Profile
Dr Rachel Coppock
Marine Ecologist
01752 633100
Overview
I have recently completed my PhD within the College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Exeter and based at Plymouth Marine Laboratory. My research interests are focused around understanding the risks and impacts that marine plastic pollution has on marine life and ecosystems, specifically plastics 1μm – 5mm which are collectively termed microplastics.
Broad research specialisms:
- Marine microplastic pollution
- Bentho-pelagic coupling
Qualifications
PhD in marine biology and ecology, investigating the impact of marine microplastic pollution | Plymouth Marine Laboratory and University of Exeter (2015 – 2019)
Marine Biology BSc. (hons) | Plymouth University (2011 – 2014)
Research
Research projects
Project Title: Microplastics in the marine environment; From top to bottom
Supervisors:
Prof. Tamara Galloway at University of Exeter,
Dr. Pennie Lindeque, Dr. Matt Cole & Dr. Ana Queiros at Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Funding Body: NERC GW4+ DTP
Project Description:
The project will have a bentho-pelagic coupling theme running through it, investigating ways in which microplastics enter the benthos and asking what happens once they are there. I will also be investigating some of the biological effects that microplastic ingestion may have on key pelagic and benthic organisms.
Publications:
M. Cole, R.L. Coppock, P.L. Lindeque, D.Atlin, S. Reed, D.W. Pond, L. Sørensen, T.S. Galloway & A.M. Booth (2019). Effects of Nylon Microplastic on Feeding, Lipid Accumulation, and Moulting in a Coldwater Copepod. Environmental Science and Technology. 53,12,7075-7082. doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b01853
R.L. Coppock, T.S. Galloway, M. Cole, E.S. Fileman, A.M. Queirós & P.K. Lindeque (2019). Microplastics alter feeding selectivity and faecal density in the copepod, Calanus helgolandicus. Science of the Total Environment. 687, 780-789. doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.009
O.Setälä, M. Lehtiniemi, R. Coppock, M. Cole (2018). Microplastics in marine food webs. In Microplastic contamination in aquatic environments (pp. 339-363)
Coppock, R.L., Cole, M., Lindeque, P.K., Queirós, A.M., Galloway, T.S., (2017). A small-scale , portable method for extracting microplastics from marine sediments. Environmental Pollution. 230, 829–837. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2017.07.017
Woodall, L. C., Sanchez-Vidal, A., Canals, M., Paterson, G. L., Coppock, R., Sleight, V., Calafat, A., Rogers, A. D., Narayanaswamy, B. E. & Thompson, R. C. (2014). The deep sea is a major sink for microplastic debris. Royal Society Open Science. 1(4), 140317.