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Staff Profile

Professor Pip Moore

Professor of Marine Science

Background

I am a marine community ecologist who is interested in all aspects of marine ecology and more specifically on how algal-dominated near-shore ecosystems are structured and function. My research has generally focussed on the consequences of climate change (global warming, marine heatwaves and ocean acidification) and other anthropogenic impacts (e.g. fishing, off-shore engineering, invasive species) on populations and communities of intertidal (rocky shores) and shallow subtidal systems (kelp forests). My research is interdisciplinary in nature having collaborated with ecologists, population geneticists, molecular biologists, oceanographers, social scientists, ecological modellers, engineers and policy makers.


August 2023 - present: Director of Education

August 2022 - present: Deputy Head of School of Natural and Environmental Sciences

July 2020 - present: Professor of Marine Ecology, Newcastle University

January 2011 - June 2020: Lecturer & Reader in Marine Ecology, Aberystwyth University

Research

Climate Change Ecology

My research in this area focuses on the impacts of climate warming (gradual warming and marine heatwaves) and ocean acidification on the structure and functioning of shallow water marine communities. I have used a range of approaches including long-term datasets, mesocosm experiments, space-for-time manipulations and modelling approaches to demonstrate physiological impacts leading to changes in species distributions, phenology and demography, alterations to predator-prey and competitive interactions and population level genetic responses.

Ecological Engineering

Coastlines around the globe are hardening (ocean sprawl) in order to protect valuable coastal infrastructure from increased storminess and sea-level rise. At the same time, our coastlines and seas are increasingly becoming a focus for the generation of renewable energy (off-shore wind, wave and tidal generation). These hard-engineered structures have been shown to be poor surrogates for natural rocky reefs supporting depauperate communities due to their reduced habitat complexity. Ecological engineering aims to make these hard-engineered structures better for nature by increasing habitat complexity at a range of spatial scales (micro to macro scales). My research in this area has designed cost-effective interventions for increasing biodiversity on coastal structures as well as developing novel low carbon alternatives to concrete.

Kelp Forest Ecology


Kelp forests are some of the most productive habitats on Earth providing food and habitat that supports diverse marine communities and provides goods and services to human society worth £billions per year. They have also recently been identified as a potentially highly important blue carbon donor habitat contributing to the mitigation of climate change. At the same time, and like many marine vegetated habitats, kelp forests are under threat from a range of anthropogenic stressors. For the last seven years I have been investigating the structure and functioning of UK kelp forests from the microbiome to kelp forest food-webs. Using a space-for-time gradient, spanning 2.5°C, we are also determining how future warming may impact the physiology and ecology of kelp and their associated communities. More recently, we been working with collaborators in Chile and Peru to better understand the structure and function of kelp forests in these countries in order to provide ecosystem-based management of the kelp fishery. 

Teaching

I have taught and continue to teach across a wide range of modules covering ecology, marine biology, field and research skills. I currently teach into the following modules:

NES1501 Marine Biology

NES1504 Academic and Professional Skills for the Biosciences

NES2504 Academic and Employability Skills

NES3502 Advanced Marine Research Topics II

NES3504 Global Marine Science

NES3505 Research Project

NES8005 MRes Research Project (Module leader)

NES8500 Understanding Marine Ecosystems (Module leader)


I am also the Degree Programme Director for MRes Marine Ecosystems












Publications