- Room 308, Marine Building, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA
- +44 1752 584651
- R.C.Thompson@plymouth.ac.uk
Profiles
Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS
Director of the Marine Institute
School of Biological and Marine Sciences (Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS can be contacted through arrangement with our Press Office, to speak to the media on these areas of expertise.
- Marine pollution
- Plastic pollution
- Marine debris
- Microplastics
- Marine biology
- Plastics
- Government policy
- Marine litter
Email publicrelations@plymouth.ac.uk to enquire.
Biography
Biography
Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS is Professor of Marine Biology and Director of the Marine Institute at the University of Plymouth.
Richard is a world-leading marine scientist and is at the forefront of pioneering research into the causes and effects of marine litter. He founded and heads the University’s International Marine Litter Research Unit, which has charted the global distribution of microplastics from Arctic sea ice to the deep seas.
In 2019, the University was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize for the pioneering research of Richard and his colleagues on marine microplastics pollution and its impact on the environment and changing behaviour.
Honours
In 2017, Richard was awarded with an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to marine science.
He was awarded the Marsh Award for Marine and Freshwater Conservation for his pioneering research into microplastics.
Academic career
Director of the Marine Institute, University of Plymouth, 2018–present
Associate Dean, Research, University of Plymouth, 2016–2018
Professor of Marine Biology, University of Plymouth, 2010–present
Reader in Marine Ecology, University of Plymouth, 2004–2010
Senior Lecturer, University of Plymouth, 2001–2004
Research Fellow (Leverhulme funded), University of Southampton, 1997–2000
Teaching Assistant, Newcastle University, 1996–1997
Qualifications
- Accredited Science and Engineering Ambassador, University of Plymouth, 2003
- Certificate of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Newcastle University, 1997
- PhD: The Ecology of Epilithic Microalgae, Liverpool, 1996
- BSc (1st Class Hons) Marine Biology, Newcastle University, 1991
Professional membership
Roles on external bodies
Invited roles on external bodies
- Science Advice for Policy by European Academics (SAPEA) 2018–2019
- National Centre for Ecological Synthesis and Analysis, California, USA, working group 2012–2015
- GESAMP (United Nations advisory body), Working Group 40 microplastics 2012–2015
- Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Expert Group on Marine Debris 2010–present
- Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Task Group 10: Marine Debris 2007–2009
- GESAMP (United Nations advisory body), Working Group on Marine Debris, 2009–2011
- International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) working group on environmental aspects of marine renewable energy, 2008–2010
Panel Member for research grant reviews
- Grant review panel, Research Frontiers Programme, Science Foundation, Eire
- Swedish Research Council for Environment
Reviewer of research grants
- Natural Environment Research Council, UK
- Science Foundation, Ireland
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- National Science Foundation, USA
- Australian Research Council
Reviewer of research publications for
- Aquatic Conservation
- Coral Reefs
- Estuarine and Coastal Shelf Science
- Global Change Biology
- Journal of Animal Ecology
- Journal of Experimental Marine Biology & Ecology
- Journal of Marine Biological Association
- Journal of Microscopy
- Journal of Molluscan Studies
- Marine Biology
- Marine Ecology and Water Research
- Marine Ecology Progress Series
- Marine Ecology PSZN
- Nature
- Netherlands Journal of Sea Research
- Oecologia
- Science
Highlights
Key publications
(2018) 'Turning the tide on trash: Empowering European educators and school students to tackle marine litter' Marine Policy , DOI Open access
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching interests
Programme Leader BSc (Hons) Marine Biology 2009–2013
Ecology of Shallow Water Marine Habitats
Experimental Marine Ecology
Field Ecology
Statistics
Research
Research
Research interests
My research focuses on three main topics
1. The effects of plastic debris in the marine environment
2. The modification of coastal engineering structures such as coastal defences and off-shore renewable energy devices, to enhance biodiversity
3. The ecology and conservation of shallow water habitats
1. Effects of plastic debris in the marine environment
I have been working on the effects of plastic in the marine environment for more than twenty years. This is a major area of research for my group with papers in Science, Nature, Biology Letters and numerous other leading journals, together with reports for international organizations such as the United Nations. This research is of considerable relevance to policymakers and I presented to the UK House of Commons Select Committee session on water quality in 2013 and gave evidence on plastic bags to the Environmental Audit Select Committee in 2014. Recently I was invited to give a keynote presentation on marine debris to US Secretary of State, John Kerry, in Washington.
One of our key findings came in 2004 when my group showed that waters around the north-east Atlantic had become contaminated by microscopic fragments of plastic or ‘microplastic’ and that the abundance of this material had increased significantly over time (Science, vol 304,P. 838). These microplastic fragments some of which were smaller than the diameter of a human hair appear to have formed by the environmental breakdown of everyday items such as plastic bags, bottles, rope and materials used in packaging; together with the direct release of small particles used in cosmetics (also known as microbeads) and industrial spillage of plastic pellets and powders. My group are at the forefront of research to establish the potential for microplastics to cause harm in the marine environment. This could occur if chemicals that are incorporated as additives during the manufacture of plastics are released to organisms upon ingestion. In addition, plastics have been shown to concentrate hydrophobic contaminants, such as PCBs and DDT, from seawater and hence there is potential that plastics could act as a vector in the transport of these chemicals to wildlife debris (e.g. Environmental Science andTechnology , 41: 7759-7764). It is also important to assess whether the physical presence of microplastics could result in harmful effects on the organisms ingesting microplastics (e.g. Current Biology, 23, 2388-2392 and 23, R1031-R1033). Ten years after our first publication on microplastics I was invited to co-author a review of current knowledge on the topic (Science, vol 345, P. 144-145).
In 2009 I was invited to be lead editor of a 200 page Theme Issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B – Plastics the environment and Human Health. This volume brings together the work of over 60 leading experts and balances the societal benefits of plastics alongside environmental concerns and impacts. The concluding Paper (Thompson et al. 2009) focus on knowledge gaps and solutions to some of the issues posed in the volume. I am currently acting as an advisor on marine debris for the European Commission Marine Strategy Framework Directive and working with the United Nations Environment Programme to identify solutions to prevent the accumulation of marine debris (STAP2011).
2. Modification of coastal engineering to enhance biodiversity
Over the last decade I have become increasingly interested in the interaction between marine engineering, such as coastal defences and off-shore renewable energy developments (OREDs) and the ecology of shallow water habitats (e.g. Diversity and Distributions 19,1275-1283, Coastal Engineering 52, 1053 –1071; 52: 1027– 1051; 52:1073-1087). Coastal defense structures occupy a substantial portion of some coastlines and the number of OREDs (wind, wave, tidal) is set to increase dramatically over the next decade.Such developments present both threats and opportunities for marine life.Coastal engineering structures typically have very low heterogeneity and offer little in terms of refuge or habitat for marine life. Our research here examines ways to make space for nature by incorporating habitat modifications within marine engineering structures. This research has shown that the biodiversity of structures can be enhanced and work in the Azores has shown the potential to enhance stock of commercially exploited shellfish (e.g. Biological Conservation143, 203-211). Much of this work has been funded by European Union collaborative projects DELOS and THESEUS within the THESEUS project Iled ecological research across eleven partner institutions in Europe and Asia.
3. Ecology and conservation of shallow water habitats
An overarching research interest is the ecology and conservation of shallow water habitats. I have numerous peer-reviewed publications on this theme ranging from the effects of commercial collection of ornamental sea shells for the marine curio trade (Biological Conservation,63: 241-245) to predictions for the future of rocky intertidal habitats over the next 25 years (Environmental Conservation, 29: 168 -191). I have worked extensively on marine biofilms and on the grazers that feed up on them (e.g. Ecology 85: 1372-1382; Ecology,87: 1169 – 1178; Marine Ecology Progress Series 296: 53-63). More recently I have been working on the effects of sweater flooding on coastal habitats together with the potential for some of these habitats such as dunes and marshes to offer coastal protection.
Research groups
Research degrees awarded to supervised students
Current PhD students
James Delaney, Funding Argans Limited Remote sensing sensitivity of marine and terrestrial plastic litter, 2019 – present
Chris Walkinshaw Funding NERC Env East DTP Does microplastic pollution pose a risk to marine life and food security? 2018 –present
Madeleine Steer, Funding NERC Industrial CASE (UKWIR).Quantifying the influence of waste water treatment on the release of microplastics to the environment, 2018- present.
Zara Botterell, Funding NERC Env East DTP. Bioavailability of microplastics to zooplankton, 2017 – present
Sohvi Nuojua, Funding, UK Charity and University of Plymouth, Marine Litter: Can behavioural sciences help reduce land-based waste entering the oceans? 2017 - present.
Imogen Napper, Funding self, Plastics in the marine environment. 2014 – present
Completed PhD students
Imogen Napper, Funding self, Plastics in the marine environment. 2014 - 2018
La Daana Kanhai, Funding EU Mares, Microplastic distribution and ecological interactions across latitudinal gradients, 2015-2018
Stephanie Wright, Funding Defra, Physical effects of microplastics on marine life. 2011 - 2015
Daniel Metcalfe, Funding ESF. Environmentally & Ecologically durable surface design for the coastal built environment. 2011 -2015
Joao Frias, Funding FCT, Portugal. Microplastics in the environment.2011- 2015.
Nicolas Biber, Funding: Self. Distribution and effects on microplastics in the environment. 2009 – 2015 (part time).
Saeed Sadri, PhD 2015 Monitoring microplastics in the marine environment. 2009 – 2014. Funding Defra.
Juliette Jackson, PhD 2015 Recruitment and succession on coastaldefence structures. Funding: Self.
Kayleigh Wyles, PhD 2014 Rocky Shores: From habitat threat to marine awareness and restorative experiences. Funding NERC/ESRC.
Luke Holmes, PhD 2013, The role of plastic production pellets in the transport and availability of trace metals in the marine environment. Funding:University of Plymouth Studentship.
Martin Coombes, PhD 2011, Coastal defences and biodiversity: examining the interplay between engineering design and ecological response, Funding: GWR.
Gustavo Martins, PhD 2009, Community structure of the Azorean rocky intertidal: interactions between recruitment and exploitation,Funding: FCT(Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology).
John Griffin, PhD 2008, Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning: tests using rockpools as natural mesocosms, Funding: NERC.
Ana Silva, PhD 2008, Predator-prey interactions in rocky intertidal communities, Funding: FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology).
Mark Browne, PhD 2008, Environmental consequences of microscopic plastics in marine habitats, Funding: Leverhulme Trust.
Gerardo Gomes-Filho, PhD 2008, Physical and Biological Processes Influencing the Distribution of Barnacles in Estuaries, Funding:CAPES(Brazilian Ministry of Education).
Laure Noel, PhD 2007, Species interactions during succession in rockpools: role of herbivores and physical factors Funding: Self.
Emma Sheehan, PhD 2007, Ecological impact of the Carcinusmaenas (L.)fishery 'Crab-Tiling' on estuarine fauna, Funding: charitable sources.
Nova Mieszkowska, PhD 2005, Population structures and reproductive cycles of British Trochid Gastropods in relation to climate change, Funding: MARCLIM and Self.
Pippa Moore, PhD 2005, The Role of biological interactions in modyfying the effects of climate change on intertidal assemblages, Funding: PERC,University of Plymouth and Marine Biological Association.
Paula Moschella, PhD 2003, Influence of rock type on microbial fouling communities, Funding: EU.
Robert Alcock, PhD 2003, The effects of climate change on rocky shore communities in the Bay of Biscay. 1895 - 2050, Funding: Self.
Malcolm Roberts, PhD 2002, Population dynamics of Patella vulgata and P.depressa in S.W. England, Funding: Self.
Grants & contracts
£357,578, Charitable funder (2019 –2022), global plastics sampling Thompson,R.C. (PI)
£149,425, Charitable funder (2019 – 2020), Plastics sampling in rivers, Thompson, R.C. (PI)
£338,970, NERC (2019-2022), Current and future effects of microplastics on marine shelf ecosystems, Thompson, R.C. (PI) and Rowland S.J.
£89,114, XL Catlin (PhD studentship, 2019 – 2023), Assessing the ecological vulnerability of natural defences and risks to agricultural land following seawater flooding. Thompson R.C. (PI) and Hanley M.J.
£89,114, NERC (CASE Studentship, 2018-2022), Quantifying the influence of wastewater treatment on the release of microplastics to the environment. Thompson, R.C. (PI) and Warburton, P.
£199,065, Defra (2018-2019), Investigation of sources and pathways of microplastic into the marine environment. Thompson R.C. (PI)
£35,000, CRH (contribution to PhD studentship, 2017-2020) Marine Litter: Can behavioural sciences help reduce land-based waste entering the oceans? Thompson R.C. (PI) and Pahl. S.
£443,613, NERC (2016-2019) Distinguishing realistic environmental risks of nanoplastics Thompson, R.C. (PI) and Rowland S.J.
£60,000, Mares Doctoral Scheme, (PhD studentship, 2015 – 2018), Microplastics distribution across latitudinal gradients.
£300,000, to UoP as part of a £4M EU FP-7 (2012-2015) Marine Litter in European Seas: Social Awareness and Co-responsibility (MARLISCO) Thompson, R.C. and Pahl, S.
£440,000, Defra, (2011- 2014) Investigating whether microplastics cause harm in the marine environment. Thompson, R.C., Rowland, S.J. and Galloway, T.G.
£248,000, Esmee Fairburn, Naylor, L. Viles, H. and Thompson, R.C. (2011-1014) Bioprotection: an overlooked aspect of biodiversity/ecosystem service on coastal rocks.
€8,529,439, EU FP-7 (2009-2014) Innovative technologies for safer European coasts in a changing climate (THESEUS). Management Board: Zanuttigh, B., Nicholls, R.J., Burcharth, H.F., Thompson, R.C., Vanderlinden, J.P., Losada, I.J. and Claus, S. (€505,608 to UoP, PI’s Reeve, D. and Thompson, R.C.)
£254,000, Esmee Fairburn, (2009 -2012) Coastal Urban Ecology - Enhancing Biodiversity by Intelligent Design of Artificial Habitats (URBANE). Hawkins, S.J. (PI), Thompson, R.C., Frid C.L.J. and Burrows, M.T.
£5,000, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2009), preparation of co-authored reviews on the environmental impacts of offshore renewable – Making Blue Energy Green. Thompson RC
£432,350, SWRDA (2007-2010) Assessing the biodiversity impact of the Wave Hub renewable energy development. Attrill, M.J. (PI), Thompson, R.C., Votier S.C., Hall-Spencer, J. and Howell K.L.
£22,000, PRIMaRE (2007-2008) Incorporating fisheries enhancement into coastal engineering as part of Wave Hub. Thompson, R.C. (PI), Moore, P.J. and Chadwick A.J.
£216,000, NERC (2005-2009) Consumer responses to habitat depletion: food-refuge interactions in periwinkles. Doncaster, C.P. (PI), Thompson, R.C., and Hawkins, S.J.
£31,869, NERC (2005-2007) Microscopic plastic, the extent of the problem: a new method for separating plastic fragments from natural sediments. Gaunt, L.F. (PI), Thompson, R.C. and Hearn, G.L.
£196,000, NERC (2004-2008) Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning: tests using rockpools as natural mesocosms. Jenkins, S.R. (PI), Thompson, R.C. and Hawkins, S.J.
£181,608, Leverhulme Trust (2003-2007) Lost at sea – where does all the plastic go II? Thompson, R.C. (PI), Rowland, S.J., Galloway, T.S. and Russell, A.E.
£ 14,945, Leverhulme Trust (2001-2002) Lost at sea – where does all the plastic go? Thompson, R.C. (PI) and Russell, A.E.
£500,000, (2000-2003) Assessing and predicting the influence of climatic change on the marine flora and fauna of Britain and Ireland using intertidal indicators. A consortium Project funded by English Nature, Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, Department of the Environment and Transport and the Regions, Hawkins, S.J. (PI), Thompson, R.C., Southward, A.J., Kendall, M., Burrows M. and O’Riordan, R.
£88,543, NERC Joint Research Equipment Initiative (1999-2001) Data loggers for recording activity of homing limpets Hawkins, S.J. (PI), Thompson, R.C. and Hartnoll, R.G.
£140,000, EU (2000-2004) Environmental Design of Low-Crested Coastal Defences. Hawkins, S.J. (PI), Thompson, R.C. et al.
£25,469, NERC (1999-2000) The role of boring bivalves in generating spatial and erosional processes. Thompson, R.C. (PI) and Hawkins, S.J.
£30,000, EU (1999-2001) Interactions between substrate type and marine fouling. Moschella, P.S., Thompson R.C. and Hawkins S.J. (PI).
£ 22,665, NERC (1997-1999). Summertime: too much of a good thing for microalgae? Thompson, R.C. (PI), Thomason, J.C. and Hawkins, S.J.
£ 3,500, Manx Airlines. (1995) Survey of Manx sublittoral habitats Thompson, R.C. (PI), Bates M. and Veale, L.O.
£ 2,500, Royal Geographical Society (and others) (1990) Marine curio trade in Tanzania Thompson, R.C. (PI), Newton, L.C. and Parkes, E.V.H.Creative practice & artistic projects
Dominant Wave Theory, A. Hughes (2006) Booth-Clibborn Editions
This book, gives an extensive factual and thought provoking photographic record of debris in the marine environment. I contributed a scientific forward on the environmental consequences of this debris (P112-115).
Littoral Exhibition, University of Plymouth, UK, 31st October – 25th November, 2005
I was one of four scientific contributors to this exhibition which represents the first in what is hoped to be a series of collaborations between the School of media and Photography and the School of Biological Sciences.
Weird Worlds Exhibition, Plymouth City Museum, UK, 4 March – 26th April, 2003
I organised the ‘Marine Worlds’ section of this event which was run jointly by the University of Plymouth and City of Plymouth Museums and Art Galleries. I co-ordinated exhibits and seminars from more than 20 contributors throughout SW England. The exhibition catered for all ages and attracted over 6000 visitors.
Plymouth City Museum, Plymouth, UK
Contributor of underwater photographs
National Museum of Photography, Bradford, UK
Contributor of underwater photographs
Publications
Publications
Key publications
(2018) 'Turning the tide on trash: Empowering European educators and school students to tackle marine litter' Marine Policy , DOI Open access
Key publications are highlighted
Journals
Articles
(2023) 'Exploring expert perceptions about microplastics: from sources to potential solutions' Microplastics and Nanoplastics 3, (1) , DOI
(2023) 'The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health' Annals of Global Health 89, (1) , DOI
(2023) 'A thermoanalytical insight into the composition of biodegradable polymers and commercial products by EGA-MS and Py-GC-MS' Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis , DOI Open access
(2023) 'Impact of polyester and cotton microfibers on growth and sublethal biomarkers in juvenile mussels' Microplastics and Nanoplastics 3, (1) , DOI Open access
(2022) 'Plastic pollution requires an integrative systems approach to understand and mitigate risk' Emerging Topics in Life Sciences 6, (4) 435-439 , DOI Open access
(2022) 'Plastic pollution: the science we need for the planet we want' Emerging Topics in Life Sciences 6, (4) 333-337 , DOI Open access
(2022) 'Synthetic microplastic abundance and composition along a longitudinal gradient traversing the subtropical gyre in the North Atlantic Ocean' Marine Pollution Bulletin 185, (Part B) , DOI Open access
(2022) 'Detection and characterisation of microplastics and microfibres in fishmeal and soybean meal' Marine Pollution Bulletin 185, , DOI Open access
(2022) 'Examining the release of synthetic microfibres to the environment via two major pathways: Atmospheric deposition and treated wastewater effluent' Science of The Total Environment 857, , DOI Open access
(2022) 'Evaluating the performance of the ‘Seabin’ – A fixed point mechanical litter removal device for sheltered waters' Marine Pollution Bulletin 184, , DOI Open access
(2022) 'Tyre particle exposure affects the health of two key estuarine invertebrates' Environmental Pollution 314, , DOI Open access
(2022) 'Uptake, distribution and elimination of palladium-doped polystyrene nanoplastics in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) following dietary exposure' Science of the Total Environment 854, , DOI Open access
(2022) 'Announcing the Minderoo – Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health' Annals of Global Health 88, (1) 73-73 , DOI Open access
(2022) 'Ocean connectedness and consumer responses to single-use packaging' Journal of Environmental Psychology 81, 101814-101814 , DOI Open access
(2022) 'Microplastic ingestion in zooplankton from the Fram Strait in the Arctic' Science of the Total Environment 831, , DOI Open access
(2021) 'Demonstrating the translocation of nanoplastics across the fish intestine using palladium-doped polystyrene in a salmon gut-sac' Environment International 159, , DOI Open access
(2021) 'Potential microplastic release from beached fishing gear in Great Britain's region of highest fishing litter density' Marine Pollution Bulletin 173, , DOI Open access
(2021) 'Potential microplastic release from the maritime industry: Abrasion of rope' Science of the Total Environment 804, , DOI Open access
(2021) 'Quantifying the release of tyre wear particles to the marine environment via multiple pathways' Marine Pollution Bulletin 172, , DOI Open access
(2021) 'Spatially Variable Effects of Artificially-Created Physical Complexity on Subtidal Benthos' Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9, , DOI Open access
(2021) 'Source, sea and sink—A holistic approach to understanding plastic pollution in the Southern Caribbean' Science of The Total Environment 797, 0-0 , DOI Open access
(2021) 'The abundance and characteristics of microplastics in surface water in the transboundary Ganges River' Environmental Pollution 274, 116348-116348 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Synthesis of 14C-labelled polystyrene nanoplastics for environmental studies' Communications Materials 1, (1) , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Reaching New Heights in Plastic Pollution—Preliminary Findings of Microplastics on Mount Everest' One Earth 3, (5) 621-630 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'An Overview of Physical Risks in the Mt. Everest Region' One Earth 3, (5) 547-550 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'A global analysis of complexity–biodiversity relationships on marine artificial structures' Global Ecology and Biogeography 30, (1) 140-153 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Bioavailability of Microplastics to Marine Zooplankton: Effect of Shape and Infochemicals' Environmental Science & Technology 54, (19) 12024-12033 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Evaluating scenarios toward zero plastic pollution' Science 369, (6510) 1455-1461 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'The efficiency of devices intended to reduce microfibre release during clothes washing' Science of The Total Environment 738, (0) 140412-140412 Publisher Site , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Greening of grey infrastructure should not be used as a Trojan horse to facilitate coastal development' Journal of Applied Ecology 57, (9) 1762-1768 Publisher Site , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Occurrence and assemblage composition of intertidal non-native species may be influenced by shipping patterns and artificial structures' Marine Pollution Bulletin 154, 111082-111082 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Plastic Debris in the Marine Environment: History and Future Challenges' Global Challenges 4, (6) 1900081-1900081 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Microplastics in sea ice and seawater beneath ice floes from the Arctic Ocean' Scientific Reports 10, (1) , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Tyre wear particles: an abundant yet widely unreported microplastic?' Environmental Science and Pollution Research 27, (15) 18345-18354 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Microfiber Release to Water, Via Laundering, and to Air, via Everyday Use: A Comparison between Polyester Clothing with Differing Textile Parameters' Environmental Science & Technology 54, (6) 3288-3296 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'In vitro avian bioaccessibility of metals adsorbed to microplastic pellets' Environmental Pollution 261, 114107-114107 , DOI Open access
(2020) 'Metals and marine microplastics: Adsorption from the environment versus addition during manufacture, exemplified with lead' Water Research 173, 115577-115577 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Design catalogue for eco-engineering of coastal artificial structures: a multifunctional approach for stakeholders and end-users' Urban Ecosystems 23, (2) 431-443 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Microplastics and seafood: lower trophic organisms at highest risk of contamination' Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 190, , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Quantification and characterisation of microplastics ingested by selected juvenile fish species associated with mangroves in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa' Environmental Pollution 257, 113635-113635 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Measuring Marine Plastic Debris from Space: Initial Assessment of Observation Requirements' Remote Sensing 11, (20) 2443-2443 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Barnacle cover modifies foraging behaviour of the intertidal limpet Patella vulgata' Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 99, (8) 1779-1786 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Toward the Integrated Marine Debris Observing System' Frontiers in Marine Science 6, , DOI Open access
(2019) 'An evaluation of the Fishing For Litter (FFL) scheme in the UK in terms of attitudes, behavior, barriers and opportunities' Marine Pollution Bulletin 144, 48-60 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Environmental Deterioration of Biodegradable, Oxo-biodegradable, Compostable, and Conventional Plastic Carrier Bags in the Sea, Soil, and Open-Air Over a 3-Year Period' Environmental Science and Technology 53, (9) 4775-4783 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Response to the Letter to the Editor Regarding Our Feature “Are We Speaking the Same Language? Recommendations for a Definition and Categorization Framework for Plastic Debris”' Environmental Science and Technology 53, (9) 4678-4679 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'The rise in ocean plastics evidenced from a 60-year time series' Nature Communications 10, (1) 0-0 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Characterising the deterioration of different plastics in air and seawater' Marine Pollution Bulletin , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Deep sea sediments of the Arctic Central Basin: A potential sink for microplastics' Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers 145, 137-142 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'A catchment-scale perspective of plastic pollution' Global Change Biology 25, (4) 1207-1221 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'Are We Speaking the Same Language? Recommendations for a Definition and Categorization Framework for Plastic Debris' Environmental Science & Technology 53, (3) 1039-1047 , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Exposure to microplastics reduces attachment strength and alters the haemolymph proteome of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis)' Environmental Pollution 246, 423-434 , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Patchiness in habitat distribution can enhance biological diversity of coastal engineering structures' Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 29, (1) , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Uptake, Whole-Body Distribution, and Depuration of Nanoplastics by the Scallop Pecten maximus at Environmentally Realistic Concentrations' Environmental Science & Technology 52, (24) 14480-14486 , DOI Open access
(2018) 'The imprint of microfibres in southern European deep seas' PLoS ONE 13, (11) , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Bioavailability and effects of microplastics on marine zooplankton: A review' Environmental Pollution 245, 98-110 , DOI Open access
(2018) 'From ocean sprawl to blue-green infrastructure - A UK perspective on an issue of global significance' Environmental Science and Policy 91, 60-69 , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Microplastics in marine sediments near Rothera Research Station, Antarctica' Marine Pollution Bulletin 133, 460-463 , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Exploring public views on marine litter in Europe: Perceived causes, consequences and pathways to change' Marine Pollution Bulletin 133, 945-955 , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Low levels of microplastics (MP) in wild mussels indicate that MP ingestion by humans is minimal compared to exposure via household fibres fallout during a meal' Environ Pollut 237, 675-684 , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Microplastics in sub-surface waters of the Arctic Central Basin' Marine Pollution Bulletin 130, 8-18 , DOI Open access
(2018) 'Turning the tide on trash: Empowering European educators and school students to tackle marine litter' Marine Policy , DOI Open access
(2017) 'Ingestion and fragmentation of plastic carrier bags by the amphipod Orchestia gammarellus: Effects of plastic type and fouling load' Marine Pollution Bulletin 127, 154-159 , DOI Open access
(2017) 'Lost, but found with Nile red; a novel method to detect and quantify small microplastics (20 µm–1 mm) in environmental samples' Environmental Science & Technology , DOI Open access
(2017) 'Channelling passion for the ocean towards plastic pollution' Nature Human Behaviour 1, (10) 697-699 , DOI Open access
(2017) 'The Deposition and Accumulation of Microplastics in Marine Sediments and Bottom Water from the Irish Continental Shelf' Scientific Reports 7, (1) 0-0 , DOI Open access
(2017) 'Partial replacement of cement for waste aggregates in concrete coastal and marine infrastructure: A foundation for ecological enhancement?' Ecological Engineering , DOI Open access
(2017) 'Microplastic ingestion in fish larvae in the western English Channel' Environmental Pollution 226, 250-259 , DOI Open access
(2017) 'Assessment of microplastic-sorbed contaminant bioavailability through analysis of biomarker gene expression in larval zebrafish' Marine Pollution Bulletin 116, (1-2) 291-297 , DOI Open access
(2017) 'On the harmonization of methods for measuring the occurrence, fate and effects of microplastics' Analytical Methods 9, (9) 1324-1325 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Microplastic abundance, distribution and composition along a latitudinal gradient in the Atlantic Ocean' Marine Pollution Bulletin 115, (1-2) 307-314 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Microplastics Affect the Ecological Functioning of an Important Biogenic Habitat' Environmental science & technology Open access
(2016) 'Ocean sprawl: challenges and opportunities for biodiversity management in a changing world' Oceanography and Marine Biology: an annual review 54, , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Microplastics in personal care products: Exploring perceptions of environmentalists, beauticians and students' Marine Pollution Bulletin , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Microplastics in Seawater: Recommendations from the Marine Strategy Framework Directive Implementation Process' Frontiers in Marine Science 3, , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Release of synthetic microplastic plastic fibres from domestic washing machines: Effects of fabric type and washing conditions' MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 112, (1-2) 39-45 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Relative importance of microplastics as a pathway for the transfer of hydrophobic organic chemicals to marine life' Environmental Pollution 219, 56-65 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Development and optimization of a standard method for extraction of microplastics in mussels by enzyme digestion of soft tissues' Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Can Beach Cleans Do More Than Clean-Up Litter? Comparing Beach Cleans to Other Coastal Activities' Environment and Behavior , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Factors limiting the establishment of canopy-forming algae on artificial structures' ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE 181, 277-283 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Material type and roughness influence structure of inter-tidal communities on coastal defenses' MARINE ECOLOGY-AN EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE 37, (4) 801-812 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Plymouth: A World Harbour through the ages' Regional Studies in Marine Science , DOI Open access
(2016) 'The ecological impacts of marine debris: unraveling the demonstrated evidence from what is perceived' Ecology 97, (2) 302-312 , DOI
(2016) 'The ecological impacts of marine debris: unraveling the demonstrated evidence from what is perceived' Ecology , DOI
(2016) 'Enhancing public awareness and promoting co-responsibility for marine litter in Europe: The challenge of MARLISCO' Marine Pollution Bulletin 102, (2) 309-315 , DOI
(2016) 'Facing the future: the importance of substratum features for ecological engineering of artificial habitats in the rocky intertidal' Marine and Freshwater Research 67, (1) 131-131 , DOI
(2016) 'Looking backwards to look forwards: the role of natural history in temperate reef ecology' Marine and Freshwater Research 67, (1) 1-1 , DOI
(2015) 'Long-term modifications of coastal defences enhance marine biodiversity' ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION 43, (2) 109-116 , DOI Open access
(2015) 'Characterisation, quantity and sorptive properties of microplastics extracted from cosmetics' MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 99, (1-2) 178-185 , DOI Open access
(2015) 'Microplastics in the Ocean' Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 69, (3) 265-268 , DOI
(2015) 'Home advantage? Decomposition across the freshwater-estuarine transition zone varies with litter origin and local salinity' MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 110, 1-7 , DOI Open access
(2015) 'Factors That Can Undermine the Psychological Benefits of Coastal Environments: Exploring the Effect of Tidal State, Presence, and Type of Litter' Environment and Behavior , DOI Open access
(2015) 'Using a forensic science approach to minimize environmental contamination and to identify microfibres in marine sediments' Mar Pollut Bull 95, (1) 40-46 , DOI
(2015) 'Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Stranded Intertidal Marine Debris: Is There a Picture of Global Change?' Environmental Science & Technology 49, (12) 7082-7094 , DOI
(2015) 'Linking effects of anthropogenic debris to ecological impacts' Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 282, (1807) 20142929-20142929 , DOI
(2015) 'Microplastics in freshwater systems: a review of the emerging threats, identification of knowledge gaps and prioritisation of research needs' Water Res 75, 63-82 , DOI
(2015) 'Impacts of discarded plastic bags on marine assemblages and ecosystem functioning' Environ Sci Technol 49, (9) 5380-5389 , DOI
(2015) 'Getting into the groove: Opportunities to enhance the ecological value of hard coastal infrastructure using fine-scale surface textures' ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING 77, 314-323 , DOI
(2015) 'Marine litter education boosts children's understanding and self-reported actions' Mar Pollut Bull 90, (1-2) 209-217 , DOI
(2014) 'Interactions between trace metals and plastic production pellets under estuarine conditions' MARINE CHEMISTRY 167, 25-32 , DOI
(2014) 'The deep sea is a major sink for microplastic debris' Royal Society Open Science 1, (4) 0-0 , DOI Open access
(2014) 'Phenotypic variation in shell form in the intertidal acorn barnacle Chthamalus montagui: distribution, response to predators and life history trade-offs' MARINE BIOLOGY 161, (11) 2609-2619 , DOI
(2014) 'Global warming releases microplastic legacy frozen in Arctic Sea ice' Earth's Future 2, (6) 315-320 , DOI
(2014) 'Between a rock and a hard place: Environmental and engineering considerations when designing coastal defence structures' COASTAL ENGINEERING 87, 122-135 , DOI
(2014) 'Identifying knowledge gaps hampering application of intertidal habitats in coastal protection: Opportunities & steps to take' COASTAL ENGINEERING 87, 147-157 , DOI
(2014) 'Modeling uncertainty in estuarine system by means of combined approach of optical and radar remote sensing' COASTAL ENGINEERING 87, 77-96 , DOI
(2014) 'Shifting sands? Coastal protection by sand banks, beaches and dunes' COASTAL ENGINEERING 87, 136-146 , DOI
(2014) 'On the quantity and composition of floating plastic debris entering and leaving the Tamar Estuary, Southwest England' Mar Pollut Bull 81, (1) 55-60 , DOI
(2014) 'Transport of persistent organic pollutants by microplastics in estuarine conditions' ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE 140, 14-21 , DOI
(2014) 'Influence of tuna penning activities on soft bottom macrobenthic assemblages' Mar Pollut Bull 79, (1-2) 164-174 , DOI
(2014) 'Perceived risks and benefits of recreational visits to the marine environment: Integrating impacts on the environment and impacts on the visitor' Ocean & Coastal Management 88, 53-63 , DOI
(2014) 'Enhanced desorption of persistent organic pollutants from microplastics under simulated physiological conditions' Environ Pollut 185, 16-23 , DOI
(2014) 'The consequences of doing nothing: The effects of seawater flooding on coastal zones' Coastal Engineering , DOI
(2014) 'Spatial and temporal patterns of subtidal and intertidal crabs excursions' JOURNAL OF SEA RESEARCH 85, 343-348 , DOI
(2013) 'Microplastic ingestion decreases energy reserves in marine worms' CURRENT BIOLOGY 23, (23) R1031-R1033 , DOI
(2013) 'Microplastic moves pollutants and additives to worms, reducing functions linked to health and biodiversity' Curr Biol 23, (23) 2388-2392 , DOI
(2013) 'Riding the storm: the response of Plantago lanceolata to simulated tidal flooding' JOURNAL OF COASTAL CONSERVATION 17, (4) 799-803 , DOI
(2013) 'Bioprotection and disturbance: Seaweed, microclimatic stability and conditions for mechanical weathering in the intertidal zone' GEOMORPHOLOGY 202, 4-14 , DOI
(2013) 'Data rescue and re-use: Recycling old information to address new policy concerns' MARINE POLICY 42, 91-98 , DOI
(2013) 'The importance of water retaining features for biodiversity on artificial intertidal coastal defence structures' Diversity and Distributions 19, (10) 1275-1283
(2013) 'The physical impacts of microplastics on marine organisms: a review' Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987) 178, 483-492
(2013) 'Towards a Marine Mindset: Visiting an aquarium can improve attitudes and intentions regarding marine sustainability' Visitor Studies 16, 95-110 , DOI
(2013) 'The importance of water-retaining features for biodiversity on artificial intertidal coastal defence structures' DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS 19, (10) 1275-1283 , DOI Open access
(2013) 'Occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of pelagic and demersal fish from the English Channel' Mar Pollut Bull 67, (1-2) 94-99 , DOI
(2013) 'Application of a source-pathway-receptor-consequence (S-P-R-C) methodology to the Teign Estuary, UK' JOURNAL OF COASTAL RESEARCH 1939-1944 , DOI
(2013) 'Climate change and adaptational impacts in coastal systems: the case of sea defences' ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-PROCESSES & IMPACTS 15, (9) 1665-1670 , DOI
(2012) 'Competitive sorption of persistent organic pollutants onto microplastics in the marine environment' Mar Pollut Bull 64, (12) 2782-2789 , DOI
(2012) 'Facilitating ecological enhancement of coastal infrastructure: The role of policy, people and planning' ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY 22, 36-46 , DOI
(2012) 'Year-round sexual harassment as a behavioral mediator of vertebrate population dynamics' ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS 82, (3) 351-366 , DOI
(2012) 'Changes in shorebird behaviour and distribution associated with an intertidal crab fishery' AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS 22, (5) 683-694 , DOI
(2012) 'Microplastics in the Marine Environment: A Review of the Methods Used for Identification and Quantification' ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 46, (6) 3060-3075 , DOI
(2012) 'Assessing wave energy effects on biodiversity: the Wave Hub experience' Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 370, (1959) 502-529 , DOI
(2012) 'Adsorption of trace metals to plastic resin pellets in the marine environment' Environ Pollut 160, (1) 42-48 , DOI
(2011) 'Accumulation of microplastic on shorelines worldwide: sources and sinks' Environmental Science & Technology 45, (21) 9175-9179 , DOI
(2011) 'Illegal harvesting affects the success of fishing closure areas' JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM 91, (4) 929-937 , DOI
(2011) 'Patchiness in resource distribution mitigates habitat loss: insights from high-shore grazers' ECOSPHERE 2, (5) , DOI
(2011) 'Colonization and weathering of engineering materials by marine microorganisms: An SEM study' Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 36, (5) 582-593 , DOI
(2011) 'Phenological changes in intertidal con-specific gastropods in response to climate warming' GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 17, (2) 709-719 , DOI
(2010) 'Degradation of plastic carrier bags in the marine environment' Mar Pollut Bull 60, (12) 2279-2283 , DOI
(2010) 'Exploitation of intertidal grazers as a driver of community divergence' JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY 47, (6) 1282-1289 , DOI
(2010) 'Cheliped morphological variation of the intertidal crab Eriphia verrucosa across shores of differing exposure to wave action' JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY 391, (1-2) 84-91 , DOI
(2010) 'Assessment of a field incubation method estimating primary productivity in rockpool communities' ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE 88, (1) 153-159 , DOI
(2010) 'Distribution of barnacles and dominance of the introduced species Elminius modestus along two estuaries in South-West England' Marine Biodiversity Records 3, , DOI
(2010) 'A quantitative assessment of the response of mobile estuarine fauna to crab-tiles during tidal immersion using remote underwater video cameras' JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY 387, (1-2) 68-74 , DOI
(2010) 'Spatial patterns of plastic debris along Estuarine shorelines' Environ Sci Technol 44, (9) 3404-3409 , DOI
(2010) 'An Example of Large-group Drama and Cross-year Peer Assessment for Teaching Science in Higher Education' INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION 32, (14) 1877-1893 , DOI
(2010) 'Consumer effects on ecosystem functioning in rock pools: roles of species richness and composition' MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 420, 45-56 , DOI
(2010) 'Crab-tiling reduces the diversity of estuarine infauna' MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 411, 137-148 , DOI
(2010) 'Enhancing stocks of the exploited limpet Patella candei d'Orbigny via modifications in coastal engineering' BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION 143, (1) 203-211 , DOI
(2010) 'Past and present grazing boosts the photo-autotrophic biomass of biofilms' MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 401, 101-111 , DOI
(2010) 'Preferential feeding by the crab Necora puber on differing sizes of the intertidal limpet Patella vulgata' MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 416, 179-188 , DOI
(2010) 'Use of the intertidal zone by mobile predators: influence of wave exposure, tidal phase and elevation on abundance and diet' MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 406, 197-210 , DOI
(2009) 'Abundance, population structure and claw morphology of the semi-terrestrial crab Pachygrapsus marmoratus (Fabricius, 1787) on shores of differing wave exposure' MARINE BIOLOGY 156, (12) 2591-2599 , DOI
(2009) 'International Pellet Watch: global monitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in coastal waters. 1. Initial phase data on PCBs, DDTs, and HCHs' Mar Pollut Bull 58, (10) 1437-1446 , DOI
(2009) 'Spatial heterogeneity increases the importance of species richness for an ecosystem process' OIKOS 118, (9) 1335-1342 , DOI
(2009) 'Accumulation and fragmentation of plastic debris in global environments' PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 364, (1526) 1985-1998 , DOI
(2009) 'Transport and release of chemicals from plastics to the environment and to wildlife' Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 364, (1526) 2027-2045 , DOI
(2009) 'Plastics, the environment and human health: current consensus and future trends' Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 364, (1526) 2153-2166 , DOI
(2009) 'Predicting impacts of climate-induced range expansion: an experimental framework and a test involving key grazers on temperate rocky shores' GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 15, (6) 1413-1422 , DOI
(2009) 'Functional composition, but not richness, affected the performance of sessile suspension-feeding assemblages' JOURNAL OF SEA RESEARCH 61, (4) 216-221 , DOI
(2009) 'Grazing dynamics in intertidal rockpools: Connectivity of microhabitats' JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY 370, (1-2) 9-17 , DOI
(2009) 'Consequences of climate-driven biodiversity changes for ecosystem functioning of North European rocky shores' MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 396, 245-259 , DOI
(2008) 'Predation by small mobile aquatic predators regulates populations of the intertidal limpet Patella vulgata (L.)' JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY 367, (2) 259-265 , DOI
(2008) 'Positive feedback fishery: Population consequences of 'crab-tiling' on the green crab Carcinus maenas' JOURNAL OF SEA RESEARCH 60, (4) 255-261 , DOI
(2008) 'Molluscan assemblages of seagrass-covered and bare intertidal flats on the Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania, in relation to characteristics of sediment and organic matter' Journal of Sea Research 60, (4) 255-263 , DOI
(2008) 'Complex interactions in a rapidly changing world: responses of rocky shore communities to recent climate change' CLIMATE RESEARCH 37, (2-3) 123-133 , DOI
(2008) 'Interaction of top down and bottom up factors in intertidal rockpools: Effects on early successional macroalgal community composition, abundance and productivity' JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY 363, (1-2) 12-20 , DOI
(2008) 'Ingested microscopic plastic translocates to the circulatory system of the mussel, <em>Mytilus edulis</em> (L)' Environmental Science and Technology 42, (13) 5026-5031 , DOI
(2008) 'Epibiont species richness varies between holdfasts of a northern and a southerly distributed kelp species' JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM 88, (3) 469-475 , DOI
(2008) 'Predator diversity and ecosystem functioning: density modifies the effect of resource partitioning' Ecology 89, (2) 298-305 , DOI
(2008) 'Exploitation of rocky intertidal grazers: population status and potential impacts on community structure and functioning' AQUATIC BIOLOGY 3, (1) 1-10 , DOI
(2008) 'Piddocks (Mollusca : Bivalvia : Pholadidae) increase topographical complexity and species diversity in the intertidal' MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 355, 173-182 , DOI
(2008) 'Rocky intertidal community structure in oceanic islands: scales of spatial variability' MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 356, 15-24 , DOI
(2007) 'Microplastic – an emerging contaminant of potential concern' Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 3, , DOI
(2007) 'Potential for plastics to transport hydrophobic contaminants' Environmental Science & Technology 41, (22) 7759-7764
(2007) 'Effects of grazer identity on the probability of escapes by a canopy-forming macroalga' Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 344, (2) 170-180
(2007) 'Potential for plastics to transport hydrophobic contaminants' Environmental Science and Technology 41, 7759-7764 , DOI
(2007) 'Role of biological habitat amelioration in altering the relative responses of congeneric species to climate change' Marine Ecology-Progress Series 334, 11-19
(2007) 'The role of biological habitat amelioration in altering the relative responses of congeneric species to climate change' Marine Ecology Progress Series 334, 11-19
(2007) 'The role of habitat amelioration in altering the relative responses of congeneric species to climate change' Marine Ecology Progress Series 334, 11-19
(2006) 'Algal Refuge' Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 87,
(2006) 'Interactions between wave action and grazing control the distribution of intertidal macroalgae' Ecology 87, (5) 1169-1178
(2006) 'Community structure and functioning in intertidal rock pools: effects of pool size and shore height at different successional stages' Marine Ecology-Progress Series 329, 43-55
(2005) 'An ecological perspective on the deployment and design of low-crested and other hard coastal defence structures' Coastal Engineering 52, (10-11) 1073-1087
(2005) 'Burrow morphology, biometry, age and growth of piddocks (Mollusca : Bivalvia : Pholadidae) on the south coast of England' Marine Biology 147, (4) 943-953
(2005) 'Ecological impact of coastal defence structures on sediment and mobile fauna: Evaluating and forecasting consequences of unavoidable modifications of native habitats' Coastal Engineering 52, (10-11) 1027-1051
(2005) 'Intra-specific variability in the temporal organisation of foraging of the limpet Patella caerulea on mesotidal shores' Ethology Ecology & Evolution 17, (1) 65-75
(2005) 'Low-crested coastal defence structures as artificial habitats for marine life: Using ecological criteria in design' Coastal Engineering 52, (10-11) 1053-1071
(2005) 'Differences in photosynthetic marine biofilms between sheltered and moderately exposed rocky shores' Marine Ecology-Progress Series 296, 53-63
(2004) 'Intra-specific variability in the temporal organisation of foraging activity in the limpet Patella vulgata' Marine Biology 144, (6) 1165-1172
(2004) 'Physical stress and biological control regulate the producer-consumer balance in intertidal biofilms' Ecology 85, (5) 1372-1382
(2004) 'Lost at sea: Where is all the plastic?' Science 304, (5672) 838-838
(2002) 'Rocky intertidal communities: past environmental changes, present status and predictions for the next 25 years' Environmental Conservation 29, (2) 168-191
(2001) 'European-scale analysis of seasonal variability in limpet grazing activity and microalgal abundance' Marine Ecology Progress Series 214, 193-203
(2000) 'Impacts of anthropogenic stress on rocky intertidal communities' Journal of Aquatic Ecosystem Stress and Recovery 7, 273-297 , DOI
(2000) 'A method for recording predator-prey encounters between crabs and limpets using wax replicas' JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM 80, (4) 633-638 , DOI
(1999) 'Problems in extraction and spectrophotometric determination of chlorophyll from epilithic microbial biofilms: towards a standard method' JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM 79, (3) 551-558 , DOI
(1998) 'Using confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and phase contrast light microscopy to examine marine biofilms' AQUATIC MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 16, (2) 199-204 , DOI
(1997) 'A method for spatial and temporal assessment of gastropod grazing intensity in the field: the use of radula scrapes on wax surfaces' JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY 218, (1) 63-76 , DOI
(1993) 'THE EFFECTS OF SHELL COLLECTING ON THE ABUNDANCE OF GASTROPODS ON TANZANIAN SHORES' BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION 63, (3) 241-245 , DOI
Books
(2018) Plastics, the Environment and Society: Current Consensus and Future Directions. The Royal Society of Chemistry , DOI Open access
Chapters
(2022) 'Ingestion of Microplastics by Marine Animals' in Andrady AL Plastics and the Ocean: Origin, Characterization, Fate, and Impacts Wiley Online Library 349-366 , DOI Open access
(2022) 'Microfibre Shedding from Textiles during Laundering' Polluting Textiles Routledge 135-152 , DOI
(2020) 'Plastics and Microplastics: Impacts in the Marine Environment' Mare Plasticum - The Plastic Sea Springer International Publishing 49-72 , DOI
(2019) 'Biofilms in Intertidal Habitats' Interactions in the Marine Benthos Cambridge University Press 448-473 , DOI
(2019) 'The Intertidal Zone of the North-East Atlantic Region' Interactions in the Marine Benthos Cambridge University Press 7-46 , DOI
(2019) 'Design Options, Implementation Issues and Evaluating Success of Ecologically Engineered Shorelines' Oceanography and Marine Biology CRC Press 169-228 , DOI
(2019) 'Micro- and Macroplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems' Encyclopedia of Ecology Elsevier 116-125 , DOI
(2019) 'Microplastics in the Environment' Plastics and the Environment Royal Society of Chemistry 60-81 , DOI Open access
(2019) 'The Intertidal Zone of the North-East Atlantic Region: Pattern and Process' Interactions in the Marine Benthos: Global Patterns and Processes 7-46 , DOI
(2018) 'Chapter 4 Occurrence, Fate, and Effect of Microplastics in Freshwater Systems' Microplastic Contamination in Aquatic Environments 95-132 , DOI
(2018) 'Occurrence, Fate, and Effect of Microplastics in Freshwater Systems' Microplastic Contamination in Aquatic Environments Elsevier 95-132 , DOI
(2017) 'Are the Sinking Velocities of Microplastics Altered Following Interactions With Austrominius modestus and Sediment Particles?' Fate and Impact of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems Elsevier 99-100 , DOI
(2017) 'Assessment of Microplastics Present in Mussels Collected From the Scottish Coast' Fate and Impact of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems Elsevier 60-61 , DOI
(2017) 'Breaking Down the Plastic Age' Fate and Impact of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems Elsevier 177-181 , DOI
(2017) 'Characterization, Quantity, and Sorptive Properties of Microplastics Extracted From Cosmetics' Fate and Impact of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems Elsevier 63-64 , DOI
(2017) 'Deposition of Microplastics in Marine Sediments From the Irish Continental Shelf' Fate and Impact of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems Elsevier 44-44 , DOI
(2017) 'Microplastics in Cosmetics: Exploring Perceptions of Environmentalists, Beauticians, and Students' Fate and Impact of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems Elsevier 68-68 , DOI
(2017) 'Plastic Prey; Are Fish Postlarval Stages Ingesting Plastic in Their Natural Environment?' Fate and Impact of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems Elsevier 156-156 , DOI
(2017) 'The Wider Benefits of Cleaning Up Marine Plastic: Examining the Direct Impacts of Beach Cleans on the Volunteers' Fate and Impact of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems Elsevier 25-25 , DOI
(2017) 'What Do We Know About the Ecological Impacts of Microplastic Debris?' Fate and Impact of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems Elsevier 56-56 , DOI
(2017) 'Where Go the Plastics? And Whence Do They Come? From Diagnosis to Participatory Community-Based Observatory Network' Fate and Impact of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems Elsevier 45-46 , DOI
(2017) 'Where Next? The Road to Micro 2018 and Beyond' Fate and Impact of Microplastics in Marine Ecosystems Elsevier 185-188 , DOI
(2016) 'Sources, Distribution, and Fate of Microscopic Plastics in Marine Environments' The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry Springer International Publishing 121-133 , DOI Open access
(2015) 'Case Studies Worldwide' Coastal Risk Management in a Changing Climate Elsevier 325-628 , DOI
(2015) 'Chapter 11 Protected Shores Contaminated with Plastic From Knowledge to Action' Coastal Zones 185-195 , DOI
(2015) 'Chapter 2 Developing a Holistic Approach to Assessing and Managing Coastal Flood Risk' Coastal Risk Management in a Changing Climate 9-53 , DOI
(2015) 'Chapter 4 Ecological Approaches to Coastal Risk Mitigation' Coastal Risk Management in a Changing Climate 171-236 , DOI
(2015) 'Chapter 6 Toward Sustainable Decision Making' Coastal Risk Management in a Changing Climate 275-323 , DOI
(2015) 'Chapter 7 Case Studies Worldwide' Coastal Risk Management in a Changing Climate 325-628 , DOI
(2015) 'Developing a Holistic Approach to Assessing and Managing Coastal Flood Risk' Coastal Risk Management in a Changing Climate Elsevier 9-53 , DOI
(2015) 'Ecological Approaches to Coastal Risk Mitigation' Coastal Risk Management in a Changing Climate Elsevier 171-236 , DOI
(2015) 'Microplastics in the Marine Environment: Sources, Consequences and Solutions' Marine Anthropogenic Litter Springer International Publishing 185-200 , DOI
(2015) 'Toward Sustainable Decision Making' Coastal Risk Management in a Changing Climate Elsevier 275-323 , DOI
(2013) 'Contaminants, Pollution and Potential Anthropogenic Impacts in Chagos/BIOT' Coral Reefs of the World Springer Netherlands 283-298 , DOI
(2009) 'Changes in Diversity and Ecosystem Functioning During Succession' Ecological Studies Springer Berlin Heidelberg 213-223 , DOI
(2008) 'Rocky intertidal shores: prognosis for the future' Aquatic Ecosystems Cambridge University Press 209-225 , DOI
(2007) 'Case studies, Chapter 11 ' in Burcharth HF; Hawkins SJ; Zanuttigh B; Lamberti A Environmental design guidelines for low crested coastal structures Elsevier, Oxford UK 73-136
(2007) 'Environmental considerations in: . Burcharth HF, Hawkins SJ, Zanuttigh B and Lamberti A. Elsevier, Oxford UK, Chapter 9, p 65' in Burcharth HF; Hawkins SJ; Zanuttigh B; Lamberti A Environmental design guidelines for low crested coastal structures Elsevier, Oxford UK
(2007) 'Environmental impacts during construction operations' in Burcharth HF; Hawkins SJ; Zanuttigh B; Lamberti A Environmental design guidelines for low crested coastal structures Elsevier, Oxford UK
(2005) 'Consideration of legal, physical environmental, socio-economic and aesthetic constraints, Chapter 5' in Burcharth HF; Hawkins SJ; Zanuttigh B; Lamberti A Environmental design guidelines for low crested coastal structures Elsevier, Oxford UK 17-24
(2000) 'Feast or famine for intertidal grazing molluscs: a mis-match between seasonal variations in grazing intensity and the abundance of microbial resources' Island, Ocean and Deep-Sea Biology Springer Netherlands 357-367 , DOI
Conference Papers
(2020) 'Marine Litter: Are There Solutions to This Environmental Challenge?' Springer International Publishing 39-44 , DOI Open access
(2014) 'Application of a novel decision support system to assess and manage coastal flood risk in the Teign estuary, UK' International Conference on Coastal Engineering , DOI Open access
(2013) 'Application of a source-pathway-receptor-consequence (S-P-R-C) methodology to the Teign Estuary, UK' 1939-1944 , DOI
(2013) 'Marine Litter: Social Awareness and Co-responsibility' 1113-1121
(2011) 'ECOLOGICALLY BASED APPROACH TO COASTAL DEFENCE DESIGN AND PLANNING' Coastal Engineering Research Council 50-50 , DOI
(2010) 'Coastal Defences and Biodiversity: the influence of material choice and small-scale surface texture on biological outcomes' Thomas Telford Ltd 474-485 , DOI
(2009) 'Sexual segregation as a behavioural mediator of elasmobranch population dynamics' S67-S67 , DOI
(2007) 'Long- term changes in marine biodiversity in relation to climate, measured using rocky shore indicator' Proceedings of the 24th Conference of the Institute of Ecology & Environmental Management 83-91
(2000) 'Feast or famine for intertidal grazing molluscs: a mis-match between seasonal variations in grazing intensity and the abundance of microbial resources' 357-367 , DOI
(1998) 'The influence of epilithic microbial films on the settlement of Semibalanus balanoldes cyprids - a comparison between laboratory and field experiments' 203-216 , DOI
(1996) 'Biologically generated habitat provision and diversity of rocky shore organisms at a hierarchy of spatial scales' 73-84 , DOI
Reports
(2021) Terrestrial borne litter in the marine environment – evidence review and quantifying the issue. DEFRA DEFRA Publisher Site Open access
(2015) Social Aspects of microplastics in the marine environment. GESAMP Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection International Maritime Organization/UNEP
Presentations and posters
'Plastics in the ocean: Are there solutions to this global environmental problem?'
Other Publications
Personal
Personal
Reports & invited lectures
Keynote Presentations
EU Group of Chief Scientific Advisors, Scientific Perspective on Microplastic Pollution, 2018
Plastics Europe, PolyTalk (160 delegates), Malta, 2018
Chartered Institute of Waste Managers, Resourcing the Future, London,2018
The Consumer Goods Forum, Sustainable Retail Summit, Porto, Portugal, 2018
British Retail Consortium, Microfibres and Sustainable fashion (20 companies),London, 2018
British Plastics Federation, Marine Litter Platform, London 2018
Sainsbury’s Bitesize, What is the real truth about impact of plastics (300 delegates), London, 2018
Mott MacDonald, Marine Plastics Conference, London, 2018
IGD -Technical leaders Forum (representing 30 major food and drink companies), Luton, 2018
Veolia Institute Workshop, Paris, 2017
International Solid Waste Association, World Congress, Antwerp, 2015
EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain, Microplastics and nanoplastics in food, 2016
Marine Pollution - Plastic pollution a keynote presentation on marine debris as part of the Our Ocean meeting organised by US Secretary of State, John Kerry, in Washington.
Plastic debris in the ocean - a global environmental problem. Thompson RC Royal Society of Chemistry Distinguished Guest Lecture, London March 2014
Healthy Oceans – Productive Ecosystems: A European conference for the marine environment (HOPE)European Parliament, Invited Keynote speaker Thompson RC, Brussels,March 2014
LET'S BAG IT - conference on plastic bags, European Parliament, Invited Keynote speaker Thompson RC, Brussels, February 2014
Invited as plenary speaker to open Marine Litter meeting for EU policy in Berlin, April 2012.
Plastics and oceans, a threat to the marine environment, Thompson RC. Invited plenary speaker, ALDE Seminar, European Parliament, Brussels, June 2010.
Accumulation and environmental consequences of plastic debris in marine habitats, Stralsund, Germany, May 2006. Marine Nature Conservation in Europe 2006 Invited Seminar funded by Bundesamt fur Naturschutz. Thompson RC,Rowland SJ, Galloway TS, Browne MA, Niven S and Teuten E.
Los Martes de L’Oceanographic: The fate and impacts of plastic waste in the sea, Valencia, Spain, March 2006, Invited Lecture funded the British Council programme for Science and Society. Thompson RC, Rowland SJ,Galloway TS, Browne MA, Niven S and Teuten E.
Microscopic plastic particles in the marine environment. Kommunes Internatsjonale miloorganisasjon (Local Authorities International Organisation)15th International Conference, Lerwick, Shetland, UK, October 2005. Thompson RC, Rowland SJ, Galloway TS, Browne MA and Niven S.
The accumulation and environmental consequence of microscopic plastic debris. Plastic debris, rivers to sea conference. California, USA, September 2005. Thompson RC, Rowland SJ, Galloway TS, Browne MA and Niven S.
Lost at Sea: Studies on the Fate and Effects of Particles of Plastics.Royal Society of Chemistry International Symposium on Sustainable Plastics:Biodegradability versus Recycling. Manchester, March 2005. Thompson RC, Galloway T, Niven SJ, Browne M, & Rowland SJ.
Rocky intertidal communities: past environmental changes, present status and predictions (forecasts?) for the next 25 years. 5th International Conference on Environmental Futures, March 2003. Zurich, Switzerland. Thompson,RC, Crowe T.P. and Hawkins SJ.
Conferences organised
9th International Temperate Reefs Symposium, Plymouth University, 26th July – 1st August 2011.
Climate Change and Aquatic Systems: Past, Present and Future, University of Plymouth, 21-23rd July, 2004.
Other academic activities
Reviews of my research and publications
CIMAR, Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, paper of the week, March 2010
Martins, G.M., Thompson, R.C., Neto, A.I., Hawkins, S.J. and Jenkins, S.R. (2010) Enhancing stocks of the exploited limpet Patella candei d’Orbigny via modifications in coastal engineering, Biological Conservation,143: 203-211
‘It is widely recognized that microhabitats are important for a variety of marine organisms, yet this knowledge has rarely been applied in the construction of engineered structures as a means of enhancing biodiversity or populations of species at risk....’
Betts, K. (2008) Why small plastic particles may pose a big problem in the oceans Environmental Science and Technology, 5th November, 2008. Reports on 2 papers from my group:
Browne, M.A., Dissanayake, A., Galloway, T.S., Lowe, D.M. and Thompson R.C. (2008). Ingested microscopic plastic translocates to the circulatory system of the mussel, Mytilus edulis (L.) Environmental Science and Technology, 42: 5026-5031.
Teuten, E.L., Rowland, S.J., Galloway, T.S. and Thompson R.C. (2007). Potential for Plastics to Transport Hydrophobic Contaminants. Environmental Science and Technology, 41: 7759-7764.
‘two of the most influential papers in the field’
Duffy, J.E. (2008) Faculty of 100 must read papers. Reports on:
Griffin, J., de la Haye, K., Hawkins, S.J., Thompson, R.C. and Jenkins S.R. (2008). Predator diversity and ecosystem functioning: density modifies the effect of resource partitioning. Ecology, 89: 298-305.
‘This paper presents some of the first and most convincing experimental evidence for the widely assumed importance of resource partitioning in mediating the enhancement of ecosystem processes by diversity’
Ellinoson K. (2007) The trouble with nurdles. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment: 5: 396-396.
Reports in general about my research on plastics
Weismann, A. (2007) Polymers are forever. In: The world without us, Virgin Books Ltd, London, Chapter 9, 112-128.
Reports extensively on research by my group
Hopkin, M. (2004) Plastic particles surf polluted waves, Nature news (7th May, 2004 doi:10.1038). Reports on:
Thompson, R.C. , Olsen. Y., Mitchell, R.P., Davis, A., Rowland, S.J., John, A.W.G., McGonigle, D. and Russell A.E. (2004). Lost at sea: Where does all the plastic go? Science, 304: 838.
Links
BBC Radio 4 features
Plastic Fantastic - three-part BBC Radio 4 series about our love/hate relationship with plastic.
The Life Scientific - Plastic pollution with Richard Thompson