Overview
Precisely, I ensure the smooth running of the programme, and work to build collaborations or partnerships within and beyond the programme. I also ensure our science makes a difference and can be used for management, policy, and conservation by helping communicate our work internationally.
I have been involved in research in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) since 2006, including in building the scientific case supporting the establishment of the BIOT Marine Protected Area (MPA) in 2010. Since then, I have been involved in a range of research projects in BIOT, from understanding the role of large MPAs in protecting mobile species like tunas and sharks, to the first assessment of reef cryptofauna in the archipelago.
This research has primarily been achieved through supervising Ph.D. students, some of whom who are now postdoctoral researchers on the programme (David Curnick, Catherine Head and Dan Bayley).
Working in BIOT is like living in the best nature documentary, yet even there we see the impact of climate change, illegal fishing and plastic pollution. I am committed to use the best science to protect and restore this extraordinary last ocean wilderness area.
Biography
Other interests
In addition to my involvement in in the Bertarelli Programme in Marine Science I co-founded Project Seahorse, recognized as the world’s leading authority on seahorses and as an early pioneer of community-based marine conservation.
I helped develop Net-Works, which redesigns global supply chains to reduce marine plastic, replenish declining fish stocks and improve the lives of marginalized coastal communities, that depend on, marine resources in these biodiverse hotspots. We connect these communities to global brands via a fair and inclusive business model that delivers “less plastic, more fish”.
I use collaborative approaches to communicate and engage communities in marine science and conservation, including Project Ocean, a partnership between the luxury London department store Selfridges and ZSL to bring ocean conservation to new audiences and change consumer habits. Likewise, One Less is a campaign to build a more ocean-friendly society through working to make London the first capital to stop using single use plastic water bottles.
My Publications
Capturing Complexity: Field-Testing the Use of ‘Structure from Motion’ Derived Virtual Models to Replicate Standard Measures of Reef Physical Structure
Bayley, D. T., Mogg, A. O., Koldewey, H., & Purvis, A. (2019). Capturing complexity: field-testing the use of ‘structure from motion’derived virtual models to replicate standard measures of reef physical structure. PeerJ, 7, e6540.
Patterns in Reef Fish Assemblages: Insights from the Chagos Archipelago
Samoilys, M., Roche, R., Koldewey, H., & Turner, J. (2018). Patterns in reef fish assemblages: Insights from the Chagos Archipelago. PloS one, 13(1), e0191448.
Drivers of Abundance and Spatial Distribution of Reef-Associated Sharks in an Isolated Atoll Reef System
Tickler, D. M., Letessier, T. B., Koldewey, H. J., & Meeuwig, J. J. (2017). Drivers of abundance and spatial distribution of reef-associated sharks in an isolated atoll reef system. PloS one, 12(5), e0177374.
Coral bleaching Impacts from Back-to-Back 2015-2016 Thermal Anomalies in the Remote Central Indian Ocean
Head, C. E., Bayley, D. T., Rowlands, G., Roche, R. C., Tickler, D. M., Rogers, A. D., … & Andradi-Brown, D. A. (2019). Coral bleaching impacts from back-to-back 2015–2016 thermal anomalies in the remote central Indian Ocean. Coral Reefs, 38(4), 605-618.
Trait and Phylogenetic Diversity Provide Insights into Community Assembly of Reef-Associated Shrimp (Palaemonidae) at Different Spatial Scales across the Chagos Archipelago
Head, C. E., Koldewey, H., Pavoine, S., Pratchett, M. S., Rogers, A. D., Taylor, M. L., & Bonsall, M. B. (2018). Trait and phylogenetic diversity provide insights into community assembly of reef‐associated shrimps (Palaemonidae) at different spatial scales across the Chagos Archipelago. Ecology and evolution, 8(8), 4098-4107.
Exceptional Biodiversity of the Cryptofaunal Decapods in the Chagos Archipelago, central Indian Ocean
Head, C. E. I., Bonsall, M. B., Koldewey, H., Jenkins, T. L., Pratchett, M. S., and Rogers, A. D. (2018). Exceptional biodiversity of the cryptofaunal decapods in the Chagos Archipelago, central Indian Ocean. Marine Pollution Bulletin.