Dr Antony Knights

I have two areas of research interest, the first centring on supply-side ecology and population dynamics, and the second on ecosystem-based management and risk assessment models. 

Supply-side ecology and multiple stressors 

I use a combination of field-based experimental approaches and theoretical models to assess how populations become established and develop in an effort to understand how key anthropogenic and environmental pressures may affect population persistence. In particular, my work focuses on: quantifying the roleof density-dependent processes in population development and growth; assessing the role of abiotic and biotic factors such as selective extraction, habitat availability, flow dynamics, competition and predation in population growth models; and the development of larval-phase based models to predict (changes in) species range distributions. I work closely with physical oceanographers to develop spread predictions using hydrodynamic models. I am especially interested in the influence of larval behavioural responses to physical conditions on dispersal predictions. 

Ecosystem-based Management, Human Impacts and Risk Assessment

I am interesting in developing frameworks for identifying threats to marine ecosystems from human activities. Working closely with colleagues from across Europe including the ODEMM project (www.odemm.com), I develop linkages between sector activities and their impact on biological features in order to determine how management programmes can be used to mitigate risk and support decision-making when implementing environmental policy. I have been working directly with policy-makers (e.g. United Nations; HELCOM; OSPAR; Dept. of Fisheries Canada; Marine Institute Ireland) to support their efforts in assessing risk in their respective regions using the outputs of this research. Engagement is via direct meetings and my involvement in the eCOST project MARCONS (http://www.marcons-cost.eu).

CurrentPhD Students

1.Ms Xiaoyu Fang (started Oct. 2015)  - Identifying the role of past and current benthos activities for estuarine ecosystem functioning.

2.Ms Molly James (started Jan. 2017)  -Predicting species dispersal in marine systems: A multi-disciplinary approach.

CurrentMRes and Masters Students  

1.Ms Charlotte Bale (Jan. 2018) -Is the expansion of UK aquaculture a threat to the UK contribution to the Paris Climate Agreement?

2.Ms Ellen Purdue (Oct. 2017) -Biofilm production of concrete matrices: testing the influence of micro-topography and material composition.

3.Mr Francesco Wrachien (Jan. 2018) - The effects of ocean acidification on the condition and susceptibility topredation of aquaculture mussels.

4.Ms Lois Duff (Oct. 2017) - Does theinvasive Pacific oyster Magallana gigas facilitate the invasive barnacle Austrominius modestus?