Organisation profile
Organisation profile
The Sediment Ecology Research Group (SERG), known popularly as "The Mud Lab" of the Gatty Marine Laboratory, University of St Andrews specialises in the investigation of the ecology of aquatic systems, with emphasis on marine and estuarine coasts, shallow marine systems and salt marshes. These depositional systems are of international importance with regard to their ecology and for the ecosystem services that they provide. However, they are often under significant industrial and demographic pressure and are continually responding to natural and anthropogenic changes. A current major issue is the impact of global climate change on these sensitive systems. The SERG group has been working in The Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, France, The USA and the UK to investigate the ecology and dynamics of these important systems. In addition the group has recently formed an alliance with the CEH, Edinburgh to examine anthropogenic problems in fresh water systems and has conducted work on lake, loch and riverine environments.
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Profiles
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Emma Defew
- School of Biology - Senior Research Fellow
- Scottish Oceans Institute
- Sediment Ecology Research Group
- Marine Alliance for Science & Technology Scotland
Person: Academic - Research
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Rebecca Kinnear
- School of Biology - SOTEAG Executive Officer
- Sediment Ecology Research Group
Person: Research Support
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Legacy effect of repeated stimulation by indole-3-acetic acid on the rapid attachment of microalgae biofilms
Tang, G., Xie, Z., Chen, X., Ou, Z., Paterson, D. M., Luo, J., Fang, F. & Feng, Q., 15 Jan 2026, In: Water Research. 289, Part B, p. 1-9 9 p., 124924.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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A new approach for assessing the radioecological risk associated with the legacy discharge of oil derived natural radioactivity in the UK North Sea
Dal Molin, F., Hunt, D., Dewar, A., Lozach, S., Phillips, C., Thomas, B., Warford, L., Parker, J. E., Walker, J., Chocholek, M., Paterson, D. M., Woodward-Rowe, H. & Hicks, N., Mar 2025, In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. 212, p. 1-10 10 p., 117585.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
BioTIME 2.0: expanding and improving a database of biodiversity time series
Dornelas, M., Antão, L. H., Bates, A. E., Brambilla, V., Chase, J. M., Chow, C. F. Y., Fontrodona-Eslava, A., Magurran, A. E., Martins, I. S., Moyes, F., Sagouis, A., Adu-Acheampong, S., Acquah-Lamptey, D., Adam, D., Ajani, P. A., Albaina, A., Almaraz, P., An, J., Anderson, R. S. & Anderson, M. J. R. & 465 others, , May 2025, In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. 34, 5, p. 1-18 18 p., e70003.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile
Datasets
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Climate change effects on dimethylated sulphur dynamics in tropical coral reef systems (thesis data)
Green, T. K. (Creator) & Paterson, D. M. (Supervisor), University of St Andrews, 19 Feb 2019
DOI: 10.17630/4e1b2398-d86f-4dc8-a8ae-64a792fb9f12, http://hdl.handle.net/10023/17135
Dataset: Thesis dataset
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Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) greenhouse gas fluxes in saltmarsh and mudflat habitats
Golléty, C. (Creator), Davidson, I. (Creator) & Paterson, D. M. (Creator), NERC Environmental Information Data Centre, 2015
DOI: 10.5285/186fdb05-cc14-4315-be30-fec28048b310, https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/186fdb05-cc14-4315-be30-fec28048b310
Dataset
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Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) surface sediment chlorophyll concentrations in saltmarsh and mudflat habitats
Maunder, J. (Creator) & Paterson, D. M. (Creator), NERC Environmental Information Data Centre, 11 Dec 2015
DOI: 10.5285/55bc4927-5d9b-4e64-b30e-f4f97c84b87c
Dataset
Activities
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Haven or hell? The ecology of decommissioning human-made structures
Paterson, D. (Speaker)
28 Nov 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Public lecture/debate/seminar
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CORE Symposium
Paterson, D. (Speaker)
25 Nov 2023 → 28 Nov 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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SMMR Annual conference
Paterson, D. (Chair), Defew, E. C. (Organiser) & James, M. A. (Chair)
16 Jun 2023 → 18 Jun 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in or organising a conference
Press/Media
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https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/fife/743384/st-andrews-university-awarded-5-million-to-train-environmental-scientists/
12/10/18
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Relating to Research
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St Andrews University awarded £5 million to train environmental scientists
11/10/18
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Relating to Research
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