Lorna McKellar
@lornamckellar.bsky.social
PhD researcher. Thresholds for good status in marine ecosystem management. Bangor School of Ocean Sciences, CDT SuMMeR. Marine policy, ecosystem assessment, interdisciplinary research.
Pinned
🚨 New research 🚨 (and the first paper from my PhD)
How do we define good vs. degraded marine ecosystems? Our study evaluated four methods for setting ecological thresholds—and not all are equally reliable. 🌊🧵 (1/4)
How do we define good vs. degraded marine ecosystems? Our study evaluated four methods for setting ecological thresholds—and not all are equally reliable. 🌊🧵 (1/4)
Reflecting on a busy but exciting two weeks at @icesmarine.bsky.social in CPH focused on estimating quality thresholds for good status of benthic ecosystems (Seafloor Integrity). One of the best parts of my PhD is getting to collaborate and discuss ideas with others - esp. over good food
October 11, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Reflecting on a busy but exciting two weeks at @icesmarine.bsky.social in CPH focused on estimating quality thresholds for good status of benthic ecosystems (Seafloor Integrity). One of the best parts of my PhD is getting to collaborate and discuss ideas with others - esp. over good food
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
A great day for the annual SOS beach trip with the new undergraduate students @bangoruniversity.bsky.social. Sandcastles were built, beach pictionary played, and much fun had by students new and old, and staff.
September 22, 2025 at 5:36 PM
A great day for the annual SOS beach trip with the new undergraduate students @bangoruniversity.bsky.social. Sandcastles were built, beach pictionary played, and much fun had by students new and old, and staff.
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
Photographs of #FishingCommunities always speak to my heart. These are from Lithuania’s Curonian Spit.
One of the highlights of #ICESASC25 getting to view these at the conference dinner. 🇱🇹🐟
One of the highlights of #ICESASC25 getting to view these at the conference dinner. 🇱🇹🐟
September 19, 2025 at 3:34 AM
Photographs of #FishingCommunities always speak to my heart. These are from Lithuania’s Curonian Spit.
One of the highlights of #ICESASC25 getting to view these at the conference dinner. 🇱🇹🐟
One of the highlights of #ICESASC25 getting to view these at the conference dinner. 🇱🇹🐟
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
Starting the last day of my travel back from the #ICESASC25 in Lithuania (train ferry combo). The travel was fairly cheap with interrail with the ferry was only £126 return. But it does take 3 days 🙂 @sosbangor.bsky.social @icesmarine.bsky.social
September 21, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Starting the last day of my travel back from the #ICESASC25 in Lithuania (train ferry combo). The travel was fairly cheap with interrail with the ferry was only £126 return. But it does take 3 days 🙂 @sosbangor.bsky.social @icesmarine.bsky.social
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
And she was shorted-listed for the best presentation award! @sosbangor.bsky.social
September 19, 2025 at 6:22 AM
And she was shorted-listed for the best presentation award! @sosbangor.bsky.social
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
Great talk on using historical sources to map herring spawning grounds by @georginahunt.bsky.social for @projectfishistory.bsky.social.
September 16, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Great talk on using historical sources to map herring spawning grounds by @georginahunt.bsky.social for @projectfishistory.bsky.social.
Really enjoyed presenting my PhD work at #icesasc25 in Klaipeda, Lithuania - even at 9am the day after the conference dinner
Great presentation by @lornamckellar.bsky.social from @sosbangor.bsky.social on how to distinguish between good and degraded state in marine ecosystems
#icesasc25
#icesasc25
September 18, 2025 at 6:38 AM
Really enjoyed presenting my PhD work at #icesasc25 in Klaipeda, Lithuania - even at 9am the day after the conference dinner
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
Great talk by Daniel van Denderen showing that fishing had resulted in an explosion of small pelagics #icesasc2025
September 15, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Great talk by Daniel van Denderen showing that fishing had resulted in an explosion of small pelagics #icesasc2025
'Notably, 11 out of 24 state features/criteria were not assessed in over half of the ecoregions' - my PhD work is evaluating methods for estimating thresholds for good status to address gaps in state assessments e.g., for GES under the #MSFD and #UKMS
Our article “What do we know about the state of European seas?” is now out in @consletters.bsky.social. In this study, we used all available #MSFD assessments to unveil the status of European Seas. @drangelborja.bsky.social @skatsanevakis.bsky.social
Find the article link at the post’s end.
Find the article link at the post’s end.
August 6, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
Study on the prediction of approaching #tippingpoints
Research team recommends: Warnings of approaching #climate tipping points using statistical early warning signals have to be taken with a grain of salt ➡️ www.marum.de/en/Study-on-...
Research team recommends: Warnings of approaching #climate tipping points using statistical early warning signals have to be taken with a grain of salt ➡️ www.marum.de/en/Study-on-...
Study on prediction of approaching tipping points
www.marum.de
May 20, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Study on the prediction of approaching #tippingpoints
Research team recommends: Warnings of approaching #climate tipping points using statistical early warning signals have to be taken with a grain of salt ➡️ www.marum.de/en/Study-on-...
Research team recommends: Warnings of approaching #climate tipping points using statistical early warning signals have to be taken with a grain of salt ➡️ www.marum.de/en/Study-on-...
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
New paper out from @duncanobrien.bsky.social, will be particular interesting to those of you trying to understand #stability loss in real-world ecosystems
"Stability metrics behave predictably across data qualities but are sensitive to community size"
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
"Stability metrics behave predictably across data qualities but are sensitive to community size"
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Stability metrics behave predictably across data qualities but are sensitive to community size
Modern biodiversity monitoring is generating increasingly multidimensional representations of wildlife populations and ecosystems. It is therefore app…
www.sciencedirect.com
May 1, 2025 at 12:58 PM
New paper out from @duncanobrien.bsky.social, will be particular interesting to those of you trying to understand #stability loss in real-world ecosystems
"Stability metrics behave predictably across data qualities but are sensitive to community size"
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
"Stability metrics behave predictably across data qualities but are sensitive to community size"
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
My first paper is out! 🥳🐠🐟
Fish are important benthic bioturbators too! Great new #ConvexSeascapeSurvey paper from our @exetermarine.bsky.social PhD student Mara Fischer. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A functional assessment of fish as bioturbators and their vulnerability to local extinction
The seabed is one of the key ecological interfaces on the planet, exerting a major influence on global biogeochemical cycles. Biological processes suc…
www.sciencedirect.com
April 30, 2025 at 10:27 AM
My first paper is out! 🥳🐠🐟
‘Taking the further step of correctly portraying scientific consensus as convergent evidence rather than scientists’ opinions will further the goal of showing why vetted and validated science is a crucial ingredient of policy decisions around the world.’
"One concept that creates misunderstanding is 'scientific consensus.' It’s time to stop using this shorthand and make clear what it really means," argues @holdenthorp.bsky.social in a new #ScienceEditorial. scim.ag/4jH2WxK
April 25, 2025 at 2:35 PM
‘Taking the further step of correctly portraying scientific consensus as convergent evidence rather than scientists’ opinions will further the goal of showing why vetted and validated science is a crucial ingredient of policy decisions around the world.’
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
Only 9% of journalists working for national and transnational media come from a working class background.
New survey shows the extent of class privilege in UK journalism
Only 9% of journalists working for national and transnational media come from a working class background.
tcnv.link
April 23, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Only 9% of journalists working for national and transnational media come from a working class background.
(Not intentionally) but on this #earthday I presented my PhD work at my first webinar series. We had a great turnout and some interesting questions around the application of methods for estimating thresholds and the use of reference conditions. Thanks to the #SMMR organiser team for having me on 🌍
April 22, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I'll be presenting my PhD work tomorrow online at 1pm BST for the SMMR webinar series - 'setting thresholds for good status in marine ecosystem management' - free to join www.smmr.org.uk/event/smmr-n...
SMMR-Net Webinar "Setting thresholds for good status in marine ecosystem management" - Sustainable Management of Marine Resources
Another free lunchtime Webinar, hosted by the Sustainable Management of UK Marine Resources Programme (SMMR).
www.smmr.org.uk
April 21, 2025 at 10:35 AM
I'll be presenting my PhD work tomorrow online at 1pm BST for the SMMR webinar series - 'setting thresholds for good status in marine ecosystem management' - free to join www.smmr.org.uk/event/smmr-n...
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
RESTORATION of marine habitats & species: just out @icesmarine.bsky.social workshop report on enhancing understanding of restoration processes, success criteria, & factors affecting recovery rates. Pleased to have contributed to this useful new resource doi.org/10.17895/ice...
April 15, 2025 at 1:32 PM
RESTORATION of marine habitats & species: just out @icesmarine.bsky.social workshop report on enhancing understanding of restoration processes, success criteria, & factors affecting recovery rates. Pleased to have contributed to this useful new resource doi.org/10.17895/ice...
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
"Mapping of Marine Protected Areas & their associated fishing activities in the Atlantic, Baltic, Nth Sea & Outermost Regions" We identified & characterised fishing activities in 800 #MPAs & assessed which activities are compatible with MPA conservation objectives 🧪🌎🦑🐠
data.europa.eu/doi/10.2926/...
data.europa.eu/doi/10.2926/...
Mapping of marine protected areas and their associated fishing activities (MAPAFISH) - Publications Office of the EU
The European Union (EU) Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 sets the target for protected areas in the EU at 30% of its sea area, one third of which needs to be strictly protected. While there is growing i...
data.europa.eu
April 11, 2025 at 9:44 AM
"Mapping of Marine Protected Areas & their associated fishing activities in the Atlantic, Baltic, Nth Sea & Outermost Regions" We identified & characterised fishing activities in 800 #MPAs & assessed which activities are compatible with MPA conservation objectives 🧪🌎🦑🐠
data.europa.eu/doi/10.2926/...
data.europa.eu/doi/10.2926/...
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
I am advertising two PhD studentships (part of the six that DICE is currently advertising).
PhD 1: Understanding and optimising local nature recovery networks in England. Deadline 11/05/25.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Supervised by Bob Smith and Zoe Davies, funded by UKRI E3.
PhD 1: Understanding and optimising local nature recovery networks in England. Deadline 11/05/25.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Supervised by Bob Smith and Zoe Davies, funded by UKRI E3.
Understanding and optimising local nature recovery networks in England at University of Kent on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Understanding and optimising local nature recovery networks in England at University of Kent, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
April 14, 2025 at 8:56 AM
I am advertising two PhD studentships (part of the six that DICE is currently advertising).
PhD 1: Understanding and optimising local nature recovery networks in England. Deadline 11/05/25.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Supervised by Bob Smith and Zoe Davies, funded by UKRI E3.
PhD 1: Understanding and optimising local nature recovery networks in England. Deadline 11/05/25.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Supervised by Bob Smith and Zoe Davies, funded by UKRI E3.
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
PhD 2: Exploring scenarios for conservation areas to balance biodiversity and ecosystem services in the UK’s marine environment. Deadline 23/04/25.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Supervised by Rachel Seary and Bob Smith, funded by Leverhulme.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Supervised by Rachel Seary and Bob Smith, funded by Leverhulme.
Exploring scenarios for conservation areas to balance biodiversity and ecosystem services in the UK’s marine environment at University of Kent on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Exploring scenarios for conservation areas to balance biodiversity and ecosystem services in the UK’s marine environment at University of Kent, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
April 14, 2025 at 8:56 AM
PhD 2: Exploring scenarios for conservation areas to balance biodiversity and ecosystem services in the UK’s marine environment. Deadline 23/04/25.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Supervised by Rachel Seary and Bob Smith, funded by Leverhulme.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Supervised by Rachel Seary and Bob Smith, funded by Leverhulme.
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... interesting paper on identifying 'tipping point' / non-linear pressure-state thresholds: "detectability was found to depend on both the shape of the threshold relationship and the statistical definition of the threshold location"
Evaluating the robustness of generalized additive models as a tool for threshold detection in variable environments
As global climate change and anthropogenic activities amplify widespread environmental variability, there is a strong need for management strategies that incorporate relationships between ecosystem c...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
March 31, 2025 at 9:09 AM
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... interesting paper on identifying 'tipping point' / non-linear pressure-state thresholds: "detectability was found to depend on both the shape of the threshold relationship and the statistical definition of the threshold location"
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
Very exciting news! In Sept 2025, I will move my lab to the School of Biological Sciences @monashbiol.bsky.social at #Monash University in Melbourne!
I am recruiting #PhD students to work on #ecological & #evolutionary dynamics of #phytoplankton #communities – find out more here giuliaghedini.com
I am recruiting #PhD students to work on #ecological & #evolutionary dynamics of #phytoplankton #communities – find out more here giuliaghedini.com
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY GROUP
Exciting lab news! In September 2025, the lab will move to the School of Biological Sciences at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. We will keep a presence at the Gulbenkian Institute for...
giuliaghedini.com
March 24, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Very exciting news! In Sept 2025, I will move my lab to the School of Biological Sciences @monashbiol.bsky.social at #Monash University in Melbourne!
I am recruiting #PhD students to work on #ecological & #evolutionary dynamics of #phytoplankton #communities – find out more here giuliaghedini.com
I am recruiting #PhD students to work on #ecological & #evolutionary dynamics of #phytoplankton #communities – find out more here giuliaghedini.com
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
Can you explain your doctoral research through interpretive dance?
The deadline for submissions to the 17th annual #DanceYourPhD competition is this week. Submit by 28 March for a chance to win $2000: scim.ag/4gKMnz9
The deadline for submissions to the 17th annual #DanceYourPhD competition is this week. Submit by 28 March for a chance to win $2000: scim.ag/4gKMnz9
March 24, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Can you explain your doctoral research through interpretive dance?
The deadline for submissions to the 17th annual #DanceYourPhD competition is this week. Submit by 28 March for a chance to win $2000: scim.ag/4gKMnz9
The deadline for submissions to the 17th annual #DanceYourPhD competition is this week. Submit by 28 March for a chance to win $2000: scim.ag/4gKMnz9
Links to join and listen in to day 1 -
AM: www.fao.org/webcast/home...
PM: www.fao.org/webcast/home...
AM: www.fao.org/webcast/home...
PM: www.fao.org/webcast/home...
March 11, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Links to join and listen in to day 1 -
AM: www.fao.org/webcast/home...
PM: www.fao.org/webcast/home...
AM: www.fao.org/webcast/home...
PM: www.fao.org/webcast/home...
Reposted by Lorna McKellar
I'm giving a talk this afternoon about defining significant adverse impacts, including work by @lornamckellar.bsky.social
March 11, 2025 at 7:53 AM
I'm giving a talk this afternoon about defining significant adverse impacts, including work by @lornamckellar.bsky.social