Current: Senior Lecturer and Honours & M. Appl. Sci. Coordinator, School of Aquaculture; 2002-2005 Lecturer, School of Aquaculture, University of Tasmania; 1999-2002: Microalgal Research Group Leader, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Scotland; 1996-1999: PhD, School of Plant Science University of Tasmania; 1986-1996: Micro-algal Ecologist & Geneticist, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Hobart.
Research Interests
Toxic marine algae and toxin biosynthesis
Toxic and harmful algal blooms in coastal waters are an increasing problem
for aquaculture and the marine environment across the globe. Research on
toxic species is the common thread linking my work on algal phylogeny and
systematic, and microbial interactions. This work also has direct application
in the development and deployment of molecular detection devices for toxic
algae, examining the expression and control of toxin production, and detection
of genes involved in biosynthesis of toxins (collaboration with UNSW).
Algal diversity, phylogeny, evolution and molecular systematics
Microalgae pursue a wide range of reproductive strategies that have striking
effects on population diversity and speciation. My research uses molecular
and traditional approaches to describe diversity within microalgal species
and explain their biogeography at regional and global scales (see review
paper). Research in this area covers a range of topics including, population
genetics, biogeography and dispersal of marine algae, molecular systematics
and taxonomy, algal evolution and phylogeny, and algal life histories.
Marine Microbial interactions
In both the natural and lab culture environment, phytoplankton grow and interact
with a dynamic marine bacterial community that, depending on the composition,
can be inhibitory or stimulatory. For some phytoplankton species these interactions
are essential for growth or significantly affect the growth of phytoplankton
cells. The bacterial and algal partners involved in these interactions can
also be species-specific. To demonstrate the importance of these interactions
and understand how they are mediated, my research has established phytoplankton-bacteria
co-culture experimental models. These models demonstrate that community composition
has a major effect on phytoplankton growth (PhD student Thaila
Subramanian).
Current research aims to examine the physiological and genetic mechanisms
of interaction between phytoplankton and bacteria (PhD student Masako
Matsumoto)
and determine whether the same interactions and mechanisms are important
in natural populations (PhD student Lisa
Albinsson) and in hatchery intensive
culture systems.
Improved live feeds for marine hatcheries
The few species of live microalgae grown as food in marine hatcheries represent
only a tiny proportion of the diversity of natural phytoplankton populations
available to adult and juvenile marine animals. My research in this area
aims to identify novel species with the improved nutritional composition
and/or growth characteristics required for food for marine hatchery-reared
fish and shellfish.
Current hatchery algal culture is based on growing axenic (bacteria-free)
algal biomass, primarily to avoid larval mortality due to direct or opportunistic
pathogenic bacteria. This approach may in reality provide increased opportunity
for pathogens in the absence of a bacterial community that can provide protection
from pathogens (probiotic bacteria). Research in this area is investigating,
the manipulation and/or control of microbial populations and pathogens in hatchery
culture systems to improve marine larval health growth and survival (collaboration
with Dr
C. Burke).
UnitsSelected Publications:- Negri, A.P., Stirling, D., Quilliam, M., Blackburn, S.I., Bolch, C.J.S., Burton, I., Eaglesham, G., Thomas, K., Walter, J. and Willis, R. , 2003, 'Three new saxitoxin analogues isolated from the dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum. ', Chemical Research in Toxicology, 16, pgs. 1029-1033
- de Salas M.F., Bolch, C.J.S., Botes, L., Nash, G., and Hallegraeff, G.M., 2004, 'Takayama (Gymnodiniales, Dinophyceae) gen. nov., a new genus of unarmoured dinoflagellates with sigmoid apical grooves, including the description of two new species. ', Journal of Phycology , 39, pgs. 1233-1246
- Green, D.H., Llewellyn, L., Blackburn, S.I., Negri, A.P. and Bolch, C.J.S. , 2004, 'The cultivable microflora of the paralytic shellfish poisoning dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum (Dinophyaceae).', FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. , 47, pgs. 345-357
- Bolch, C.J.S. and Campbell, C.N. , 2004, 'A new photosynthetic, marine dinoflagellate from Scottish waters, Thecadinium foveolatum sp. nov. (Dinophyceae).', European Journal of Phycology , 39, pgs. 351-362
- Fehling, J., Davidson, K., Bolch, C.J.S., and Bates, S.S., 2004, 'Growth and domoic acid production by Pseudo-nitzschia seriata (Bacillariophyceae) under phosphate and silicate limitation.', Journal of Phycology, 40 , pgs. 674-683
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