Ray Leakey

Telephone: 01631 559230
E-mail: ray.leakey@sams.ac.uk

Scientific interests

Ray Leakey’s research is concerned with the ecology of marine micro-organisms in polar, temperate and tropical waters, and their role in carbon and energy flow. Specifically, his fundamental research has focused on the diversity, structure and function of protozoans, and their micro-algal and bacterial prey, in plankton environments and sea-ice. His applied research examines the impact of mariculture activities on planktonic ecoystems, microbial-fish larvae interactions in mariculture hatchery environments, and the production of biofuels from micro-algae. He has conducted field studies in the Atlantic, Indian and Southern Oceans, and in UK, Norwegian, Pakistani, Arctic and Antarctic coastal waters. In summer 2008 he led the NERC-funded ICECHASER biogeochemistry research cruise to Arctic waters north of Svalbard and will lead a subsequent ICECHASER cruise to the Arctic in summer 2010. He is currently the Arctic Science Theme Leader within the institute. 

Current projects

Oceans 2025 - Theme 1

PNG

BIOMARA

Teaching / supervising activities

PhD supervisor (Jennifer Riley)


Lecturer on the UHI Marine Science degree (Marine and Estuarine Systems, Microbial Ecology, Carbon Cycling, Polar Seas).

Selected Publications

Leakey, R.J.G..(2009). Priorities for future UK marine Arctic research. NERC Oceans2025 SFI Workshop Report (WS 09 01).

Zubkov, M.V., Leakey, R.J.G. (2009). Evaluation of the efficiency of metabolism of dinoflagellate phosphorus and carbon by a planktonic ciliate. European Journal of Protistology, 45:166-173.

Leakey, R.J.G., Cottier, F.R., Howe, J.A., Potts, T.W., Turnewitsch, R. and Meldrum, D.T.  (2008). A Review of the current status of UK Arctic research. Report commissioned by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Navarro, N., Leakey, R.J.G., Black, K.D. (2008). Effect of salmon cage aquaculture on the pelagic environment of temperate coastal waters: seasonal changes in nutrients and the microbial community. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 361:47-58.

Fouilland, E., Leakey, R.J.G., Jones, K., Slater, J., Álvarez Calleja, I. (2007). The response of a planktonic community to sudden mixing conditions in temperate coastal waters: importance of light regime and nutrient enrichment. Journal of Experimental Biology and Ecology, 351:211-225.

Davidson, K., Gilpin., L.C., Hart, M., Fouilland, E., Mitchell, E., Álvarez Calleja, I., Laurent, C., Miller, A.E.J., Leakey, R.J.G. (2007). The influence of the balance of inorganic and organic nitrogen on the trophic dynamics of microbial food webs. Limnology and Oceanography, 52: 2147-2163.

Leakey, R.J.G. (2006). Phytoplankton. In Riffenburgh, B. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of the Antarctic. Routledge Press, New York.

Pond, W.D., Leakey, R.J.G. and Fallick, A.E. (2006). Monitoring microbial predator-prey interactions: an experimental study using fatty acid biomarker and compound specific isotope techniques. Journal of Plankton Research, 28:419-427

Fileman^, E.S., Leakey, R.J.G. (2005). Microzooplankton dynamics during the development of the spring bloom in the northeast Atlantic. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 85:741-753.

Leakey, R.J.G., Leadbeater, B.S.C., Mitchell, E., McCready, S.M.M. and Murray, A.W.A. (2002). The abundance and biomass of choanoflagellates and other nanoflagellates in waters of contrasting temperature to the north-west of South Georgia in the Southern Ocean. European Journal of Protistology, 38:333-350.

Hop, H., Pearson, T., Hegseth E.N., Kovacs, K.M., Wiencke, C., Kwasniewski, S., Eiane, K., Mehlum, F., Gulliksen, B., Wlodarska-Kowalczuk, M., Lydersen, C., Weslawski, J.M., Cochrane, S., Gabrielsen, G.W., Leakey, R.J.G., Lønne, O.J., Zajaczkowski, M., Falk-Petersen, S., Kendall, M., Wängberg, S., Bischof, K., Voronkov, A.Y., Kovaltchouk, N.A., Wiktor, J., Poltermann, M., Prisco, G., Papucci, C. and Gerland, S. (2002). The marine ecosystem of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. Polar Research, 21:167-208.

Leakey, R.J.G., Burkill, P.H. and Sleigh, M.A. (1996). Planktonic ciliates in the northwestern Indian Ocean: their abundance and biomass in waters of contrasting productivity.  Journal of Plankton Research, 18:1063-1071.

Leakey, R.J.G., Archer, S.D. and Grey, J. (1996). Microbial dynamics in coastal waters of East Antarctica: bacterial production and nanoflagellate bacterivory.  Marine Ecology Progress Series, 142:3-17

Clarke, A. and Leakey, R.J.G. (1996). The seasonal cycle of phytoplankton, macronutrients and the microbial community in a nearshore Antarctic marine ecosystem. Limnology and Oceanography, 41:1281-1294.

Archer, S.D., Leakey, R.J.G., Burkill, P.H., Sleigh, M.A. and Appleby, C.J.. (1996). Microbial ecology of sea-ice at a coastal Antarctic site: community composition, biomass and temporal change.  Marine Ecology Progress Series, 135:179-195

Leakey, R.J.G., Fenton, N. and Clarke, A. (1994). The annual cycle of planktonic ciliates in nearshore waters at Signy Island, Antarctica. Journal of Plankton Research, 16:841-856.

Leakey, R.J.G., Burkill, P.H. and Sleigh, M.A. (1992). Planktonic ciliates in Southampton Water: abundance, biomass, production, and role in pelagic carbon flow. Marine Biology, 114:67-83.

 
Educational and career history

BSc Biology, University of Stirling (1983)

PhD Biology, University of Southampton (1989)

Marine Microbiologist, British Antarctic Survey (1989 - 1997)

Research Fellow, Scottish Association for Marine Science (1997 - 2005)

Head of Microbial and Molecular Biology, Scottish Asscoation for Marine Science (2005 - present) 

Other

Guest lecturer, University of Glasgow

Editorial Board member of The International Review of Hydrobiology