Sediment Ecology Research Group
Dr Andrew Blight gave a guest lecture to students on the Nucleus STEM programme at Northampton Academy. Andy outlined some of the threats to coastal marine ecosystems and how research currently underway in the SERG lab is improving our understanding of these threats.
Several members of the SERG lab were involved in the annual 24-hour biodiversity survey ‘St Andrews Bioblitz 2019’.
During Bioblitz wildlife was surveyed around the Gatty Marine Laboratory/Scottish Ocean’s Institute at East Sands on 7th and 8th June.
All sessions were open to schools and the public, with the SERG lab involved in the rocky shore surveys.
Armed with wellies, nets and buckets, Dr Andrew Blight took a small group of children (and their parents) onto the rocky shore of Crail for the annual Crail Festival Rock Pool Guddle. The weather was fantastic and the children were captivated by anemones, crabs, periwinkles, prawns and even the odd fish.
Dr Andrew Blight gave a guest lecture to year 9 pupils from St Leonards School who were carrying out a geography field trip to learn fieldwork skills in coastal landscapes. Andy introduced some of the key principles of how the physical environment structures the biological communities on rocky, sandy and estuarine shores. He also introduced some of the research currently underway in the SERG lab and how the biological communities can in turn structure the physical habitat.
Starting on Monday the 29th of October, Meriem Kayoueche-Reeve joins our team as the Project Officer for the CBESS project for the next 3.5 years. She will be based in the SOI, in the SERG lab. Her role is the day to day co-ordination of the CBESS project. She will also assist Tim Stojanovic (from Geography) with the organisation of public surveys and questionnaires in support of the socio-economic components of the project. In addition to this she will conduct public and commercial outreach activities related to the project.
Meriem has a BSc in Environmental Biology (2006) and a MSc in Biological Diversity (2008) from Plymouth University. Her experience to date has been in environmental public engagement and outreach; organisations that she has worked for include: BTCV (working with hard to reach 16-18 years olds in practical conservation) and RSPB (re-introduction of white-tailed sea eagles to east Scotland). She also spent 18 months in Oman, working freelance for an environmental consultancy, Outward Bound Oman, and as a supply teacher in an Omani primary school.
On June the 8th, Prof. Dave Paterson and Dr Claire Golléty met with Higher and Advanced Higher pupils in biology at the Royal High School in Edimburgh to discuss potential studies and careers in biology.