Dr Adriana Vergés
Post Doctoral Reserach Fellow (Marine and Estuarine)
Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research
Qualifications
- PhD Ecology, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain (2007)
- MSc Science Communication, Dublin City University, Ireland (1999)
- BSc Marine Science, National University of Ireland, Galway (1998)
General Research Interests
My main area of research focuses on the ecology and evolution of marine trophic interactions, i.e. who eats who in the sea, and why. In addition, I am particularly interested in the effects that human disturbances are having on these species interactions. For instance, evidence increasingly shows that some of the most severe consequences of global environmental change are not driven by effects on individual species but rather by effects on species interactions - such as herbivory. Herbivory is particularly important in the marine environment, where ecosystems such as coral reefs depend on particularly high levels of algal consumption to persist in an animal-dominated state. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate plant-herbivore interactions is thus becoming ever more critical.
The main bulk of my current research focuses on trophic interactions in the Ningaloo Reef Marine Park, in Western Australia. I am collaborating with CSIRO on a large project funded by the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) that looks at the effects and effectiveness of sanctuary zones within the Marine Park. Within this project, I am focusing on quantifying the magnitude and patterns of herbivory in Ningaloo Reef. Another important focus of my work relates to seagrass-herbivore interactions in both temperate and tropical systems.
Research Projects
- Algal-herbivore interactions in Ningaloo Reef
In collaboration with Glenn Hyndes, Mat Vanderklift, Russ Babcock and Christopher Doropoulos - Latitudinal gradients in herbivory
In collaboration with Thomas Wernberg and Mat Vanderklift - Latitudinal gradients in tolerance to multiple stressors of a
temperate seagrass
In collaboration with Glenn Hyndes, Paul Lavery and Kathryn McMahon - Fish herbivory at the edge of tropical reefs; a Ningaloo - southern Great Barrier Reef comparison
In collaboration with David Bellwood and Scott Bennett - Effects of marine protected areas on variations in predation
and herbivory across a vertical gradient
In collaboration with Fiona Tomàs and Enric Ballesteros - Climate change and emerging disease: effects of bleaching and
UV-damage on algal-herbivore interactions
In collaboration with Alex Campbell and Peter Steinberg
Publications
Vergés A, Alcoverro T, Ballesteros E (2009) The role of fish herbivory in structuring the vertical distribution of canopy algae (Cystoseira spp.) in the Mediterranean. Marine Ecology Progress Series
Vergés A, Paul NA, Steinberg PD (2008b) Sex and life history stage alter herbivore responses to a chemically defended red alga. Ecology. 89(5) 1334–1343
Vergés A, Pérez M, Alcoverro T, Romero J (2008a) Compensation and resistance to herbivory in seagrasses: induced responses to simulated fish consumption. Oecologia. 155 (4): 751-760
Martínez-Crego B, Vergés A, Alcoverro T, Romero J (2008) Selection of multiple seagrass indicators for environmental biomonitoring. Marine Ecology Progress Series. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 361: 93-109
Vergés A, Becerro MA, Alcoverro T, Romero J (2007) Variation in multiple traits of vegetative and reproductive seagrass tissues influences plant-herbivore interactions. Oecologia. 151: 675-686
Vergés A, Becerro MA, Alcoverro T, Romero J (2007) Experimental evidence of chemical deterrence against multiple herbivores in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 343: 107-114
Prado P, Alcoverro T, Martínez-Crego B, Vergés A, Pérez, M, Romero, J (2007) Macrograzers strongly influence patterns of epiphytic assemblages in seagrass meadows. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 350: 130-143.
Kraan S, Vergés Tramullas A, Guiry MD. (2000) The edible brown seaweed Alaria esculenta (Phaeophyceae; Laminariales): hybridization, growth and genetic comparisons of six Irish populations. Journal of Applied Phycology. 12:577-583.
Technical Report:
Martínez-Crego B, Vergés A, Alcoverro T, Romero J (2003) Evaluation of the potential of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows as bioindicators of water quality within the European Water Framework Directive”). Agència Catalana de l’Aigua. (Catalan Water Agency; Spain)
Broadcast television documentary:
“While Stocks Last” - Producer of 30 min documentary about the science behind quota settlement in North Atlantic fisheries. Commissioned by the Irish Marine Institute as part of the FIEFA European Project. Transmitted on Irish National Television TG4 1999.
Honours/ Postgraduate Students
Rob Czarnik, MSc – The factors that influence fish grazing on temperate seagrass, Western Australia
Peter Michael, Hons – Fish herbivory in Ningaloo Reef
Garry Choney, MSc – Effect of black swan grazing on reproductive capacity of estuarine seagrasses
