Dr Catherine Waller

Faculty and Department

  • Faculty of Science and Engineering
  • School of Environmental Sciences

Summary

Dr Waller developed a passion for marine biology after learning to dive. She is interested connectivity of remote locations and how changes in environmental conditions and increasing human activity (including the spread of microplastics) will affect native species, and how non-native species may alter these ecosystems. Her work is mainly in Polar regions which are some of the fastest warming places on the planet.

Module Co-ordinator :

Introduction to Biology 2 (L3 UG)

Marine Interactions (L5 UG)

Contributes to:

Independent Research Projects (L6 UG)

Marine Challenges (L6 UG)

Coastal Seas (L5 UG)

Oceanography (L5 UG)

Introduction to Marine Biology (L4 UG)

Recent outputs

View more outputs

Journal Article

Non-buoyant microplastic settling velocity varies with biofilm growth and ambient water salinity

Mendrik, F., Fernández, R., Hackney, C. R., Waller, C., & Parsons, D. R. (2023). Non-buoyant microplastic settling velocity varies with biofilm growth and ambient water salinity. Communications Earth & Environment, 4(1), Article 30. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00690-z

Global Drivers on Southern Ocean Ecosystems: Changing Physical Environments and Anthropogenic Pressures in an Earth System

Morley, S. A., Abele, D., Barnes, D. K., Cárdenas, C. A., Cotté, C., Gutt, J., …Constable, A. J. (2020). Global Drivers on Southern Ocean Ecosystems: Changing Physical Environments and Anthropogenic Pressures in an Earth System. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7, Article 547188. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.547188

Species-specific impact of microplastics on coral physiology

Mendrik, F., Henry, T., Burdett, H., Hackney, C., Waller, C., Parsons, D., & Hennige, S. (2021). Species-specific impact of microplastics on coral physiology. Environmental pollution, 269, Article 116238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116238

Invasive marine species discovered on non–native kelp rafts in the warmest Antarctic island

Avila, C., Angulo-Preckler, C., Martín-Martín, R. P., Figuerola, B., Griffiths, H. J., & Waller, C. L. (2020). Invasive marine species discovered on non–native kelp rafts in the warmest Antarctic island. Scientific reports, 10(1), Article 1639. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-58561-y

Other

Top tips for tackling plastic pollution – from marine scientists

Collins, C., Caswell, B., & Waller, C. (2021). Top tips for tackling plastic pollution – from marine scientists. London

Lead investigator

Project

Funder

Grant

Started

Status

Project

Svalbard Winter Plastics

Funder

BAS British Antarctic Survey (NERC)

Grant

£14,697.00

Started

1 February 2024

Status

Ongoing

Project

Microplastics in the Ocean: Vertical transfer through intertidal food webs

Funder

Assemble

Grant

£1,000.00

Started

16 June 2021

Status

Complete

Project

Arctic Frontiers Conference 2024

Funder

BAS British Antarctic Survey (NERC)

Grant

£2,348.00

Started

1 January 2024

Status

Complete

Co-investigator

Project

Funder

Grant

Started

Status

Project

Humber Aquaculture Partnership - Project 3

Funder

Marine Management Organisation

Grant

£29,058.00

Started

1 September 2018

Status

Complete

Postgraduate supervision

Polar Marine ecology, Community ecology, microplastics in marine environment, Vectors for transmission of non-native species into Southern ocean Completed PhDs Andrew Richardson. 2014. Patterns of mussel bed infaunal community structure and function at local, regional and biogeographic scales.

Committee/Steering group role

Co-Chair SODecade "Clean Ocean" Working Group

2021 - 2026

SODecade is part of the UN Decade of the Oceans focussing on the Southern Ocean.

Co- Chair SCAR Plastics at the Poles Action Group.

2019 - 2021

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) PLASTIC-AG comprises 114 group members, from 28 countries and a variety of backgrounds (science, industry, NGOs, etc). During the first AG workshop in Hull (October 2019) the AG agreed to establish three Working Groups. These are: (1) Methodology and Transport Prediction (Methodologies WG) (2) Impacts on Biota, Pathways (Impacts WG) (3) Remediation, Solutions and Policy (Remediation WG)

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