BSc Marine Biology and Oceanography; UCNW Bangor

PhD Marine Botany, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, University of London

A lifelong fascination with the sea led to an interdisciplinary marine sciences degree that incorporated an understanding of the physical environment as the context for biological processes taking place within it. The PhD focussed her attention on microalgae and particularly harmful algal blooms. Her thesis looked at the ecology and taxonomy of marine dinoflagellate in Scottish sea lochs. Her studies of dinoflagellates include a particular focus on the cyst stage of the life cycle, including their role in the ecology of harmful algal blooms and their use in the interpretation of the fossil record. Establishing cyst- theca relationships and working with Alexandrium species have, more recently, led to the application of molecular techniques in her research.

Two research strands have dominated my research:

The first is the use of dinoflagellate cysts to interpret the fossil record. We find that for many Gonyaulax species spine length can be broadly related to encystment conditions. In low salinity conditions cyst morphology inclines to reduced spine length (or even no spines at all - see pictures and references below).

Light micrographs of Gonyaulax cysts ( Spinferites) displaying a range of spine morphologies (each around 45 microns in size)

The second research interest is in harmful algal blooms and most particularly the role life cycles play in their ecology. Studies of this nature crucially depend on accurate identification of potentially harmful species and so I have a strong interest in microalgal taxonomy and the application of molecular techniques to this subject. Recently we have been studying (with EU funding) the distribution of Alexandrium species around the UK and mating interactions between toxic and non-toxic strains (see www.icm.csic.es/bio/seed/). We have also been part of a collaborative group from across Europe developing a portable algal detection device