Dr. Cathy Lucas

Research Fellow

[Dr. Cathy Lucas]

Contact:

(Room 346/39)
School of Ocean & Earth Science,
University of Southampton,
Southampton Oceanography Centre,
European Way,
Southampton,
SO14 3ZH,
United Kingdom.

Tel: +44 (0)23 80596270
Fax: +44 (0)23 80593059

Email: C.Lucas@soc.soton.ac.uk

Contents

[Background] [Research] [Teaching] [Other Interests] [Publications]

Background

1988 BSc (Hons) Zoology, University of Wales, Swansea
1993 PhD Marine Biology, University of Southampton

1988 Research Assistant
Australian Institute for Marine Science, Townsville, Australia
1993-1994 Teaching Fellow
Dept. of Oceanography, University of Southampton
1995-1996 Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution Postdoctoral Fellow
HBOI, Florida, U.S.A
"The biology of deep-sea gelatinous zooplankton."
1996-1999 Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dept. of Oceanography, Southampton Oceanography Centre
EU ELOISE Programme, Project ECOFLAT (Eco-metabolism of a tidal flat)
"Benthic-pelagic exchange of primary producers."
1999-2002 Postdoctoral Research Fellow
School of Ocean & Earth Science, Southampton Oceanography Centre
EPSRC Coastal, Estuarine and Waterway Engineering Programme
"The influence of biota on silt dynamics following dredging activities."

Research

General Statement

I have a broad interest in estuarine structure and function, in particular the interactions between biological communities and their environment. My two main areas of research are tidal flat dynamics and gelatinous zooplankton ecology. The research into tidal flat dynamics has been multidisciplinary in its objectives and approach, involving both field sampling and laboratory experiments of sediment-biota interactions. I have experience of the following methods: benthic and pelagic fieldwork, EMCMs, measurements of sediment erosion (cohesive strength meter and annular flumes), high-performance liquid chromatography, sediment carbohydrates, diatom microscopy, zooplankton identification, histology, gross biochemistry and physiology of jellyfish.

Links to:
SOC Theme 3: Coastal and Shelf Sea Processes
SOES Research
Sediment Dynamics Research

Tidal Flat Dynamics

Benthic-pelagic exchange at tidal flats, and organic matter cycling in estuaries
Benthic-pelagic exchange of microalgae at tidal flats has important implications for food web dynamics of benthic communities, sediment stabilisation, short-term dynamics of water column chlorophyll a biomass, and the fate of the microalgae themselves. Most of this research has been carried out on the EU-funded project ECOFLAT (completed in September 1999) in collaboration with partners from Plymouth Marine Laboratory and NIOO-CEMO.

Influence of biota on sediment transport, following dredging actvities
Key questions concerning the fate of resuspended sediments following dredging activities, for the evaluation of flood defence, water quality and conservation management include: 1) how is the benthic community affected by such an event; and 2) how rapidly do sediments deposit and re-consolidate, and what role do benthic biota, in particular microphytobenthos play in this? An EPSRC-funded project, in collaboration with ABP Marine Environmental Research aims to incorporate biological paramaters influencing sediment stability into silt transport models.

Use of HPLC analysis of algal pigments for ecological and sedimentological applications
HPLC analysis of algal pigments in sediments can be used to identify community composition and ecological processes such as benthic-pelagic exchange, sedimentation and burial, physiological status and metazoan grazing. HPLC analysis at SOC has been carried out on intertidal and deep-sea sediments, deep-sea fauna gut contents, estuarine phytoplankton, as well as in open ocean and oligotrophic systems.

[Molenplaat tidal flat]

Zooplankton ecology

Reproduction and recruitment of the scyphomedusa Aurelia aurita
The scyphozoan Aurelia aurita is a cosmopolitan species that has been extensively studied over the last ~100 years. Three striking features emerge from these studies: 1) the presence of populations in a wide range of environmental conditions; 2) large inter-population differences in abundance and life history patterns; and 3) inter-annual variability in population dynamics. Reproduction and recruitment are potentially important factors governing these observations. Studies of local populations of both the medusa and polyp life stages are being conducted, with particular emphasis on environmental factors affecting polyp abundance, growth, budding and strobilation.

Secondary production and impact of gelatinous predators in pelagic systems
When abundant, gelatinous predators can significantly impact and modify coastal and estuarine food webs. Horsea Lake, an enclosed body of water on the south coast of England, is characterised by an abundant population of Aurelia aurita throughout the year, together with very low mesozooplankton biomass. A. aurita has an important role in structuring the plankton community. However, in spite of the extremely low numbers of herbivorous zooplankton, chlorophyll biomass is also low, suggesting top-down and bottom-up population control. Ongoing projects are examining energy flows in this medusa-dominated system.

[Aurelia gonad]

Teaching

Other Interests

Sub-Aqua
BSAC Advanced Diver and Club Instructor
Courses: Small boat handler, Oxygen administration, First aid, Practical rescue management, Disabled diving.

Sailing
VHF operator, RYA Yachtmaster, RYA Dinghy level 2, RYA/DOT Sea survival

Publications

Lucas, C.H., Widdows, J., Wall, L. (accepted) Relating spatial and temporal variability in sediment chlorophyll a and carbohydrate distribution with erodibility of a tidal flat. Estuaries

Lucas, C.H. (2001) Reproduction and life history strategies of Aurelia aurita in relation to its ambient environment. In: Purcell, J.E., Graham, W.M., Dumont, H.J. (eds) Jellyfish Blooms: Ecological and Societal Importance. Proceedings of the International Conference on Jellyfish Blooms. Gulf Shores, Alabama, USA, 2000. Hydrobiologia 451(1-3) (Developments in Hydrobiology 155): 229-246.

Lucas, C.H., Banham, C., Holligan, P.M. (2001) Benthic-pelagic exchange of microalgae at a tidal flat. 2. Taxonomic analysis. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 212: 39-52.

Herman, P.M.J., Middelburg, J.J., Widdows, J., Lucas, C.H., Heip, C.H.R. (2000) Stable isotopes as tracers: combining field sampling and manipulative labelling of food resources for macrobenthos. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 204: 79-92.

Lucas, C.H., Widdows, J., Brinsley, M.D., Salkeld, P.N., Herman, P.M.J. (2000) Benthic-pelagic exchange of microalgae at a tidal flat. 1. Pigment analysis. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 196: 59-73.

Widdows, J., Brinsley, M.D., Salkeld, P.N., Lucas, C.H. (2000) Influence of biota on spatial and temporal variation in sediment erodability and material flux on a tidal flat (Westerschelde, Netherlands). Marine Ecology Progress Series, 194: 23-37.

Lucas, C.H., Holligan, P.M. (1999) Nature and ecological implications of algal pigment diversity on the Molenplaat tidal flat (Westerschelde estuary). Marine Ecology Progress Series, 180: 51-64.

Hamels, I., Sabbe, K., Muylaert, K., Barranguet, C., Lucas, C., Herman, P.M.J., Vyverman, W. (1998) Organisation of microbenthic communities in intertidal estuarine flats, a case study from the Molenplaat (Westerschelde estuary, The Netherlands). European Journal of Protistology, 34: 308-320.

Lucas, C.H., Lawes, S. (1998) Sexual reproduction of a scyphomedusa in response to temperature and variable food supply. Marine Biology, 131: 629-638.

Hirst, A.G., Lucas, C.H. (1998) Salinity influences body weight quantification in the scyphomedusa Aurelia aurita (L.): important implications for body weight determination in gelatinous zooplankton. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 165: 259-269.

Lucas, C.H., Hirst, A.G., Williams, J.A. (1997) Plankton dynamics and Aurelia aurita production from two contrasting ecosystems: comparisons and consequences. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 45: 209-219.

Lucas, C.H. (1996) Population dynamics of the scyphomedusa Aurelia aurita (L.) from an ‘isolated’ brackish lake, with particular reference to sexual reproduction. Journal of Plankton Research, 18: 987-1007.

Lucas, C.H., Williams, J.A. (1995) Gelatinous predators and their potential impact on the mesozooplankton community of Southampton Water. In: Eleftheriou, A., Ansell, A.D., Smith, C.J. (eds) Biology and Ecology of Shallow Coastal Waters. Proceedings of the 28th European Marine Biology Symposium, Crete. 1993. Olsen & Olsen, Fredensborg. pp 73-78.

Lucas, C.H., Williams, D.W., Williams, J.A., Sheader, M. (1995) Seasonal dynamics and production of Clytia hemisphaerica (Hydromedusa, Leptomedusa) in Southampton Water. Estuaries, 18: 362-372.

Lucas, C.H. (1994) Biochemical composition of Aurelia aurita in relation to age and sexual maturity. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 183: 179-192.

Lucas, C.H., Williams, J.A. (1994) Population dynamics of the scyphomedusa Aurelia aurita in Southampton Water. Journal of Plankton Research, 16: 879-895.

Submitted

Steyaert, M., Cattaert, C., Barranguet, C. Lucas, C.H., Vincx, M. Community structure of meiobenthos of an estuarine intertidal flat in the Westerschelde estuary (Molenplaat, The Netherlands). Journal of Sea Research

Lucas, C.H. Observations of resuspended diatoms in the turbid tidal edge. Journal of Sea Research

[SOC Home] [SOES Home] [SOES Staff]

Last Updated by Cathy Lucas, 24 July 2002