Marine Scotland Science: directory
Details of specialists working for Marine Scotland Science.
This document is part of a collection
Dr Rich Howells 
Renewables and Energy Programme
Renewables and Environmental Advice Group
Marine Ornithologist
E-mail: Richard.Howells@gov.scot
Marine Scotland, Victoria Quay, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ
Pronouns: he/him/his
Details of specialism
As a marine ornithologist I am interested in the human and environmental factors that influence Scotland’s internationally important seabird populations. In particular, I am interested in both the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on seabird demography, which was the focus of my PhD. I am also heavily involved with seabird conservation in Scotland, with a particular focus on seabird bycatch.
Within the broad topic area of seabird research and conservation my particular focuses currently include:
- providing ornithological advice and expertise for the cross-border MarPAMM project
- expert input to the development of the Scottish Seabird Conservation Strategy
- developing and overseeing the delivery of seabird tracking and monitoring fieldwork throughout Scotland
Main policy links
- steering group member for the Scottish Seabird Conservation strategy
- steering group member for the “Improving Understanding of Seabird Bycatch in Scottish Longline Fisheries” project
- steering group member for the Fair Isle Demonstration and Research Marine Protected Area
- member of the Marine Scotland Science’s Athena SWAN team
Papers of relevance
Keogan K, Lewis S and Howells RJ, et al. (2020) No evidence for fitness signatures consistent with increasing trophic mismatch over 30 years in a population of European shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis. Journal of Animal Ecology 90: 432-446.
Daunt F, Fang Z, Howells R, Harris M, Wanless S, Searle K and Elston D (2020) Improving estimates of seabird body mass survival relationships. Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science Vol 11 No 13, 54pp.
Howells RJ (2019) European shag diet and demography at a North Sea colony over half a century of environmental change. Doctoral Thesis. University of Liverpool.
Howells RJ, Burthe SJ and Green JA et al. (2018) Pronounced long-term trends in year-round diet composition of the European shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis. Marine Biology 165, 188.
Howells RJ, Burthe SJ, Green JA and Harris MP et al. (2017) From days to decades: short- and long-term variation in environmental conditions affect offspring diet composition of a marine top predator. Marine Ecology Progress Series 583, 227-242.
Details of linked research pages
Contact
Post:
Marine Scotland Science
Scottish Government
Marine Laboratory
PO Box 101
375 Victoria Road
Aberdeen
AB11 9DB
Telephone:
+44 (0)131 244 2500
Email:
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