Marine sciences
From climate change to over-fishing and pollution, we're exploiting our oceans in ways that aren't sustainable. With our oceans increasingly under threat, our Marine Sciences research is working to improve the marine environment for future generations, and make marine activities sustainable.
Marine researchers are at the forefront of international marine projects, from the molecular to the ecosystem and community level. In collaboration with scientists and industry from difference disciplines around the world, our research addresses some of the key environmental issues that we face in marine science, as well as advancing our knowledge of biological processes in marine ecosystems.
The overarching focus of our research is the interaction of humans with the marine environment, across a range of ecosystems and habitats – from tropical mangroves to intertidal soft sediments and even the polar regions, but with particular emphasis on coastal areas.
Our research is working to tackle pressing global issues, such as climate change, conservation and ocean acidification. We're addressing pollution, aquaculture, over-fishing and invasive species, and looking at marine governance.
Our research covers these topics:
- Animal behaviour
- Aquaculture
- Biotechnology and biofuels
- Cetaceans
- Climate change
- Coral reef ecology
- Fisheries protection
- Impacts of pollutants (e.g. metals, pharmaceuticals, microplastics)
- Marine conservation and restoration
- Mangrove ecology
- Marine microbiology
- Marine aquarium trade
- Ocean acidification
- Underwater video and remote sensing
Funders and collaborations
Within the Institute of Marine Sciences, collaborate with international research institutions, Universities, Government Agencies, local stakeholders, Non-Governmental Organisations, and industry.
Recent projects have received funding from major funding organisations, including the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Research Councils UK, the European Union, the Leverhulme Trust, the Environment Agency, and Natural England.
Recent publications
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Environmental Pollution, 2018, DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.09.091, Dr Gordon Watson, Pini, J. M. & Richir, J.
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Monetary evaluation of marine reserve ecosystem services in the Caribbean
National Accounting Review, Volume 1, Issue 1, pages 3-15, 2019, Professor Pierre Failler, Montocchio, C., Binet, T., Borot de Battisti, A. & Marechal, J-P.
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PeerJ. Volume 7, Issue 26 p. e6431, 2019, Luke David Helmer, Farrell, P., Hendy, I., Harding, S., Robertson, M. & Dr Joanne Preston
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Kleptopredation: a mechanism to facilitate planktivory in a benthic mollusc
Biology Letters. 13, 20170447, 2017, Dr Trevor John Willis, Berglof, K., McGill, R., Musco, L., Piraino, S., Rumsey, C., Vega Fernandez, T. & Badalamenti, F.
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The oceans are changing: impact of ocean warming and acidification on biofouling communities
Biofouling, 2019, Dobretsov, S., Coutinho, R., Rittschof, D., Dr Maria Salta, Dr Federica Ragazzola & Hellio, C.
Staff
Professor. Simon Cragg
- Email Address Simon.Cragg@port.ac.uk
Professor. Alex Ford
- Email Address Alex.Ford@port.ac.uk
Dr. Gordon Watson
- Email Address Gordon.Watson@port.ac.uk
Dr. Joanne Preston
- Email Address joanne.preston@port.ac.uk
Dr. Federica Ragazzola
- Email Address federica.ragazzola@port.ac.uk
Discover our areas of expertise
Marine Sciences is 1 of 6 areas of expertise within our Biological Sciences research. Explore the others below.
Research groups
Interested in a PhD in Biological Sciences?
Browse our postgraduate research degrees – including PhDs and MPhils – at our Biological Sciences postgraduate research degrees page.