The Marine Population Modelling group is engaged in research on a wide variety of topics in marine resource modelling and ecology. Recent work includes the development of novel and computationally highly efficient population models combining both spatial and biological structure for Calanus finmarchicus, an important zooplankton. This approach allows physiologically structured models (PSM) to be fitted to very large-scale, spatio-temporal data sets for the first time, a most important practical advance.
Current work is focussed on the development of PSMs of fish populations, i.e. models which attempt to reproduce the underlying biological processes of individual animals, allowing for environmental, spatial and genetic variation between them.These are used to consider spatially explicit population dynamics, genetic differentiation, and complex multi species interactions.
The MPM group has enjoyed a long, successful relationship with Marine Scotland. However, we also work in collaboration with empirical scientists from a variety of institutions and participate in large multi-university projects. The MPM group is also a partner in the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology Scotland (MASTS)
We obtain funding from a wide variety of bodies including Marine Scotland, NERC, European Commission, Leverhulme Trust, Defra and the Scottish Office.
