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Valentina Lauria

Post Doctoral Researcher M.Sc, Ph.D

Contact Details

Post Doctoral Researcher
Ryan Institute
Nui Galway

E: VALENTINA.LAURIA@nuigalway.ie
 
researcher

Biography

I am a marine ecologist with broad knowledge of marine ecosystem biodiversity, functioning and monitoring which I have gained during my research across Europe. My research interests focus on the effects of human impacts upon marine ecosystems and spatial ecology. In particular my research experience is centred on the temporal and spatial analysis of climate change and fishery effects on trophic food webs using modelling techniques to predict future effects upon marine ecosystems and to produce scientific support for policy exploration.

Currently I am holding a Postdoctoral Research Associate position at the Ryan Institute (National University of Ireland, Galway), where I am heading the FP7 project “NEPHROPS” www.nephrops.eu. The project is largely multidisciplinary involving a number of universities in UK, Sweden and Ireland, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and numerous stakeholders (i.e. Orkney Fisheries Association, Clew Bay Marine Forum, Northbay Shellfish Ltd. etc.). The project focuses upon sustainable fishery management (including discards reduction and aquaculture) of Dublin Bay prawn (Nephrops norvegicus) stocks in Ireland, Sweden and Scotland with the final aim to aid the local fishermen and stakeholders in Europe.

Here I am responsible for developing and validating the habitat suitability models (for Nephrops) in several European countries (Ireland, Sweden and Scotland) analysing large spatial and temporal datasets by using a combination of spatial analysis in GIS and R programming. Aside from the modelling I am also organising and managing the project field work where I am in charge of planning large scale mark-recapture experiments (tagging) in Ireland and Sweden which aim to identifying suitable inshore sites for potential future ranching activities in Europe. The field work also involves a close collaboration with local fishermen in Ireland and Sweden. In particular for this specific aspect I have been responsible for creating and maintaining a solid rapport with fishermen (i.e. for supply of animals that will otherwise will be discarded), as well as face to face interviews to gain information that can benefit the project (e.g. identifying fishing productive areas and suitable grounds for release of tagged Nephrops). I work closely with partners who aim to assess the economic benefits of the project.

Research Interests

My research interest focus on the effects of fisheries and climate change upon marine ecosystems and sustainable resources management. In particular my research experience is centered on the analysis of these impacts on marine food chains using modelling techniques and habitat mapping to produce scientific support for policy exploration and biodiversity conservation.

Research Projects

  Project Start Date End Date
Channel Habitat Atlas for marine Resource Management (CHARM phase II) 13-JAN-08 13-OCT-08
Impacts of climate change and fisheries on the Celtic Sea ecosystem 20-OCT-08 21-JUN-12
NEPHROPS 20-AUG-12 31-JAN-15

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2009) 'The Channel habitat atlas for marine resource management (CHARM): an aid for planning and decision-making in an area under strong anthropogenic pressure'
Martin CS, Carpentier A, Vaz S, Coppin F, Curet L, Dauvin J, Delavenne J, Dewarumez JM, Dupuis L, Engelhard G, Foveau A, Garcia C, Gardel L, Harrop S, Just R, Koubbi P, Lauria V, Meaden GJ, Morin J, Ota Y, Rostiaux E, Smith RJ, Spilmont N, Vérin Y, Villanueva C, Warembourg C, (2009) 'The Channel habitat atlas for marine resource management (CHARM): an aid for planning and decision-making in an area under strong anthropogenic pressure'. Aquatic Living Resources, 22 :499-508 [DOI] [Details]
(2010) 'A digital atlas helps to link the ontogenic shifts in fish spatial distribution to the environment of the eastern English Channel. Dab as a case study'
Martin CS, Vaz S, Koubbi P, Meaden GJ, Engelhard GH, Lauria V, Gardel L, Coppin F, Delavenne J, Dupuis L, Ernande B, Fouveau A, Lelievre S, Morin J, Warembourg C, Carpentier A, (2010) 'A digital atlas helps to link the ontogenic shifts in fish spatial distribution to the environment of the eastern English Channel. Dab as a case study'. Cybium, 34 (1):59-71 [Details]
(2011) 'What influences European plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) distribution in the eastern English Channel? Using habitat modelling and GIS to predict habitat utilisation'
Lauria V, Vaz S, Martin CS, Mackinson S, Carpentier A, (2011) 'What influences European plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) distribution in the eastern English Channel? Using habitat modelling and GIS to predict habitat utilisation'. Ices Journal Of Marine Science, 68 (7):1500-1510 [DOI] [Details]
(2012) 'Modelled distribution of ten demersal elasmobranchs of the eastern English Channel in relation to the Environment'
Martin CS, Vaz S, Ellis JR, Coppin F, Lauria V, Carpentier A. (2012) 'Modelled distribution of ten demersal elasmobranchs of the eastern English Channel in relation to the Environment'. Journal Of Experimental Marine Biology And Ecology, 418-419 :91-103 [Details]
(2013) 'Regional variation in the impact of climate change: evidence that bottom-up regulation from plankton to seabirds is weak in parts of the Northeast Atlantic'
Lauria V, Attrill MJ, Brown A, Edwards M, Votier SC (2013) 'Regional variation in the impact of climate change: evidence that bottom-up regulation from plankton to seabirds is weak in parts of the Northeast Atlantic'. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 488 :11-22 [Details]
(2012) 'Influence of Climate Change and Trophic Coupling across Four Trophic Levels in the Celtic Sea'
Lauria V, Attrill MJ, Pinnegar JK, Brown A, Edwards M, Votier, SC (2012) 'Influence of Climate Change and Trophic Coupling across Four Trophic Levels in the Celtic Sea'. Plos One, 7 (10) [Details]

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2010) 'Chapter 3. Channel Habitat Atlas for Marine Resources Management (CHARM) - An Aid to Management of a Resource Stressed Marine Area'
Martin C, Meaden CG, Vaz S, Dupuis L, Lauria V, Ernande B, Dauvin JC, Spilmont N, Dewarumez JM, Foveau A, Garcia C, Carpentier A, (2010) 'Chapter 3. Channel Habitat Atlas for Marine Resources Management (CHARM) - An Aid to Management of a Resource Stressed Marine Area' In: Ocean Globe. Redlands CA: ESRI Press. [Details]

Published Reports

  Year Publication
(2009) CHARM II Channel Habitat Atlas for marine Resource Management, rapport final/Atlas des habitats des ressources marines de la Manche orientale, phase II (CHARM II).
Carpentier A, Cook J, Coppin F, Delavenne J, Dupuis L, Engelhard G, Ernande B, Gardel L, Koubbi P, Lauria V, Martin C, Morin J, Vaz S, Warembourg C, (2009) CHARM II Channel Habitat Atlas for marine Resource Management, rapport final/Atlas des habitats des ressources marines de la Manche orientale, phase II (CHARM II). IFREMER, Boulogne-sur-mer, France. [Details]

Honours and Awards

  Year Title Awarding Body
2006 Travelling fellowship University of Palermo - CEFAS
2008 PhD Studentiship Plymouth University

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2003 University of Palermo LLB Degree Environmental Science
2005 Regional Agency for Environment (Italy) MASTERS OF SCIENCE Environmental Management and Sustainable Development
2006 University of Palermo MASTERS OF SCIENCE Analysis and Management of Marine Ecosystems
2012 Plymouth University PhD Impacts of climate change and fisheries on the Celtic Sea ecosystem

Languages

  Language
Spanish
English
Italian

Reviews

  Journal Role
Ecological Modelling Reviewer
Estuarine Coastal And Shelf Science Reviewer
Marine Ecology Progress Series Reviewer