Dr Timothy Whitton
Post-Doctoral Ecologist Researcher

Affiliations
Links
- https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=hTHFPVsAAAAJ&hl=en
Google Scholar profile
Contact info
Room: 114 Marine Centre Wales Phone: 01248383936
E-mail: t.whitton@bangor.ac.uk
Web: Google Scholar, ORCID
Overview
I gained a BSc in 'Marine Biology' in 2008 from Bangor University. In 2010 I gained an MSc in 'Marine Environmental Protection' in which my project was a study of the subtidal benthic fauna of the Dee estuary, in the context of the cockle fishery. This work was conducted from the RV Prince Madog and was in collaboration with the Environment Agency Wales through a fisheries studentship. This collaboration continued into my PhD titled 'Processes controlling spatial and temporal variations in cockle Cerastoderma edule (L.) abundance and distribution' which further investigated the ecology of the common European cockle. After my PhD I was M degree coordinator / lecturer in the School of ocean sciences, which involved organising and teaching modules on statistics and research skills. I am currently a research officer with SEACAMS.
Research
I am a marine ecologist with an overall research interest in how the distribution and behaviour of organisms is determined by biological interactions. My current research is focused on 1) the ecology of high tidal current areas and their potential interactions with Marine Renewable Energy Devices (MRDs), and 2) bivalve ecology and research methods.
- Ecology of high tidal current areas and their potential interactions with MRDs.
Through working on the SEACAMS project and a future follow on project, the ecology of high tidal current areas has been my main research focus. This has been characterising and understanding both the benthic and pelagic components of these systems, and I have used the RV Prince Madog has the main research platform for this work. I am particularly interested in how the benthic and pelagic components are linked and function over tidal cycles, to better inform our understanding of potential environmental interactions with MRDs. Using benthic cameras, mid-water trawls and echo sounders are key tools for my research on this topic. - Bivalve ecology and research methods.
Since my PhD work on common cockle fisheries and ecology I have maintained an active interest in this subject, along with other species of bivalve. This is currently supported by a small research grant from the Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland with which I will be documenting morphology and behaviour of estuarine bivalve post-larvae in collaboration with the National Museum Cardiff. I am also an author on the 'Signs of Life' book project, in which I am developing an identification tool using bivalve soft morphology. I am also interested in improving sampling designs for stock assessments and research that robustly deal with the infaunal and often highly patchy nature of their distribution.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any enquires about my research.
Research Themes: Marine Ecology
Contact Info
Room: 114 Marine Centre Wales Phone: 01248383936
E-mail: t.whitton@bangor.ac.uk
Web: Google Scholar, ORCID
Overview
I gained a BSc in 'Marine Biology' in 2008 from Bangor University. In 2010 I gained an MSc in 'Marine Environmental Protection' in which my project was a study of the subtidal benthic fauna of the Dee estuary, in the context of the cockle fishery. This work was conducted from the RV Prince Madog and was in collaboration with the Environment Agency Wales through a fisheries studentship. This collaboration continued into my PhD titled 'Processes controlling spatial and temporal variations in cockle Cerastoderma edule (L.) abundance and distribution' which further investigated the ecology of the common European cockle. After my PhD I was M degree coordinator / lecturer in the School of ocean sciences, which involved organising and teaching modules on statistics and research skills. I am currently a research officer with SEACAMS.
Research
I am a marine ecologist with an overall research interest in how the distribution and behaviour of organisms is determined by biological interactions. My current research is focused on 1) the ecology of high tidal current areas and their potential interactions with Marine Renewable Energy Devices (MRDs), and 2) bivalve ecology and research methods.
- Ecology of high tidal current areas and their potential interactions with MRDs.
Through working on the SEACAMS project and a future follow on project, the ecology of high tidal current areas has been my main research focus. This has been characterising and understanding both the benthic and pelagic components of these systems, and I have used the RV Prince Madog has the main research platform for this work. I am particularly interested in how the benthic and pelagic components are linked and function over tidal cycles, to better inform our understanding of potential environmental interactions with MRDs. Using benthic cameras, mid-water trawls and echo sounders are key tools for my research on this topic. - Bivalve ecology and research methods.
Since my PhD work on common cockle fisheries and ecology I have maintained an active interest in this subject, along with other species of bivalve. This is currently supported by a small research grant from the Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland with which I will be documenting morphology and behaviour of estuarine bivalve post-larvae in collaboration with the National Museum Cardiff. I am also an author on the 'Signs of Life' book project, in which I am developing an identification tool using bivalve soft morphology. I am also interested in improving sampling designs for stock assessments and research that robustly deal with the infaunal and often highly patchy nature of their distribution.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any enquires about my research.
Research Themes: Marine Ecology
Education / academic qualifications
- 2013 - PhD , Processes controlling spatial and temporal variations in cockle Cerastoderma edule (L.) abundance and distribution , Bangor University
- 2010 - MSc , Marine Environmental Protection , Bangor University
- 2008 - BSc , Marine Biology , Bangor University
Research outputs (8)
- Published
Seabed morphology and bed shear stress predict temperate reef habitats in a high energy marine region
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Collecting quality echosounder data in inclement weather
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Other chapter contribution › peer-review
- Published
Vertical migrations of fish schools determine overlap with a mobile tidal stream marine renewable energy device
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Prof. activities and awards (16)
Estimating the seabed impacts of Nephrops norvegicus trawl and creel fisheries around Scotland, UK
Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
Vertical distribution of small pelagic fish: drivers and implications for assessing environmental interactions of tidal stream projects
Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
ICES training course 'Principles and methods of broadband/wideband technologies: application to fisheries acoustics'
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Accolades (3)
Most ground breaking research to solve an industry problem
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
UK Acoustics Network Travel Grant
Prize: Other distinction
Award Program for ASL's Acoustic Zooplankton Fish Profiler (AZFP)
Prize: Other distinction