Who Are We?

We are particularly interested in the effects of climate change on communication chemicals, (info-chemicals), their reception and the associated behaviours. We assess condition-dependent response thresholds with a suite of well established assays for a range of invertebrates including different crustacean and polychaete species. Electrophysiological studies at receptive organs in combination with physiological and behavioural observations allow us to investigate the underlying mechanisms of climate change impacts through ocean acidification and increasing temperatures, as well as their implications. Our culture facilities also allow us to study the organisms‘ abilities to acclimatise, acclimate and adapt through multi-generation experiments. Tight links with other research groups at Hull University and their special expertise allow us to incorporate computational modelling at chemical level (Dr David M. Benoit) and molecular biological effects (Dr Katharina C. Wollenberg Valero) into our research. 

Using our chemical and ecological expertise, we further analyse the impacts of microplastics for marine organisms at chemical and behavioural level (linked to ecotoxicology) and work on a truly sustainable and recyclable plastic alternative from chitosan. 

The ChemEcolHull group not only conducts interdisciplinary research, it is also committed to educate and fascinate the world citizens of tomorrow. We therefore take our research to schools, science festivals and open days, where children can actively participate and gather data to help us understand how climate change affects essential interactions, such as finding food, or how many plastic fibres are going into our rivers and oceans from just one wash.