Marine Scotland Science: directory

Dr Seòna Wells 

Planning and Environmental Advice Programme
Ecology and Conservation Group
Zooplankton Ecologist

E-mail: Seona.Wells@gov.scot

Marine Scotland Science, Marine Laboratory, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Details of specialism

As a zooplankton ecologist, I am interested in the role zooplankton play in marine ecosystem processes. The primary focus of my research to date has been to analyse the time series of mesozooplankton at the Loch Ewe Scottish Coastal Observatory site. 

Within this work my particular aims and interests include: 

• assessing long term variation in the zooplankton community at Loch Ewe and the environmental factors that explain these trends
• morphological taxonomic identification of zooplankton
• participating in sampling activities and contributing to SCObs quality management
• exploring the incorporation of molecular techniques to complement morphological based identifications 

Main policy links

• marine conservation

External committees and responsibilities

• chair-invited member of the ICES working groups on Zooplankton Ecology and Integrated Morphological and Molecular Taxonomy
• internal auditor for the Quality Management Team
• member of Marine Scotland Science’s Athena SWAN team

Papers of relevance

Mayers KMJ, Poulton AJ, Bidle K, Thamatrakoln K, Schieler B, Giering SLC, Wells SR, Tarran GA, Mayor D, Johnson M, Riebesell U, Larsen A, Vardi A  and Harvey EL (2020) The Possession of Coccoliths Fails to Deter Microzooplankton Grazers. Frontiers in Marine Science 7, 569896.

Giering SLC, Wells SR, Mayers KMJ, Schuster H, Cornwell L, Fileman ES, Atkinson A, Cook KB, Preece C and Mayor DJ (2019) Seasonal variation of zooplankton community structure and trophic position in the Celtic Sea: A stable isotope and biovolume spectrum approach. Progress in Oceanography 177, 101943. 

Mayers KMJ, Poulton AJ, Daniels CJ, Wells SR, Woodward EMS, Tarran GA, Widdicombe CE, Mayor DJ, Atkinson A and Giering SLC (2019) Growth and mortality of coccolithophores during spring in a temperate Shelf Sea (Celtic Sea, April 2015). Progress in Oceanography 177, 101928.  

Details of linked research pages

Seòna Wells’ ResearchGate profile