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Mhairi Alexander


Mhairi Alexander, PhD student

BSc Marine and Environmental Biology, University of St Andrews 2006

MRes Marine Biology, University of Plymouth/MBA 2007

 

Contact information

Tel:  +44 (0)28 9097 2030 (Direct line)

Fax:  +44 (0)28 9097 5877

Email: malexander06@qub.ac.uk

Room: Medical Biology Centre - 6.38

 

Research Interests

I am studying predator-prey interactions on the rocky shore, specifically examining how habitat complexity interacts with predation strength. My present study system focuses on the intertidal marine amphipod Echinogammarus marinus preying on the isopod Jaera nordmanni, however, in the coming months this system will be expanded upon. My previous research has looked at size selective predation in shore crabs, and impacts of invasive species on rocky shore biodiversity.

 

Publications

Alexander, M.E., Dick, J.T.A. & O’Connor, N. (2013). Born to kill: predatory functional responses of the littoral amphipod Echinogammarus marinus Leach throughout its life history. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 439: 92-99.

Alexander, M.E., Dick, J.T.A., O’Connor, N., Haddaway, N. & Farnsworth, K. (2012). Functional responses of the intertidal amphipod Echinogammarus marinus; effects of varying prey supply, model selection and habitat complexity’. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 468: 191-202.
 
Dick, J.T.A., Alexander, M.E., MacNeil, C. (in press). Natural Born Killers: an invasive amphipod is predatory throughout its life-history. Biological Invasions.
 
Dick J.T.A., Gallagher K., Avlijas S., Clarke H.C., Lewis S.E., Leung S., Minchin D., Caffrey J., Alexander M.E., Maguire C., Harrod C., Reid N., Haddaway N.R., Farnsworth K.D., Penk M., Ricciardi A. (in press). Ecological impacts of an invasive predator explained and predicted by comparative functional responses. Biological Invasions.