Aquaculture & Fisheries Development Centre

Biography

Post: Emeritus Professor of Zoology

Research interests/biography

Most of my research output (published as about 320 books, reviews and research papers) has been concerned with the ecophysiology of oceanic, coastal and estuarine organisms, and I have been particularly interested in the behavioural and physiological responses of animals to fluctuating and extreme environmental conditions.  These interests developed during the first 20 years of my career at theSchoolofOcean Studies,UniversityofBangor(1970-1991). I also initiated strong threads of biomechanical research and a long-standing interest in the functional morphology of sea turtles at this time.

I have been interested in subtle sublethal responses of bivalve molluscs to heavy metals for several years. Interest in heavy metals led to a long-standing interest in antifouling technology. While at the University Marine Biological Station Millport (Director and Professor of Marine Biology [University of London], 1991-99) I built up a research group ('Biofouling Research Unit') devoted to the dynamics of marine fouling and the study of natural antifouling mechanisms. From 2005-6 I rekindled interest in antifouling, partly for the protection of sensors deployed for long periods in the marine environment (in cooperation with the Tyndall National Institute), partly in the aquaculture industry. Since moving to University College Cork in 1999 as Professor of Zoology I have interacted especially with members of the Aquaculture Development Centre of the Environmental Research Institute (of which I was Founding Director, 2000-2005). Most of my recent aquaculture work has been carried out (2008-date) in collaboration with Professor Melita Perharda of the University of Split, Croatia, and has been focussed on the diets of cultured bivalve molluscs.

Currently I continue research work atCork, have research links with NOAA (Hawaii) and have recently been appointed Visiting Professor at theUniversityofExeter.

Aquaculture and the Environment Research Group

Aquaculture is usually regarded as an environmentally-benign industry, and has certainly allowed the global availability of fish and shellfish to be maintained in the face of declining capture fisheries. However, there are many aspects of aquaculture that threaten the environment – for example by the overuse of antibiotics and pesticides to control pests, and by the transfer of alien species from one part of the world to another. There are also problems of genetic pollution caused by release of farmed animals to the wild. Members of the AFDC collaborated (with other aquaculture researchers) in the writing of a concise volume of such threats a few years ago (Davenport, J., Black, K.. Burnell, G., Cross, T.F., Culloty, S., Ekaratne, S.U.K., Furness, R., Mulcahy, M. & Thetmeyer, H. (2003) AQUACULTURE: THE ECOLOGICAL ISSUES. Blackwell. 89 pp.). The AFDC aims to ameliorate the downsides of aquaculture, and several members of the AFDC have relevant expertise (e.g. Professor Tom Cross – genetic pollution; Dr Sarah Culloty [AFDC Director] – shellfish disease; Dr Ruth Ramsay – alien species introductions; Professor John Davenport – antifouling in aquaculture, carrying capacity in bivalve culture).

Current Research Group

1. Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr Paddy Sleeman (Department of Agriculture funded). Badger ecology and role of badgers in transmission of bovine tuberculosis

2. PhD student, Stefanie Brozneit (Crawford Hayes funded – with Dr Rob McAllen as lead supervisor). Benthic biology of Lough Hyne

3. PhD student, Mark Outerbridge (Bermuda Zoological Society and self funded – cosupervised by Dr Ruth Ramsay). Ecology and conservation of the Diamondback terrapin onBermuda.

4. PhD student, Andrew Byrne (Teagasc funded –cosupervised by Dr Paddy Sleeman). Dynamics of Irish badger populations.

Recent Publications (2009-2012)

A)   Books, reviews and book chapters

Bels, V., Casinos, A.,  Davenport, J., Gasc, J.-P., Jamon, M., Laurin, M., & Renous, S. (2011) How Vertebrates Moved onto Land. Mémoires du Musée d'Histoire Naturelle Published: Paris: Museum National d'Histoire.

Renous, S.,  Davenport, J., & Bels, V. (2011) Movement on immersed or emersed substrata: adaptive solutions of extant fish. In: Bels, V., Casinos, A., Davenport, J., Gasc, J.-P., Jamon, M., Laurin, M., & Renous, S. (2011) How vertebrates moved onto land. Mémoires du Musée d'Histoire Naturelle Published: Paris: Museum National d'Histoire.

Davenport, J. (2011) High-Trophic-Level Consumers: Trophic Relationships of Reptiles and Amphibians of Coastal and Estuarine Ecosystems. In: Wolanski E and McLusky DS (eds.) Treatise on Estuarine and Coastal Science, Vol 6, pp. 227–249.Waltham: Academic Press.

B) Ecophysiology

McAllen, R., Davenport, J., Bredendieck, K.  & Dunne, D. (2009) Seasonal structuring of a benthic community exposed to regular hypoxic events. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology & Ecology 368, 67-74.

O’Riordan, R.M, Culloty, S., Davenport, J. & McAllen, R. (2009) Increases in the abundance of the invasive barnacle Austrominius modestus (Darwin) on the Isle of Cumbrae, Scotland. JMBA2 - Biodiversity Records Online

Davenport, J., O’Halloran, J., Hannah, F., McLaughlin, O., & Smiddy, P. (2009) Comparison of Plumages of White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus and Blackbird Turdus merula. Waterbirds 32, 169-178.

Aubry, A., Bécart, E., Davenport, J. & Emmerson, M.C. (2010). Estimation of survival rate and extinction probability for stage-structured populations with overlapping life stages. Population Ecology 52, 437–450

Broszeit, S., Davenport, J. & McAllen, R. (2010). First documented record of Rhabdomolgus ruber (Echinodermata: Holothuridea) in Irish waters. JMBA2 – Marine Biodiversity Records Online doi:10.1017/S1755267210000485; Vol. 3; e64

Irwin, S. & Davenport J. (2010). Oxygen microenvironment of coralline algal tufts and their associated epiphytic animals. Biology & Environment 110B, 185-193.

Bastian, T., Stokes, D., Kelleher, J.E., Davenport, J., Hays, G.C. & Doyle, T.K. (2010). Fisheries by-catch data provides insights into the distribution of the mauve stinger (Pelagia noctiluca, Forsskål 1775) around Ireland. ICES Journal of Marine Science 68, 436–443.

Davenport, J., Ezgeta-Balić, D., Peharda, M., Skejić, S.,  Ninčević-Gladan, Z., Matijević, S. (2011) Size-differential feeding in Pinna nobilis L. (Mollusca: Bivalvia): Exploitation of detritus, phytoplankton and zooplankton. Estuarine, Coastal & Shelf Science 92,  246-254.

Davenport, J., Moloney, T.V. & Kelly, J. (2011). Sea anemones (Actinia equina) are sessile intertidal scavengers. Marine Ecology Progress Series 430, 147-155.

Bastian, T., Haberlin, D., Purcell, J.E., Hays, G.C., Davenport, J., Mcallen, R. & Doyle, T.K. (2011). Large-scale sampling reveals the spatio-temporal distributions of the jellyfish Aurelia aurita and Cyanea capillata in the Irish Sea Marine Biology 158: 2639–2652.

Low, J.J, Igoe, F., Davenport, J. & Harrison, S.S.C. (2011) Littoral spawning habitats of three southern Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus L.) populations. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 20: 537-547.

Hawkins, A., Knudsen, F.R.,  Davenport, J., McAllen, R., Bloomfield, H., Schilt, C. Johnson, P. & Thomson, A. (2011) Grazing on zooplankton by sprat schools within an enclosed marine lough. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology & Ecology.411:59-65. 

C) Papers concerned with biomechanical phenomena

Davenport, J., Hughes, R.N., Shorten, M. & Larsen, P.S. (2011) Drag reduction by air release promote fast ascent in jumping Emperor Penguins - a novel hypothesis. Marine Ecology Progess Series 430, 171-182.

Finn, J., Carlsson, J., Kelly, T. & Davenport, J. (2012). Avoidance of headwinds or exploitation of ground effect – why do birds fly low? Journal of Field Ornithology 83: 192-202.

D) Papers concerned with ecotoxicology

Zitova, A., O’Mahony, F., Cross, M, Davenport, J. & Papkovsky, D. (2009). Toxicological profiling of chemical and environmental samples using panels of test organisms and optical oxygen respirometry. Environmental Toxicology. Published on line DOI 10.1002/tox.20387

Zitova, A., Cross, M., Hernan, R., Davenport, J. & Papkovsky, D.B. (2009). Respirometric acute toxicity screening assay using Daphnia magna. Chemistry & Ecology 25, 1-11.

Coughlan, B.M., Moroney, G.A., Van Pelt, F.N.A.M., O’Brien, N.M.,Davenport, J. & O’Halloran J. (2009). The effects of salinity on the Manila Clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) using the neutral red retention assay with adapted physiological saline solutions. Marine Pollution Bulletin 58,1680-1684.

Jasionek, G., Zhdanov, A., Davenport, J., Blaha, L.  & Papkovsky, D.B. (2010). Mitochondrial toxicity of microcystin-LR on cultured cells: application to analysis of contaminated water samples. Environmental Science & Technology. 44, 2535–2541.

E) Papers concerned with the ecology, behaviour and physiology of aquatic reptiles

Davenport, J., Fraher, J., Fitzgerald, E.,  McLaughlin, P., Doyle, T., Harman, L. & Cuffe, T. (2009) Fat Head: An analysis of head and neck insulation in the leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea. Journal of Experimental Biology 212, 2753-2759.

Davenport, J., Fraher, J., Fitzgerald, E.,  McLaughlin, P., Doyle, T., Harman, L., Cuffe, T. & Dockery, P. (2009) Ontogenetic changes in tracheal structure facilitate deep dives and cold water foraging in adult leatherback sea turtles. Journal of Experimental Biology 212, 3440-3447.

Fraher, J., Davenport, J., Fitzgerald, E., McLaughlin, P., Doyle, T., Harman, L., Cuffe, T. (2010). Opening and closing mechanisms of the leatherback sea turtle larynx: a crucial rôle for the tongue.  Journal of Experimental Biology 213, 4137-4145.

Davenport, J., Plot, V., Georges, J.V., Doyle, T.K. & James, M.C. (2011). Pleated turtle escapes the box – shape changes in Dermochelys coriacea. Journal of Experimental Biology 214: 3474-3479.

Murphy, C., Kelliher, D. & Davenport, J. (2012). Shape and material characteristics of the trachea in the leatherback sea turtle promote progressive collapse and reinflation during dives. Journal of Experimental Biology 215: 3064-3071.

F) Papers concerned with conservation issues

Aubry, A., Becart, E., Davenport, J., Lynn, D., Marnell, F. & Emmerson, M.C. (2012). Patterns of synchrony in natterjack toad breeding activity and reproductive success at local and regional scales Ecography 35: 1-11.

G) Papers concerned with badgers and bovine TB

Sleeman D.P., Davenport J., More S.J., Clegg T.A., Collins J.D., Williams, D.J., Griffin J.M.  & O’Boyle I. (2009). How many Eurasian badgers Meles meles  are there in Ireland? European Journal of Wildlife Research.

Sleeman D.P., Davenport J., More S.J., Clegg T.A., Griffin J.M.  & O’Boyle I. (2009). The effectiveness of barriers to badger Meles meles immigration in the Irish Four Area project. European Journal of Wildlife Research.

Sleeman, D.P., Davenport, J., Cussen, R.E. & Hammond, R.F. (2009). The small-bodied Badgers (Meles meles (L.) of Rutland Island, Co. Donegal. Irish Naturalists' Journal 30, 1-6.

O’Shea, F., Sleeman D.P. & Davenport, J. (2010). The effect of badger removal on road casualty mammals. Irish Naturalists' Journal 31, 118-222.

Byrne, A., Sleeman, D.P, O’Keeffe, J. & Davenport, J. (2012) The ecology of the European badger (Meles meles) in Ireland – a review. Biology & Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 112B:  69-96.

G) Material in Press (at 27-9-2012)

Doyle, T., Helps, W. & Davenport, J. (In Press). Columbus crab from loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) leg pouch. Irish Naturalists Journal

Peharda, M.,  Ezgeta-Balić D., Davenport, J.,  Bojanić, N., Vidjak, O. & Ninčević-Gladan, Ž. (In Press). Differential ingestion of zooplankton by four species of bivalve molluscs in Mali Ston Bay, Croatia. Marine Biology

Byrne, A.W., O’Keeffe, J., Sleeman, D.P., Davenport, J. & Martin, S.W. (In Press). Impact of culling on relative abundance of the Eurasian Badger (Meles meles) in three counties in Ireland. European Journal of Wildlife Research.