) 'Mechanisms of larval transport: vertical distribution of bivalve larvae varies with tidal conditions'
Knights, A.M., Crowe, T.P. and G. Burnell (2006) 'Mechanisms of larval transport: vertical distribution of bivalve larvae varies with tidal conditions'. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 326 :164-174 [Details]

Published Reports

  Year Publication
(2011) The Baltic Sea: Additional information on status of threatened ecological characteristics relevant to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
Knights, A.M., Eriksson, A., Fleming-Lehtinen, V., Leppanen, J-M., Robinson, L.A. and P. Margónski (2011) The Baltic Sea: Additional information on status of threatened ecological characteristics relevant to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The University of Liverpool, Liverpool. [Details]
(2011) The NE Atlantic: Additional information on status of threatened ecological characteristics relevant to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
Knights, A.M., Piet, G., Breen, P., Goodsir, F. and L.A. Robinson (2011) The NE Atlantic: Additional information on status of threatened ecological characteristics relevant to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. [Details]
(2011) A review of operational objectives in European Regional Seas.
Breen P., Goodsir, F, Churilova, T., Kryvenko, O., Finenko, Z., Moncheva, S., Oguz, T., Timofte, F., Stefanova,K., Eriksson, A., Fleming-Lehtinen, V., Leppanen, J-M., Margonski, P., Papadopoulou, N., Markantonatou, V., Smith, C., Galil, B., Knights, A.M. and L.A. Robinson (2011) A review of operational objectives in European Regional Seas. Cefas, Lowestoft. [Details]
(2011) Report of the Working Group on the Ecosystem Effects of Fishing Activities (WGECO), 13-20 April, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Various (2011) Report of the Working Group on the Ecosystem Effects of Fishing Activities (WGECO), 13-20 April, Copenhagen, Denmark. ICES, Copenhagen, Denmark. [Details]
(2011) ustainable use of European regional seas and the role of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
Knights, A.M., Koss, R.S., Papadopoulou, K.N., Cooper L.H. and L.A. Robinson (2011) ustainable use of European regional seas and the role of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. [Details]

Other Journals

  Year Publication
(2007) 'Management recommendations for sustainable exploitation of mussel seed in the Irish Sea'
Maguire, J.A., Knights A.M., Burnell, G., Crowe, T.P., O'Beirn, F., McGrath, D., Ferns, M., McDonough, N., McQuaid, N., O'Connor, B., Doyle, R., Newell, C., Seed, R., Smaal, A., O'Carroll, T., Watson, L. Dennis, J and M. O'Cinneide (2007) 'Management recommendations for sustainable exploitation of mussel seed in the Irish Sea' Marine Environment and Health, 31 :1-87. [Details]

Professional Associations

  Association Function From / To
Ecological Society of America Member /
British Ecological Society Member /

Employment

  Employer Position From / To
APEM Ltd Senior Marine Consultant 08-JUN-09 / 04-JUN-10
Coastal Carolina University Visiting Assistant Professor 07-JAN-08 / 19-JUN-09
The University of Liverpool Postdoctoral Research Associate 14-JUN-10 / 21-DEC-12

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2007 University College Cork PhD Marine Ecology
2003 University of Queensland Msc Marine Studies: Remote Sensing
2001 Heriot-Watt University BSc Applied Marine Biology