Dr Steve Simpson
Senior Lecturer in Marine Biology and Global Change
Research
Research interests
I am a marine biologist and fish ecologist, with particular interests in the behaviour of coral reef fishes, bioacoustics, effects of climate change on marine ecosystems, conservation and management.
My work combines fieldwork, often through expeditions to remote and challenging environments, with laboratory-based behaviour experiments, data-mining, and computer modelling.
My research focuses on:
- The impact of anthropogenic noise on marine ecosystems
- The effects of climate change on fish and fisheries
- Sensory and orientation behaviour of marine organisms
- Dispersal, connectivity and biogeography
- Management
Research Findings and News Stories
- Ship noise makes crabs get crabby (Biology Letters paper, Scientific American podcast)
- Tropical plankton exodus by 2100 (New Scientist article)
- Red gurnard and chips please (p7, Cabot Institute Report 2012)
- Sustainable Fisheries Schools Resources (Digital Explorer Interview)
- Great Barrier Reef in decline (Live interview with Huw Edwards on BBC 5 o’clock News)
- TEDxBristol Talk: Future of the Oceans
- Cabot Institute Podcast on Future of Fisheries – Burst Radio (Aug 2012)
- Stranded whale in Severn Estuary (BBC Points West Interview on marine noise)
- Bristol marine biologist explains how fish find home (ICRS Expert Panel)
- A test of the senses in search of a shoal mate (Ecology paper)
- Some like it hot – European fish stocks changing with warming seas (Current Biology paper, Guardian article, BBC article)
- Steve Simpson awarded NERC KE Fellowship
- Ocean acidification leaves clownfish deaf to predators (Biology Letters paper, BBC article, CBC Quirks and Quarks Interview, Naked Scientists Interview, Science News article)
- Crustaceans Crave a Little Quiet (news feature in Science)
- Secrets of the Night Reef: Noise that Can Terrify (Coral magazine article)
- Rowdy residents warn crustaceans away from perilous reefs (PLoS ONE paper, NERC Article)
- Latest research featured on NERC Planet Earth Podcast
- Tracking the Ocean‘s Next Generation (Science News feature article)
- A familiar racket helps fish find a suitable home (Coral Reefs paper)
- Effects of El Niño land South Pacific reef fish in hot water (Global Change Biology paper, NERC Article)
- Adventures in a sea of noise (re:search magazine article)
- Taking the pulse of coral reefs (Journal of Marine Biology and Ecology paper)
- Marine Pied Piper leads Nemo astray (Behavioral Ecology paper)
- Baby corals dance their way home (PLoS ONE paper)
Research projects
Research networks
Main Collaborators
Dr Andy Radford, Dr Marc Holderied, Dr Martin Genner (University of Bristol)
Prof Simon Jennings (Cefas/University of East Anglia)
Dr Mark Meekan (Australian Institute of Marine Science)
Prof Phillip Munday & Prof Mark McCormick (James Cook University)
Dr Ivan Nagelkerken (University of Adelaide)
Prof Mark Johnson (National University Ireland Galway)
Dr Annie Linley (National Oceanographic Centre)
Additional Collaborators
Prof Daniel Robert, Prof Andy Ridgwell, Dr Erica Hendy (University of Bristol)
Dr Andrew Jeffs & Dr Craig Radford (University of Auckland New Zealand)
Dr Edd Codling & Dr David Smith (University of Essex UK)
Dr Calvin Dytham (University of York UK)
Dr David Lecchini & Prof Rene Galzin (CRIOBE Moorea French Polynesia)
Prof David Sims (Marine Biological Association UK)
Dr Julia Blanchard (University of Sheffield UK)
Dr Serge Planes (Université de Perpignan France)
Dr Monica Gagliano (University of Western Australia)
Dr Hong Yan (Academia Sinica Taiwan)
Dr Matt Wittenrich (Florida Institute of Technology)
Dr Claire Paris (Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science Florida)
Dr Jen McIlwain & Dr Andrew Halford (University of Guam)
Dr Michel Claereboudt (Sultan Qaboos University Oman)
Dr Mark Vermeij (Carmabi Foundation Curacao)
