Dr Joanne Clarke

After completing my PhD at the University of Glasgow I worked for NatureScot as a Marine Policy & Advice Officer supporting the coastal marine and ecosystem unit to collect baseline data for the Scottish Marine Protected Areas Programme. I taught about aquatic ecosystems and ran the marine biology field course as a lecturer at the University of Glasgow, before taking up my position as Lecturer in Ecology here at the University of Stirling where my focus is on teaching ecology and conservation.

My main research interests are ecosystem based management, particularly sustainable fisheries management and conservation. Fish are an important source of protein globally. As the human population continues to grow, so do the cumulative anthropogenic pressures on our oceans. Finding a balance between securing fish as a source of food, whilst also preserving their role within a healthy, functioning ecosystem is essential.

I’m particularly interested in the assessment and monitoring of area based management for fisheries. My PhD research covered 3 areas: developing a non-destructive monitoring method for demersal fish and invertebrates; assessing a spawning area closure for Atlantic cod and identifying trends in commercial fish biomass with depth on the NE Atlantic continental slope.

I currently teach on the following modules:

BIOU1IE – Ecology: An Introduction (Module Coordinator)

ENVU9MR – Habitat Management & Restoration (Module Coordinator)

ENMPG21 – Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services (Module Coordinator)

SCIU3FB – Biology Field Course

BIOU4BD - Biodiversity

BIOU8FC – Biology Field Course

BIOU9PR/ENVU9PR – BSc Dissertation Supervision