Address:

316 Westbury Mount

School of Ocean Sciences

Bangor University

Menai Bridge LL59 5AB

Wales, UK

Web: ResearchGate; Google Scholar

Overview: 

I am an observational marine scientist with broad research interests lying at the interface between physical oceanography and marine ecology. I am interested in the following themes: marine optics and its relevance to algal productivity and distribution; hydrodynamics and other abiotic factors and their influence on the biogeography, structure, and function of vulnerable marine ecosystems; water masses, ocean currents, and stratification and their role in ocean circulation, climate regulation, and biophysical ecology.

I have a background in physics and ocean sciences, completing a Ph.D. (Bangor University, Wales) in 2015 on tidal modulation of seabed light and its implications for benthic algae. Since then I have undertaken post-docs in deep-sea research at Bangor and at the University of Bergen (Norway), before returning to Bangor to work on an ocean-atmosphere climate change project, ArctiCONNECT.      

Research Areas: Marine Ecology; Ocean Physics; Earth System Science and Climate Change.

• PhD: Physical Oceanography (Bangor University)
  2015
• BSc: Ocean Science (Bangor University)
  2010
• Other: Physics (University of Durham)
  2008

Teaching

• Produced an undergraduate textbook 'Tides: A Very Short Introduction' (OUP, 2019) together with Prof. D.G. Bowers
• Sponges lecture, BNS 1002 Organismal Diversity, Bangor University (2017)
• Marine Optics Short Course, Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique (2012)
• Many and various teaching assistant/demonstrating/school's outreach roles.

Supervision

Nuffield Research Placement Students:

• Bryn Harris (2016) - deep-sea research
• Gokul Krishna (2017) - deep-sea research

NERC Research Experience Placement Students:

• Richard Anderson (from Uni. Strathclyde; 2017) - water masses/sponge biogeography project

ERASMUS Research Internships:

• Florian Barge (from ENSTA-Bretagne; 2022) - Arctic wind forcing changes with sea-ice decline

M.Sc. Students:

• Christina Thiele (2013) - tidal light variation effects on the behaviour of starfish
• Heidi Meyer (2017) - spatial patterns and community composition of an Arctic sponge ground

Ph.D. Students:

• Heidi Meyer (2018-22) - Arctic deep-sea sponge ground ecosystems

2023

• PublishedBeyond the tip of the seamount: Distinct megabenthic communities found beyond the charismatic summit sponge ground on an arctic seamount (Schulz Bank, Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge)
  Meyer, H. K., Davies, A. J., Roberts, E. M., Xavier, J. R., Ribeiro, P. A., Glenner, H., Birkely, S-R. & Rapp, H. T., 1 Jan 2023, In: Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers. 191, 1 p., 103920.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2022

• PublishedBiodiversity, environmental drivers, and sustainability of the global deep-sea sponge microbiome
  Busch, K., Slaby, B. M., Bach, W., Boetius, A., Clefsen, I., Colaço, A., Creemers, M., Cristobo, J., Federwisch, L., Franke, A., Gavriilidou, A., Hethke, A., Kenchington, E., Mienis, F., Mills, S., Riesgo, A., Ríos, P., Roberts, E. M., Sipkema, D., Pita, L., Schupp, P. J., Xavier, J., Rapp, H. T. & Hentschel, U., 2 Sep 2022, In: Nature Communications. 13, 1, 5160 .
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• PublishedEnvironmental Change at Deep-Sea Sponge Habitats Over the Last Half Century: A Model Hindcast Study for the Age of Anthropogenic Climate Change
  Samuelsen, A., Schrum, C., Yumruktepe, V. C., Daewel, U. & Roberts, E. M., 24 Mar 2022, In: Frontiers in Marine Science. 9
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2021

• PublishedClimate change winner in the deep sea? Predicting the impacts of climate change on the distribution of the glass sponge Vazella pourtalesii
  Beazley, L., Kenchington, E., Murillo, F. J., Brickman, D., Wang, Z., Davies, A. J., Roberts, E. M. & Rapp, H. T., 7 Jan 2021, In: Marine Ecology Progress Series. 657, p. 1-23
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• PublishedLes Marées
  Bowers, D. & Roberts, E. M., 17 Jun 2021, EDP Sciences.
  Research output: Book/Report › Book › peer-review
• PublishedLong-term Observations Reveal Environmental Conditions and Food Supply Mechanisms at an Arctic Deep-Sea Sponge Ground
  Hanz, U., Roberts, E. M., Duineveld, G., Davies, A., van Haren, H., Rapp, H. T., Reichart, G-J. & Mienis, F., 1 Mar 2021, In: Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans. 126, 3, e2020JC016776.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• PublishedWater masses constrain the distribution of deep-sea sponges in the North Atlantic Ocean and Nordic Seas
  Roberts, E. M., Bowers, D. G., Meyer, H. K., Samuelsen, A., Rapp, H. T. & Cardenas, P., 4 Feb 2021, In: Marine Ecology Progress Series. 659, p. 75-96
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2020

• PublishedDrivers of Megabenthic Community Structure in One of the World's Deepest Silled-Fjords, Sognefjord (Western Norway)
  Meyer, H. K., Roberts, E. M., Mienis, F. & Rapp, H. T., 9 Jun 2020, In: Frontiers in Marine Science. 7
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• PublishedOn giant shoulders: how a seamount affects the microbial community composition of seawater and sponges
  Busch, K., Hanz, U., Mienis, F., Mueller, B., Franke, A., Roberts, E. M., Rapp, H. T. & Hentschel, U., 8 Jul 2020, In: Biogeosciences. 17, 13, p. 3471-3486
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• PublishedSecchi Disk Measurements in Turbid Water
  Bowers, D. G., Roberts, E. M., Hoguane, A. M., Fall, K. A., Massey, G. M. & Friedrichs, C. T., May 2020, In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans. 125, 5, 9 p., e2020JC016172.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• PublishedThe First Cut Is the Deepest: Trawl Effects on a Deep-Sea Sponge Ground Are Pronounced Four Years on
  Morrison, K. M., Meyer, H. K., Roberts, E. M., Rapp, H. T., Colaco, A. & Pham, C. K., 23 Dec 2020, In: Frontiers in Marine Science. 7
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• PublishedTides: A Very Short Introduction
  Bowers, D. & Roberts, E. M., 1 Feb 2020, Oxford University Press. 168 p. (Very Short Introductions)
  Research output: Book/Report › Book

2019

• PublishedSpatial patterns of arctic sponge ground fauna and demersal fish are detectable in autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) imagery
  Meyer, H. K., Roberts, E. M., Rapp, H. T. & Davies, A., 1 Nov 2019, In: Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers. 153, 103137, 103137.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2018

• PublishedOceanographic setting and short-timescale environmental variability at an Arctic seamount sponge ground
  Roberts, E., Mienis, F., Rapp, H. T., Hans, U., Meyer, H. & Davies, A., Aug 2018, In: Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers. 138, August, p. 98-113
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• PublishedTidal modulation of seabed light and its implications for benthic algae
  Roberts, E., Bowers, D. & Davies, A., Jan 2018, In: Limnology and Oceanography. 63, 1, p. 91-106
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2014

• PublishedSprings–neaps cycles in daily total seabed light: Daylength-induced changes
  Roberts, E. M., Bowers, D. G. & Davies, A. J., 1 Apr 2014, In: Journal of Marine Systems. 132, p. 116-129
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2013

• PublishedWater masses, mixing, and the flow of dissolved organic carbon through the Irish Sea
  Bowers, D., Roberts, E., White, M. & Moate, B., 2013, In: Continental Shelf Research. 58, p. 12-20
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• ReAct: Revealing Climate Change Activism and Bias in Environmental Scientists

  09/01/2023 – 30/04/2023 (Finished)

Grant Awards:

• EQUINOR Industry-Sponsored Research Project (2019) - approx. 1,000,000 NOK - investigation of hydrothermal vent sites near mid-ocean ridges (proposal contribution; grant currently managed by Dr. Pedro Ribeiro, University of Bergen)
• NERC Research Experience Placement Grant (2017) - approx. £2,500 - 8-week stipend for a student to work under my supervision mapping sponge species to water masses in the Nordic Seas

Projects (worked on):

• NERC-funded ArctiCONNECT project (2021-present)
• EU Horizon 2020-funded SponGES project (2016-2020)
• NERC-funded BRITICE CHRONO and CLAM projects (2015-2016)
• NERC-funded DTP project (Ph.D.; 2010-2015) - Tidal modulation of seabed light
• NERC/MoD-funded project (2010) - Application of remote sensing to the measurement of marine particle sizes and their relation to turbulence.