Biological Sciences

Profile

Academic Duties

The overall aim of my current research is to identify and characterise the microbiological contribution to acid production in the timbers of the Mary Rose Tudor ship, and how this can be controlled by conservation strategies.  Archaeological waterlogged wood exposed to marine environments, such as that found in the ship Mary Rose, can suffer deterioration as a result of acid production during and after preservation. This can be due to abiotic and biotic factors involved in the oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds such as pyrite (FeS2), which is present in Mary Rose wood, producing sulfate and sulphuric acid.  This results in the degradation and erosion of the wood via acid hydrolysis of cellulose. 

Research interests/supervision opportunities

My research interests focus on marine molecular ecology – the application of molecular genetic techniques to understand the evolution and ecology of marine organisms, particularly the patterns and processes that generate and determine biodiversity in the marine environment. Molecular biology is a powerful tool for illuminating evolutionary relationships between species, and population structures within species.  This information is most informative when combined with morphological and ecological information. The goal of my research pathway is to inform and eventually create effective marine conservation policy. I am specifically interested in:

• Conservation of the Mary Rose.
• Evolutionary biology: the evolution of the genus Osilinus (Gastropoda: Trochidae) in the Mediterranian and Atlantic, and their relationship to Indo-Pacific species of the same taxonomic family.
• Population biology: the population structure and gene flow of Patellids (Limpets) across the Azorean archipelago.
• Porifera biodiversity and biology.
• Marine conservation policy.

Career synopsis

2010 – Present Research Fellow at Portsmouth University.
2005 - 2009 Career break
2003-2005 Research Associate working on the European Genetic Marine Biodiversity (EUMAR) project at The Marine Biological Association, Plymouth.
1999-2002 PhD: Speciation of the genus Osilinus (Gastropoda:Trochidae) in the Mediterranean and North-East Atlantic, at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton & Natural History Museum, London.
1998-1999 Environmental Consultancy – EMU Environmental Ltd, Hayling Island.
1997-1998 MSc: Marine Resource Development and Protection (Distinction) at the International Centre for Island Technology, Orkney. Heriot-Watt University. Dissertation: A study on the Distribution and Taxonomy of Porifera in the shallow waters of the Marine Park Pulau Payar, Malaysia.
1997 – Expedition to Central Sulawesi, Indonesia with Coral Cay Conservation.
1993-1996 BSc (Hons) Biology (1st Class) – University of Sussex.

Publications

Kirsten M. Donald, Preston, J., Williams, S. T., Reid, D. G., Alvarez, R., Templado, J. & Spencer, H.G. (in prep) Historical colonisation and cladogenesis in the Tethyan genus Osilinus (Gastropoda: Trochidae).

Solis-Marin, F.A., Billet, D. S. M., Preston, J., Rogers, A.D. (2004). Mitochondrial DNA sequence evidence supporting the recognition of a new North Atlantic Pseudostichopus species (Echinodermata: Holothurioidea). J. Mar. Biol. Ass. UK. 84 1077-1084.

Preston, J. (2003). Allopatric speciation in the littoral gastropod genus Osilinus Philippi, 1847 (Gastropoda: Trochidae) at the Atlantic/ Mediterranean interface. PhD Thesis. National Oceanographic Library, Southampton Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton.

Preston, J. (2000). Speciation of Osilinus (Trochidae) at the Mediterranean- Atlantic interface. Abstract. Molluscan Forum Proceedings, The Malacological Society of London, NHM. 2nd November.

Presentations:

The Azores Archipelago as a model of habitat fragmentation in the marine environment: The effect of fragmentation on the genetic diversity and population structure of the endemic Macronesian limpets. EUMAR, Tjarno, Sweden. 01-06 March 2005.

The effects of heavy metal pollution on genetic diversity: A European Study of the estuarine model organisms Hediste diversicolor (Muller) and Littorina saxatilis (Olivi).  EUMAR, Tjarno, Sweden. 01-06 March 2005.

'What use is molecular ecology to real conservation issues? Guest Lecture to Environmental Science Undergraduates, The University of Portsmouth, March 2005.

Speciation patterns and modes of the trochid Osilinus in the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean. MBA Seminar Series, Plymouth. October 2004.

A non-tethyan origin is proposed for the northeast Atlantic/ Mediterranean trochid Osilinus (Gastropoda:Trochidae). 3rd CORONA Meeting, Plymouth. July 2004.

Possible edge-of-range speciation in Osilinus, and the use of population genetics in conservation of species living at their biogeographic limit. The Porcupine Natural History Society AGM, Bournemouth University. March 2004.

Speciation of Osilinus (Gastropoda: Trochidae) at the Mediterranean-Atlantic interface. Symposium I 'Island Ecosystems – A Conservation and Molecular Approach. Madeira Island, Portugal. 05-09 March 2001.

Out of work activities

Spending time with my family, and when possible surfing or snorkelling off one of Cornwall’s beautiful beaches. I am a qualified commercial diver in theory, but in practice I haven’t dusted off my dry suit in a while.