(she/her)
I have a BSc (Hons) in Marine Science from the Scottish Association for Marine Science. My honours dissertation project looked at the deep arctic seabed communities and how they change over varying water masses. I then went on to do a MRes at the University of Plymouth in Marine Biology where I studied kelp associated benthic organisms and their response to habitat changes. I have been passionate about the deep-sea since my undergraduate years and love studying benthic invertebrates!
Deep connections: how do changes in deep sea faunal communities relate to surface physics and biology
PI and Institution:
Bhavani Narayanaswamy, SAMS-UHI
PhD aim:
The aim of this project is to identify any changes in the benthic faunal community in and around the Rockall Trough over the last 4 decades using seabed samples paired with environmental data. This will hopefully paint a picture of how the deep-sea benthos reacts to changes in surface parameters such as plankton blooms, temperature and salinity.
PhD objectives:
To sort and analyse seabed samples taken from 1970s until 2016, identifying the organisms to species level where possible. – To compare this detailed taxonomic data with environmental data from the overlying water column. -To gain an understanding of how the deep-sea benthos is responding to surface changes over short and long timescales.
Contact details:
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @katefrazzz
LinkedIn: Kate Fraser