Research projects
Research Topics
Horse mussel Modiolus modiolus biology and restoration
European Oyster Ostrea edulis Restoration
Anthropogenic impacts and resilience in marine ecosystems
Aquaculture and Nature Based Solutions
Sustainable aquatic resource management
Collaborators
Current Projects
Defining the role of seaweed aquaculture in marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (PhD Project)
This project will determine and quantify the interactions and the level of monitoring necessary to bring clarity to the licensing process and allow orderly upscaling in partnership with the seaweed aquaculture industry in collaboration with European partners. The proposed project is fully funded by GMIT's RISE Scholarships and will build up on previous field and laboratory investigations by the primary supervisor in collaboration with EU partners to quantify the effect of kelp aquaculture on marine ecosystems, especially their impacts on benthic communities, their role in food webs and as biodiversity reservoirs and nursery habitats for fish.
Machine learning assisted detection and prediction of climate change related anomalous events in complex marine systems
This Cullen PhD Scholarship (Grant-Aid Agreement No. CS/20/009) is carried out with the support of the Marine Institute and funded under the Marine Research Programme 2014-2020 by the Irish Government. The overall goal of the project is to provide a deep learning pipeline for online short-term prediction of anomalous and/or extreme marine events which may impact the commercial aquaculture sector.
Ecosystem effects of knotted wrack Ascophyllum nodosum harvesting (ECOHARVEST)
Funded by MAREI-SFI and Arramara Limited (2019-2023) ECOHARVEST investigates the effect of two different harvesting procedures on intertidal ecosystems and monitor natural recovery. The research is conducted by PhD candidate Ms. Charlene Linderhof based at NUI Galway. She will compare the effects of harvesting with cutter rake on boats and sickle on land. Ultimately, the aim is to provide scientific advice to resource management specific to Ireland and ensure best practice. I am co-supervising along with Dr. Ronan Sulpice (main supervisor) at NUIG.
Past Projects
GENetic diversity exploitation for Innovative macro-ALGal biorefinery (GENIALG)
Funded by the EU H2020 Programme (2017-2021) GENIALG aims to increase the production and exploitation of cultivated seaweed in Europe an environmentally sustainable and socially acceptable manner, maximising its ecosystem services. Work package 6 aims at establishing the environmental footprint and ecosystem services of seaweed aquaculture and it is partly lead by National University of Ireland Galway. I am continuing this research based at GMIT in collaboration with Dr. Ronan Sulpice at NUIG and supervising Ms. Ines Coca's Masters project.
Dornoch Firth Environmental Enhancement Project
A triple helix collaboration between the Glenmorangie whisky company, Heriot Watt University (led by Dr. Bill Sanderson) and the Marine Conservation Society this is an exciting project aiming at enhance the marine environment of the Dornoch Firth, in Scotland, by reintroducing the locally extinct European oyster Ostrea edulis. DEEP is an ongoing project and it is expected to serve as a case-study within a much larger application for funding investigating the ecosystem services delivered by restored biogenic reefs formed by shellfish in the North Sea. For more information nativeoysternetwork.org/portfolio/deep/
Out of the DEEP project came one of my favourite papers, where I had to become a bit of a detective trying to put the puzzle of the history of the native oyster in NE Scotland, from the Mesolithic to the oyster 'wars' of the XIX Century www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320717308030
Development of MSFD Indicators for Biogenic Reefs
The project aims were to define and validate Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) good environmental status (GES) biodiversity indicators for biogenic reefs formed by Modiolus modiolus, Mytilus edulis and Sabellaria spinulosa. Comparing remote and in situ methods used to assess the density of the keystone species and the biodiversity associated with the reef habitats. A large biodiversity datasets and imagery/video was collected and analysed to detect temporal and spatial variation in the proposed metrics as well as their response to anthropogenic pressures. Using ImageJ for image analysis, R and qGIS to establish spatial variability and develop statistical models (GLMS, GLMMS, GLAMS) to identify and evaluate sources of variance. The statistical power to detect change and associated sampling effort was also tested. The report (published by JNCC, see publication record) offered guidelines to SNCBs in the UK for MSFD biogenic reef indicator monitoring. It can be accessed at http://data.jncc.gov.uk/data/82ff709f-56ff-4850-bdbf-2a3b63fc8cdc/JNCC-Report-523-FINAL-WEB.pdf
Horse Mussel Modiolus modiolus restoration
I was a scientific diver and research assistant within the Modiolus Restoration Research Group (MRRG) based in Queen's University Marine Lab, in Portaferry (Northern Ireland). The main objective of the MRRG was to map the extent and condition of biogenic reefs formed by the horse mussel Modiolus modiolus in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland and develop habitat suitability models for restoration using MaxENT. At the same time I started parallel research on my own time, as I was interested in the reproductive ecology and larval biology of M. modiolus, and how the peculiar population dynamics of the species could affect connectivity of fragmented populations and the recovery of the habitat from the serious impact that mobile fishing gear had on it. This research would form the core of my PhD work. Some of the outputs included:
Identifying the presence of distinct shape ecophenotypes in the horse mussel metapopulation of Strangford Lough which could be linked to sediment resuspension as a result of benthic trawling. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aqc.2496
Setting up a dedicated, full-cycle M. modiolus hatchery (including microalgal culture) successfully triggering spawning in captive specimens, obtaining and fertilising viable eggs and rearing the veligers to settled spat. To my knowledge this was the first M. modiolus hatchery in Europe exclusively aimed at obtained spat for ecological restoration. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aqc.2882
Describing spat recruitment, translocated mussel survival and the faunal succession colonising a experimental M. modiolus restoration site. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1385110112001694?via%3Dihub