Header
BEGIN EDIT HERE <-->

FACEIMAGE

Eve Robinson

My research is focused on the role that oceanic turbulence plays in planktonic predator-prey interactions. My master's research showed how prey behaviour was affected by turbulence and wave-action (Robinson et al, 2007); for my PhD I want to further explore the relationship between plankton in the water column and their encounter rates with benthic suspension feeders. I also want to look at the behavioral and biomechanical strategies suspension feeders use to overcome the physical limitations of their fluid environment.

Benthic organisms are subject to boundary layer effects which result in slowed water flow and prey depletion close to the ocean floor. Turbulence and waves play an important role in reducing the boundary layer and altering the availability of food for suspension feeders who are dependent on water motion to deliver plankton. Coral reefs are wave-swept and turbulent environments that have complex water movements capable of generating turbulence 2-3 orders of magnitude more than other coastal waters. As currents or waves surge over the reef, the rough structure of coral disrupts flow to form many hydrodynamic microhabitats. This variation in the fluid environment affects bio-physical processes over the reef, particularly the flux of food to benthic suspension feeders. This is important for reef communities because suspension feeders such as corals provide structural protection and habitat for many other species. Gaining a better understanding of planktonic predator-prey interactions has implications for communities that rely on passing plankton as their chief food source and is also important when considering global shifts that may alter oceanic patterns.

Education

  • Ph.D. Student in Integrative Biology 2008 - present: University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)
  • M.S. in Marine Science 2006: University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute (Port Aransas, TX)
  • B.Sc. Honours in Biology and Environmental Studies 2003: University of Victoria (Victoria, BC)
  • Additional Education:
  • Small-scale Biophysical Interactions in the Plankton 2007: Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (Boothbay Harbor, Maine)
  • Marine Science Fall Programme 2002: Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (Bamfield, BC)
  • International Exchange Programme 2001: Murdoch University (Perth, Western Australia)

    • Professional Experience

    • Appointments:
    • Graduate Student Instructor (Fall 2008, Spring 2009) University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)
    • Marine Science Lab Coordinator (Spring 2005) University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)
    • Teaching Assistant (Fall 2004) University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)
    • Field & Lab Research:
    • Plankton escape responses in turbulent flow (2005-2006) University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute (Port Aransas, TX)
    • Measuring water flow and plankton availability over coral reefs; using SCUBA (2006) Glovers Reef Marine Reserve (Belize)
    • Methyl mercury accumulation in aquatic zooplankton (2003-2004) University of Victoria (Victoria, BC)
    • Inheritance of the primary sex ratio in a splash-zone copepod (2002-2003) University of Victoria (Victoria, BC)
    • Sponge growth rates in response to predation (2002) Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (Bamfield, BC)
    • Distribution and food availability of an intertidal gastropod (2001) Murdoch University (Perth, Western Australia)
    • Communications:
    • Research Assistant (2007-2008) Project Seahorse, University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)
    • Science Writer (2007-2008) Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum (Montreal, QC)
    • Environmental Consultant (2006-2007) Watershed Watch Salmon Society (Vancouver, BC)
    • Marine Educator (2002) Marine Ecology Station (Sydney, BC)

      • Publications

      • Finelli, C.M., Clarke, R.C., Robinson, H.E., and Buskey, E.J. (2009) Water flow controls distribution and feeding behavior of two syntopic coral reef fishes: I. Field measurements. Coral Reefs DOI 10.1007/s00338-009-0481-0 Online March 3, 2009
      • Voordouw, M.J., Stebbins, G., Robinson, H.E., Perrot-Minnot, M.J., Rigaud, T., and Anholt, B.R. (2008) Genetic variation in the primary sex ratio in populations of the intertidal copepod, Tigriopus californicus, is widespread on Vancouver Island. Evolutionary Ecology Research 10(7): 1007-1023
      • Robinson, H.E., Finelli, C.M., and Buskey, E.J. (2007) The turbulent life of copepods: the effect of flow over a coral reef on their ability to detect and evade predators. Marine Ecology Progress Series 349: 171-181
      • Voordouw, M.J., Robinson, H.E., and Anholt, B.R. (2005) Paternal inheritance of the primary sex ratio in a copepod. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 18: 1304-1314
      • Voordouw, M.J., Robinson, H.E., Stebbins, G., Albert, A.Y.K, and Anholt, B.R. (2005) Larval density and the Charnov-Bull model of adaptive environmental sex determination in a copepod. Canadian Journal of Zoology 83: 943-954

      Graduate Academic Awards

      • Non-Resident Tuition Award 2009: University of California Berkeley, Graduate Division
      • Post-graduate Scholarship 2008-2011: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada
      • Endeavour International Postgraduate Research Scholarship 2006-2008 (declined): University of Western Australia
      • (Dept. of Marine Science nominee) Outstanding Thesis Award 2007: University of Texas at Austin
      • (Dept. of Marine Science nominee) Outstanding Graduate Student Employee Award 2006: University of Texas at Austin
      • Dean's Excellence Award 2004: University of Texas at Austin